How was your cycle commute?

[gentlegreen]

Fecking ninjas - dozens of them - I reckon nearly 50 percent on the railway path - presumably on account of the mild spell.
Morons. I really will have to get myself down to the city end to see how they get to the start of the path.
Then two more on the road on the way home.

Is there some sort of Jim Jones 35th anniversary year thing going on ?

 

[Onket]

Any suggestions for a decent front light to use on an unlit road? A section of my ride is pretty dark, too dark for the light I've got, I reckon.

Where to start?

You can use anything from an LED torch through to multi-hundred pound mountain bike lights. Or go the Heath Robinson Gentle Green route and build your own.

My current set up is a Hope 2 (British built!) and a cateye EL530 as a back-up. But I have used LED torches (specifically the LED Lenser P14 and the H14) and I know riders who use much cheaper torches.

If anyone wants one I have a torch bike mount which I've never used that you can have for half price.

A site I heartily recommend is http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/

Exposure Reflex are expensive but well worth it. I've just put one on my Thorn Mercury rando bike. No cables, very bright, intelligent battery life management and programmable modes.

Cheapo lights just don't last in my experience.

Just googled Exposure Reflex. Wow. I don't think there's anything on there that isn't more expensive than my actual bike.

Anyone recommend something affordable?!

What about this one? How bright is 320 lumens? http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/olight-torches/olight-s10-baton-led-torch.html

This one is about the same price, but listed as 1W- http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Topeak-WhiteLite-HP-1W-Front-Light_116668.htm how bright is that?

What do I need for a stretch of dark road?

 

[ddraig]

baack on after 2 days on a course
getting warmer too

 

[gentlegreen]

Just googled Exposure Reflex. Wow. I don't think there's anything on there that isn't more expensive than my actual bike.

Anyone recommend something affordable?!

What about this one? How bright is 320 lumens? http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/olight-torches/olight-s10-baton-led-torch.html

This one is about the same price, but listed as 1W- http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Topeak-WhiteLite-HP-1W-Front-Light_116668.htm how bright is that?

What do I need for a stretch of dark road?

I have a genuine 3 watt (I measured it), claimed 300 Lumen Aldi torch - I paid £10 for it - very good value torch, but it's only for emergencies. It replaces a 1 watt torch that thankfully I never needed to use on the bike.

Personally, perhaps it's my eyes, but I need a lot more than that.

 

[Onket]

More than 3 watt needed?

And 100 lumens = 1 watt?

 

[gentlegreen]

More than 3 watt needed?

And 100 lumens = 1 watt?

To be honest I have never measured a lumen in my life - and I can never remember what a lumen actually is - there's no direct correlation because some LEDs are more efficient than others.

You have to take pretty well all advertised claims with a pinch of salt - shockingly even on Amazon.
If you want a 1 watt torch, buy a "5 watt" one on eBay for £5.

As I said before, B&M do amazing things for £60 or so with only 1 watt / 60 lumens, by using proper optics, but if I was investing, I would want a Philips - but they're over £100 !

I think because I aim my 6 watts per lamp directly at the road, some of it is bounced back and kills my night vision - but my lights really do work - much broader beam pattern. I ride at normal speed on a familiar unlit road every evening.



As I said, I pay £10 for these lamps that are actually about 6 watts.
Doesn't matter which way around you wire them.

12volt 3.7AH radio control battery £25 (knackered after two or 3 winters)
The first year you should be able to get 6 hours run-time on a charge.



Length of twin core, velcro frame bag or water bottle to put the battery in.

Charger £12 - will last for years.




Personally I wouldn't be without one of these now to clamp my lamp to. :-



https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=topeak xtender&hl=en&client=firefox-beta&hs=bEz&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-GBfficial&tbm=shop&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=_N4LUfGqMtKS0QXlkYGgAQ&ved=0CAwQ_AUoAA&biw=1280&bih=868

Cable tie a plumbing clamp and bob's yer uncle...

 

[Onket]

I just want to buy a light for my bike!

 

[pissflaps]

get some of these.

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a4...ad-and-rear-light-set.html?lg=en&cr=GBP&cn=gb

 

[Wolveryeti]

Potholes getting worse. Nearly went arse over tit the other day because I misjudged the depth of a puddle. For fuck's sake. I don't need cycle superhighways, lanes, and other nonsense. Just fix the bastard surface of the roads please.

 

[gentlegreen]

I just want to buy a light for my bike!

That's what I'm showing you. £50 or so all-in.
99 percent of bike lights I see on a daily basis are total crap - and I'm staggered at how much people pay for them.
Vanishingly few are even capable of properly illuminating an unlit road.

The only decent commercial bike lights suitable for road use are very expensive - as I said, Philips, B&M - you won't even find those in your average bike shop.

I've been using these domestic spot lights for three winters now - they've been permanently attached to my bike for 3 years / 6,000 miles, all weathers.
I have no intention of replacing them - except if they come up with more powerful £10 MR16 lamps.

 

[gentlegreen]

get some of these.


http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a4...ad-and-rear-light-set.html?lg=en&cr=GBP&cn=gb

Unless you have owl-vision, you won't be belting along an unlit road with that.

 

[PursuedByBears]

I just want to buy a light for my bike!

Cateye lights are good. There are two unlit sections of my ride home where it is pitch black and my front beam lights it up like its day.

 

[pissflaps]

cateye lights don't like potholes.

 

[PursuedByBears]

cateye lights don't like potholes.

There's plenty of potholes where I cycle. What's the problem with them?

 

[gentlegreen]

There's plenty of potholes where I cycle. What's the problem with them?

Electronically switched lights generally can go out if the circuit is broken for a millisecond.
Cateyes have a reputation for falling off and exploding into several pieces - always have a loop of cord attached - but I do that for anything detachable.
I have used Cateyes in the past - decent enough for town use.
(possibly - I would feel naked with so little light)

 

[pissflaps]

the slotted housings that they use are a bit shit and have a nasty habit of not hanging on to your lights when you go *gerdunk*. Saw someone's rear light go clattering onto kennington road only last night. this may only be the case on the cheaper, entry level ones. Velcro straps are the way forward i reckon.

 

[ddraig]

That's what I'm showing you. £50 or so all-in.
99 percent of bike lights I see on a daily basis are total crap - and I'm staggered at how much people pay for them.
Vanishingly few are even capable of properly illuminating an unlit road.

The only decent commercial bike lights suitable for road use are very expensive - as I said, Philips, B&M - you won't even find those in your average bike shop.

I've been using these domestic spot lights for three winters now - they've been permanently attached to my bike for 3 years / 6,000 miles, all weathers.
I have no intention of replacing them - except if they come up with more powerful £10 MR16 lamps.

if he won't get himself a bike then he ain't gonna spend that on lights is he!

 

[PursuedByBears]

(possibly - I would feel naked with so little light)

thanks for the explanations! Mine have held up OK so far after a year's use but were quite pricy when I bought them (can't remember how much) - maybe the build quality is better on mine?

 

[gentlegreen]

if he won't get himself a bike then he ain't gonna spend that on lights is he!

The torch he linked to was almost that much.
To be fair he needs two separate bikes to do his current commute and has to lock at least one of them at a station overnight.

 

[gentlegreen]

Set off at 16.45 and almost got home in the light - at least it was light enough when I was nearly home that I didn't feel able to question the mental capacity of the light-less on the railway path.

Is it that cycling has to be "cheap" - i.e sod all ?

I rode a bike for several years that I paid £25 for in about 1988, in terrible mechanical condition, but I never once set off without lights - not in 25 years and 40,000 miles - spring, summer, autumn, winter. Good lights can be useful even on a dull summer's day.
In retrospect I'm amazed that it took me so long to improve on my pair of never-readies beyond making them rechargeable, but at least I made an effort.
In winter I have the lights fixed to my bike, a second charged battery, my Aldi torch and a Cateye rear lamp.

 

[a_chap]

Just googled Exposure Reflex. Wow. I don't think there's anything on there that isn't more expensive than my actual bike.

Last year I had my bike stolen from my house. The thieves dumped my bike a few hundred yards from my house after taking the lights...

Anyone recommend something affordable?!

Yes - any bright LED torch will do. The beam pattern of a torch tends to be less than ideal though - but they will do a perfectly adequate job. And they can always double as a torch.

What about this one? How bright is 320 lumens? http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/olight-torches/olight-s10-baton-led-torch.html

320 lumens is plenty bright enough. My main light for my long-distance bike is only around 250 lumens. However it has a superb beam pattern which makes a big difference IMO.

As for the Cateye debate; I have used Cateyes for years and found them to be completely reliable. I have never had one switch itself off no matter how bad a pothole I've belted. My commuting back-up light is a Cateye EL530.

My problem with Cateyes these days is that they have been left miles behind in terms of brightness.

ETA: I am talking about Cateye front lights. Cateye rears lights are still superb! I use a Cateye LD1100 rear light which is staggeringly bright! http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=64508

 

[a_chap]

I'm now on my hols for a week which means no commuting.And am leaving the bike at the repairers for gear-related goodness to be applied.

This has been a public information announcement

 

[gentlegreen]

Yes - any bright LED torch will do. The beam pattern of a torch tends to be less than ideal though - but they will do a perfectly adequate job. And they can always double as a torch.

mounted low .... very low..

 

[a_chap]

Why mounted low?

 

[gentlegreen]

I assumed that's why they work for you....

Lamps in any case should be mounted low.

 

[weepiper]

Sports Direct are doing heavily discounted Muddy Fox cycling shoes today. may be of interest to someone, especially if you've got a mountainbiking kid, or you've got diddy feet - some of them start at a size 3

http://www.sportsdirect.com/Cycling/Cycling-Shoes

 

[ddraig]

cheers weeps!
'cheap' tights and other bits too
http://www.sportsdirect.com/muddyfox-padded-cycling-tights-mens-635054

 

[a_chap]

I assumed that's why they work for you....

Lamps in any case should be mounted low.

I must have missed that lesson. Can you explain why lights ("lamps", how quaint) should be mounted low?

 

[gentlegreen]

I must have missed that lesson. Can you explain why lights ("lamps", how quaint) should be mounted low?

So they have a chance of keeping the up-spill out of my eyes on shared paths.
Lamps always used to be mounted low - my never-readies were right down by my axles if I recall correctly.
My dipped beam is mounted low AND corrected for excessive up-spill.
It's my intention that very few people ever get to see one of the three 2 watt 30 degree LEDs directly.



Even my "be seen on well-lit streets and A roads" lamp and my high beam are mounted below handlebar level.

 

[Onket]

if he won't get himself a bike then he ain't gonna spend that on lights is he!

Eh? Me? I've got a bike.