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PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 22:26 
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Bike Lights

Interesting article in this week’s CW on bike lights.

They have reviewed many makes. Lupines are not featured but less face fact – they are beyond budget of most. :roll:

So - :D CW have looked at some of the cheaper ones and rated them for you and I do not think they will mind if I bring some of their recommendations to a wider audience. :wink: I can recommend this weekly mag by the way – lot of news and discussion on the most important aspect – LE SPORT!! :D :twisted: :twisted: :D :lol: However, this week's a MUST :wink: for the commuters as there is an excellent article on this and I will be making a follow up summary of the piece.

OK – they rate from 1 –5 with 1 = RUBBISH and 5 = FANTASTIC! :wink:

They categorise the scores further from construction/seals/mounts/quality/l
Lighting/beam/
Brightness
Size
Batteries
Visibility on bike

As such most comprehensive review ever read!

OK here is the list and average marks/ As I do not wish to breach copyright and think the magazine is worthy of a keepable purchase…shall keep to salient detail. For more information :wink: – recommend a purchase for tips on how to get fit and the commuter guide. A worthy read for true cyclists! :D :twisted:

SMART Polaris 3 (they think the mounting may weaken in time but this £16.99 light scores a creditable 3 /4 on aggregate

INFINI Prometheus Dual or LED Has low battery indicator but scores badly on battery access and seals. Mostly 3 (average) in ease of use etc. Cost - £19.99

CATEYE Hi-EL30085 Opticube front LED . Mount can be rotated but rubber seals disappoint Average score 3 to 4 for this £35.00 light.

LIGHT & MOTION Vega Ni-Mh They reckon this Luxeon LED gives a good light and it score 4 and 5 in each category. Costs £125 though.

CATEYE EL710 Double Shot CW considers this a solid light with a 5-hour battery burn time. It has a bar and helmet mount and a smart charger. They award top marks overall – 4-5 but rate with a 2 on beam options. Cost £235.

TOPEAK White light DX. CW claims this is no super light but like the seals. At £25 – scores an impressive 3 to 4 overall.

INFINI Contrail. Per CW output is good and seals on moisture proof and they like the adjustable angle of beam - at £29.99 a very good buy scoring 3 to 4 and one 2 overall.

SMART Nova 1 They reckon the buttons are stiff. But like the adjustable beam. Scores mostly 4 and a fair investment at £30. I would consider this light.

TOPEAK CW thinks this a good emergency light despite a stiff button Scores 3 –4 overall. At £11.99 a reasonable buy.

TOPEAK Redlight -criticised for dodgy O-ring brackets and fiddly cbattery connections. Theirs broke! Scored 1 –2 with the odd 4 for brightness given the price.at £8.99


SMART 3 LED Mini-Rear CW reckon the seals make this prone to corrosion but given its size, brightness and price at £5.99 gave it an average score of 3 overall.

CATEYE TL-LD1000 rear LED - CW thought the two buttons and several options made it over-complicated and thought it could foul a leg. Despite this – they awarded this chunky £45 light an average 5 for performance.

CATEYE TL-LD260BS rear LED dual. CW thought the seals were dubious and scored this £20 an average 4.

SMART 7 LED 307R - per CW a nice compact light and I agree. Costs £12.99 and I would agree with their 4 for each category.


I cannot emphasise enough that the law requires cyclists to display lights and in any case - you have to be seen by other road users.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 22:10 
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IG said"I cannot emphasise enough that the law requires cyclists to display lights and in any case - you have to be seen by other road users."

I cannot understand how people can spend oodles of cash on a bike and zilch on lights. Time and again i see idiots in dark clothing with no lights .

Perhaps the time has come for cyclists to be forced to wear Hi Vis TO A MINIMUM STANDARD -at least that way we could see them -


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 22:51 
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botach wrote:
IG said"I cannot emphasise enough that the law requires cyclists to display lights and in any case - you have to be seen by other road users."

I cannot understand how people can spend oodles of cash on a bike and zilch on lights. Time and again i see idiots in dark clothing with no lights .

Perhaps the time has come for cyclists to be forced to wear Hi Vis TO A MINIMUM STANDARD -at least that way we could see them -


Ironically the lights most likely to draw the motorist's attention to the cyclist - the ones which flash - are technically illegal. And believe me, cyclists really do need to make themselves as visible as possible:

"I looked and you weren't there."

"He must have dropped down from outer space." (By male car driver who killed a cyclist on the A34 at Gatley, Stockport.)

"As far as I was concerned the road was clear." (By woman who pulled straight across my path, resulting in a bent fork.)


Brian


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 23:16 
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ohh... that takes me back to my paperboy days, do people still use dynamos? i had mine rigged to a 6v battery on a switch so i could punch it over when i slowed down or stopped.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 23:24 
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botach wrote:
I cannot understand how people can spend oodles of cash on a bike and zilch on lights. Time and again i see idiots in dark clothing with no lights .


do you really think its the people who spend lots of money on their bikes & kit that ride round in the dark trying to get run over?


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 16:50 
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[quote="ed_m
do you really think its the people who spend lots of money on their bikes & kit that ride round in the dark trying to get run over?[/quote]

You tell me - see the same mentality in car drivers that dont/wont use dipped headlights in heavy rain or just use sidelights as it starts to get dark.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 17:35 
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botach wrote:
You tell me - see the same mentality in car drivers that dont/wont use dipped headlights in heavy rain or just use sidelights as it starts to get dark.

the only people I see cycling without lights in these parts are those riding 'old bangers', usually on the footpath.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 23:12 
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hairyben wrote:
ohh... that takes me back to my paperboy days, do people still use dynamos? i had mine rigged to a 6v battery on a switch so i could punch it over when i slowed down or stopped.


Plus point: No batteries to go flat at short notice. Or even no notice if they are rechargeable.

Minus points. They tend to aquaplane in wet weather. And of course -as you point out - they don't work if you are stationary.

I like your idea. Why didn't I think of that?

Brian


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 09:47 
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just got some blackburn lights, fairly new on the market.... LED based, long run times... and the back lighht has setting ranging from 'on' to 'flashing like a deranged christmas tree' :D

that said i went out with my sister in sheffield last night and got to borrow her HID front light..... yikes thats bright


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 20:09 
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I'm not sure how much truth there is in it, but I was under the impression that a lot of the more powerful lights are technically illegal, I use a twin 20watt (as main beams) setup and flashing LED cateye opticubes (as side lights) and I've been led to believe that due to their power the main beams aren't road legal.

I know people who run a standard Ever-ready 2.4 watt filament bulb lamp (about £5), with a £200 HID setup, just so that if they get hit the insurance company won't fleece them for being illegally lit! (As an aside this is why I wear a helmet, "contributory negligence" worries me more than actually getting hit.)

I guess it's a case of waiting for the law to catch up with technology. :roll:


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 20:26 
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hairyben wrote:
ohh... that takes me back to my paperboy days, do people still use dynamos? i had mine rigged to a 6v battery on a switch so i could punch it over when i slowed down or stopped.


Would be surprised if there isn't some sort of charger for Ni cads/ small non leakable lead acid ones from a dynamo on the market ( you could float the lights on the batteries) - but failng that ordinary batteries wired through a diode to the lights ( with a switch to turn them off when not in use) would do the job automatically.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 22:16 
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Peyote wrote:
I'm not sure how much truth there is in it, but I was under the impression that a lot of the more powerful lights are technically illegal, I use a twin 20watt (as main beams) setup and flashing LED cateye opticubes (as side lights) and I've been led to believe that due to their power the main beams aren't road legal.

You're correct, the bike must be fitted with a British Standard light - yep, all 2.4w of it. This has recently been amended to include LEDs but I haven't actually seen the wording of the law. I have no idea why they didn't update it to include HIDs as well (although I think it's something to do with battery life).
Personally I say f*ck the law I'll be seen and avoid the crash thank you very much and have my nice shiny 70w lupine on the bike.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 22:28 
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johnsher wrote:
Personally I say f*ck the law I'll be seen and avoid the crash thank you very much and have my nice shiny 70w lupine on the bike.


Yep, I'd like to do the same, but if you get SMIDSY'd and the insurance company finds out that your lights weren't road legal isn't it likely to cause problems? Or is this something that is overlooked so often it isn't worth considering?

Mind you I can't afford 70watt Lupine's anyway, they'd be worth more than my bike!


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:44 
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http://www.hokeyspokes.co.uk

:o :lol:


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 14:17 
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Peyote wrote:
Yep, I'd like to do the same, but if you get SMIDSY'd and the insurance company finds out that your lights weren't road legal isn't it likely to cause problems? Or is this something that is overlooked so often it isn't worth considering?


I don't think most of them realise it but I'd like to see someone try to argue in court that they couldn't see me because my 70W light wasn't made to the 2.4W British Standard.


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