Lighting

I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

Good brand and model of lights are???

If there are any parameters needed let me know, I'll try to narrow the
search down as I find out things I didn't know that I needed to know.

P.S. This is asked before I have been to any LBS.

P.P.S. Dynamo hub is out of the question

Brendo

On Mar 26, 4:36 pm, "Brendo" wrote:
I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

for 'be seen' lights I use the little elastic LEDs. RRP is around
$15, so $7 on ebay isn't that far off. before anyone says 'dangerous
idiot' I ride a lot at night (a -lot-, over winter, maybe 300+km a
week is at night) and I find that if used well, they're very good 'be
seen' lights.

Good brand and model of lights are???

I'm v.happy with racetech for front white LEDs. I have one on my bars
and one on my helmet. And, a red LED on my helmet too.

If there are any parameters needed let me know, I'll try to narrow the
search down as I find out things I didn't know that I needed to know.

Rear LED's are a bit more critical than fronts. They need to be 100%
reliable. I'm testing 'smart' at the moment. I used to use Visalight
'Eclipse's but they don't make them anymore and mine fell off one
night on an MTB ride.

Bleve wrote:

Rear LED's are a bit more critical than fronts. They need to be 100%
reliable. I'm testing 'smart' at the moment. I used to use Visalight
'Eclipse's but they don't make them anymore and mine fell off one
night on an MTB ride.

One thing I like about the Smart light is that if power is interrupted
for any reason; going over a nasty bump for example, it defaults to
solid on rather than solid off when power is restored.
--
Cheers
Euan

In aus.bicycle on 25 Mar 2007 23:36:05 -0700
Brendo wrote:
I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

I found that the 5 LED front lights were very good, and any of the
flashing rear ones ditto.

You will often find them sold together for not much.

Or check torpedo7.com.au they have a light set on special for 20 bucks
that looks good.

Zebee

On Mar 26, 3:22 pm, "Bleve" wrote:
On Mar 26, 4:36 pm, "Brendo" wrote:

I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

for 'be seen' lights I use the little elastic LEDs. RRP is around
$15, so $7 on ebay isn't that far off. before anyone says 'dangerous
idiot' I ride a lot at night (a -lot-, over winter, maybe 300+km a
week is at night) and I find that if used well, they're very good 'be
seen' lights.

Good brand and model of lights are???

I'm v.happy with racetech for front white LEDs. I have one on my bars
and one on my helmet. And, a red LED on my helmet too.

If there are any parameters needed let me know, I'll try to narrow the
search down as I find out things I didn't know that I needed to know.

Rear LED's are a bit more critical than fronts. They need to be 100%
reliable. I'm testing 'smart' at the moment. I used to use Visalight
'Eclipse's but they don't make them anymore and mine fell off one
night on an MTB ride.

So seeing as it is mostly a 'Be Seen' light, the output is not really
an influential issue? If that is the case, I could easily be lit up
for $30. With two on the front (bar and helmet) and two on the back
(seatpost??? and helmet) seeing me in the dark shouldn't be an issue.

Brendo

On Mar 26, 4:24 pm, Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on 25 Mar 2007 23:36:05 -0700

Brendo wrote:
I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

I found that the 5 LED front lights were very good, and any of the
flashing rear ones ditto.

You will often find them sold together for not much.

Or check torpedo7.com.au they have a light set on special for 20 bucks
that looks good.

Zebee

Looks very good. I will check with a couple of LBS to see what they
have in stock, but unless you are looking to 'Bogan'* up your bike
with huge spotlights, this could be much cheaper than I thought.

Brendo

* Not sure about the rest of the country, but in WA the best way to
bogan up you ute is to stick four HUGE spotties across the roof, whack
on a VHF antenna, and slap on a Bundy Rum, Ocean Beach Hotel, or RMW
sticker (or to reach Grand Bogan status, all of the above).

On Mar 26, 4:51 pm, "Brendo" wrote:
On Mar 26, 3:22 pm, "Bleve" wrote:





On Mar 26, 4:36 pm, "Brendo" wrote:

I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

for 'be seen' lights I use the little elastic LEDs. RRP is around
$15, so $7 on ebay isn't that far off. before anyone says 'dangerous
idiot' I ride a lot at night (a -lot-, over winter, maybe 300+km a
week is at night) and I find that if used well, they're very good 'be
seen' lights.

Good brand and model of lights are???

I'm v.happy with racetech for front white LEDs. I have one on my bars
and one on my helmet. And, a red LED on my helmet too.

If there are any parameters needed let me know, I'll try to narrow the
search down as I find out things I didn't know that I needed to know.

Rear LED's are a bit more critical than fronts. They need to be 100%
reliable. I'm testing 'smart' at the moment. I used to use Visalight
'Eclipse's but they don't make them anymore and mine fell off one
night on an MTB ride.

So seeing as it is mostly a 'Be Seen' light, the output is not really
an influential issue? If that is the case, I could easily be lit up
for $30. With two on the front (bar and helmet) and two on the back
(seatpost??? and helmet) seeing me in the dark shouldn't be an issue.

Brendo- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In addition, for safety (and to give motorists even less reason to say
SMIDSY) would reflective tape on the heels of your shoes, and possible
the seat stays be worthwhile?

Brendo

On Mar 26, 7:19 pm, "Brendo" wrote:
On Mar 26, 4:51 pm, "Brendo" wrote:



On Mar 26, 3:22 pm, "Bleve" wrote:

On Mar 26, 4:36 pm, "Brendo" wrote:

I am thinking of doing some around the block type riding at night
rather than sitting on the trainer. It won't be on any major roadways,
mostly just the local neighbourhood, and street lighting will be in
place. On eBay there are 100 different LED light sets, but I am
assuming that there are mostly crud. If they werew any good, they
would sell for more than $6.95.

for 'be seen' lights I use the little elastic LEDs. RRP is around
$15, so $7 on ebay isn't that far off. before anyone says 'dangerous
idiot' I ride a lot at night (a -lot-, over winter, maybe 300+km a
week is at night) and I find that if used well, they're very good 'be
seen' lights.

Good brand and model of lights are???

I'm v.happy with racetech for front white LEDs. I have one on my bars
and one on my helmet. And, a red LED on my helmet too.

If there are any parameters needed let me know, I'll try to narrow the
search down as I find out things I didn't know that I needed to know.

Rear LED's are a bit more critical than fronts. They need to be 100%
reliable. I'm testing 'smart' at the moment. I used to use Visalight
'Eclipse's but they don't make them anymore and mine fell off one
night on an MTB ride.

So seeing as it is mostly a 'Be Seen' light, the output is not really
an influential issue? If that is the case, I could easily be lit up
for $30. With two on the front (bar and helmet) and two on the back
(seatpost??? and helmet) seeing me in the dark shouldn't be an issue.

Brendo- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In addition, for safety (and to give motorists even less reason to say
SMIDSY) would reflective tape on the heels of your shoes, and possible
the seat stays be worthwhile?

You avoid SMIDSY by being where they're looking and being visable. A
LED on your helmet is best for aiming right *at* drivers when they
come up to T intersections. They tend to notice an LED aimed right in
their eyes. It's not bright enough to burn uot a retina etc, but it is
quite noticable, and that's the point.

Brendo

I got a Cateye EL-530 off eBay ex-US at a favourable price. (The
seller was "Gear-url" if I recall correctly. He runs a well known US
bike shop.)

It isn't as bright in terms of overall output as a proper halogen set
of course, but throws a focused beam for quite some distance, so it
actually lights things up further away than my 15W halogens. It also
has a reasonable side beam around the focused core which lights up
things reasonably well, but I have it running at the same time as my
halogens. The basic idea is that having a nice bright LED light with
a long battery life makes a good backup in case I forget to charge my
halogens, plus the focused beam shines a bit further down the bike
path.

I've heard good things about the 5000X from Planet Bike. Its cheaper
than the Cateye and its Xenon bulb throws out a lot of light for a 6V
4AA battery powered unit, several times more candlepower than the
Cateye. The battery life isn't that great though, which is why I went
with the Cateye, which for my purposes as a backup light was more
suitable I think.

For tail lights generally cheap eBay red LED blinkers are ok, but get
three of them.

Travis

On Mar 26, 5:19 pm, "Brendo" wrote:

In addition, for safety (and to give motorists even less reason to say
SMIDSY) would reflective tape on the heels of your shoes, and possible
the seat stays be worthwhile?

I've got a yellow fluoro reflective vest which I got from one of the
big aircraft hanger hardware places for about $10, with the bright
reflective strips. Its great for commuting at night, when worn in
addition to bright active lighting of course.

Travis