Cycling & bikes - Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

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Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html
Incidentally, the Maglite in the photo is no more. I tried to use it
last night and discovered that the D cells had leaked and are now
corroded and firmly stuck in the flashlight tube. Sniff...

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 5/13/2017 6:52 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html
Incidentally, the Maglite in the photo is no more. I tried to use it
last night and discovered that the D cells had leaked and are now
corroded and firmly stuck in the flashlight tube. Sniff...

In normal use those things are amazingly durable. One night
in 1998, my very close friend borrowed a car, spun it into
the ditch in a snowstorm and was killed by a drunk driver
while walking along the highway. He left a mini-Maglight
(single AA) which I carry in my pocket now. Works fine.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 5/13/2017 4:52 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html

Yes Jeff, you've posted that link about 50 times.

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Sat, 13 May 2017 20:03:31 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 5/13/2017 6:52 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html
Incidentally, the Maglite in the photo is no more. I tried to use it
last night and discovered that the D cells had leaked and are now
corroded and firmly stuck in the flashlight tube. Sniff...

In normal use those things are amazingly durable.

I agree. Many Maglite's have successfully resisted my attempts at
repairing them:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/crud/maglites.jpg
I can now add one more Maglite to the parts box. These Maglites are
incredibly durable and well designed. If you get clobbered by an
automobile, the aluminum case will not crumble and turn into 1000
knives. In contrast, the current fashion for designing flashlights
with crenulated edges and sharp corners will so some real damage if
the owner is run over, or even lands badly on the pavement. I
recently purchased some small flashlights that have intentionally
milled sharp edges, which have already shredded one pair of pants
without requiring that I be run over by a motor vehicle:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201457081072
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yeAAAOSwo0JWKO98/s-l500.jpg
Also, notice how the body is pre-sliced to resemble a fragmentation
bomb should one need to replace the battery with explosives.

One night
in 1998, my very close friend borrowed a car, spun it into
the ditch in a snowstorm and was killed by a drunk driver
while walking along the highway.

It would seem that your friend had run out of his lifetime ration of
luck. The probability of that happening is exceedingly small.

He left a mini-Maglight
(single AA) which I carry in my pocket now. Works fine.

I used to carry one of those. They are great because I never have to
replace the battery. I lose or misplace it before the battery dies.

Do you know why the ancients buried people along with their important
belongings? It wasn't so that the deceased would have a comfortable
life after death, or because they might get lonely without their
wealth. It was because they believed that the spirit of the dead was
still attached to the possessions of the dead. If the possessions
were distributed among the relatives, they too might meet the same
fate as the deceased. Nobody sane wanted the stuff for fear of
meeting the same end. Little wonder the ancients were rather lax at
policing the burial sites. I suggest you either not walk in
snowstorms, or bury the flashlight.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Sat, 13 May 2017 19:07:04 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 5/13/2017 4:52 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html

Yes Jeff, you've posted that link about 50 times.

Sorry. I searched the web for examples of ugly but functional bicycle
headlight mounts and could not find anything better than mine.

These are what I consider 2nd best (8 pages):
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?240535-Show-us-your-bike-light-set-up

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

I beg to differ. I just got back from a trip to the UK where I saw the old
steam engines that raised Tower Bridge in London. Simultaneously functional
and (at least to an engineer), breathtakingly beautiful.

Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html
Incidentally, the Maglite in the photo is no more. I tried to use it
last night and discovered that the D cells had leaked and are now
corroded and firmly stuck in the flashlight tube. Sniff...

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Sun, 14 May 2017 05:50:49 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

I beg to differ. I just got back from a trip to the UK where I saw the old
steam engines that raised Tower Bridge in London. Simultaneously functional
and (at least to an engineer), breathtakingly beautiful.

No need to go to England to see glorified Victorian era technology.
Welcome to Steampunk for bicycles:
https://www.google.com/search?q=steampunk+bicycle&tbm=isch
As one might expect, some are beautiful, some are ugly, many are just
plain weird, but only a few are practical. I'm not sure if "the
uglier it looks, the better it works" applies here because few of
those shown actually function as a bicycle. Among those, many are
overweight or otherwise dangerous to ride.

While functional Victorian or Edwardian era steam engines really do
look beautiful and are fascinating to watch run, the modern steam
engine works better, but look rather ordinary:
http://kimmelsteam.com/williams43cid.html
http://www.greensteamengine.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_steam_technology

Soon, everyone will be converting their bicycles to Steampunk:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/97174251@N00/sets/72157621802185591/

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?