Lights and Touring?
09-16-09, 10:40 PM
#1
Bicycle Lifestyle
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pacific Grove, Ca
Posts: 1,737
Bikes: Neil Pryde Diablo, VeloVie Vitesse400, Hunter29er, Surly Big Dummy
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Lights and Touring?
ya... Lights and Touring?
I'm a daily cyclist since at least 93'
and of course thru my childhood
those years of generators on a tyre
those big funky lights with a dry cell battery
Schwinn Le Tour generator light sets
Pezels
Light and Motion and I had a partial sponsor gig for a couple of years
the list goes on and on
I really dig the aesthetics of some of the fancy generator hubs, and the new LED's
which has lured me into visualizing one on my custom Hunter 29er
but I'm not sure if that day will actually come.
I have an ARC that is crazy bright 650 lumens...
but this last tour down the coast
and the last 2 years
I've been focusing more on my lights.
i really like the Cateye Uno
its really small. uses 1 AA, and runs for 15hrs on a regular dry cell AA (which are typically about 650mAH)
plus its about $30! how great is that. at that price point, if you manage to not destroy it in 90 days, thats about 33 cents per day.
so I've been using a 2500mAh NiMh rechargeable AA
the Uno is small enough to tape into the center vent of my Giro helmet to act as some sort of helmet light... albeit its not an ARC
the handle bar mount is cool
and its small enough to rubber band to a tent pole, etc...
it actually works as a camp light.
sometimes its too bright for camp duty
thats where i use a Tika... but even that, at times is too bright.
as to touring, obviously most of the riding is in the daylight hours
as to utility, I also ride a Big Dummy
i've been car free for about 6 years now (i think)
and i can see the attractiveness to having a generator light
especially if the generator would charge another battery, a kin to the way a Solio charges its internal battery, to be used to charge various things like, iPod, cell phone, etc...
I've also been using Solio for about a year.
and yes... its been that long since my cell phone has seen a wall socket
my iPod, pretty much the same...
all of which amazes me to some extent
Solio accompanies me every time I'm out on tour.
a hub generator, being the hub of a whole wheelset
and the cost
not to mention, the light only works when the wheel is turning
doesn't seem to make too much sense to me in the Touring application...
that is...
there are so many Uno-esq lights out there, and rechargeable batteries/chargers, etc...
i.e. if Uno burns for 15hrs on a 650mAh dry cell, then it would burn at least 60hrs on a 2500mAh NiMh rechargable. 60hrs. thats a long time. not to mention its just 1 single AA.
my canon A560 IS point and shoot uses 2 AA's, which is pretty much my main power drain. on tour, i carry along a fast compact charger, and plug it in anywhere. I'm always amazed how often you can find a socket, and how accommodating people, generally are, when it comes to a "bike tourist".
this last tour down the coast
the weather was perfect
and i was able to reduce my gear & bike down to about 45lbs, with 3 water bottles full.
even that, after some time, i had discovered further reductions... but that is a bit off tangent
in that light...
it brought me to thinking of that generator set up
the Light and Motion ARC Li-ion Ultra
Solio
and camping
suddenly I kept having this vision of pedaling to a stationary bike, with the generator engaged to make a cell phone call, listen to the iPod, etc...
plus the notion of having a generator hub
i mean...
its a hub
its another mechanical item
which potentially has failure
and being a hub, its not exactly the kind of thing that I'd opt.... to opt for?
that is...
if $30 for Uno, on 1 AA rechargeable, burns 60hrs, and weighs 73grams
if it breaks you throw it away, and there's probably no big consequence
vs
a generator of sorts, the wires, etc...
how much complexity do we account to bring along on tour?
i'm not sure if i'd stick a candle on my head, and call it a head lamp
but you know...
thats the gist...
that is to say
simple LED cheapie light vs generators?
I'm wondering... where does this go?
i admit... I kind of want a generator for my Dummy. Especially if it would charge a battery!
I'm a daily cyclist since at least 93'
and of course thru my childhood
those years of generators on a tyre
those big funky lights with a dry cell battery
Schwinn Le Tour generator light sets
Pezels
Light and Motion and I had a partial sponsor gig for a couple of years
the list goes on and on
I really dig the aesthetics of some of the fancy generator hubs, and the new LED's
which has lured me into visualizing one on my custom Hunter 29er
but I'm not sure if that day will actually come.
I have an ARC that is crazy bright 650 lumens...
but this last tour down the coast
and the last 2 years
I've been focusing more on my lights.
i really like the Cateye Uno
its really small. uses 1 AA, and runs for 15hrs on a regular dry cell AA (which are typically about 650mAH)
plus its about $30! how great is that. at that price point, if you manage to not destroy it in 90 days, thats about 33 cents per day.
so I've been using a 2500mAh NiMh rechargeable AA
the Uno is small enough to tape into the center vent of my Giro helmet to act as some sort of helmet light... albeit its not an ARC
the handle bar mount is cool
and its small enough to rubber band to a tent pole, etc...
it actually works as a camp light.
sometimes its too bright for camp duty
thats where i use a Tika... but even that, at times is too bright.
as to touring, obviously most of the riding is in the daylight hours
as to utility, I also ride a Big Dummy
i've been car free for about 6 years now (i think)
and i can see the attractiveness to having a generator light
especially if the generator would charge another battery, a kin to the way a Solio charges its internal battery, to be used to charge various things like, iPod, cell phone, etc...
I've also been using Solio for about a year.
and yes... its been that long since my cell phone has seen a wall socket
my iPod, pretty much the same...
all of which amazes me to some extent
Solio accompanies me every time I'm out on tour.
a hub generator, being the hub of a whole wheelset
and the cost
not to mention, the light only works when the wheel is turning
doesn't seem to make too much sense to me in the Touring application...
that is...
there are so many Uno-esq lights out there, and rechargeable batteries/chargers, etc...
i.e. if Uno burns for 15hrs on a 650mAh dry cell, then it would burn at least 60hrs on a 2500mAh NiMh rechargable. 60hrs. thats a long time. not to mention its just 1 single AA.
my canon A560 IS point and shoot uses 2 AA's, which is pretty much my main power drain. on tour, i carry along a fast compact charger, and plug it in anywhere. I'm always amazed how often you can find a socket, and how accommodating people, generally are, when it comes to a "bike tourist".
this last tour down the coast
the weather was perfect
and i was able to reduce my gear & bike down to about 45lbs, with 3 water bottles full.
even that, after some time, i had discovered further reductions... but that is a bit off tangent
in that light...
it brought me to thinking of that generator set up
the Light and Motion ARC Li-ion Ultra
Solio
and camping
suddenly I kept having this vision of pedaling to a stationary bike, with the generator engaged to make a cell phone call, listen to the iPod, etc...
plus the notion of having a generator hub
i mean...
its a hub
its another mechanical item
which potentially has failure
and being a hub, its not exactly the kind of thing that I'd opt.... to opt for?
that is...
if $30 for Uno, on 1 AA rechargeable, burns 60hrs, and weighs 73grams
if it breaks you throw it away, and there's probably no big consequence
vs
a generator of sorts, the wires, etc...
how much complexity do we account to bring along on tour?
i'm not sure if i'd stick a candle on my head, and call it a head lamp
but you know...
thats the gist...
that is to say
simple LED cheapie light vs generators?
I'm wondering... where does this go?
i admit... I kind of want a generator for my Dummy. Especially if it would charge a battery!
09-17-09, 01:20 AM
#2
aka Timi
lovely post... pure poetry! 
btw I think you know much more about bicycle lights than I. On tour I'm usually done for the day before dark, but have Cateye HL-EL135/TL-LD170-R just in case
btw I think you know much more about bicycle lights than I. On tour I'm usually done for the day before dark, but have Cateye HL-EL135/TL-LD170-R just in case
09-17-09, 05:32 AM
#4
Senior Member
On tour, I don't use lights during daylight hours, but do often start an hour before daylight. The occasions I ride in the dark on tour, I sometimes have used my headlamp along with a rear blinkie. On my last tour in the hour before daylight I saw maybe two vehicles on the road in that hour of darkness. I didn't bother with the headlamp since there were virtually no intersections and I was really only concerned with overtaking vehicles. Since I could see and hear vehicles a mile before they got to me I would not have been all that worried if I were riding with no lights at all.
I guess that on hindsight since I never took the headlamp out of the bag ones in the 11 days of the tour, I would not have minded having absolutely no lights at all either in camp or on the road.
There have been other situations where there was traffic on a tour and I was in a more populated area where the more lights I had on the bike the better. Generally I avoid touring in places like that as much as possible though. One day arriving in Virginia Beach after dark comes to mind.
So I guess for me, the route makes a big difference. On my KC to Santa Fe trip I would have been perfectly happy with no lights whatsoever. About twice on the TransAmerica I was happy to have blinkies and a headlamp and was also glad to have reflective sidewalls on my tires.
When I feel the need for lights inexpensive blinkies that take AA or AAA batteries and a headlamp fit the bill fine. For in camp lighting, I could get by without but would have always carried a headlamp even if I don't use it all that much. I decided that since in the entire 73 day of the TA I only replaced the blinkie batteries once and the headlamp batteries not at all charging was not needed. If I were using more batteries I would consider using rechargables, but a generator just doesn't make much sense to me on my touring bike.
I guess that on hindsight since I never took the headlamp out of the bag ones in the 11 days of the tour, I would not have minded having absolutely no lights at all either in camp or on the road.
There have been other situations where there was traffic on a tour and I was in a more populated area where the more lights I had on the bike the better. Generally I avoid touring in places like that as much as possible though. One day arriving in Virginia Beach after dark comes to mind.
So I guess for me, the route makes a big difference. On my KC to Santa Fe trip I would have been perfectly happy with no lights whatsoever. About twice on the TransAmerica I was happy to have blinkies and a headlamp and was also glad to have reflective sidewalls on my tires.
When I feel the need for lights inexpensive blinkies that take AA or AAA batteries and a headlamp fit the bill fine. For in camp lighting, I could get by without but would have always carried a headlamp even if I don't use it all that much. I decided that since in the entire 73 day of the TA I only replaced the blinkie batteries once and the headlamp batteries not at all charging was not needed. If I were using more batteries I would consider using rechargables, but a generator just doesn't make much sense to me on my touring bike.
09-17-09, 05:47 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 225
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The only thing about the generator hubs is that it's a real commitment to that type of lighting. Should you decide that you don't like it for whatever reason, removing it is an expensive proposition involving having a new wheel built. The AAA battery LED's are so good now that they offer so much more flexibility and they are comparatively cheap. I really like some of the rechargables but at ~$600 to $1200 for top shelf lighting, I think I'll stick with my AAA LED's.
09-17-09, 08:28 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,392
Bikes: Surly LHT, Specialized Rockhopper, Nashbar Touring (old), Specialized Stumpjumper (older), Nishiki Tourer (model unknown)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
On my first big tour I brought my bike headlight. It had an incandescent bulb and 2 C batteries, and mounted on the handlebars. In four weeks I used it once for riding at night - maybe half an hour - and every night for seeng around camp and for reading in bed - probably an average of 2-3 hours a night for 4 weeks. It was heavy and very inconvenient for reading. I had to balance it on my chest so that the light beam hit the pages, and when I'd roll over on my side it was even more of a hassle. I had to replace the C cells at least once a week, and it wasn't always easy to find C cells.
On my last few tours I've taken a headlamp (that mounts on my head). It uses 3 AAA batteries and has 3 LEDs. It's SO much better. Reading is easy. Cooking with it or doing other camp chores after dark is also much easier than with a handheld light. The batteries last for weeks. (I replace them before I need to because I really enjoy a bright light for reading, but it still seems like an awfully long time between batteries.) I figured that if I need to ride at night I'd put on my headlamp and ride without a helmet, or ziptie the lap to my handlebars or something. But in my last three tours I haven't ridden after dark once.
I carry a cell phone, an mp3 player, and a digital cameral. The camera uses AA batteries so I just replace them as needed. I don't turn on my cell phone very often so it doesn't need charging too often. I listen to my mp3 player every day so I need to charge it about every 3 or 4 days. I've had no problems finding places to plug in the chargers. In restaurants I look for tables by an outlet and ask the waitress if I can plug my chargers in. They've always said yes. I've also charged in campground bathrooms, at campground picnic areas, from a utility post in a full-service campground (at a vacant site), and at libraries.
Having said all that, I'm interested in something like a Solio so I wouldn't have to worry. Are they very heavy?
On my last few tours I've taken a headlamp (that mounts on my head). It uses 3 AAA batteries and has 3 LEDs. It's SO much better. Reading is easy. Cooking with it or doing other camp chores after dark is also much easier than with a handheld light. The batteries last for weeks. (I replace them before I need to because I really enjoy a bright light for reading, but it still seems like an awfully long time between batteries.) I figured that if I need to ride at night I'd put on my headlamp and ride without a helmet, or ziptie the lap to my handlebars or something. But in my last three tours I haven't ridden after dark once.
I carry a cell phone, an mp3 player, and a digital cameral. The camera uses AA batteries so I just replace them as needed. I don't turn on my cell phone very often so it doesn't need charging too often. I listen to my mp3 player every day so I need to charge it about every 3 or 4 days. I've had no problems finding places to plug in the chargers. In restaurants I look for tables by an outlet and ask the waitress if I can plug my chargers in. They've always said yes. I've also charged in campground bathrooms, at campground picnic areas, from a utility post in a full-service campground (at a vacant site), and at libraries.
Having said all that, I'm interested in something like a Solio so I wouldn't have to worry. Are they very heavy?
09-17-09, 08:44 AM
#7
Which bike should I ride?
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Posts: 288
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
I love my Schmidt SON and dual E6s. I haven't personally seen one of the new Edelux units yet, but they're supposed to rock. If I remember correctly, the Edelux units also have a standlight for short periods when the hub isn't rotating.
09-17-09, 11:32 AM
#8
Bicycle Lifestyle
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pacific Grove, Ca
Posts: 1,737
Bikes: Neil Pryde Diablo, VeloVie Vitesse400, Hunter29er, Surly Big Dummy
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
https://www.solio.com/charger/explor...tech-spec.html
states 156gm
the caveat of course is it needs sunlight
this last trip i was pedaling south down HWY 1
so i strapped it to the handlebar
in the morning I'd tilt it to the left
in the afternoon to the right
i kept my cell phone on for most of the time
and i'd use my iPod at night if i needed to drown out campground noise
how sad is that? that is... use an iPod to drown out campground noise? listen to white noise, "Nature Sounds" while camping to drown out drunks, and generators? ya huh? go figure.
i have other stuff i like to listen to, but you get the gist.
solio works. rarely is it 100% charged, as just about every day, i end up draining from it a bit.
09-17-09, 12:30 PM
#9
urban biker
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 205
Bikes: Haro MTB for commuting and a LHT for everything else.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Campground + car/RV = noisy campground
09-17-09, 05:10 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 76
Bikes: Surly LHT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have a Schmidt SON and Busch & Müller (BUMM) lights front and rear. I love this setup.
Since this is my commuter bike too, I use lights almost every day for about nine months of the year. For me it is just brilliant to never have to worry about batteries, I know that as soon as I start riding my lights are on and I don't even have to think about it. Both the front and rear lights have the standlight function; they stay on for a few minutes once I stop, which I'm sure you can imagine is handy at traffic lights and such (takes just a few minutes of riding to charge their inbuilt capacitors).
The front light I have is a few years old; the D'Lumotec Oval Senso Plus. I can see enough with it on unlit bike paths at night, though I don't go as fast as I would during the day and tend to have to concentrate more. Mine is angled a little too high, to shine at cars better, so if I angled it a little lower it'd make night riding on unlit paths a bit easier. If I rode on rough tracks at night regularly or at speed, I think I'd want something brighter, but there are streetlights where I commute so it's fine. I think some of the newer BUMM dynamo headlights are rather brighter these days, and I'll definitely be looking into those if I ever wreck the one I currently have.
I don't feel the added drag of the dynamo at all (having said that, I'm usually commuting with a fair load, books, work clothes, a few fruits for lunch, who knows what, the bike itself is quite heavy and on top of all that I'm using Marathon ATB tyres, not exactly speedy). There is a slight extra whirring feeling when the dynamo is making power, which I only actually notice if I switch the lights off and then on again. It's not at all intrusive after about a second and a half.
There are a few devices which allow you to charge batteries from a hub dynamo. Can't recall the names off the top of my head, (the German touring bike forum has heaps of info for those of you who can read German).
I hope that this doesn't sound like an ad' for Schmidt or BUMM. I just really like this stuff.
Cheers, A.
Since this is my commuter bike too, I use lights almost every day for about nine months of the year. For me it is just brilliant to never have to worry about batteries, I know that as soon as I start riding my lights are on and I don't even have to think about it. Both the front and rear lights have the standlight function; they stay on for a few minutes once I stop, which I'm sure you can imagine is handy at traffic lights and such (takes just a few minutes of riding to charge their inbuilt capacitors).
The front light I have is a few years old; the D'Lumotec Oval Senso Plus. I can see enough with it on unlit bike paths at night, though I don't go as fast as I would during the day and tend to have to concentrate more. Mine is angled a little too high, to shine at cars better, so if I angled it a little lower it'd make night riding on unlit paths a bit easier. If I rode on rough tracks at night regularly or at speed, I think I'd want something brighter, but there are streetlights where I commute so it's fine. I think some of the newer BUMM dynamo headlights are rather brighter these days, and I'll definitely be looking into those if I ever wreck the one I currently have.
I don't feel the added drag of the dynamo at all (having said that, I'm usually commuting with a fair load, books, work clothes, a few fruits for lunch, who knows what, the bike itself is quite heavy and on top of all that I'm using Marathon ATB tyres, not exactly speedy). There is a slight extra whirring feeling when the dynamo is making power, which I only actually notice if I switch the lights off and then on again. It's not at all intrusive after about a second and a half.
There are a few devices which allow you to charge batteries from a hub dynamo. Can't recall the names off the top of my head, (the German touring bike forum has heaps of info for those of you who can read German).
I hope that this doesn't sound like an ad' for Schmidt or BUMM. I just really like this stuff.
Cheers, A.
