Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Lights on bikes - 1st brevet approaches

oh, if I may ... I believe that, given mattm's posting history, he's quite aware of what a 1200k is. I think what he was asking for (if you re-read his message) is: why should one pick a taillight with a gasket for a 1200k?

I believe the answer is that for foul-weather riding over such distances where day-to-day reliability of lights is necessary, that it's best that your taillights have some sort of rubber seal, like a gasket, around any seams or joins in the unit. Planet Bike's old Blinkys were notoriously bad for this, as they were basically just a light unit with battery that snapped into a plastic mount, and there was no seal on where the two items snapped together. As a result, rain would get in and short out the system over time.

thanks, that's what i was wondering (and i thought "gasket" meant one of those hinged-mounts, for some reason).. now it all makes sense.

(although i still run front/rear off my hub dynamo)

Thinking back to my first brevet I did not have to even turn on my lights at all. It was not until I did a 400km that I had turn on any lights at all. I was then promptly and rudely introduced to the world of not suffiecnt lighting.
I really think that for a 200km and maybe even a 300km you could get away with a cheapish L.E.D system such as something from BLT or another manufacuter. Then look at getting something more substantial if you really plan on going beyond and doing a 400km and 600km.

Wow. For the features, that's overpriced. With $335, Shimano DH-3D72/DH-3N72 (just came out BTW, 10-20 grams heavier than Schmidt SON, available in EU) + SON Edelux gives unlimited lighting with no battery hassle.

Well, I did qualify my post with "If battery lights are your thing..."

Personally, I'm going with a dynamo hub. I'd love to have a SON, but I just can't do it financially. So I ordered a SRAM iLight hub. I haven't decided on an actual light yet. Probably a Schmidt that will work with all hubs. Something with a standlight.

Well, I did qualify my post with "If battery lights are your thing..."

Personally, I'm going with a dynamo hub. I'd love to have a SON, but I just can't do it financially. So I ordered a SRAM iLight hub. I haven't decided on an actual light yet. Probably a Schmidt that will work with all hubs. Something with a standlight.

If you can find an Edelux, they are the bee's knees.
Next best would be the asymmetric Supernova E3.
Then the regular E3.

If you can find an Edelux, they are the bee's knees.
Next best would be the asymmetric Supernova E3.
Then the regular E3.

Nice siggy ya got there. ROFL!

I am riding my first 200k brevet in January hopefully to be followed by a 300k ride in February. Obviously that means some night riding. I wanted to know what most people are doing for riding lights. My first thought was to ride with a couple of handlebar mounted LED lights and perhaps a helmut mounted light as well. I'd prefer NOT to invest $500 if that works. Thanks in advance.I guess you read the whole three pages of replies and are getting puzzled by now. I will just repeat some of the good advice you got there (mainly the octopus, whose views I share)

You are obviously not advanced in age, California is not the rainy-type place for a January brevet off San Diego and the roads will be smooth, not the Moab-type rough terrain. So invest in a handlebar-mounted LED front light together with a decent (not the very lightweight sort) red light on the back. Then count on it for your 200 km. Your vision should be good at your age, rain is what makes night vision miserable and you won't get any. Plus, if you start at 7am, you will be done shortly before nightfall, or reasonably close anyway. Your real test will be the 300 km if you start at about 3am. Then you will have a whole 4 hours of night ride prior to sunrise to test your lighting system

You will need to have fully tested your options and, I believe, have doubled the front light when you align yourself on a 400 km ride, which is a ride with a full night of riding. Again, California wheather and the sharp eyesight which comes with the youth will make things simpler

HTH

I currently use a 3W CREE MR16 bulb from 2006 w/ a 10 C cell NiMh battery pack (~14 hours); however, I am looking into a new system for 2009. After some research, I have chosen to go with a Fenix LD20 flashlight. A pair actually, although only one will be on at a time for the most part. $55 each.

The runtime in High mode (not Turbo) is 6hr 25 minutes on 2 lithium AA batteries. Providing over 12 hours of decent (brighter than a single E6) lighting. For fast descents or rain I can turn them both on and then replace batteries as needed.

The reason I am going to try this options is that 10 NiMh C-cell batteries are quite heavy, and recharging is a pain. Also the wires are not trivial to maintain.

A Fenix "tacticle" LD20 CREE flashlight is a self contained unit, weather proof, drop proof, crash proof. ~56 grams, plus batteries. 2 AA lithium batteries are very light, and extra batteries as well. If I run out, I can always pick up alkaline AAs at any convenience store. And in the off season I can use the flashlights, as well, flashlights (camping, emergency lighting, etc.)

I will be testing this system out this year. And plan to make it work for a 1200k attempt this year, night start GRR.

On a 200k ride in December I used a 2AA CREE flashlight with great success. Upgrading to the Fenix LD20 for longer runtimes.

Data on the LD20 and others...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=214540

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155819

I guess you read the whole three pages of replies and are getting puzzled by now. I will just repeat some of the good advice you got there (mainly the octopus, whose views I share)

You are obviously not advanced in age, California is not the rainy-type place for a January brevet off San Diego and the roads will be smooth, not the Moab-type rough terrain. So invest in a handlebar-mounted LED front light together with a decent (not the very lightweight sort) red light on the back. Then count on it for your 200 km. Your vision should be good at your age, rain is what makes night vision miserable and you won't get any. Plus, if you start at 7am, you will be done shortly before nightfall, or reasonably close anyway. Your real test will be the 300 km if you start at about 3am. Then you will have a whole 4 hours of night ride prior to sunrise to test your lighting system

You will need to have fully tested your options and, I believe, have doubled the front light when you align yourself on a 400 km ride, which is a ride with a full night of riding. Again, California wheather and the sharp eyesight which comes with the youth will make things simpler

HTH

Our 200k of this past Saturday was rainy and cool. Fortunately it only rained for the first 5-6 hours. Last year on the San Diego 200k it rained just about the entire time. But with luck this will be the last time riding (a brevet) in the rain for the year.

Our 200k of this past Saturday was rainy and cool. Fortunately it only rained for the first 5-6 hours. Last year on the San Diego 200k it rained just about the entire time. But with luck this will be the last time riding (a brevet) in the rain for the year.Sorry for my misperception of the Southern California climate. I should have known better. Congratulation for your 200K anyway:):):D

Oh, and two separate odometers.

Why?

Why?

Check out cockpit pix on this page, (http://www.veloweb.ca/mybikepages/randononi.html) or this (http://www.veloweb.ca/mybikepages/sportivo.html). Enables me to record three ride distances (2 on right, 1 on left), vertcal gain (left) plus odo totals.

Redundancy is your friend.:thumb:

So invest in a handlebar-mounted LED front light together with a decent (not the very lightweight sort) red light on the back. Then count on it for your 200 km...... Your real test will be the 300 km if you start at about 3am. Then you will have a whole 4 hours of night ride prior to sunrise to test your lighting system HTH

Well, I did it!!!! Road the 200k last weekend using #2 Cateye HL-EL530 headlights up front and a Cateye helmet light. We started at 6:30 am and I finished at about 5:30 pm. That meant a little diminished light riding on both ends. My conclusions FWIW:

1 - The LED lighting was fine for that amount of riding. We road along the Pacific Coast Highway and making sure I was seen was as important as what I could see.

2 - That level of riding seemed adequate for slower riding (say 12 -14mph) on relatively level terrain but I'd not want to do much more aggressive riding with it.

3 - I will probably try the 300K brevet next month with it BUT I will consider something more if I progress beyond that

4 - There is no consistency in what people show up with in terms of lighting. From almost nothing to something suitable for the space shuttle.

Thanks for the help.

Bill

Well, I did it!!!! Road the 200k last weekend using #2 Cateye HL-EL530

4 - There is no consistency in what people show up with in terms of lighting. From almost nothing to something suitable for the space shuttle.
Bill

Congrats!

That's true. Most people who stick with it and get to the longer brevets ... and return to do more eventually invest in better lighting.

You might be interested in the new lighting page (http://www.veloweb.ca/randopages/randolights.html) (and general RandoHub (http://www.veloweb.ca/randopage.html)) at VeloWeb.

2) out of curiousity, about how many batteries do you go through in a year/season?

i'm considering a similar setup for my lighter/faster bike.Thanks everyone for elucidating my brief post. You are all correct. The battery question I can answer. I change the batteries once a year before the first 300. Whether they need it or not. I don't commute or otherwise ride regularly at night. I never need lights for a 200, seldom for a 300, and only 2-4 hours on a 400. So they don't get a lot of use. The blinkies I use all year for foggy and dim, but the batteries last.