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Front Light for Really Dark Nights _ Any Recommendations??

HI all, I have been looking at the front lights on offer; and wondered if anyone could recommend a front light that has a good beam of light for those country lanes without any street lighting ?? Don't really want to spend a lot of money on a front light; but would like one that enables you to see where your going. Would also like it to be reliable. Your Help & Guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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86 comments

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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Clearly a shortfall in cycle design.
We should expect to turn on our cycle lights, in this day and age with no further thought than that we need to use them.
So chuck all those never ready, unsustainable, chemically polluting, inconvenient, heavy and impracticable batteries away - FOR GOOD.
Self sustaining properly built dynamo lights are clearly the only option for any cycle that claims to "road legal" use.
Make dynamo lights with regulated beam patterns and outputs the only option on any road used bicycle - as in Germany, and be done with it.
End all this profiteering on unsuitable unreliable and inadequate battery light joke measures.

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Mostyn | 10 years ago
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This set = £225.00 Can this be found for less money?

http://www.rosebikes.com/article/front-wheel-with-lighting-set/aid:555923

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pj | 10 years ago
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hope vision one isn't really 'toss'. slightly overegging your pudding there, but don't let that stop you.

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Jezz | 10 years ago
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I ride twice a week 30 mile loop through lanes, you cant go wrong with theese it is what I use , honestly they are the nuts.  16  16

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3000-Lumen-3-in-1-T6-R5-Rechargeable-Waterproo...

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allez neg | 10 years ago
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A general vote for Hope lighting from me.

I have a twin LED (about 480 lm) that has given me faultless service on my commute for the last few years, and like other Hope stuff its bombproof, beautifully made and you'll be supporting Brit jobs and a Brit company (and hopefully buying from a LBS, so more Brit taxpaying jobs)

Yes, they cost a lot, but buy wisely, buy once.

A few of my riding buddies have the amazon special budget lights, and from what I could ascertain its a bit of a lottery whether you get one that works properly.

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Mostyn | 10 years ago
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OKAY, I've not yet bought a front light! The help and recommendations have been somewhat conflicting; and left me undecided what light to go for? Can anyone give me a review of these light listed below> ?

http://www.pedal-pedal.co.uk/lezyne-2014-power-drive-front-light-xl-silv...

http://www.cyclesportsuk.co.uk/lights-front-cateye-volt-rechargeable-fro...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/exposure-sirius-front-light-2013/rp-p...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/hope-vision-1-led-front-light-2013/rp...

After reading all the reviews for each of these lights!! I'm laening towards the Cateye 300 volt, hold charge longer than others? I do-not commute - just go for the occasional ride out in dark country lanes; no real speed involved just keeping the wheels turning through the Winter months. Opinion of above listed lights appreciated. Thanks

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Colin Peyresourde | 10 years ago
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Lezyne Powerdrive. Rechargeable, well built and bright. It's the lumen that counts at the end of the day. You want something in the region of £50 or more with a solid casing.

It'll last for ever and do exactly what you want.

Not really sure about the first suggestion - if you get one of those chargeable lights what happens when you have to stop? Lights go out. Does it slow you down? Yes. Does it have a limited luminescence? Yes.

That maybe my prejudices above - I only really remember my friends dynamo which he had over 20 years ago.

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Mostyn | 10 years ago
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Chargers??

I'm thinking of buying the Cateye Volt 300, it comes with a usb lead! My question is : Could I use the Plug charger that came with my I-Pad to charge the Cateye Volt 300 light? Anyone know if this is acceptable practice?

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Dr_Lex | 10 years ago
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The iPad charger is probably the one type of USB charger that I'd be a bit careful of using with other devices, as they are now 12W (previously 10W) and thereby notably more powerful than the usual chargers that put out 5 or 6W. I'd check with Cateye's distributor (Zyro) or keep the receipt safe in case you need to replace it within warranty.

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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I charge my Lezyne with the greater of the iPod chargers. It auto detects the increase and charges at a higher rate.

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William Black | 10 years ago
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I'm off out to try out the 5000 Lumen (yes, seriously that's what they claim) 2 xCREE XML U2 thing I bought from fleabay.

I wondering if they will:

A) Melt my Handlebars.
B) Fail after 15 Mins.
C) Get me pulled over by the filth.

Safe to say I'll be keeping an Exposure light in my jersey just in case!

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Mostyn | 10 years ago
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best get a charger specific for the Cateye Volt 300!

Will be interesting to find out what you think of that high powered Cree Light?

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pj | 10 years ago
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without wishing to sound like a stuck record, isn't there some way of stopping people using *excessively* bright lights in and around town? the cree light sounds like a case in point.

i got blasted by some sort of pulsing techno disco strobe on the way home, it was a really unpleasant experience. i think people are mistaking brightness for increased safety and completely ignoring the safety of other road users.

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Mostyn | 10 years ago
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No Cree! No Problem! I bought the Cateye Volt 300 at Amazon for £37.88 inc postage.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help and advise in my search for a front light.

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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Only thing with the Cat eye volt 300 - as far as I can see from the advertisements and specifications on several cycle supplier web sites.

Not in one instance does it claim either UK or European type approval.

If that is so, it is not road legal equipment and it is false to claim it is suitable for use on a road cycle.

CAT EYE - care to contradict me?

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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Far as I can see the Lezyne light does not have "type approval" for use on the road either. I'am waiting for replies from three different suppliers.

If a light does not have type approval it is not legal for road use except as an additional light. If it is used as an additional light and produces more lux than a dip beam headlight (usually 80lux, if I remember correctly) and does not have an approved beam configuration then a user could possibly be held to account in an accident.

I would welcome comments from cycle part suppliers and especially from Lezyne and Cat eye on this.

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Trull | 10 years ago
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To get the best out of the fleabay crack lights please, please, please fit one of these lens diffusers:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wide-Angle-Lens-for-Magicshine-Lupine-and-Gemini-Bike-Lights-/261315451989?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item3cd79d5c55

It makes a massive difference to getting photons onto the road and presumably stops blinding oncoming road users as much. Although something like a B+M Cyo is much better and can also be battery powered at 7-7.5volts

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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I'll take my chances with a Lezyne Mega Drive, Micro Drive and Fibre Flares.

Or I could dig out some old Ever Ready's on ebay and combine them with pedal reflectors.

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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I must admitt that I'am making this post largely as an update to my "settings" which will now notify me of more posts on this subject.

I challenge LEZYNE and CATEYE to make comments or contradict me:

I say," it is false to claim your lights are fit for road legal use in the UK (except as additional lights)".

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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It's very noble of course. But the manner of your posting will likely make them laugh more than front up.

You also seem to ignore that a BS standard light is required to comply. Having an illegal Lezyne cycling light in addition is not illegal.

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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Incidentally, it has been argued that the CE marking itself could well translate to meeting the relevant EU standard. That standard then applying as if it were a BS one. I'm not particularly sold on that, given that the CE is about product safety rather than effectiveness.

Lezyne lights have CE markings.

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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That is quite so bendertherobot. However these lights do not comply to a BS standard either (as far as I can see). As you say you may have other lights in addition to BS and also to EU. BUT you must have at least one of either.

I have just contacted both Lezyne and Cateye directly informing them of my posts here and inviting them to expand or contradict me.

We shall see as we shall see....

I must add that I have not picked them out in particular, it is just that both are specifically mentioned in this thread.

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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They don't need to. It's up to the owner to deal with it, not the manufacturer. They claim no compliance. Their brochure (I can speak for Lezyne) tells the owner to check their relevant laws.

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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Now that I have posted on the subject, I think a quick link to what IMO can be taken as a fairly authoratative overview of the lighting regulations for bicycles is in order;

http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations

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bendertherobot | 10 years ago
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http://eurolightcycling.com/products.aspx?id=1#

And there we are. £13 to be legal for front and rear (ditch those SPD's people).

So your Magicshine 5000 lumen can then be your additional light.

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Stumps | 10 years ago
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I bought a 500 Lumen Ultra Bright CREE Q5 LED Headlamp from ebay for £4 from Hong Kong. I initially bought it for night fishing off the beach but i wear it on my bike now. Absolutely brilliant bit of kit, small, lightweight and works off normal batteries so no need to recharge and they last ages.

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horizontal dropout | 10 years ago
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Hi Mostyn, you might like to read this web page: http://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/tests/verlichting/index_en.html with reviews of lights and dynamos.

One battery light he reviews is the Philips Saferide 80. It seems German and Dutch lights are regulated to not blind oncoming traffic which is not the case in UK. I'm considering a Philips for that reason. A downside is that it doesn't seem to have flashing mode.

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johnny1986 | 10 years ago
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http://www.moon-sport.com/product-detail.php?id=8

I have the x power 300 pack with the shield 60 rear light and its awesome! Perfect for the dark country lanes I ride on.

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Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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So, just to tidy up by publishing the results of the enquiries I made concerning bicycle lights earlier:

The Cateye distributor in the UK (Zyro Ltd) responded acknowledging my query on the 18th Nov. promising a reply within 48Hr's. They have not replied.

Lezyne acknowledged my query on the 16th Nov. and told me that, “your inquiry is very important to us” and that they will respond within 2-3 days. They have not replied.

Chain Reaction cycles replied on the 17th Nov. They informed me that my question has been approved and is very important to them. They asked me to resubmit my question on the 20th Nov as it did not meet their posting guidelines. I did not resubmit it.

I asked Halfords the same question about type approval of these lights,. The email was not returned as undelivered but I have had no response at all from them.

Wiggle replied to my question on 18th Nov. They say: “Unfortunately the manufacturer does not provide this information currently.”

To be fair Wiggle do also publish alongside their presentation of the light a brief overview of the law concerning them and give a link (as I did above) to; http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations

I think when one considers how powerful some of the lights now supplied for bicycles are and points such as the one Neil753 makes here;
http://road.cc/content/news/100827-more-hgv-safety-features-possible-rus... .
it is very important, both for our image as cyclists and for safety to make sure we do use lights with proper beam patterns.

I would contend that it is about time the shambolic UK laws concerning them is tidied up.

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Mostyn replied to Giles Pargiter | 10 years ago
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Giles Pargiter wrote:

Clearly a shortfall in cycle design.
We should expect to turn on our cycle lights, in this day and age with no further thought than that we need to use them.
So chuck all those never ready, unsustainable, chemically polluting, inconvenient, heavy and impracticable batteries away - FOR GOOD.
Self sustaining properly built dynamo lights are clearly the only option for any cycle that claims to "road legal" use.
Make dynamo lights with regulated beam patterns and outputs the only option on any road used bicycle - as in Germany, and be done with it.
End all this profiteering on unsuitable unreliable and inadequate battery light joke measures.

I'm with you BUT, can you take me through what's needed for Dynamo power and what it would cost? Oh, if it'a dynamo hub? can this be a front wheel? or do you have to get a rear (drive) Wheel? Help with links and a list of all necessary bits, would be appreciated. thanks.

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