Commuting lights

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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Vantage
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Vantage »

For backup only, I have one of these stuck on my handlebar. Handy for fixing punctures at night too. It's not like the dyno can be handheld or indeed powered while sitting there motionless.
Button battery powered and the lens is the switch. Plenty bright enough to be seen but useless for seeing with.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Tangled Metal wrote:So the weight difference between your own dynamo hub and normal hub wheels is 397g (about 2/3 of a pound). Then add the weight of your lights and wires to the total package. Well my whole rechargeable light package is only just over half a pound. Even without considering your actual light weight it's heavier.

The actual lights and wires weigh virtually nothing, but yes - depending on how much you spend on the batteries the Dynamo is heavier. Of course if you carried enough battery to last you through the night the weight of batteries would soon mount up.
The real question is therefore whether you have titanium bolt everywhere, and stick to a regimented diet. And I really hope you don't carry any water (and make sure you visit the toilet before you set off)

This is not even the main point I have for choosing rechargeable battery lights, and it is a choice we make based on what our own priorities are, is for me they're simpler. Simple mount, different modes (which I use a lot), ability to use on other bikes, reliable (apart from the cheapest ALDI lights I own) and just simple. Go to shop, buy it then simple mount to use it.

Simpler - what can be simpler than 'get on bike and ride with light'. No battery maintenance, no worries about lights being pinched....

The description of battery lights Vantage has given doesn't agree with my experience of them. I've no experience of dynamo light systems other than some very old and poor systems like bottle dynamo systems and an old hub system on a Dutch bike in.Holland years ago. I can't really comment on modern dynamo lighting system other to know that it doesn't suit my needs. I don't want a light system that's fixed solely to one bike. I'm looking for transferability. I like my Cateye lights because they work the way I like and expect from good, modern rechargeable lights. I'm just looking for something that behaves similar but with a different front light strength and beam pattern. It needs to charge in a way that shows it charging and when it's fully charged. I'd like it to indicate when the charge is low and to switch to a lower setting that gets me home if I have misjudged the amount of charge left.

Transferability is about the only thing a battery light gains. And that only really applies if you have different wheel sizes between bikes.
When looking at old dynamos, remember to look at old battery lights as well. Else I'll suggest that your toga needs tucking up ;)

Now to all those who have obsessed about dynamo lighting systems please answer the question. What recommendations do you have to match my needs. Clue, if it involves dynamo it's the wrong answer. I need a rechargeable ideally but have good experiences of my old Cateye el130 aa battery light.

I don't have any recommendations, but neither could I recommend a species of glow worm to put in a jam jar...
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bik ... eadlights/

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m ... aid:243312
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/trel ... aid:470889
Are both on offer, and look like they satisfy your brief.

No idea if you can get any road legal battery light in a UK bike shop - I look whenever I am in a shop and have yet to find one.
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pwa
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by pwa »

I have felt drawn to hub dynamos from time to time, and I may invest in one in the future. But the idea that it is the only way to reliable commuter lights is false. I proved that over about 20 years of year-round commuting on routes that included mud spattered country lanes and some more urban roads. I ran battery lights that used rechargeable AA batteries and ran them on settings that meant I only had to recharge them once a week, at the weekend. I invested in the most reliable models I could find and had two lights on the front and two on the rear.

My current favourites would include the Lancashire-made Hope Vision 1 at the front. I have one of the original versions which I have been using for years, and it is a gem. After a few years the robust bracket cracked, but Hope are really good at spare parts so I got the new part for it. I use it on the second lowest setting, which lights up dark lanes pretty well and gives at least 7 hours of run time. I combine that with a cheaper light from Cateye or Smart, though I trust those less.

At the rear I have yet to find a light to beat the Cateye TL-LD1100, a barrel of real brightness that shines in all directions and has a huge run time. And it is the most solid, weather proof rear light I know. Cateye's later rear lights are less robust, so I must buy a few TL-LD1100s before they become unavailable. It usess AA batteries, which mean a brighter light for longer, compared to AAA lights.

My lights get used on various bikes belonging to myself and other family members, something that you can only do with battery lights.

None of this is aimed at rubbishing dynamo systems, which I fully accept as viable and reliable options.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Only solution? Probably not.
But it makes the cycle a practical vehicle - you don't have to separately charge your car lights after all.

It allows for the unexpected, it saves pretty much all future lighting concerns/maintenance - which are both important considerations for a commuter.

I spent several years going through battery lights, and eventually built my own - but run time was always on my mind. I'd not want to go back now. And gradually all my bikes are becoming appropriately equipped. I have a small Dynamo to put on the Rapto, which has the lights already (currently fed from a PP3 battery...)
Last edited by [XAP]Bob on 21 Jan 2016, 9:10am, edited 2 times in total.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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Tangled Metal
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Tangled Metal »

We differ a lot in our experiences with battery lights I think Bob. I've never.had a problem. Even the minor annoyance I have with the cheap ALDI lights does not stop them being effective lights. In fact my ideal would be the same lights with just a few tweaks to improve charging and the low charge indication. I suspect the moon comet lights which these are copies of may offer these tweaks I wish they had. Does anyone know if moon comet lights show if they're still charging and do they show when they are running low or even switch to a lower usage lighting option as the batteries run out?
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Quite possibly - but that's one reason I can't recommend any. I never got any that were of a suitable quality, but then I haven't really looked for 5 years on the dynamo or the 2 years before that on my home built lights...

Every time I go into a bike shop I look through the lights to see if I can see *any* than are UK road legal (i.e. that satisfy the requirements for a main light under the existing RVLR). I am yet to find one.

I'm looking for something from a bike shop ideally in the UK.


That is where I really struggle to find anything to recommend. UK shops basically don't sell UK road legal lights.
Go abroad (probably to Germany) and you find many more (due to EU regulations, and the fact that other countries have maintained their RVLR) - and you'll also find many more dynamos than anything else. Partly this is due to regulation, although that is due to the treatment of the cycle as a vehicle, not an item of sporting kit.



BTW - from another post above..
At 75 watt the implication for speed of losing 5W will be ~3% (and that is a very tootling cyclist)
At 150 watt it is more like 1.5% (I can maintain 150W pretty much indefinitely)

Frankly you lose more by dropping a few PSI from your tyres than from a dynamo
Last edited by [XAP]Bob on 21 Jan 2016, 9:25am, edited 1 time in total.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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roubaixtuesday
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by roubaixtuesday »

Fascinating thread.

Modern battery lights are brilliant, miles better than what was available a couple of decades ago, and more than adequate for any reasonable commute. I'm sure hub dynamos are even more awsome, but the OP only asked for advice on backup lights. Even if I was using a hub dynamo, I'd still have a pair of backups, personally.

Transferability is about the only thing a battery light gains. And that only really applies if you have different wheel sizes between bikes.


I have four bikes: Commuter/tourer, MTB, road racer, tandem. Wheel transferring isn't even possible between any of them, let alone convenient. Having a light bracket on each, however, is perfect, meaning paying for for one good quality light I get three for free.
Bicycler
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Bicycler »

The idea of fitting a seatpost light to a luggage carrier with an additional bracket always seemed a bit weird when there are so many lights specifically designed to bolt on directly. I hear what is being said about use on different bikes but I think there is a strong case for having a rear light/reflector permanently attached to each. It looks neater, it fulfils the legal requirement to have a reflector, is less likely to fall off and will be there to get you home when you find yourself out without having brought your lights or in times of low daytime visibility.

Rechargeable lights on the rear are not the clear win they appear to be. There is a tendency for them to be very bright but with relatively short run times. They are, after all, expected to be regularly recharged. Conversely, lights taking normal aa/aaa batteries would be a right nuisance if they died once a week. They tend to have much longer run times measured in the several tens of hours (or way more if flashing). My current commuter has an old Cateye AU100 on the seatpost and one of the Busch and Muller Toplight series of lights/reflectors on the carrier light plate. I usually choose to charge the batteries roughly monthly just to be safe but it isn't something I'm particularly diligent about.
pwa
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by pwa »

Bicycler wrote:The idea of fitting a seatpost light to a luggage carrier with an additional bracket always seemed a bit weird when there are so many lights specifically designed to bolt on directly. I hear what is being said about use on different bikes but I think there is a strong case for having a rear light/reflector permanently attached to each. It looks neater, it fulfils the legal requirement to have a reflector, is less likely to fall off and will be there to get you home when you find yourself out without having brought your lights or in times of low daytime visibility.

Rechargeable lights on the rear are not the clear win they appear to be. There is a tendency for them to be very bright but with relatively short run times. They are, after all, expected to be regularly recharged. Conversely, lights taking normal aa/aaa batteries would be a right nuisance if they died once a week. They tend to have much longer run times measured in the several tens of hours (or way more if flashing). My current commuter has an old Cateye AU100 on the seatpost and one of the Busch and Muller Toplight series of lights/reflectors on the carrier light plate. I usually choose to charge the batteries roughly monthly just to be safe but it isn't something I'm particularly diligent about.


I find TL-LD1100s screw directly on to the rear of any rack with a light plate. I prefer my rear lights to be fixed semi-permanently, not easily removed. TL-LD1100s run a whole week of commuting (10 hours) of full brightness, with a recharge at the weekend. I bet they would go for 2 weeks with little dimming if the effort of putting the batteries into the charger on the garage wall seemed too much to contemplate. It takes about a minute to do.
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Vorpal »

[XAP]Bob wrote:Transferability is about the only thing a battery light gains. And that only really applies if you have different wheel sizes between bikes.

Lights that can easily be removed and taken with are an advantage if you ever park a bike in places where anything attached to a bike is likely to be pinched or sabotaged. Some of the items I've had go missing from bikes parked parked in city centres have included things that required tools for removal.

My light also has a headband mounting, so it's easy to use for camping or dealing with a puncture or mechanical in the dark.

I have 6 bikes with 3 different wheel sizes (two different wheel sizes get used for commuting), and I have loaned my light a couple of times to Mini V, who has yet another wheel size. Even if I do eventually convert one or two of my bikes to using a dynohub, I will carry on using lights with rechargeable batteries.
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beardy
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by beardy »

I have both systems and think that both systems have their merits.

The dynamo set up needs greater initial outlay, weighs more and adds drag but it is almost "Fit and Forget".

The battery lights are cheaper upfront (especially if one set for multiple bikes) but require battery money through their life. They are notably less reliable, normally due to the batteries especially in the cold and wet when you really need them.

My dynamo is only on the bike during the winter months when it is regularly needed, during the summer a battery light will easily last for all the night riding that I do, including riding the whole night.

There is a difference between "Fit and Forget" and "it is no big deal to charge the batteries regularly in anticipation of any ride and remember to move the lights on to the bike from the other bike". Pick which end of the scale you want to be on. At least for six months of the year I have one bike in the stable that is always ready to go, at the drop of a hat. For the other six months I see no point in carrying around a "heavy" dynamo dragging (even if undetectable) my precious energy.
pwa
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by pwa »

beardy wrote:I have both systems and think that both systems have their merits.

The dynamo set up needs greater initial outlay, weighs more and adds drag but it is almost "Fit and Forget".

The battery lights are cheaper upfront (especially if one set for multiple bikes) but require battery money through their life. They are notably less reliable, normally due to the batteries especially in the cold and wet when you really need them.

My dynamo is only on the bike during the winter months when it is regularly needed, during the summer a battery light will easily last for all the night riding that I do, including riding the whole night.

There is a difference between "Fit and Forget" and "it is no big deal to charge the batteries regularly in anticipation of any ride and remember to move the lights on to the bike from the other bike". Pick which end of the scale you want to be on. At least for six months of the year I have one bike in the stable that is always ready to go, at the drop of a hat. For the other six months I see no point in carrying around a "heavy" dynamo dragging (even if undetectable) my precious energy.


I think this all comes down to what works for you. If you choose reliable battery lights and are the sort of person who finds it no effort to recharge them at the weekend, they will provide you with a reliable system. And having two lights front and rear, the unlikely failure of one light (assuming you have chosen well) will not leave you without lighting. If you are forgetful and are likely to get to bedtime on Sunday night without having put batteries on charge, a dynamo system would serve you better. Personally, in nearly 20 years of commuting with good battery lights I never had complete light failure, front or rear.

(I avoid and mistrust tiny rear lights with AAA batteries. They do have a high failure rate. And the only B&M light I ever bought, a battery light designed for racks, was a poorly made piece of rubbish that I binned after a couple of weeks of trying to get it to stay on reliably.)
Brucey
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Brucey »

BTW I agree that in a commuting context the loss of speed from a hub generator is negligible. The world's slowest and most feeble cyclist would take less than 30s longer to do three miles or something. If you ride at nearer 15-20mph then it might be five seconds (or less) difference.

This basically doesn't matter; there are plenty of other things that will slow you much more than that, like a few psi too little in your tyres. Choosing draggy tyres could cost you 20W per wheel so a fraction of that on having reliable lighting is a no-brainer really.

I quite often ride in company on short runs and the amount of faffing that some people do prior to a five minute bike ride is unbelievable; I can work my lock in darkness (with gloves on) if I have to, and I'll be clad for riding before I get to the bike. Zero faffing with lights of course, and an IGH means I'm in the right gear from the get-go. Other folk are fiddling with locks, trying to fit battery lights in the dark, messing about with clothing etc, and when they start they are in the wrong gear; [God forbid that they should ride downhill before they park their (derailleur-geared) bike and then have to start off uphill.... the noises are incredible...] In some instances I could actually be at the other end of my journey before some people had started theirs. Its funny how the 'oooh dynamos slow you down by 6W' merchants don't mention that.... :roll: :lol:

BTW if you want a hub dynamo system that swaps from bike to bike easily (same wheel size) then you can have one; some folk use a front light only, mounted on a bracket that is clamped to the front axle. This lot comes off in seconds and can be fitted to another bike equally quickly. It does leave you running battery rear lights though, or leaving a rear light installed on every bike including the wiring (ooh, 30g on the bike.... how will you manage to drag that around...? :shock: )

One or two people have claimed 'good reliability over many years' from battery systems; I'd argue that this is

a) very much the exception rather than the rule and
b) total failure has only ever been avoided by carrying backup lights of some kind.

By contrast with a hub generator reliability is the expectation rather than the exception. I do usually carry a battery light with me, but that is mainly so that I can find my bike, and in case of punctures etc

cheers
Last edited by Brucey on 21 Jan 2016, 11:46am, edited 1 time in total.
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Tangled Metal
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Tangled Metal »

Road legal? I think you are making too much of this. I'd be very surprised if you can find one case of someone getting "done" for cycling with a light that works for visibility but does not conform to the rvlr in the U.K..

IIRC you are allowed flashing lights in an update of the rvlr. Most modern lights of a decent quality have a bright, flashing option. Why would this not conform? What is it that modern rechargeable lights do not conform to?

BTW I bet you have all your BS standard reflectors on too. I don't and never have for all my cycling life (currently only 38 or 39 years man and boy). I've used various lights over that time from massive rectangular things with big round lenses to the modern battery and chargeable lights. Never bought them to meet any legislation or standard and never had any issue with non-conformance. Ymmv.
Brucey
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Re: Commuting lights

Post by Brucey »

Tangled Metal wrote:Road legal? I think you are making too much of this. I'd be very surprised if you can find one case of someone getting "done" for cycling with a light that works for visibility but does not conform to the rvlr in the U.K..


I agree the chances of getting pulled are slight but this does leave many cyclists being hated by other road users because their (illegal) lights are so antisocial. Legal ones are much less likely to provoke this response. Also , if you are involved in a prang and you don't have legal lights this could be used by the other side in mitigation.

IIRC you are allowed flashing lights in an update of the rvlr. Most modern lights of a decent quality have a bright, flashing option. Why would this not conform? What is it that modern rechargeable lights do not conform to?


The RVLR allow certain flashing light patterns provided that is their only mode. I've never seen a light like this, ergo they are all illegal.

BTW I bet you have all your BS standard reflectors on too. I don't and never have for all my cycling life (currently only 38 or 39 years man and boy)...


well, you should do, as per my earlier point. Its a 'won't do any harm, might do some good thing' and therefore a no-brainer.

cheers
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