brianinc-ville

Hey, there. I just noticed this light for sale at Niagara:

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ucts_id=437672

I can't seem to find much information on it -- it's not listed on Avenir's USA website. Has anybody actually seen one? My main questions:

1. Does it have built-in terminals for the taillight, and
2. How bright is it, really (compared to, say, the B&M Lyt, which I've already got on my wife's bike)?

Thanks!

brianinc-ville

Bump

krome

Haven't used the light in question, but a BOB lister said it was better than his old home made LED lighting setup. He linked to this page (I think that's him with the single review):

https://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Dynamo-...enir+headlight

I'm willing to try it, once I get some more money in my bicycle budget. I currently have an edulux on my main ride, I need some cheaper headlights for my other bikes. The price is nice

zebede

Haven't tried it. But I wish I had known about it last month. I was looking low cost led dynamo lights. I went with S&P and Planet bike blaze dynamo (two separate bikes) the avenir is half the cost. I would have gladly tried this.

krome

Got one in today. Ordered thru Amazon, order filled by Niagara Cycle. I should get it hooked up this weekend. Has leads for the generator, and some pigtails sticking out for the tail light. The pigtails are male miniature spade connectors, uninsulated. First impression is that it is kinda cheap, but that is the point right? For ~$30 it isn't bad. Made in China, as expected. Cannot disassemble without breaking something, it appears to be glued together.

flammenwurfer

Just curious if you got this hooked up krome. I'm looking for a better light than the amateurish one I threw together a couple years ago. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

zebede

The two LED dynamo lights I purchased earlier this year were the least expensive lights I found. They both cost around TWICE the Avenir light and have similar specifications. They were considered the economy lights even though they cost around $60 dollars.

Both lights are plastic, water resistant and I think around 35 lux. The PB has a switch that does not work very well (mushy rubber) but otherwise is an ok light. The mounting is limited to the handlebar. The SP has not have switch and is always on (that's OK with me) I use it on my commuter in a light urban type area. Both have not failed. Thought the PB has not seen allot of use (on a folding bike that doesn't see near as much use.

I two would very much like to hear any observation about ownership of the Avenir.[/U]



https://www.sp-dynamo.com/LS003.html



https://ecom1.planetbike.com/3048.html

krome

I'm running behind on my final installation. I've hooked up the headlight. I tapped the mounting hole M6 for installation on an existing light bracket on a Peugeot. The original Soubitez was replaced with the Avenir. Just from spinning the front wheel by hand, I'm impressed with this light. I still haven't yet tried it on the street, I'm getting really close to finishing it, just not quite done yet. I should finish it up this week. Sorry again for the delays, this light impresses me thus far, on the price/performance ratio, but it is still too soon to tell. Will follow up with pics of installation.

krome

Haven't done a side by side, but the beam shape is very nice. I'm going to try doing a comparison with the Edelux tonight. Might turn out to be the poor man's Cyo or Edelux.

flammenwurfer

Looking forward to your opinions on the light. Could you take some better pictures from different angles? Also, is it a single led or multiple leds? Can't really tell from the stock image.

I wish it was a little more attractive looking. Do you think it would be feasible to take the guts out of it and transplant it into a prettier housing?

zebede

I just realized I was talking apples and oranges !

You guys are talking about a 6V sidewall dynamo light and I am running a 12 volt hub dynamo. The lights are not compatible or comparable.

FWIW , There are several B&M LED 6V dynamo powered lights UNDER $30 on this page.

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/b&m-hl.asp

Fenway

Those sub $30 lights are all at German legal minimums for illumination (10 lux @ 10 meters) as shown on the first picture here https://www.bumm.de/innovation-origin...einwerfer.html

One is really better off at least springing for the 25 lux (@ 10 meters) lights which are going to be $30 or more.

krome

Still haven't done side by side with the edelux (need another rider). Right now, I get the impression that the Edelux is brighter and has a larger rectangular beam. The Avenir light seems to have a narrower beam but is otherwise rectangular with cut-off like the Edelux. This is expected due to the similarities in design. The Edelux has a larger reflector and emitter. The Avenir has a very small emitter (the dome is similar in size to an Cree XP-G [I'm not saying it is an XP-G]). The Edelux setup appears to be the same as the Busch & Müller (B&M) IQ reflector. The Avenir resembles the B&M IQ2 reflector configuration(no prism like IQ2). For explanation of IQ vs IQ2 here: https://www.bumm.de/innovation-original/iq-iq2.html.

I think the Avenir has more near-field spill, possibly from the reflector design. The design is adhered together so disassembly will involve some cutting I imagine. The fact that the lens/reflector assembly is circular, should make it easier to use in homebrew designs.

Here is my setups: Bike with Edelux, SON 28 Classic hub, Spanninga Pixio taillight with standlight. Bike with Avenir, Shimano Alfine DH-S501 hub, Spanninga Pixio taillight with standlight. Edelux bike is running 650 x 42b. Avenir is running 700x35c. Wiring is about the same, taillight is the same model.

They both exhibit very little low speed flicker. I'd say the Avenir is better in that regard. Better as in little to no flicker. It seems to have a smoothing circuit. Standlight fades slowly on the Avenir, whereas the Edelux dims down to a lower level. Both have adequate duration. The Avenir switches off.

I plan on purchasing another Avenir in the future. I'll take some pictures of my installation soon.

krome

What 12v hub dynamo are you running?

flammenwurfer

Thanks for sharing krome. Sounds like the avenir is a pretty decent light for the price. How fast would you feel comfortable riding with the avenir light?

trrubicon06

PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES! Please

flammenwurfer

All I want is a super bright, classic looking led dynamo light that is super cheap and readily available. Is that so hard!? Haha,

Right now, I'm toying with either getting this Avenir light and trying to give it a more C&V look. Or maybe just leaving it alone if it doesn't look too awful. Or continuing my diy expiriments. I have a 3 led mr16 bulb on the way that cost around $4. I plan on hooking that up to the dynamo hub to test brightness. First I'll determine if it gives off an acceptable amount of light, then I worry about how to make a housing for it. I could see easily spending the same money in the end as the avenir to make a nice looking housing.

unterhausen

I suspect chrome vinyl paint will make the Avenir look a lot more C&V

brianinc-ville

Follow-up: I did buy the Avenir light, and I'm pretty pleased with it. I haven't done a scientific study, but it appears to be fairly comparable to the B&M Lyt on my wife's bike -- maybe not quite as bright as the Lyt, but in the same range. Not sure I'd use it for off-roading, but for anything else it seems fine. I'm using a Sanyo H27 dynamo hub and a B&M Toplight Flat Plus taillight, and pretty pleased with both. I hope this is the start of a trend toward cheap and widely available dynamo lighting in the US.

As for making it look more C&V -- I've been thinking about simply sticking one inside the chrome lamp housing on a Raleigh Superbe. Maybe mounting it in the center of a round piece of aluminum with some holes drilled in it, in place of the original clear lens. Adding an external switch should be simple enough.