Light works

wrote:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_112922/article.html


So when do bike accessory manufacturers finally wake up and build
something like this? Why do things take so long with bicycles?

Until now all the lights I've tried and seen are between "barely bright
enough" and utter junk.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.



http://goo.gl/IPoGVq

wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.



http://goo.gl/IPoGVq


Those links don't work here, produce just a blank page.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.



http://goo.gl/IPoGVq


Those links don't work here, produce just a blank page.

You could have the about blank infection - some pages open with "blank page"
in the title bar.

Something to do with hijacking peoples browsers and getting a fee for every
re-directed search.

Ian Field wrote:


"Joerg" wrote in message
...
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.



http://goo.gl/IPoGVq


Those links don't work here, produce just a blank page.

You could have the about blank infection - some pages open with "blank
page" in the title bar.

Something to do with hijacking peoples browsers and getting a fee for
every re-directed search.


No, definitely not, then you'd land on a site you did not click on. But
some of the more intrusive scripts get blocked. There is usually some
content, sometimes not. You basically see that some script wants to
connect to a server that my firewall considers suspect and then it all
ends right there.

Sites I need for my jobs such as Digikey or McMaster and sites for
biking such as PricePoint do not have such issues. Nashbar .. different
story, so I buy at PricePoint.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
Ian Field wrote:


"Joerg" wrote in message
...
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.



http://goo.gl/IPoGVq


Those links don't work here, produce just a blank page.

You could have the about blank infection - some pages open with "blank
page" in the title bar.

Something to do with hijacking peoples browsers and getting a fee for
every re-directed search.


No, definitely not, then you'd land on a site you did not click on. But

IME; that's never happened - you just get a blank page titled: about blank.

I've no idea how its supposed to earn the perpetrator money, but it grows
its roots into the registry like a fungus!

The only way I've ever got rid of it is with a DOD wipe of the boot drive.

On 8/28/2014 12:33 PM, Joerg wrote:
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.

No market for it at the prices such devices would command.

The sad thing is that we're going the wrong way. Look at an old Belt
Beacon. Those were very rugged. You could bolt them on and they would
not go anywhere.

You could use rugged trailer lights but you need flash circuitry.

The most rugged light I've seen are the Aervoe and VISIONX strobes.
These can withstand being run over by a truck. The deal is that you'd
have to fabricate a mounting bracket to attach them securely to a
bicycle in the proper orientation.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXL0H2U
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TFQHAS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GAXXUU

SMS wrote:
On 8/28/2014 12:33 PM, Joerg wrote:
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.

No market for it at the prices such devices would command.


It can be made at regular price levels. I now have a front light that
costs $65 (from Magnus). The manufacturer made a few mistakes in the
design but only one is left after I cured one and they cured another:
The battery was rattling inside, a cardinal mistake almost all
battery-operated light bicycle light manufacturers make. So I punched
myself four neoprene washer for compression and, voila, no more rattle,
no more light flicker. The original swivel holder is junk but they also
have a very sturdy non-swivel holder that is the best I've evern seen.
This leaves only the switch. If they fix that one day they'd have a good
light at a reasonable price.

I am still looking for something brighter though. 1000 lumens plus, and
that can't run on little batteries as this would take LEDs in the 5-10W
range.


The sad thing is that we're going the wrong way. Look at an old Belt
Beacon. Those were very rugged. You could bolt them on and they would
not go anywhere.

You could use rugged trailer lights but you need flash circuitry.


Or a motorcycle light. If I find nothing else I'll do that. Making a
4-6V to 12V converter or a constant current converter plus a flash
circuit is no big deal (I am an electronics engineer) but those lights
are big and get in the way on an MTB. The only mounting place you have
is the seat post and ideally nothing should be wider than 2-3".


The most rugged light I've seen are the Aervoe and VISIONX strobes.
These can withstand being run over by a truck. The deal is that you'd
have to fabricate a mounting bracket to attach them securely to a
bicycle in the proper orientation.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXL0H2U
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TFQHAS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GAXXUU


Flares are a good idea but their light goes a bit in the wrong direction.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 8/30/2014 9:49 AM, Joerg wrote:
SMS wrote:
On 8/28/2014 12:33 PM, Joerg wrote:
wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

I use such trails regularly also for commutes and pretty soon it'll be
dark when I get back. So right now I sometimes have three different
lighting systems front an back in order to be able to switch to the next
after one fails.

No market for it at the prices such devices would command.


It can be made at regular price levels. I now have a front light that
costs $65 (from Magnus). The manufacturer made a few mistakes in the
design but only one is left after I cured one and they cured another:
The battery was rattling inside, a cardinal mistake almost all
battery-operated light bicycle light manufacturers make. So I punched
myself four neoprene washer for compression and, voila, no more rattle,
no more light flicker. The original swivel holder is junk but they also
have a very sturdy non-swivel holder that is the best I've evern seen.
This leaves only the switch. If they fix that one day they'd have a good
light at a reasonable price.

I am still looking for something brighter though. 1000 lumens plus, and
that can't run on little batteries as this would take LEDs in the 5-10W
range.


The sad thing is that we're going the wrong way. Look at an old Belt
Beacon. Those were very rugged. You could bolt them on and they would
not go anywhere.

You could use rugged trailer lights but you need flash circuitry.


Or a motorcycle light. If I find nothing else I'll do that. Making a
4-6V to 12V converter or a constant current converter plus a flash
circuit is no big deal (I am an electronics engineer) but those lights
are big and get in the way on an MTB. The only mounting place you have
is the seat post and ideally nothing should be wider than 2-3".


The most rugged light I've seen are the Aervoe and VISIONX strobes.
These can withstand being run over by a truck. The deal is that you'd
have to fabricate a mounting bracket to attach them securely to a
bicycle in the proper orientation.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXL0H2U
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TFQHAS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GAXXUU


Flares are a good idea but their light goes a bit in the wrong direction.

A bit, but many bicycle tail lights don't have sufficient light off to
the side. You can get some that do, but they are costly. The CatEye
TL-LD1100 was very good, but it's discontinued.

"Phil W Lee" wrote in message
...
Joerg considered Thu, 28 Aug 2014
12:33:45 -0700 the perfect time to write:

wrote:
not so.....night riders in the park are seen with midlevel systems
both on bike and helmet....good enough for 25 mph on pavement.


25mph on pavement ... yawn

What I meant is something that also holds up at 25mph on a bone-rattling
trail. Like it does on cars. No super-expensive boutiques stuff, regular
affordable gear, just like on cars or motorcycles.

Thing is, the energy budget is far higher on those, as they literally
throw the stuff away (via cooling systems).
On a bicycle, you either have to carry the energy with you in the form
of batteries, or generate it using your own muscle power, so the
energy available is much lower.

There's not much point in carrying batteries big enough for car
lighting on a bicycle in order to be safe at 25mph, if the weight of
the batteries slows you down to 15mph.

Lithium batteries are about as light as batteries get.

But unless you *REALLY* know your electronics - its advisable to buy
manufactured charging equipment!