Lights

According to a magazine test;

so it's over five hours on the lowest setting.

why is it that I recommended the lezyne but got scowled at and was called that it's stupid and dangerous, but everyone else is fine?

Because you pointed it at a wall in a lit room and called it 'teh science!' :)

Does anyone know a way to quick release dynamo lights? I've seen the QR bolts but the wire is the problem since it is fixed to the light.

I'll soon have 2 bikes with dynamo hubs and would rather not have to rewire all the time. I have a good light I'd like to use it on both bikes instead of forking out for a second one. It would also help to prevent theft.

I guess a normal spade connector could work but those are usually shrink wrapped to keep out rain - not sure if it would be good to expose the electrical connection to the elements?

Depends upon the dynamo hub you're using. Many, like Shimano, have a plastic block that you pass the wired into - when this block is pushed over its mate on the hub, the contact is made, but it's fairly waterproof and the holes for the wires usually have a bit of liquid silicone in them to seal them. Others use spade connectors with heat-shrunk covers; I suspect that they're all right as long as the two contacts aren't bridged by a water droplet...

I had a reelight front light until my bike was trashed. Great in theory but they are made out of recycled shite. the magnets on the wheels are really nasty they way they attach and the bit that goes on the fork is badly thought out for skinny 700c wheels (prob ok on 26" with bigger clearances. I'll try and get what I have left working again (they nicked the wheel with the magnets on it but I'm sure I can cobble something together.

They work on a different system to the reelights. The magnets are in the actuall light .

Just saw this on kickstarter.com

The best lighting solution Ive ever seen! Be amazed

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dynamodirk/magnic-light-get-new-energy?ref=category

I saw that too, one page back
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Just saw this on kickstarter.com

The best lighting solution Ive ever seen! Be amazed

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dynamodirk/magnic-light-get-new-energy?ref=category

I'm backing this.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_brake[/ame]

Looks good for slowing you down, for generating power not so much. I'd like to see the overall generator efficiency. I suspect effectiveness will drop sharply with separation between exciter magnet and moving conductor (i.e. the rim), so it probably relies on wheels with negligible axial run out. Those of you who commute will have a better idea than me how much work with a nipple key is required to maintain your wheels in such pristine condition.

they seem to have a slightly mad system of mounting onto the arms of calliper brakes so the whole system moves towards the rim as you brake, and interestingly the rear gets brighter during braking but the front not so much. Whether that's an effect of the front using larger diameter coils or whatever or just a feature of the electronics isn't clear. But if the front can cope with being waggled in and out, it's not actually too much of a problem.

I've heard of [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_brake[/ame] but as far as i'm aware they generally dump the energy into resistive heating by the eddy currents; getting significant parts of the energy back is new to me. I suspect their system is a closer cousin of the [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homopolar_motor[/ame] than normal eddy current brakes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_brake

Looks good for slowing you down, for generating power not so much. I'd like to see the overall generator efficiency. I suspect effectiveness will drop sharply with separation between exciter magnet and moving conductor (i.e. the rim), so it probably relies on wheels with negligible axial run out. Those of you who commute will have a better idea than me how much work with a nipple key is required to maintain your wheels in such pristine condition.

Im sure the energy thats slows you down is used to power the light, no idea about the efficiency though. Would be nice if they could give an indication of that. Hopefully >50%. But the movies suggests enough light comes out. Extra capacitor is a good idea i think.

@ammar how could i have missed, it was right under my nose

Thanks Ed.

I'm planning on keeping my R1 too, which I think is awesome. May buy another R1 or an R2 (really want to run 2 lights together to be honest)

Then I'll be using the Hope Vision 1 up front.

Sounds like the smart rear lights are great value for money, just wanted to clarify before ordering another one!

As for batteries for the Hope vision one is something like this from 7day shop going to be OK?

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_3&products_id=113333

Contains 4x AA 2900 MAH - surely that'll be enough?

Planning on charging up a few and always riding with spares.

Anyone? Hoping to buy these at the weekend.

Does anyone know a way to quick release dynamo lights? I've seen the QR bolts but the wire is the problem since it is fixed to the light.

I'll soon have 2 bikes with dynamo hubs and would rather not have to rewire all the time. I have a good light I'd like to use it on both bikes instead of forking out for a second one. It would also help to prevent theft.

I guess a normal spade connector could work but those are usually shrink wrapped to keep out rain - not sure if it would be good to expose the electrical connection to the elements?

Shimano & Sturmey Archer use a plastic block slip on connector which is more or less waterproof. I've never had a problem with either in heavy rain. It just slips on and off very easily and it's made for repeated disconnect/connections, I wouldn't worry about it. SON hubs use spade connectors.
http://sheldonbrown.com/images/nexus-wiring.jpg

Lumicycle have got their spring sale on, which is about the only time they're really affordable.

They do the best offroad lamp on the market, so it's well worth getting an XPG if you can afford to:
http://www.lumicycle.com/product/productlist.aspx?page=1&dep=219

I can't afford to, but I can vouch for how awesome the 1,200 lumen lamp I purchased in 2005 is, as I still use it every winter.

Does anyone have a current recommendation for a cheapish front light? Mainly for visibility on well-lit roads. A sturdy mounting system would be a bonus - the last one I had bounced off its bracket and smashed, so I'm down to a shitty knog frog style job...

Moon Mask 5.0

Ta.

+1 for the Moon Mask.

I thought that it's first flashy mode was awful when tried indoors, but outside its a whole different story, and it kind of makes things flicker, which I love. not sure others do though, so I tend to only use that one if I'm riding solo.

Hope vision?

I'm going to be buying one soon for completely unlit country roads, cycling home from work that kind of thing.

Spence just go for it.

Actually ask us again in 2 days time first, then go for it.

Why?

Ed did an intentional funny.

I think spenceey and dammit should get together. -1x-1=1, right?

I had a reelight front light until my bike was trashed. Great in theory but they are made out of recycled shite...

Yup, I had Reelight 520s on my bike for about a year and they were okay, but I kept my bike in a big empty garage at work - then I put them on my girlfriend's bike which gets locked up in busy racks and they had both been destroyed within a week - the mounting brackets for the lights are just far too small so they snap really easily. Also the wiring got pulled out of the rear unit. Neither problem is user-serviceable so both lights were junk. And the coil units always wiggle around on the frame, which makes them unreliable (essentially they have to be re-positioned every time you ride) and the movement wore through the powdercoat.

I wrote to Reelight with a big list of problems and they sent me a top-of-the-range set which has slightly improved metal mounting brackets... and again, both failed in a very short period in exactly the same way as the previous set. Poor design, cheap materials - a good idea, but *terrible* execution.

Hope vision?

I'm going to be buying one soon for completely unlit country roads, cycling home from work that kind of thing.

Have you bought this yet?

Nope.

Don't worry, another 26 hours before you ask us the same question again.