Commuting lights

[SA_SA_SA]

What about 6V e-bike compatible dynamo lamps initially powered from a 6v sealed lead acid battery (http://rapidonline.com/ sell them and good intelligent chargers for reasonable prices (Maplin charge a lot lot more)).

Lead acid cells like being topped up by intelligent chargers.

You could change to a hub later etc.

[TrevA]

What about 6V e-bike compatible dynamo lamps initially powered from a 6v sealed lead acid battery (http://rapidonline.com/ sell them and good intelligent chargers for reasonable prices (Maplin charge a lot lot more)).

Lead acid cells like being topped up by intelligent chargers.

You could change to a hub later etc.

Lead Acid is quite old technology and they weigh quite a bit more than NiMH or Li-ion batteries. I used to have the Smart twin headlight powered by a lead acid battery, which was OK at the time but modern lights are lighter and brighter. Run time not great for lead acids either.

[gaz]

Whilst it is not a matter I've researched deeply my understanding of e-bike lights is that they are designed to run off the e-bike's battery which has a DC output.

Running such a lamp from a 6v AC generator isn't exactly plug and play.

[SA_SA_SA]

....
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.
...

The RVLR allows flashing lamps to count as obligatory ('approved' in CJ-speak) if they flash at 1-4hz, with fixed mark-space ratio, at 4cd or brighter, AND they have no steady mode (which would then need BS6102/3 approval).

So IMO, other flashing modes are irrelevant as long as not used when one wishes the lamp to satisfy the obligatory lamp requirements.
If otherwise I think CJ would have mentioned it.

I think a BS approved lamp with such an 'approved' flashing mode would count as obligatory in either that mode or steady(BS). As such a rear Eurolight lamp exists (existed?) I again think CJ would have mentioned it if that nobbled its flashing mode 'approval'.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... egulations with links to RVLR

[SA_SA_SA]

:? Whilst it is not a matter I've researched deeply my understanding of e-bike lights is that they are designed to run off the e-bike's battery which has a DC output.

Running such a lamp from a 6v AC generator isn't exactly plug and play.

But some dynamo lamps are sold as 6v DC e-bike supply compatible.

...
Lead Acid is quite old technology and they weigh quite a bit more than NiMH or Li-ion batteries. I used to have the Smart twin headlight powered by a lead acid battery, which was OK at the time but modern lights are lighter and brighter. Run time not great for lead acids either.

I got the feeling Li cells promise more than they deliver in terms of life/capacity, NiMh can also seem a bit inconvenient. The proven lead acids like of topping up might allow a smaller capacity. Also, LED lamps need less current than old halogens like the Smart....

[gaz]

But some dynamo lamps are sold as 6v DC e-bike supply compatible.

The wonders of modern technology.

[mjr]

But what happens if you get a puncture on your Dynamo bike, in the dark, on the way home? How do you see to mend it? Oh, you need a back up battery light!

My phone's always been good enough for me to see to fix it well enough to get home, rather than rummage in the tool bag for the backup battery light (which is there because the battery lights on the other bikes are unreliable) as well as the puncture kit.

To be fair, the same is true if one of my battery-lit bikes gets a puncture, but they don't go out after dark so much any more because dynamo lights are sooo much more reliable and well-designed.

[[XAP]Bob]

:? Whilst it is not a matter I've researched deeply my understanding of e-bike lights is that they are designed to run off the e-bike's battery which has a DC output.

Running such a lamp from a 6v AC generator isn't exactly plug and play.

To be fair many dynamo lights will run off batteries...


http://mccraw.co.uk/battery-powered-dynamo-lighting/

[syklist]

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.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essent ... ght-front/

We use some lights bought from "de HEMA" in Holland as back ups on our hub dynamo bikes. The attach to our bar bags when on tour and when I used to commute with my Brompton they hung off the Brompton touring bag. We use them so little that I replace the batteries every couple of years just to make sure they will work on tour. They are bright enough to make you visible expecially in flashing mode. The white lights make good tent lights as they are light enough to be hung from a string or loop attached to the inner tent.

The URL doesn't seem to work with this board's markup language so here it is in its entirety
http://www.hema.nl/winkel?fh_location=% ... egories%3C{nlhema_nl3608}%2Fcategories%3C{nlhema_nl3608_nl5067}%2Fcategories%3C{nlhema_nl3608_nl5067_nl5072}&fh_view_size=48&fh_sort=pnl_stockavailability%2C-%24standaardranking_cocktail&fh_modification=&fh_secondid=pnl_41155070

[SA_SA_SA]

.....I carry small get-me-home lights in my tool bag but that's mainly because I've needed them several times while using battery lights and I don't often add/remove things from the tool bag as it moves between bikes. They're not sufficient to be legal, but you're allowed to complete your journey if a legal light fails (RVLR section 23(3)(c) ) so it's only to give me a rear light or help me see through the totally-unlit bits, albeit at reduced speed.

Doesn't that bit say sunrise to sunset (i.e. daytimeie not lighting up time) (only motor vehicles need lamps fitted in daytime)? Is there provision elsewhere to 'limp' home with defective or an emergency substitute lamp during sunset to sunrise (lighting up time)?

[mjr]

.....I carry small get-me-home lights in my tool bag but that's mainly because I've needed them several times while using battery lights and I don't often add/remove things from the tool bag as it moves between bikes. They're not sufficient to be legal, but you're allowed to complete your journey if a legal light fails (RVLR section 23(3)(c) ) so it's only to give me a rear light or help me see through the totally-unlit bits, albeit at reduced speed.

Doesn't that bit say sunrise to sunset (i.e. daytimeie not lighting up time) (only motor vehicles need lamps fitted in daytime)? Is there provision elsewhere to 'limp' home with defective or an emergency substitute lamp during sunset to sunrise (lighting up time)?

You're quite right - at least now AFAICT. So is the police issuing stripey-edged slips (or whatever they are now) to vehicles driving with blown bulbs telling them to get them fixed before being seen on road again enshrined in law or just something police have done?

[[XAP]Bob]

Motor vehicles are required to have lights at all times, and must use them in times of reduced visibility. Cycles are not required to have lights in the day, so they cannot be required to use them (though I'd suggest it's sensible if you do have them)

[beardy]

Motor vehicles are required to have lights at all times,

Not entirely true, you can still MOT and drive motorcycles without lights for daytime use only.

[mig]

my commutes in the past few weeks have seen a noticeable amount of cyclists riding before 8am with no lights at all. is this a nationwide thing?
the most alarming of these was i only noticed the rider on the road as something was blocking out some of the glare of an incoming lorry's lights - a rider with a black coat, no lights at all maybe 5 feet from the front of the cab / the driver revving the engine intent on overtaking.

[Vantage]

I'm pretty sure we've been here before.
I see plenty of night riding ninjas and that's just the thing, I can see them.
Most of us can agree that the use of DRL's and being lit in poor weather and/or night time can only assist in us not being squished but hitting a cyclist and blaming his/her lack of lights just isn't good enough. They CAN be seen. There's no point saying, "Look at that eejit with no lights! He's asking to be hit!" If they're visible enough to warrant a comment then they're visible enough.