Thread: Total Geekiness
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Old 02-23-06, 08:20 AM
  #1099  
robtown
Muscle bike design spec
 
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Originally Posted by GlowBoy
I've been using a 17 degree Solux bulb myself for the last 3 weeks, and I'm finding the beam width to be just about right. I've tried the Philips bulbs in 8 degree (20W) and 24 degree (35W). I wouldn't mind something a bit wider than the 8 degree (although even that is wider in practice than my old TurboCat spot), but the 24 degree is just too wide. The issue isn't that the light is getting too dispersed to light things up, but rather that my commute takes me through hills that are often fogged in, and in dense fog the wide beam reflects back too much without lighting up the road. 10-17 degrees seems about right.

Too bad Philips doesn't make that width, although in my living room test the Solux "looked" brighter anyway. On the road it appears dimmer to me, because that's because I'm currently wearing lenses that have a slight yellow tint to them. This wasn't much of a handicap when I was riding with a yellowish light, but now I'm filtering out quite a bit of my new bluer light as far as my own vision is concerned. At least it looks bright to oncoming traffic.

I went with the the 4100k Solux, by the way. I wanted something bluer than the 3500k, and their specs showed substantially higher output for the 4100k when compared to the 4700k. Their site only publishes specs for the 36 degree version of the (35W) 4100k, but they claim 1529 CP for that light, vs. 1602 CP for the 3300k bulb in the same width and only 510 CP for the 4700k version. I do take these numbers with a grain of salt. Because of how the eye perceives light and color, I'm not sure output figures are necessarily comparable from one light to the next (in the real world) if the color isn't the same.
I'll definitely try the 10 degree Solux 35w. Could you post a link to those specs? I'll go with the 4100k if it produces more CP. A 17 - 24 degree narrow flood 20 watt might make a better second light for when I really want to use the battery up. My CygoLite dual 6 watt helmet covers the first 30' now. I usually just use the 6w spot for staring down cars and to reserve power just in case. The 12v 7AH SLA came out of a older UPS and It winds down fast at the 43w - 55w used when both lights are on. I'm hoping a 6150mah 18.5v Li-ion will have the umph to burn both lights for 90 min at 13.2v with the ligthtbrain. I like the extra light when approacing intersections. I notice cars show more respect.
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