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Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 28th 16, 07:25 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

An eBay vendor had the Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo for $29.90
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291311156705 so I got one as a secondary
back-up for my Dahon Speed TR which has a Joule (Shutter Precision SV8
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8-series-pic/SV-8-QR-00.pdf) dynamo on the
20" wheel.

I installed it last night. Since it's next to a more powerful battery
powered light it was easy to compare the output. While not as powerful
as my battery powered light, it is quite respectable. It would
definitely be sufficient for road use in familiar areas but not
sufficient for unlit multi-use paths. Most importantly, it's one of the
only commercially available dynamo lights that includes a flash mode for
DRL use.

It's also not as good as a simple MR16 3 Watt LED lamp operated directly
from the dynamo, but to add flash mode to an MR16 is non-trivial.
Ads
  #2  
Old June 30th 16, 04:41 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Lars Lehtonen[_5_]
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Posts: 1
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php

- ---
Lars Lehtonen
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  #3  
Old June 30th 16, 07:16 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
David Scheidt
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Posts: 1,346
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

sms wrote:
:An eBay vendor had the Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo for $29.90
:http://www.ebay.com/itm/291311156705 so I got one as a secondary
:back-up for my Dahon Speed TR which has a Joule (Shutter Precision SV8

It's a crap light. It's got crap optics. Why do you refuse to test
an actually decent light? Afraid of something, are you?


--
sig 39
  #4  
Old June 30th 16, 07:28 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,477
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php


Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.
  #5  
Old June 30th 16, 10:15 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Sir Ridesalot
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Posts: 5,270
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 2:28:59 PM UTC-4, sms wrote:
On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php


Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.


Whan are you going to get it through your extraordinarily thick skull that a flashing mode is NOT a necessity on a bicycle light?

Sheesh!

Cheers
  #6  
Old July 1st 16, 01:30 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
John B.[_6_]
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Posts: 2,202
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 14:15:53 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 2:28:59 PM UTC-4, sms wrote:
On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php


Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.


Whan are you going to get it through your extraordinarily thick skull that a flashing mode is NOT a necessity on a bicycle light?

Sheesh!

Cheers


Whatever are you saying? Why, everyone knows that a flashing light
protects the cyclist. All over the world you see people riding about
with flashing lights on their bicycles. Even in darkest Africa and on
remote desert islands, flash, flash, flash.
--
cheers,

John B.

  #7  
Old July 1st 16, 02:19 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,477
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On 6/30/2016 5:30 PM, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 14:15:53 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 2:28:59 PM UTC-4, sms wrote:
On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php

Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.


Whan are you going to get it through your extraordinarily thick skull that a flashing mode is NOT a necessity on a bicycle light?

Sheesh!

Cheers


Whatever are you saying? Why, everyone knows that a flashing light
protects the cyclist. All over the world you see people riding about
with flashing lights on their bicycles. Even in darkest Africa and on
remote desert islands, flash, flash, flash.


Daytime flash mode is not legally required so in that sense it is not a
"necessity." But given that nearly every battery powered light sold has
a flash mode, it would be exceedingly foolish to not use that capability
during the day, given the evidence of how much more conspicuous it makes
cyclists.

  #8  
Old July 1st 16, 03:13 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
John B.[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,202
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:19:15 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 6/30/2016 5:30 PM, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 14:15:53 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 2:28:59 PM UTC-4, sms wrote:
On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php

Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.

Whan are you going to get it through your extraordinarily thick skull that a flashing mode is NOT a necessity on a bicycle light?

Sheesh!

Cheers


Whatever are you saying? Why, everyone knows that a flashing light
protects the cyclist. All over the world you see people riding about
with flashing lights on their bicycles. Even in darkest Africa and on
remote desert islands, flash, flash, flash.


Daytime flash mode is not legally required so in that sense it is not a
"necessity." But given that nearly every battery powered light sold has
a flash mode, it would be exceedingly foolish to not use that capability
during the day, given the evidence of how much more conspicuous it makes
cyclists.


First you tell us about the multitudes all over the word that are
using these flashing lights and when I looked I couldn't find any.
Now you tell us about proof that they are a safety feature and even
have evidence to prove it.

I suggest they you furnish some conclusive studies.

(before you do, I'd like to comment that I have found several studies
of flashing lights on bicycles and they all say the same thing. That
the evidence is "inconclusive")
--
cheers,

John B.

  #9  
Old July 1st 16, 05:05 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
JBeattie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,870
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 6:19:16 PM UTC-7, sms wrote:
On 6/30/2016 5:30 PM, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 14:15:53 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 2:28:59 PM UTC-4, sms wrote:
On 6/29/2016 8:41 PM, Lars Lehtonen wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

If you have the time to wait, you can get really nice lights from France
for the same money:

http://www.xxcycle.com/dynamo-front-...-muller,en.php

Those lights have two issues:

1. The optics are not well suited for bicycling
2. They lack a flash mode

The Planet Bike Blaze dynamo is not the best dynamo light I have, the
MR16 lamp with a Cree MKR LED is better, and more efficient, but the
Blaze dynamo is a nice complete package and one of the only dynamo
lights with full functionality.

Whan are you going to get it through your extraordinarily thick skull that a flashing mode is NOT a necessity on a bicycle light?

Sheesh!

Cheers


Whatever are you saying? Why, everyone knows that a flashing light
protects the cyclist. All over the world you see people riding about
with flashing lights on their bicycles. Even in darkest Africa and on
remote desert islands, flash, flash, flash.


Daytime flash mode is not legally required so in that sense it is not a
"necessity." But given that nearly every battery powered light sold has
a flash mode, it would be exceedingly foolish to not use that capability
during the day, given the evidence of how much more conspicuous it makes
cyclists.


Daytime flash mode is not necessarily legal at all. Flashing white front lights on vehicles are generally illegal in Washington -- which is ten miles from downtown Portland and a place I intend to ride this weekend. They're also illegal under Oregon law, notwithstanding Bob Mionske's opinion to the contrary. See ORS 816.350 "Except as otherwise allowed under this section, all flashing lights are prohibited on all motor vehicles on any street or highway except for turn signals, hazard lights and headlight flashing systems described in ORS 816.050 (Headlights)." Bob says that cyclists are exempt from the lighting requirements for cars, which is true. But he misses the prohibitions -- which do not have an exception for bikes. Flashers are prohibited on "motor vehicles" -- which seems like a slam dunk because bikes aren't motor vehicles, but the VC applies to bikes in the same way as any other vehicle. ORS 814.400(1).

So, at least in Oregon and Washington, flashing front bike lights are probably illegal. Do the cops care . . . apparently not.

Data point on DRLs -- I almost got head-on'd by a car this evening EVEN THOUGH I HAD A FRONT FLASHER ON. I was riding on hard shadows through the hills on the way home tonight, so I put on my front flasher. On my way home in pretty bright light on flatter roads, some ass-wipe chick in the opposite lane pulled right into my lane to go around a turning car. I was lane center in the opposite lane and had to dive to the curb. So much for my magical flasher. That's the closest call I've had in quite a while. Frank and Steve get me killed -- riding lane center with a flasher. I would have been better off as a gutter bunny.

-- Jay Beattie.
  #10  
Old July 1st 16, 04:00 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,477
Default Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo Report

On 6/30/2016 9:05 PM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

So Jay, here's the question for you, since you are the Oregon lawyer:

Does Oregon 815.280 (3) which states:

"(3) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed
to prohibit the use of additional parts and accessories on
any bicycle consistent with this section,"

fall under 814.200 (1)(b) "Application of vehicle laws to bicycles"
which states

(1) Every person riding a bicycle upon a public way
is subject to the provisions applicable to and has
the same rights and duties as the driver of any other
vehicle concerning operating on highways, vehicle
equipment and abandoned vehicles, except:
(a) Those provisions which by their very nature
can have no application.
(b) When otherwise specifically provided under the
vehicle code.

I suspect that 815.280 (3) was added to the code to allow for rear
flashers on bicycles, probably sometime around the time of the Belt
Beacon, or early LED flashers, in the 1970's or 1980's (the revisions to
Oregon laws are not available that far back online). In a lot of states
(and countries) the vehicle code was modified to not prohibit bicycles
from having flashing lights, but at the time there were only rear
incandescent or LED flashers and they didn't think about the possibility
of front flashers.

I guess a court would have to decide this. Can you create a completely
different set of laws for bicycle lighting, and also allow for
additional parts and accessories, and then insist that bicycles must
follow some of the laws regarding lighting but not others? Yes, to some
extent, i.e. flashing blue lights. The Belt Beacon used an amber lens
because, at the time, it was not illegal to have a flashing amber
warning light on slow-moving vehicles, at least that's what the
creator's said.

Of course no police officer in the U.S. would ever cite a cyclist for
having a flashing light, front or rear, so there would never be such a
case that ever got to court (except for extremes like
http://tesladownunder.com/LEDBIKE1stLightonBike.jpg). Most police
departments don't train their officers on the distinctions between motor
vehicles and bicycles when it comes to the law.

The bottom line is that if you have a front light with a daytime flash
mode, it would be foolish not to use it during the day, and virtually
every battery powered front LED headlight sold (in the U.S.) has a
daytime flash mode. The legality of such a light may be murky; they are
not explicitly prohibited or explicitly permitted, but if every law were
perfectly clear then there would be less need for lawyers.

 




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