Lights

Nobody would think of using those helmet lights as their only lights right?

Certainly hope not. I have decent front and rear lights, this would be secondary.

Still, for the amount of people I see cycling in the dark and gloom, with no lights at all, this would still be an improvement.
I am perplexed by why riders would risk their lives for the sake of saving (is that the right word?) £20.

Meh, as long as I can see them, I don't care if they don't have it on their bike.

Well the Cree light from Lumen Junkies is a bit of a curates egg.

The parts are all nicely made, but badly assembled- mine required taking apart and putting back together with a lot more attention paid to correct tightening- it then worked.

What is more annoying is that the light cycles between its modes (bright/dim/flash) whenever you go over a bump. This would not be that bad, but some sort of malignant gremlin insures that (for example) just when you turn into an overshadowed lampost less lane it turns to flash.

Reeeeen fixed this with, I believe, a length of alloy stock bar that effectively lengthens the battery/compresses the spring a lot more, thus making everything a bit tighter.

I will try this- but this light cannot be said to work out of the box.

It's cheap, however.

stretch the spring a bit

Trust Murts to be an expert spring stretcher. ;)

I got my Blackburn lights this morning...a flea for the front and a mars 4 for the back. Both are very bright, the mars especially ( i was was blinded for a while this morning). The USB charging is also SUPER cool. Bought some front and back fleas for the lady as well, cheapest place was parkers...free delivery if over 20 quid i think.

This could be in the Spotted thread, but its about Lights, so I'm posting it here.

This morning I saw Adoubletap, and I shouted to him from two lanes away, Nice Light, What Is It?

I didn't properly hear his reply, as we were heading in different directions.

Turns out that the light I'd seen from a couple of hundred yards away, was the Hope Vision 1.......on Low Setting!!!!!!!

What a fantastic output. Mark me down as Well Impressed.

MTE SF-23 for £19ish quid at DealExtreme (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22569)

Sorry if I missed something, but am I right in thinking that I'll need to order a charger + batteries to go with?

Figure this is the best thread for this...
Forgot the velcro strap for my DiNotte battery packs, so mounted them with the rubber o-ring used to secure the light, like so:

Can't see the point of attaching them any other way now.

A very neat solution.

I like it Japeseye. I have one of these beauties and the battery pack doesn't half dangle loosely if using the velcro.

That's a very interesting idea - will give that a go over the weekend. Thanks for sharing it.

Looking at the LED lights in the shops it's amazing how much they've improved in a few years... so I've decided to upgrade.

Strangely, some really excellent rear lights have come down in price by nealy 50%. And these are the 2010-2011 models.
And just as its getting darker as well. Peculiar.

RSP Astrum down from £23.50 - £14.50 (truly excellent)
RSP Urban down from £19.50 - £11.95

Great stuff. I like the side-visibility of the RSP Urbans so going with those.

Has anyone got a Smart Lunar front light? I'm wondering if a 2 watt LED could be enough for country roads, otherwise I'm looking at the Electron EHP400 Terra 1. Mostly I cycle in town but I'd like to be able to get out to villages in the wintertime occasionally. All the different ways of rating the lights really confuse me, but I'll assume the RSP Steradian "ultimate front light for urban use" won't cut it.

ALso thinking about fitting Reelights for permanent secondaries.

I have just purchased a Smart Lunar 35 from High on bikes - will let you know how I get on (mostly lit roads but some small unlit parts)

I have just purchased a Smart Lunar 35 from High on bikes - will let you know how I get on (mostly lit roads but some small unlit parts)

oh please, i'm planning on getting one too..

I got my Blackburn lights this morning...a flea for the front and a mars 4 for the back. Both are very bright, the mars especially ( i was was blinded for a while this morning). The USB charging is also SUPER cool. Bought some front and back fleas for the lady as well, cheapest place was parkers...free delivery if over 20 quid i think.

My Blackburn lights are ace about town. Super bright, good batteries, I don't even need to charge the flea every day, and a life time guarantee? Ace.

I like my 2011 fleas too. nice and bright, small enough to stash in your pocket and easy to whip on and off. Battery life isn't the best but
they're so easy to charge and the new indicators for charge are handy.

Yep.I think it takes 90min to fully charge them. Takes me that long to find new batteries normally.

Fleas need charging fairly often, but since they're my commuting lights and I spend my days as a DBC*, that's absolutely fine.

*Desk-Bound Cunt

Well the Cree light from Lumen Junkies is a bit of a curates egg.

The parts are all nicely made, but badly assembled- mine required taking apart and putting back together with a lot more attention paid to correct tightening- it then worked.

What is more annoying is that the light cycles between its modes (bright/dim/flash) whenever you go over a bump. This would not be that bad, but some sort of malignant gremlin insures that (for example) just when you turn into an overshadowed lampost less lane it turns to flash.

Reeeeen fixed this with, I believe, a length of alloy stock bar that effectively lengthens the battery/compresses the spring a lot more, thus making everything a bit tighter.

I will try this- but this light cannot be said to work out of the box.

It's cheap, however.

that is true and seems to be down to a loose "bulb" assembly instalment. remedied by tightening. the 6mm of alloy rod cut off, that i inserted was supposed to ridden me of the slight noise the light made when used with the AAA battery cage. it is shorter than these 18650 type bats and the springs don't be too tight against it.

maybe not as perfect as a hope vision one.

I got stuck in the rain last week behind someone with a Smart Superflash and they really are fucking bright. I made an effort to get past him ASAP as that flash plus the rain on my glasses was half blinding me.

Anyone with any experience of the Light and Motion Vis 360 helmet light(s)? My LBS can do a deal on it

I use one of these http://www.ledco.co.uk/content/productView.aspx?prodId=35 with this http://www.thetorchsite.co.uk/LED_Lenser_Bike_Mounts.html