Lights

There appear to be hundreds of variants of torches utilising Cree LED's below £30. Does anything come recommended amongst these?

I'll be using it for around 3 hours (between charges) on unlit country roads, alongside a headtorch.

Yes, really.
http://www.lfgss.com/thread67260.html

Begs the question: Why wasn't that thread merged into the Lights thread? Surely that would have been fairly logical.
I'd never have seen it if you hadn't linked to it.

There appear to be hundreds of variants of torches utilising Cree LED's below £30. Does anything come recommended amongst these?

I'll be using it for around 3 hours (between charges) on unlit country roads, alongside a headtorch.

MTE SF-23 SSC P7-D-SXO 5-Mode Memory (*900 Lumens*) (450 lumens in reality)
On the medium setting, it should last 3 hours, and still give 200-300 lumens of light.
Max power is 450 lumens (actual) and runtime is stated as 2.5 hours (at full power).

There appear to be hundreds of variants of torches utilising Cree LED's below £30. Does anything come recommended amongst these?

I'll be using it for around 3 hours (between charges) on unlit country roads, alongside a headtorch.

I've been using 2 of these, each mounted on a twofish lockblock (on the handlebars) for night riding over the last 2 years.

The 1 mode version is best (it wont change modes when you hit bumps). Having 2 lights is good for peace-of-mind if your riding out in the country as a failed light could be a real problem. They are plenty bright enough for group riding and medium paced (20mph ish) stuff. You'll need a bunch of 18650 batteries, a charger and a US socket adapter but it's still within your budget.

I've bought a 900 lumen light now, just for the occasion when I want to ride fast on my own... or get dropped from the group.

:)

this thread makes me feel totally stupid. ive been bombing around with those tiny single LED elastic clip on ones and some old cheap one clipped on my belt. although when i go out in the dark its normally quite enough that, dare i say it, they're not vital as long as your on the ball.
ive tried wearing a high vis vest type thing and im pretty sure safety wise cars pay more attention to this than lights. maybe they think i'm police or something.

I've been using 2 of these, each mounted on a twofish lockblock (on the handlebars) for night riding over the last 2 years.

The 1 mode version is best (it wont change modes when you hit bumps). Having 2 lights is good for peace-of-mind if your riding out in the country as a failed light could be a real problem. They are plenty bright enough for group riding and medium paced (20mph ish) stuff. You'll need a bunch of 18650 batteries, a charger and a US socket adapter but it's still within your budget.

I've bought a 900 lumen light now, just for the occasion when I want to ride fast on my own... or get dropped from the group.

:)

This'd be the sensible option but I am tempted by the (no doubt over the top) SSC-P7, with (apparently) 900 lumens and a separate battery pack, but just over budget.

That's the light I've recently ordered (£35 on ebay). It's a favourite for sure. Most of the mountain bikers on the local trails use one on the head and one on the bars and manage to light up the forest!

I'll let you know how I get on with it if it ever arrives.

this thread makes me feel totally stupid. ive been bombing around with those tiny single LED elastic clip on ones and some old cheap one clipped on my belt. although when i go out in the dark its normally quite enough that, dare i say it, they're not vital as long as your on the ball.
ive tried wearing a high vis vest type thing and im pretty sure safety wise cars pay more attention to this than lights. maybe they think i'm police or something.

Sorry, but this is just bizarre. A washed hi-vis loses its reflectivity over time, and I have seen people with them on, and they hardly reflect much back at all. Also, the reflection also depends on the angle the hi-vis is at in conjunction with the car's headlight beams. I've seen cars pull suddenly to the side, away from a cyclist, because they had come up fast behind one and it was on a hill, and they didnt see the hi-vis till the last moment.

A good light with fresh batteries will be seen from at least 100 metres, and the best can be seen from nearly a mile away. The hi-vis is no comparison at all; and unless kept in an unwashed and never dirtied state, will have lost its reflectivity, so is shit. Lastly, if someone used a hi-vis, and no rear light, and had an accident, there would probably be no pay-out at all, as they had broken the law as a road user. I would respectfully suggest a re-think of that particular strategy.

Has anyone seen these before?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/revolights/revolights-join-the-revolution?ref=spotlight

Definitely hi visibility!

well, seems as over 40,000 facebookers have liked it, it probably isn't new :)

Sorry, but this is just bizarre. A washed hi-vis loses its reflectivity over time, and I have seen people with them on, and they hardly reflect much back at all. Also, the reflection also depends on the angle the hi-vis is at in conjunction with the car's headlight beams. I've seen cars pull suddenly to the side, away from a cyclist, because they had come up fast behind one and it was on a hill, and they didnt see the hi-vis till the last moment.

A good light with fresh batteries will be seen from at least 100 metres, and the best can be seen from nearly a mile away. The hi-vis is no comparison at all; and unless kept in an unwashed and never dirtied state, will have lost its reflectivity, so is shit. Lastly, if someone used a hi-vis, and no rear light, and had an accident, there would probably be no pay-out at all, as they had broken the law as a road user. I would respectfully suggest a re-think of that particular strategy.

i honestly thing the vest thing is as good. its brand new and all the silver strips light up like a christmas tree. and these go found the back, sides, top, and front reflecting from all angles, i do use a rear light but i've found no difference between when i use the (very small, knog) rear light, and when i use the hi vis vest, both is ideal. this isnt my strategy its just because ive had a high vis vest hanging around for years and last couple of weeks ive started using it. bear i mind if your from london, that cheltenham is alot quiter and i'd guess the traffic is alot slower and relaxed.

i honestly thing the vest thing is as good. its brand new and all the silver strips light up like a christmas tree. and these go found the back, sides, top, and front reflecting from all angles, i do use a rear light but i've found no difference between when i use the (very small, knog) rear light, and when i use the hi vis vest, both is ideal. this isnt my strategy its just because ive had a high vis vest hanging around for years and last couple of weeks ive started using it. bear i mind if your from london, that cheltenham is alot quiter and i'd guess the traffic is alot slower and relaxed.

Hi vis vests won't help you see the pothole thats about to throw you from your bike.

Lights are better than High Vis. FACT.

both points are true but honestly the high vis is useful. drain covers aren't good in the wet either with no lights (i learned last night)

The prosecution rests.

That's the light I've recently ordered (£35 on ebay). It's a favourite for sure. Most of the mountain bikers on the local trails use one on the head and one on the bars and manage to light up the forest!

I'll let you know how I get on with it if it ever arrives.

Decided to go with the same one myself, ordered from the UK so hopefully it won't take too long to arrive. Paired with my (really) cheap 5w Cree torch on the helmet it should be enough for Muddy Hell too, as long as the mount is reasonably sturdy.

My dealextreme ultrafire U4-MCU cree torch kept cutting out on me. It got worse the more I tried tightening it up. Took me a while to work it out, but the brass LED housing was loose. It screws into the reflector block and needs to be a tight fit to make electrical contact.

Once I realised you could remove it, I did and gave it a good clean. Put it back together and I can see in the dark now!

are those rsp lights aa?

Earlier link says AAA

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/16758/RSP-Astrum-Super-Bright-Rear-Light.html

Will let you know when mine shows up.

Can you not just turn around and give it some "Blue Steel" with your ginger locks and get the same effect?

cheers, woogs. alas, i feel that cycling lightless, brakeless, without foot retension and no helmet is dangerous enough, without turning around to distract male and female drivers alike with my pant-stripping lock.

i currently have snowy's rear light and no front, since some turd nicked my lights.

i ordered a hope v1 and the dude has just email to say he doesn't have any. balls.

i looked at those dealextreme 900lumen jobs. anyone had one for a couple of winters?

Evans is showing them in stock for around £80 and they will price match.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/hope/vision-1-led-universal-front-light-black-ec009045

I bought this for L&W and it's bright.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/light-motion/stella-150-rechargeable-front-light-ec024169

cheers, woogs. alas, i feel that cycling lightless, brakeless, without foot retension and no helmet is dangerous enough, without turning around to distract male and female drivers alike with my pant-stripping lock.

i currently have snowy's rear light and no front, since some turd nicked my lights.

i ordered a hope v1 and the dude has just email to say he doesn't have any. balls.

i looked at those dealextreme 900lumen jobs. anyone had one for a couple of winters?

I had one of the original ones, it failed to charge after about 2 months. I investigated the cause and found that the circuit board connecting the batteries together had corroded away. ( The battery holder was sort of shrink wrapped but obviously not waterproof).
I obtained another battery and made myself a watertight holder for it and it was OK for all of last winter and is still going strong.
The different versions have different battery containers which is something to bear in mind when buying one.

Pictures of old and new

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/dead-magicshine-battery-581407.html

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/general-discussion/38538-magicshine-900-lumens-light-35.html

cheers.

I've had one of those dealextreme ss p7's for a couple of years. Brilliant. Super annoying bright, really well built.
Did overnight to Brighton on one battery.
Great for off-road too.

Only niggle is that the flash is a bit epileptic.

I've used one (900lumens) as a helmet light offroading for the past 18 monts.

Can't fault it.