Bike lights

JonathanRyan

JonathanRyan

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My wife is going to start cycling to/from work. It's about 3 - 4 miles each way half on road and half on an unlit path next to the beach. So she needs seeing AND being seen lights.

Any recommendations? Amazon have a ridiculous array up to 1,200 lumens while Wiggle want £250 for 600 lumens (BTW I know that lumens are generally a fib).
 
My line manager and I have used one of https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071RMXQ46/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 these for the last year and been satisfied. They charge from my Samsung phone charger, so I can charge at home or using a usb lead from the computer in the office.

I then have a pair of these,( in store at Aldi from today, but many companies do similar) as a backup in case light gets damaged / flat battery etc https://www.aldi.co.uk/bikemate-dual-bike-lights/p/086105242288902

Rear depends on what fixtures she has going on. E.g. I have one on my saddle bag, the boss has one on her basket, both have different fittings...

I would also say don’t underestimate the benefits of a jacket with hi-vis elements, they make a huge difference to being seen.
 
I was hoping to be able to help you on this Jonathan, but other than suggest Scorpion which a load of racers seem to use, I have been amazed by how expensive they are. When I go walking around the village, I use a LED headlight which I bought from Screwfix for about a fiver some years ago. It has an amazingly bright light when the batteries are fully charged (3 x AAA) and is light and comfortable. I reckon they would be a good auxillary light to use.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/led-head-torch/cat8340002

These look quite good

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Vol...NGhb0JGZE8k_cilBBBMIHJhh6AUAOkEaAt_QEALw_wcB#
 
Mozthecat said:
My line manager and I have used one of https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071RMXQ46/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 these for the last year and been satisfied. They charge from my Samsung phone charger, so I can charge at home or using a usb lead from the computer in the office.

I then have a pair of these,( in store at Aldi from today, but many companies do similar) as a backup in case light gets damaged / flat battery etc https://www.aldi.co.uk/bikemate-dual-bike-lights/p/086105242288902

Rear depends on what fixtures she has going on. E.g. I have one on my saddle bag, the boss has one on her basket, both have different fittings...

I would also say don’t underestimate the benefits of a jacket with hi-vis elements, they make a huge difference to being seen.
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Yes, I was thinking of those tiny ones as backup. Great price at Aldi. And I'm with you on hi-vis - for being seen nothing beats hi-vis and scotchlite - I'll get some tape for the frame.

andy700 said:
I was hoping to be able to help you on this Jonathan, but other than suggest Scorpion which a load of racers seem to use, I have been amazed by how expensive they are. When I go walking around the village, I use a LED headlight which I bought from Screwfix for about a fiver some years ago. It has an amazingly bright light when the batteries are fully charged (3 x AAA) and is light and comfortable. I reckon they would be a good auxillary light to use.
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I actually have a couple of really good head torched I use for trail running. One is great on my bike the other would be perfect for hers but I've lost the bike bracket and somehow can't bring myself to pay 7 quid plus a fiver postage for one :D
 
Moving lights tend to get noticed rather than just seen - Hi-Viz can be seen but ignored since it's now so common. Flashing lights for visibility, possibly attached to Mrs R rather than her bike.
 
be-seen lights... https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/ZXAVIORB/jobsworth-avior-usb-rechargeable-front--rear-light-bundle

see by Light... https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIJOHUBB/jobsworth-hubble-600-front

they may have "bundle" deals at a bit of a discount - they are at the moment, but Planet-X deals tend to change from day to day (and occasionally hour to hour)...

I've got both of the above, and the "be seen by" ones in particular are pretty damned good - decent battery life - the "see by" is bright and a decent enough beam pattern, and bright enough that you probably need to keep it pointed a bit down from where it'd be optimum on road as it's fundamentally a Torch rather than an automotive light with a specific cut-off beam that avoids dazzle - but for a cyclepath, it's fine. Would probably prefer a bit more spread and power if I was using it for nightrides on the cross-bike or mtb down the local woods, but on a sustrans special route, no problemo.
 
JonathanRyan said:
My wife is going to start cycling to/from work. It's about 3 - 4 miles each way half on road and half on an unlit path next to the beach. So she needs seeing AND being seen lights.

Any recommendations? Amazon have a ridiculous array up to 1,200 lumens while Wiggle want £250 for 600 lumens (BTW I know that lumens are generally a fib).
Click to expand...

No idea about which lights is good, you would need to review different productions yourself.

I would suggest at minimum, two lights.

One to be used to shire ahead, for the purpose of looking ahead as well as allowing oncoming traffic to see the cyclist.

The second one to be angled downwards, to shire at just about in front of the wheel, to allow to see any potholes, drains, how high the kerb is, any stones or rocks, etc.

Also, both lights must be on, not blinking.
 
On the subject of blinking lights, I find it much harder to judge the position & speed of travel of a blinking light than I do a constant one, and I'm probably not alone in that. While some cyclists take the attitude 'sod legality & use blinkies' there are some good safety reasons for not doing so too.

Agree with Major Eazy about having a light to shine on the road to show up potholes etc. If you're planning to use a higher output light (100+ lumens) on the front then it's good to align it not to dazzle oncoming traffic, just like you would if driving a car or motorcycle and for the exact same reasons.

It's nice that we can now get decent bike lights, and no longer have to use the execrable devices I had to put up with when I was a kid.
 
Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, the whole twin light thing is a good idea. That's why my Cross Trail light is great - it has a central bright area ahead and a less bright area that washes the ground and peripheral track. And yeah, pot holes....

I think blinking lights in addition to steadies are a good idea. Drivers in particular are far more likely to see a blinking light. Even if they aren't sure where it is they recognise that there's something moving over there rather than just a lighter area of the pavement.
 
I have heard good thing about these.
https://www.evanscycles.com/lezyne-hecto-drive-400xl-femto-y12-light-set-400-7-lumen-EV348425

Unfortunately there were none in stock when I went to get some so I picked up this set instead. They are actually rather good, certainly for 'be seen' lights. Not sure if they would be quite bright enough for a unlit path, though brighter versions are available.
https://www.evanscycles.com/fwe-rechargeable-light-set-300-30-lumen-EV303083

If I knew I would be regularly going on unlit paths, I would consider a second light for that.
I have something like this one kicking about somewhere, three cree leds and super bright. I would never use the flashing mode as it would be likely to induce an epileptic seizure! There are now versions with 8 T6 leds which is mental and probably a fair bit brighter than the sun!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x-XML-T...146901&hash=item23771e8f6c:g:-DgAAOSw5cNYLpS~
 
ancient_mariner said:
Modern cycle lights are so bright as to be un-missable - blinkies will only create aggravation.
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They are also so bright that a lot of people don't aim them correctly, dazzle from bike lights is dangerous to car drivers. The last set of lights I bought had both a dipped and main function that you could toggle from the handlebar, worth investigating if you're going for high lumens.
 
For the rear I remember reading some research that said safest is a blinking plus a steady.
Blinking alerts the driver that you are there’s and steady enables judgement of speed.
 
I use some Lezyne lights, I think the front is 400 lumens and the rear around 80 lumens. The front definitely needs aiming correctly to stop it dazzling car drivers
 
ian-83 said:
I use some Lezyne lights, I think the front is 400 lumens and the rear around 80 lumens. The front definitely needs aiming correctly to stop it dazzling car drivers
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That's interesting. I was in Halfords at the w/e and they are currently recommending 800 lumen minimum for an unlit path. I know lumens are generally a lie but that seems a lot since old fashioned hot bulb lights seem to be about 4 lumen.... I've just checked my running head torch which I used last night on the cliff path - it's 400 lumens and looked about right to me :)

With you on the Lezyne. Asked a friend who cycles a lot and she told me that Chinese ones are usually OK but for the sake of 40 quid not to muck about and get Lezyne. The ones I saw in Halfords are beautiful quality.

So I'm currently thinking Lezyne Zecto front and rear with an emergency backup of Femtos. 65 quid seems a lot to pay for a set of lights but cycling off a cliff in the dark would be more expensive :D
 
JonathanRyan said:
they are currently recommending 800 lumen minimum for an unlit path.
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Because cycle speeds are higher and manouverability lower than for a runner I would probably agree with them. I used to sometimes ride off-road with 2 nominally 800 lumen beams, and would have liked more light at times - the old candle in a bottle style bike headlamps were suitable for making you visible to other vehicles, but that's all.
 
ancient_mariner said:
Because cycle speeds are higher and manouverability lower than for a runner I would probably agree with them. I used to sometimes ride off-road with 2 nominally 800 lumen beams, and would have liked more light at times - the old candle in a bottle style bike headlamps were suitable for making you visible to other vehicles, but that's all.
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After half an hour on various sites it seems that most 800 lumen lights are actually 250 lumens with an "overdrive" that burns the battery up in a few minutes :) But then 400 lumen lights are really 100 and the 250 I was looking at is really 80 if you want it to last more than half an hour.

I know what you mean about manoeuvrability - if I hit a bumpy bit running I'll glide over it. Hit that on my skinny tyred "it's a hybrid, honest" bike and I'll be all over the place.
 
JonathanRyan said:
After half an hour on various sites it seems that most 800 lumen lights are actually 250 lumens with an "overdrive" that burns the battery up in a few minutes :) But then 400 lumen lights are really 100 and the 250 I was looking at is really 80 if you want it to last more than half an hour.

I know what you mean about manoeuvrability - if I hit a bumpy bit running I'll glide over it. Hit that on my skinny tyred "it's a hybrid, honest" bike and I'll be all over the place.
Click to expand...

I did quite a bit of work on LED bike lights before they became mainstream, sourcing LEDs before Cree were the hot name to have, different drivers, collimators, heat sinks etc. I'd have rated the '800' lumen torches I used at around 400 lumens, giving around an hour running off 18650 lithum cells. Of course I can't talk for current bike lights, but a lot depends on the maker getting the right binned LEDs to acheive their stated output and just simply having Cree XRE or whatever is no guarantee.

There was some interesting work done by privateers using home-built rigs that likely produced upwards of 2000 genuine lumens for serious off-road use. :)

*edit*
Found some images from the first unit I built using Luxeon K2 LEDs (probably winter 2006/7) that I built to run off a home-consttructed battery pack based on RC car tagged sub-C cells. Eventually I ditched those and went for simple over-volting (cells rated IIRC between 3.2 and 3.8V) using 4 NiMH AAs for about 50min at 4.8V although the heat sink got pretty warm if it didn't have air moving over it, to get around 110-120 lumens on a narrow-angle collimator that was good for road riding (cars would dip when approaching, thinking I was a motorised vehicle).
 
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