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18/02/2010 13:30:43
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Dave S
Posts 489
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Can anyone recommend a good yet inexpensive light for night riding?
I’m looking for something sleek, elegant, stylish (yes I’m still talking about a light) which will illuminate enough of the road ahead to avoid potholes at 18mph, have good battery life and a sturdy bar mounting.
Not asking for too much am I?
Ideally it will let me see far enough ahead so as not to end up in a lay-by having missed the bend in the road !!
fanku
edited by dsgt8000 on 18/02/2010
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18/02/2010 14:12:19
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TomF
Posts 1040
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You could go for the 900 lumen light from Deal Extreme in Hong Kong for £50 that seems to get good reviews on the various MTB forums.
Otherwise, the Hope 1 looks pretty tidy for what it is, or for a bit more cash the Exposure Joystick (which is the sort of benchmark for the all in one small light).
I have a Light & Motion Vega from a few years back, which is good enough to ride on lanes, just not hugely quickly - it's outdated by newer, brighter lights.
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18/02/2010 14:28:42
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Si Bridge
Posts 322
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TomF wrote:
I have a Light & Motion Vega from a few years back, which is good enough to ride on lanes, just not hugely quickly - it's outdated by newer, brighter lights.
Tom,
Did’nt know you had a Vega, is it the black one? If it is, how’s it holding out? I’ve been very careful to cycle the batteries through the summer when not in use but I’m only getting 20min on the lowest constant setting now before the low battery warning light starts to flash. It will not hold full power for longer than 10 secs before auto switching to medium power mode. Not run out of power yet on a commute but the run through Dunham on the low setting is ‘exciting’ to say the least!!
There are 4 boggo standard rechargeable cells inside. If I could only figure out how to get the thing open without bustin it I’m sure they could be replaced.
Will probably go for that 900 lumen one if we end up doing some silly 24hr MTB race again as if I remember correctly I seemed to do a lot of my laps in the dark 
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18/02/2010 14:44:14
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Mr T
Posts 1429
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Fenix LD20, I use it and I've done rides around my area in the pitch black, no street lighting and I've being able to keep going safely even at 30mph.
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix_LD20.html
Great piece of kit, It uses 2x AA batteries, I use rechargeable, and to fit it to handlebars you must buy mount separate, I use twofishlockblock.
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/lockblock.html
It's only 180Lumen max but I only ever use 90lumen, 180 lumen is when I'm around 10 miles from home then I use that.
edited by FreeWillhub on 18/02/2010
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18/02/2010 14:56:56
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rothers
Posts 1017
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dsgt8000 wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good yet inexpensive light for night riding?
I’m looking for something sleek, elegant, stylish (yes I’m still talking about a light) which will illuminate enough of the road ahead to avoid potholes at 18mph, have good battery life and a sturdy bar mounting.
Not asking for too much am I?
Ideally it will let me see far enough ahead so as not to end up in a lay-by having missed the bend in the road !!
fanku
edited by dsgt8000 on 18/02/2010
You cannot skip paying out for good lights....
They fall into two catergories - ones that let you be seen, and those that allow you to see..
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18/02/2010 15:36:36
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TomF
Posts 1040
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Si B (LPRC) wrote:
Did’nt know you had a Vega, is it the black one? If it is, how’s it holding out?
TBH, Si, I've not been very kind to it since purchasing back in 2006 (I think!). its primary use is for my commute to and from the office, which is only 5 miles each way and run on streetlit roads. So, I tend to use it on flash mode all the time.
The batteries are on their way out now, I have to say. Whether it ever goes into full power mode at all is a guess - I'm sure there used to be full, med, low, flash, but now seem to have bright-ish, less bright, flash. As it is, the battery warning comes on pretty quickly if used in constant mode for no more than 60 secs.
It's possible to have the batts replaced by L&M, I think, but that does involve posting it off to the USA and no doubt being charged a fortune.
So, for night riding, I really could do with something better. Actually, what is really needed is something to light the ground, and something to flash to catch the attention of our motorised friends. That way, it's possible to fulfill rothers' requirement to see and be seen.
Perhaps, as a last gasp on the current cash burn I seem to be going through, I'll pick up a P-X light like Nick's, though I have to say I like the integrated nature of the Vega and the Exposure lights.
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