Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
yes, the York store, had to get a train there as the bike i wanted was there, but I didn’t think I should be expected to spend £15 and two hours on a train just to return a mis-sold item
The Cycling Chat Thread
- Thread starter ChrisFilter
- Start date
Leafster
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Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
really? i shall be making complaints anyways but that’s new to me, so will bring it up. thanks
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Have just signed up to komoot with my neighbour Rob, going to try and continue with the rides. (maybe not 55 miles to start with). Some great looking routes near London.
So on that note, the nights are drawing in, found myself cycling home recently in twilight and realised I need new lights. My old front light fell off and the back light battery life has become too short to bother with.
Any recommendations/bargains to be had? Am on a budget...
So on that note, the nights are drawing in, found myself cycling home recently in twilight and realised I need new lights. My old front light fell off and the back light battery life has become too short to bother with.
Any recommendations/bargains to be had? Am on a budget...
Cid
Proper break this time
Front light use this... I have the 1200lm version I think, can't remember why. Nice alu body, all feels sturdy etc (well, maybe not the mount, but does the job). Has survived a crash. It's very bright... There certainly are brighter lights, but it's a viable starting point. And I mean for actually riding in the dark in the countryside. For being noticed on flasher mode it's more than good enough. Good battery life. And the price, it is ludicrously good value. And you can charge your phone with it...
The rear light is complete trash though, not quite got my rear light game down yet. Just have various that have accumulated.
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
I have these:
ride.lezyne.com
Not cheap (I picked them up in an online sale), but after getting through multiple sets of crap cheap ones with shit light and/or battery life they're fantastic.
CONNECT SMART 1000XL / KTV SMART PAIR
The most advanced front/rear bike light combo available. The Connect Smart 1000XL / KTV Smart Pair comes equipped with our Smart Connect wireless technology. This pair of lights can be quickly programmed and customized by the companion LED Ally phone app. A high-tech addition for every serious...
ride.lezyne.com
Not cheap (I picked them up in an online sale), but after getting through multiple sets of crap cheap ones with shit light and/or battery life they're fantastic.
weepiper
I fix the machines that fight climate change
I've got a Cateye Volt on the front
CATEYE [VOLT400] about 45 quid I think, had it several years and it's been extremely reliable in all weathers and the usb battery is still holding a good charge, bright enough to ride in completely un streetlit areas. And a Cateye Rapid X on the back CATEYE [RAPID X] which is about 30 quid and again has been very reliable and is fucking visible from all angles, although the mount is a bit annoying if you need to take it on and off often.
CATEYE [VOLT400] about 45 quid I think, had it several years and it's been extremely reliable in all weathers and the usb battery is still holding a good charge, bright enough to ride in completely un streetlit areas. And a Cateye Rapid X on the back CATEYE [RAPID X] which is about 30 quid and again has been very reliable and is fucking visible from all angles, although the mount is a bit annoying if you need to take it on and off often.
Cid
Proper break this time
Thanks Cid, I'll mostly be using it in the city, maybe at the end of country rides on the way home. Bargain really.
eta: ordered. 2400 was only £2 more so went for that.
I think I had to fettle the mounting rubber a little... But have had to do that on much more expensive things. Will depend on bars.
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
I’ve bought a number of rear LEDs over the years for me and family and my take is:
1. It’s easy to find a good actual light these days. Most are good.
2. The right style of mount is harder to get right and harder to judge in advance particularly if buying online.
3. Don’t bother with fancy multi-mode lights you just want constant/flashing.
4. Similarly fancy features (lights that shine brighter when you brake or switch on automatically when it gets dark) are more trouble than they’re worth.
5. Always go for USB charging (most are these days).
1. It’s easy to find a good actual light these days. Most are good.
2. The right style of mount is harder to get right and harder to judge in advance particularly if buying online.
3. Don’t bother with fancy multi-mode lights you just want constant/flashing.
4. Similarly fancy features (lights that shine brighter when you brake or switch on automatically when it gets dark) are more trouble than they’re worth.
5. Always go for USB charging (most are these days).
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
i got a reduced cat eye from halfords - £40 down to £25 or so and its so much better than cheapo ebay/amazon lights
rubbershoes
not the only raver in the village
magneze
🎧
A light with a couple of AAs will still beat that by a long way IMHO. eg:
Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle
Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
A light with a couple of AAs will still beat that by a long way IMHO. eg:
Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle
Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!www.wiggle.co.uk
Can you charge your phone off a light with a couple of AA's though?
magneze
🎧
Can you make me think that's important?
Cid
Proper break this time
A light with a couple of AAs will still beat that by a long way IMHO. eg:
Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle
Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!
Perhaps, but it's pretty easy to just plug in your lights when you get home. Also not really comparing like with like; that's a '100-199 brightness' (I couldn't even find that rating on Cateye's site) safety light - bright enough to get you noticed, not for illumination. Then you need to buy batteries, or have additional battery charging stuff... And you're restricting yourself to a handful of lowest tier options, since 95% are now on USB. Oh, and of course faffing about with battery holders, additional sealing problems etc.
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
I suggest that, for the rear light at least, you have two. At some point a rear light will inevitably fail, fall off or go flat during a ride and you'll be none the wiser that you're lightless. Having a second rear light means you'll still be visible.
Whether you have one rear light or two, get someone to check that the light(s) is/are visible when you're riding the bike. I've seen far too many rear lights obscured by jackets, bags, ruck sucks, etc.
Whether you have one rear light or two, get someone to check that the light(s) is/are visible when you're riding the bike. I've seen far too many rear lights obscured by jackets, bags, ruck sucks, etc.
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Needs to be on the front of the bike for authenticity.
nick
Pleomorphic Adenomas R us
This
Why not treat yourself to a decent USB one, but also have any old battery / USB one as a backup so that a) it is unlikely both will be dead at the start of a journey in the dark b) you avoid the old "bright light illuminating nothing except your back pack" syndrome
magneze
🎧
Or this if, like me, you want AA powered:
I'm continually surprised at the price of USB powered lights. Why are they so expensive?
I'm continually surprised at the price of USB powered lights. Why are they so expensive?
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Yeah this should do the trick nicely, just need to get the clip accessory to clip it on to my saddle bag. Thanks.
Cid
Proper break this time
How is £20 for a decent front light expensive? Bike lights have never been cheap... I've just checked my poorly managed inbox, earliest CRC order for a light is 2010, in which I bought a Topeak Whitelite HP 1w. It provided (according to their website) 90 lumens and cost £35, or about £45 in today's money. I don't really remember that light... May have been nicked shortly after, had a bike stolen around then. Even if you want cycling brand stuff, rather than rolling the dice on Amazon, you'll get much better for £45 these days.
My more usual go-to was a Cateye set... The front light took four AAs, the rear I think 3xAAA. I could actually check since I may still have a couple of the rears in one of those forgotten bits boxes. I don't have the front ones, because they broke. They broke because basic plastic build quality in a battery pack doesn't stand up to repeat use. I'm remembering now how much of a pain in the arse it could be when I was doing a long, regular commute. I mean you have no way of knowing when your rear light will go. Stopping to change front light batteries in the pissing rain. Nah, good riddance.
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
Four indeed.
In the late '90s and early 2000s the Cateye Micro was the most popular bike light on long-distance rides. It took four AA batteries yet it was still really compact. It had a tiny 2.4 watt halogen bulb and produced a small white blob of light. Many people (me included) mounted two on their handlebars. Twice the light - luxury!
However, on alkaline batteries you'd only get, at most, a couple of hours of usable light from them. But Cateye had a solution for that - an external power pack that took four D cells!!! It was literally the size and shape of a drinks bottle and was designed to be carried in a bottle cage.
I was the only person I ever saw with one.
They weighed a (metaphorical) ton but would indeed give an entire through-the-night worth of light. Even so, it was still just a small blob of white light.
Kids today, they don't know they're born...
Cid
Proper break this time
Four indeed.
In the late '90s and early 2000s the Cateye Micro was the most popular bike light on long-distance rides. It took four AA batteries yet it was still really compact. It had a tiny 2.4 watt halogen bulb and produced a small white blob of light. Many people (me included) mounted two on their handlebars. Twice the light - luxury!
However, on alkaline batteries you'd only get, at most, a couple of hours of usable light from them. But Cateye had a solution for that - an external power pack that took four D cells!!! It was literally the size and shape of a drinks bottle and was designed to be carried in a bottle cage.
I was the only person I ever saw with one.
They weighed a (metaphorical) ton but would indeed give an entire through-the-night worth of light. Even so, it was still just a small blob of white light.
Kids today, they don't know they're born...
I don't remember much of my bike light history beyond the ones I've mentioned. Kind of weird, I mean I cycled to school every day from about 1998, but my memory of youth in general is quite blank. I have a vague recollection of a rectangular halogen thing with a switch on top. Not a button, a kind of slider switch. We had my dad's lights for a while (he died in the late 80s), they were massive, bit like these but black I think:
