Lights

Which batteries and charger you got?

http://www.dinodirect.com/lithium-rechargeable-battery-2400mah.html?cur=GBP&vn=RGlub2RpcmVjdEZ1Y2s&AFFID=33

these batterys and a really cheap charger it came with

The blog I linked to has some useful info on 18650 batteries and chargers.

the one outside my flat window certainly hasn't been dimmed.

Council troll

The blog I linked to has some useful info on 18650 batteries and chargers.

thanks! i have one of the worst rated ones it seems

new batteries ahoy

the one outside my flat window certainly hasn't been dimmed.

black paint + bamboo pole+ paint brush = happy sumo

thanks! i have one of the worst rated ones it seems

new batteries ahoy

I got some Torchy branded batteries and a Trustfire charger with a two-light bundle off him: last a week of 45 minute e/w commutes and no fires so far.

It's worth dropping him a line if you can't see what you want on Ebay, he's really helpful and knows his stuff.

I've worked out the downside of separate light and battery units:

The LED can't keep the battery warm when it's subzero. On Tuesday I had to turn my MJ880 off in favour of a knog to make sure the rear Magicshine stayed on til I got home.

Need to send the rear one back, the seals haven't protected the innards properly.

I've not had an issue with the Magicshines and I've been running them for over a year. That said I am running a bottle battery, recharged daily, so maybe the issue is the different battery. And I'm on my third rear, the first two were replaced under warrenty, supposedly because they both came from the same faulty batch - but the new one feels gritty and stiff sometimes when turned so we will see.

The twist switch on mine became gritty after two commuting hours, I can see condensation through the lens and the central powerful LED is gone. Had them about a week.

Is this the 816?

The LED can't keep the battery warm when it's subzero. On Tuesday I had to turn my MJ880 off in favour of a knog to make sure the rear Magicshine stayed on til I got home.

on my smart R1 the light goes dim in the sub zero temps atm but brightens up wheni take it inside . i'm thinking of using a bit of foam around the batteries to keep them warmer.
It might be the cheap rechargable nimh cells that i'm using though.

Is this the 816?

REar is the 818.

You're right. Hopefully I don't get a duff one then.

I've got the lights, how have you hung them in a reasonably tidy way?

I should add the reason I ask is because I have an silly exposed brake cable on the top tube.

Like so

I used the battery's straps and the supplied velcro loop to wiggle the excess back and forth but as mine lights are mounted on a front-braked track bike, I've wound the rear cable round the toptube to stop it flapping.

The velcro is all attached but with some folding the seat rails seem the best place and I can charge it in place 90% of the time.

Like Ciq said the cables are a bitch. I might have some velcro cable tidies lying about so may employ them.

I don't know if they would count as lights, but it a pretty good idea.

http://www.designboom.com/technology/the-safest-bike-on-the-road-is-100-reflective/

Hipster specs though.

Can anyone suggest a good front light for brightening the road on a budget?

instead of a cycle specific light, you can get better value by mounting a flashlight. There's a load of cheap but decent quality and output lights from chinese manufacturers like ultrafire, trustfire etc that use high capacity rechargeable 18650 batteries.

for example

dx.com has a big selection of them. The downside is that shipping can take weeks, and quality often varies.

I've just ordered various component to build my own 1W rear LED light with programmable modes from dx.com for only around $30

the little fenix (l1d?) which runs on a single AA battery works well enough to light the road, and can really easily be attached to the bars with a bit of inner tube.

DX.com now have a UK warehouse but the range of products is limited.

Best light deal of Christmas? - RSP night Sabre front and standard rear - seriously great lights. Best quality construction you will ever find at this price - the front especially and the brackets are the best I have come across also - none of that brittle, snap-in-a-day cheap plastic. Only minor issue with the Night Sabre is it has no side windows. http://www.rutlandcycling.com/34750/RSP-LED-Front---Rear-Bike-Lights-Plus-Pump.html

I've just ordered various component to build my own 1W rear LED light with programmable modes from dx.com for only around $30

Are you using a P60 or are you really rolling your own? If so I'd be interested in knowing what you've gone with. A lot of the drivers seem to be great for a a single emitter but to lack decent flash modes or support for multiple emitters or flash patterns.

I've gone for this emitter and this driver. I'm just taking a punt on the flash modes. I have a couple of flashlights which I want to use for the body, but I got this to test it out first in.

I've never worked with LED hardware, so I just went along the same lines as other set ups I could find info on.

Have you made any of your own?