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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18238687)
No, the picture shows the "tail light" on the seatpost, facing away from the handlebars, so they are marketing it as a tail light.
I agree with the endorsement for Cygolite. These products are made in the USA, if that counts. The mount is solid. I don't know if other brands have the "steady flash" feature, but it seems pretty useful. About the white light facing backwards on the seat post...........I've done a few searches and looked at lots different web pages. There are all kinds of things written wrong on bike light and head light pages. Even different prices for the same thing. Try searching " Deal extreme" And "Amazon" For an amazing amount lights. Good and bad mixed. I bought a few from both places. |
Fair points, [MENTION=6007]2manybikes[/MENTION].
For whatever it's worth, I think I've spent more money on cheap bad lights than on good lights. I hope this lesson is useful for some. I've seen some good reviews for cheap lights, but clearly, some are easier to please than others. Lights designed to mount on bicycles prove to be more trouble free for me. I tried using a powerful flashlight and a handlebar flashlight mount. Yeah, it was super bright, but the beam was awful. And I had to take the light off, disassemble, and remove the cell to charge it. I like things to require as little labor as possible. That's why dynamo lights are best for me most of the time. Here is my article on my current dynamo system which I've been using for over two years. The cost to me was about $160 for dynamo hub and both lights, and I haven't had to plug it in or think about it for all this time. |
Don't forget some wheel lights for better side visibility.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18238770)
Fair points, [MENTION=6007]2manybikes[/MENTION].
For whatever it's worth, I think I've spent more money on cheap bad lights than on good lights. I hope this lesson is useful for some. There are a few people that come to the bike shop that can't afford a tube, never mind a light. So I started giving away some lights. I think I like giving them away more than I did buying them. That still leaves me with a backup light for the backup light.:) |
Good for you. Do you work at the bike shop?
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18238687)
No, the picture shows the "tail light" on the seatpost, facing away from the handlebars, so they are marketing it as a tail light.
Cycling Bicycle Bike 3 LED Front Tail Warning USB Light 4 Modes White Lamp | eBay Picky, picky, picky... |
Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18238770)
Fair points, [MENTION=6007]2manybikes[/MENTION].
For whatever it's worth, I think I've spent more money on cheap bad lights than on good lights. I hope this lesson is useful for some. I've seen some good reviews for cheap lights, but clearly, some are easier to please than others. Lights designed to mount on bicycles prove to be more trouble free for me. I tried using a powerful flashlight and a handlebar flashlight mount. Yeah, it was super bright, but the beam was awful. And I had to take the light off, disassemble, and remove the cell to charge it. I like things to require as little labor as possible. That's why dynamo lights are best for me most of the time. Here is my article on my current dynamo system which I've been using for over two years. The cost to me was about $160 for dynamo hub and both lights, and I haven't had to plug it in or think about it for all this time. One of them worked OK except the mode would change if I hit a bump (so I guess it actually didn't work OK)... |
After my ride home last night I had to remount the light on my helmet as it was facing about a yard in front of my tire... If I can't get it right, I'll pick up a nice light with as good of a mounting system as I can talk my wife into (have lost a light due to poor mount), and use two lights on the bar, one flashing and one steady. The flash to be noticed, and the steady so drivers can gauge my speed a little bit better.
Also, I avoided the overpass that was on my route last night and this morning, and I think that has made my commute safer too, but bumpier as well. |
Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18238687)
No, the picture shows the "tail light" on the seatpost, facing away from the handlebars, so they are marketing it as a tail light.
I agree with the endorsement for Cygolite. These products are made in the USA, if that counts. The mount is solid. I don't know if other brands have the "steady flash" feature, but it seems pretty useful. I bought a Cygolite Streak 350 last week. It seems to be a new model. So far, so good, but I think someone riding in the oncoming direction was telling me I had it aimed too high. I have to learn how to use it. It has a round beam, which is less than ideal but normal for lights in the US market. Grr. I prefer dynamo powered lights and use them most of the time. I got this battery powered light for my road racing bike. Dynamo powered lights are really good. As for the beam I aim it so that the far end of the "hot spot" is visible on the ground, as far away from me as I can get it while still being able to see it. Seems to work well. |
Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18239091)
Good for you. Do you work at the bike shop?
I make sure the owner, who knows these guys better then I do, decides when someone can't buy a light and there is no chance of a sale, before handing out one of my old lights. Some of the regulars are special needs, a couple are homeless. Some are just out of money and they need the bike to get around. Some are on some kind of assistance. A couple of the special needs guys break a light once in a while. One guy rides all the way across the city in the dark, even without a light. We try to help him if possible, somehow he breaks his lights. He's been coming to that shop for maybe 15 years, along with a couple others. They are steady customers and pay for things like a chain and a cassette, every couple of years etc. They come on the Wednesday night slow ride once in a while. Depending on what the parent or guardian says. I ride home with one guy who is not allowed to ride home in the dark alone. He has a 35 lb bike with tons of junk on it, at least 40 lb total. Last week I could not catch him on the big uphill. I was on my 17 lb Litespeed with Ksyriums. |
[QUOTE=bikemig;18238031]+ 1 on light and motion products.QUOTE]
+2. Light and motion's reflectors are well designed such that a lower lumen rating may light your path better than a higher lumen but cheaper light. |
Originally Posted by PatrickGSR94
(Post 18241379)
+1 on the Cygolite mount, one of the best ones out there, amongst ones I've tried.
As for the beam I aim it so that the far end of the "hot spot" is visible on the ground, as far away from me as I can get it while still being able to see it. Seems to work well. |
Originally Posted by Andy_K
(Post 18230636)
I've got a NiteRider Lumina 700 that I'm pretty happy with. It has a retina sear setting (high = 700 lumens), but I usually just use it on medium (350 lumens) because that's bright enough without actually making drivers look away from me (which the high setting does).
I do think it's a good idea to also have a helmet mounted light, because you can easily aim it wherever you want. I have a Blackburn Flea for this purpose. It's very lightweight and reasonably bright for its purpose (~100 lumens) but the recharging mechanism is awful (exposed contacts which corrode easily and therefore need frequent cleaning). |
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
(Post 18247487)
A few good reviews of the Cygolites.. and was about to purchase one. However, the Q&As on Amazon etc, seem to indicate that the clamps do not fit around a standard "oversize" 31.8mm road handlebar. Maybe a separate clamp purchase is necessary? Seems like a gross oversight of Cygolite if this is true, but can anyone here verify?
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Originally Posted by a1penguin
(Post 18248550)
That is why I find the Cygolite Metro, with the stretchy rubberband style mount to be a better choice.
OTOH, I was also looking at the Cygolite Dash which seems to have the rubber band. |
Originally Posted by San Pedro
(Post 18229045)
So, after a few close calls on my way home this week, I think I need a new light, or just to add another. The close calls have all been from people pulling out in front of me. One close call probably would have killed me, another I had to pass a postman on his motorcycle on the outside of the lane (a nice rolling stop with hardly a glance at the road). This leads me to believe I'm not visible enough, and should really announce my presence with a brighter light, or it's just too hard for motorists to gauge the speed of someone on a road bike at night (usually expecting people going 10mph on typical Japanese bike).
Right now I have a Cateye HL-EL340, which served me well for three years on better lit roads (my current route has me one some roads with minimal lighting), and I like that it uses AA batteries that I have rechargeables for. I use it on flashing setting, but may try the bright constant beam tonight. Do you have some inexpensive lights to suggest to me that would help me better noticed? Should I just add another light on the front of the bike? Maybe a head lamp? Thanks for any help/advice you can give me. This is the reason it happens: So bicycle is both less visible and when seen, it is not consciously noticed, same as motorcycles in the video. My tip would be - the light you have is pretty good and there's no need to waste money on stronger lights - they won't help. |
I agree with [MENTION=210511]Slaninar[/MENTION]. There is a point of diminishing returns for brightness. This video has influenced me. I saw it a while back. I do a lot of squiggling now on my bike so I can be noticed. I believe it helps.
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
(Post 18248835)
I was also looking at the Cygolite Dash which seems to have the rubber band.
I rally like the Cygolite Dash as far as battery lights go. Small, secure, easy to mount/dismount, useful range of modes. |
Originally Posted by kickstart
(Post 18250042)
Although I favor dyno lights, I also have some battery lights as backups, and for my vintage bikes.
Once I noticed my dynamo tail light wasn't working. One of the wires had fallen out of the light. That's the only failure I have had. |
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
(Post 18248835)
Are you sure you mean the Metro? I was referring to the Metro, eg. this Q&A on the Metro 550: Amazon.com: Questions And Answers: The clamp doesn't seem big enough to fit my handlebars... Either of my bikes. Even all the way open it doesn't reach around. what am I doing wrong?
OTOH, I was also looking at the Cygolite Dash which seems to have the rubber band. |
Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18250070)
I agree with the principal of backup lights, but I'm curious. Have you ever had to bring in a battery light because a dynamo light has failed? I haven't, not once. I have had plenty of battery lights drain or fall off the mounts and fail in other ways that having backup would have been a good thing.
Once I noticed my dynamo tail light wasn't working. One of the wires had fallen out of the light. That's the only failure I have had. They're also useful to supplement functioning dyno lights with the flashing function in certain low visibility conditions. I did have a bearing in a Sanyo hub go bad, ruining the hub, but I don't count that as a lighting failure per se. |
Originally Posted by kickstart
(Post 18250135)
I did have a bearing in a Sanyo hub go bad, ruining the hub, but I don't count that as a lighting failure per se.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18250215)
I would count that.
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I'll throw in my usual vote for the Cygolite Metro series. I have 2 different models (500 and 300) on 3 different bikes and have been pleased with them.
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Speaking of Cygolite, the battery in my Hotshot tail light wore out after about two years, maybe more. They don't sell replacement batteries on their website, so I sent a note to their support department to see if I could buy a replacement. I sure hope so.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18251012)
Speaking of Cygolite, the battery in my Hotshot tail light wore out after about two years, maybe more. They don't sell replacement batteries on their website, so I sent a note to their support department to see if I could buy a replacement. I sure hope so.
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[MENTION=6007]2manybikes[/MENTION], that's true. In my case, I'm not saying I got a bad deal. I got about the right lifespan from the battery, and I should expect it to crap out now. I just want it to be replaceable, and I hope it is.
As you point out, there is a risk of buying a product with a LiIon battery that isn't fresh stock, but I don't think that happened with me. I'm happy with how it lasted. It was between two and three years. |
Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18251041)
[MENTION=6007]2manybikes[/MENTION], that's true. In my case, I'm not saying I got a bad deal. I got about the right lifespan from the battery, and I should expect it to crap out now. I just want it to be replaceable, and I hope it is.
As you point out, there is a risk of buying a product with a LiIon battery that isn't fresh stock, but I don't think that happened with me. I'm happy with how it lasted. It was between two and three years. |
Modern bike has the hotshot for $23.49 and free shipping. I have one coming up on 3 years as well. [MENTION=152773]noglider[/MENTION], I'll be interested in the reply to your email.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 18251041)
@2manybikes, that's true. In my case, I'm not saying I got a bad deal. I got about the right lifespan from the battery, and I should expect it to crap out now. I just want it to be replaceable, and I hope it is.
As you point out, there is a risk of buying a product with a LiIon battery that isn't fresh stock, but I don't think that happened with me. I'm happy with how it lasted. It was between two and three years. At $27 new from Amazon, I'd be shocked if it is. Don't hold your breath. J. |
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