entropic

Hi all,

I've specing out a new bike build and I've got the E3 triple on my list.

Once last year I was too-close-for-comforted by a car that never saw me and then a couple months later I wrecked riding over an unpainted speed bump at dusk, breaking a few of my ribs, I never saw it. I consider myself underlit right now, obviously, despite having an older dual MR11 system that works fine.

Some folks think the triple is too much for the road. I do most of my riding at night in a mix of (mostly unlit) residential and city streets, as well as some MUP, so I don't want to make drivers and fellow riders angry. My logic is that it's probably not too much and that I could angle it downward somewhat if it were. I would have just gone with the single E3 or the IQ Cyo or eDelux but I've seen some folks combine multiple lights or add flashlights and I'm trying to avoid that if I can...

Thoughts?

PS, I know I should build my own but I don't trust myself to build anything near as good as what Supernova has. I'm not great with my hands and I'm kind of impatient.

ellerbro

If it's properly aimed it will not be too bright. If you aim it straight into people's eyes then, yeah, it'll be really annoying.

Unknown Cyclist

This all seems very strange to me, why are so many people concerned about motorists ?

Is there some unwritten law that cyclists must have pathetically feeble lights just so that they can never inconvenience the kings of the road ?

In this country cyclists have an equal right to use the road, so why not an equal right to headlights that work ?

As with any road going vehicle you have a responsibility to set your lights so that they do not blind oncoming traffic, but other than that why not have lights that actually let you see where you are going ?

Until recently I had a home brewed helmet light, with a Sigma Halogen and Hella Luxeon on the bars. I fitted a Cree R2 into the Hella which pretty much doubled it's output.

I then replaced the Sigma with a Ultrafire WF-606A Q5 and then replaced the Hella with a Aurora AK-P7.

Currently I'm upgrading my helmet light and have bought a HID unit which will replace the WF-606A.

I'm not out to blind car drivers, I'd just like to be able to see as well as them (and why not?).

If you want a Supernova E3 triple go for it - it's legal and it's probably only about 5W anyway - so you are unlikely to blind anyone. Also I'd take the 550 lumen claim with a pinch of salt tbh.

rhm

I know how you feel! I have a supernova single on one of my bikes, and it's fabulous. I feel safer on the bike, though less so at home, where there's the danger that my wife finds out what I spent on it.

Working on building my own... is complicated... as discussed in another thread.

entropic

UC, I am indeed. I've been reading about the light output and 550 certainly seems on the high end. It sounds like it depends a lot on how intricate their circuit is and how much they can actually extract from the dynohub. Thanks for your thoughts!

daven1986

Also thinking about this, there are mixed views about the 'blindingness' of it, but I am coming around to the view that if angled properly (i.e. a bit down from the handlebars or straight from the top of the forks) then it shouldn't be a problem. Also better to slightly blind someone and be seen than not be seen at all - I often get blinded by car lights (on the bike and in a car) so it happens to everyone at some point.

jdmitch

diesel_dad

I have a Dinotte 600L helmet light and a Dinotte 800L handlebar light. Do the math.

I really never worry about it being too bright for motorists. A single headlight has > 1500 lumens. Just need to make sure it's aimed properly.

When meeting other cyclists on dark trails / MUPs, I try to be very careful. I generally keep both lights on low and I look away from the other cyclists when passing. On low, the lights likely put out around 300-400 lumens total and they are more than enough to see.

For anyone looking for really good lighting, I'd take an OK helmet light + an OK handlebar light over a great handlebar light. Of course, I've never seen a hub dyno powered helmet light ...