Headlights

Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road. Thanks.
--Roy Zipris

On 20 May 2005 05:22:39 -0700, "Roy Zipris"
wrote:

Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road.

Busch & Muller Lumotec coupled to a SON hub dynamo, with a Busch &
Muller 4D Toplight at the back. The SON is set up as a part-time 12V
installation, the other light is usually a SON E6 but sometimes I use
another B&M.

I always have dynamo lights on my commuter bikes because you can never
predict when you might get held up in the office. I've just ordered a
Brompton folder, also with a SON. I've got another bike with the
Shimano Nexus hub dynamo, that's pretty good, too, and has an
automatic light-sensitive switch for the ultimate in fit-and-forget
lighting :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

Roy Zipris wrote:
Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road. Thanks.
--Roy Zipris

I'm pretty pleased with the "Viewpoint Gen3" I got last year from
Performance. I see it's currently on sale for $45. It's very bright for
an LED -- maybe as bright as some 10W halogens -- light and compact,
and gets 8 hours (by my own count) from 4 AA nicad rechargeables. In
the winter I use it as a supplement to my 15W Niterider; during DST I
carry it in my rack trunk in case I get caught late at work. It's
bright enough that I'm comfortable using it by itself, though I prefer
more light when it's really dark.

On low power it works as a reading light on trips, too.

RichC

Roy Zipris wrote:
Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road. Thanks.
--Roy Zipris

If all you are concerned with is making sure drivers see you, I would
think any of the myriad white LED lights would work fine. I use a
3-LED light from Planet Bike, which is very bright, small and
lightweight.

For an affordable and really bright headlight system, check out
www.bicyclelights.com. I've been really happy with mine.

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
On 20 May 2005 05:22:39 -0700, "Roy Zipris"
wrote:

Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that
helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road.

Busch & Muller Lumotec coupled to a SON hub dynamo, with a Busch &
Muller 4D Toplight at the back. The SON is set up as a part-time 12V
installation, the other light is usually a SON E6 but sometimes I use
another B&M.

I always have dynamo lights on my commuter bikes because you can
never
predict when you might get held up in the office.

I agree with Guy about the generator lights, but you can't call a SON
hub dynamo "inexpensive." Worth it, maybe so - but not cheap!

But the SON is certainly not the only generator out there, even though
it is the best. After years of fussing around with different battery
lights, I just fitted generators to all the bikes I regularly use. No
more wondering about battery replacing, or charging, or "Did I bring
the headlight today?" or any of that. It works like the headlight on a
car; you turn it on, and it gives you light. It's always ready.

The only problems are these: Good generators can be hard to find in
the US (but there are mail order sources); and it takes a little more
mechanical and electrical sense to install a generator, compared to a
battery light.

- Frank Krygowski

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...
On 20 May 2005 05:22:39 -0700, "Roy Zipris"
wrote:

Among the current options, what headlights do folks recommend for
riding at dusk? I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive light that helps
announce my presence to cars, not to illuminate the road.

Busch & Muller Lumotec coupled to a SON hub dynamo, with a Busch &
Muller 4D Toplight at the back. The SON is set up as a part-time 12V
installation, the other light is usually a SON E6 but sometimes I use
another B&M.


Then there's me doing my low-flying UFO impersonation with multitudinous
lights & acres of reflectives ;-)

Cheers, helen s

I quite like my Serfas SL200, which I've also seen sold under the names
Giant "Quark" and Jet "Ascent"--

:: 5 LEDs
:: Brilliant blue-white light
:: Steady and fast-flash modes, 1-button control.
:: Comes with 2 rubber spacers to accommodate different handlebar
diameters.

Probably the brightest and best visibility of all the AA / AAA-powered
headlights I've seen.

It's surprisingly small, sort of huddles on the handlebars. Hinged top
cleverly flips-up to access battery compartment (3 AAA).

LBS guy told me:
:: Don't overtighten barclamp thumbscrew.
:: Tape battery lid closed with piece of electrical tape, just for
insurance.

Pictu http://www.greggscycles.com/cartgenie/prod-2523.htm

On Fri, 20 May 2005 19:55:54 +0100, "wafflycat"
waffles*A*T*v21net*D*O*T*co*D*O*T*uk wrote in message
:

Then there's me doing my low-flying UFO impersonation with multitudinous
lights & acres of reflectives ;-)
^^^^^

I thought it was down to a few square yards these days?

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

On 20 May 2005 06:25:05 -0700, "rdclark" wrote:

I'm pretty pleased with the "Viewpoint Gen3" I got last year from
Performance. I see it's currently on sale for $45. It's very bright for
an LED -- maybe as bright as some 10W halogens -- light and compact,
and gets 8 hours (by my own count) from 4 AA nicad rechargeables.

I also bought one of these to take with me on trips to the Caribbean, where
it gets dark by about 6:30. It also came in handy when on Bonaire when the
electricity went out. For my bike here I have a dynamo generator.

Since my current camera doesn't use AAs I didn't take a charger. The
alkaline batteries I took lasted more than enough for the trip.

Don www.donwiss.com (e-mail link at home page bottom).

US$35 5 LEDs, 100 hours on 4 AA batteries HL-EL300

http://www.cateye.com/en/products/vi...d=7&subCatId=2