Serious Lights with 2hr Plus Burn

I want a light which is powerful to allow me to ride on canal tow paths,
potentially ones with obstacles, in near-pitch darkness. Having started
riding a bike from scratch (I doubt I'd _sat_ on a non-motor bike in
twenty years) a few months ago, I'm now enjoying cycling to the office
(a forty five mile round trip) once or twice a week. However, I'm now
delaying leaving home until there is some light, and having to race back
before it gets too dark. I have marker-type lights, but not enough to
actually see the ground at speed. I can charge in the office, so 2 hour
burn + eight hour charge + 2 hour burn is OK, but four hour burn would
be better.

I can see products from Lupine, Cateye, Light and Motion and others
which all appear to be some sort of exotic bulb with a big NiMH or Li
ion battery back, costing of the order of five hundred euros/dollars.
And there's a Lupine LED array (Stuby?) for similar money. That's big
money to spend, and I want to know I'm getting the right thing before I
put my plastic down.

ian

"Ian G Batten" wrote in message
...
I want a light which is powerful to allow me to ride on canal tow paths,
potentially ones with obstacles, in near-pitch darkness. Having started
riding a bike from scratch (I doubt I'd _sat_ on a non-motor bike in
twenty years) a few months ago, I'm now enjoying cycling to the office
(a forty five mile round trip) once or twice a week. However, I'm now
delaying leaving home until there is some light, and having to race back
before it gets too dark. I have marker-type lights, but not enough to
actually see the ground at speed. I can charge in the office, so 2 hour
burn + eight hour charge + 2 hour burn is OK, but four hour burn would
be better.

I can see products from Lupine, Cateye, Light and Motion and others
which all appear to be some sort of exotic bulb with a big NiMH or Li
ion battery back, costing of the order of five hundred euros/dollars.
And there's a Lupine LED array (Stuby?) for similar money. That's big
money to spend, and I want to know I'm getting the right thing before I
put my plastic down.

ian


In the UK Lumicycle do bright lights for not too serious amounts of money.

Graham

I've put in many happy hours at night with a Schmidt SON hub dynamo
and Lumotec Oval head light. The 3 watt rating is deceptive, I can
see as well or better than with any 10 watt batter light I've ever
tried, and the burn time is mor or less infinite.

" wrote in message
...
I want a light which is powerful to allow me to ride on canal tow paths,
potentially ones with obstacles, in near-pitch darkness. Having started
riding a bike from scratch (I doubt I'd _sat_ on a non-motor bike in
twenty years) a few months ago, I'm now enjoying cycling to the office
(a forty five mile round trip) once or twice a week. However, I'm now
delaying leaving home until there is some light, and having to race back
before it gets too dark. I have marker-type lights, but not enough to
actually see the ground at speed. I can charge in the office, so 2 hour
burn + eight hour charge + 2 hour burn is OK, but four hour burn would
be better.

A 10 watt halogen with an SLA bottle battery would be say, $60-75 and would
last 3 hours if it's not too cold.

Doug
Toronto

"Tim McNamara" wrote in message
...
I've put in many happy hours at night with a Schmidt SON hub dynamo
and Lumotec Oval head light. The 3 watt rating is deceptive, I can
see as well or better than with any 10 watt batter light I've ever
tried, and the burn time is mor or less infinite.

Infinite? What vitamins are you taking.

Matthew
"thinking we are in for another infinite lighting debate"

In rec.bicycles.misc Ian G Batten wrote:
I want a light which is powerful to allow me to ride on canal tow paths,
potentially ones with obstacles, in near-pitch darkness. Having started
riding a bike from scratch (I doubt I'd _sat_ on a non-motor bike in
twenty years) a few months ago, I'm now enjoying cycling to the office
(a forty five mile round trip) once or twice a week. However, I'm now
delaying leaving home until there is some light, and having to race back
before it gets too dark. I have marker-type lights, but not enough to
actually see the ground at speed. I can charge in the office, so 2 hour
burn + eight hour charge + 2 hour burn is OK, but four hour burn would
be better.

My old light just conked out (just in time for the short daylight hours
here in the soggy Pacific Northwest). I picked up the CygoLite Night Rover
NiCad XTRA light. It has two lamps (individually switched) 6.3W/10W.
This gives you a runtime of 6 hours, 3.5 hours, or 2 hours depending on
which bulbs you have on or if you have both on.

The 6.3W is a wide focus beam, good for being visible and seeing things
at low speeds or short distance. The 10W is a narrower focus and is
canted up at 5 degrees to point farther ahead. The light is a bit
overkill, but it has a nice long life and is fairly versatile.

I managed to pick it up for $70 from REI while it was on sale. It's
still a pretty good deal at $90 IMO, YMMV.

Link to it on REI online:
http://tinyurl.com/qj4m

I can see products from Lupine, Cateye, Light and Motion and others
which all appear to be some sort of exotic bulb with a big NiMH or Li
ion battery back, costing of the order of five hundred euros/dollars.
And there's a Lupine LED array (Stuby?) for similar money. That's big
money to spend, and I want to know I'm getting the right thing before I
put my plastic down.

Eek. I don't think you need to spend that much on it. The light that
gave out on me still lasted a year and gave me plenty of service for $50.
That was the NiteRider Road Rat (10W 2.5 hours).

One of these days I'll get around to building myself a wheel with a
dynahub in it. I like to go over to the page at Peter White Cycles and
drool over them occasionally. Unfortunately, having just bought a house,
time and money are somewhat short.

--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
Everything in this book may be wrong.
-- Messiah's Handbook : Reminders for the Advanced Soul

Ian G Batten wrote:
I want a light which is powerful to allow me to ride on canal tow
paths, potentially ones with obstacles, in near-pitch darkness.
Having started riding a bike from scratch (I doubt I'd _sat_ on a
non-motor bike in twenty years) a few months ago, I'm now enjoying
cycling to the office (a forty five mile round trip) once or twice a
week. However, I'm now delaying leaving home until there is some
light, and having to race back before it gets too dark. I have
marker-type lights, but not enough to actually see the ground at
speed. I can charge in the office, so 2 hour burn + eight hour
charge + 2 hour burn is OK, but four hour burn would be better.

I can see products from Lupine, Cateye, Light and Motion and others
which all appear to be some sort of exotic bulb with a big NiMH or Li
ion battery back, costing of the order of five hundred euros/dollars.
And there's a Lupine LED array (Stuby?) for similar money. That's big
money to spend, and I want to know I'm getting the right thing before
I put my plastic down.

ian

If I had the money I would get the Lupine Edison system without hesitating.
Probably the finest on the market at over 800 Euro. Next to that is
Niterrider Flamethrower at $465 or Niterider Cyclone if you want to mount it
on your helmet..

I am using the Sigma Mirage today which has a 5W + 20W halogen setup.
Unfortunately the battery does not last bery long. Like 30-40 minutes with
everything on and maybe 3.5 hours with only the 5W.
5W is Ok on lit roads and going very slow on dark roads. The 20 W lamp is
really nice on everything up to fast winding trails.

There are some very nice headmounted lamps with an option to mount on the
handlebar from Silva and Mila. Swedish based companys that make equipment
for orienteering. They both come with a 9 Ah batterypack and 10-20 W lamps.
Cost is maybe around 200 Euro.

Do *not* buy a headlight with LEDs. It is enough to be seen by but not to
see. They are very good for taillights however and last forever.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:21:09 GMT,
, "Per Elmsäter"
wrote:

Do *not* buy a headlight with LEDs. It is enough to be seen by but not to
see. They are very good for taillights however and last forever.

They're not too good for being seen except by traffic approaching from
directly ahead. There's no light spillage to the sides to alert cross
traffic. My old Union generator lamp is better for being seen.
--
zk

"Per Elmsäter" wrote

I am using the Sigma Mirage today which has a 5W + 20W halogen setup.
Unfortunately the battery does not last bery long. Like 30-40 minutes with
everything on and maybe 3.5 hours with only the 5W.
5W is Ok on lit roads and going very slow on dark roads. The 20 W lamp is
really nice on everything up to fast winding trails.

Personally, I find the 5W of my Sigmas fine for fast downhill speeds on dark
roads and also ok on twisty trails through the woods. Spoils the fun to
have everything light up like daylight.

Andy P wrote:
"Per Elmsäter" wrote

I am using the Sigma Mirage today which has a 5W + 20W halogen setup.
Unfortunately the battery does not last bery long. Like 30-40
minutes with everything on and maybe 3.5 hours with only the 5W.
5W is Ok on lit roads and going very slow on dark roads. The 20 W
lamp is really nice on everything up to fast winding trails.

Personally, I find the 5W of my Sigmas fine for fast downhill speeds
on dark roads and also ok on twisty trails through the woods. Spoils
the fun to have everything light up like daylight.


Well I suppose it might have something to do with your eyes. I'm 53 and
counting. Even though I don't need glasses my eyes aren't what they used to
be. Hmmm. if I buy the Lupine Edison light maybe I can keep from buying
glasses for another couple of years. That would really turn them into an
investment.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.