ChiapasFixed

i am having a hard time finding a light set to use on my new alfine-equiped BF Tikit.
The only requirements are:

-lights be permanently mounted on frame (not stealable)
-high visibility/low profile design (this means they are very visible at night, hardly noticeable by day)
-Not too heavy (under 25g each)
-look nice
-not ridiculously expensive
-good guarantee
-run off the alfine front dynamo hub (6V 3Watt power, i believe)
-I would really like an on/off switch to allow me to ride without the generator resistance if I choose

any suggestions?

PaulRivers

I don't think anyone is going to be able to suggest a bike light that is "not stealable".

I just got a Lumotec Cyo installed on my bike, it runs off my alfine equipped front hub. It's noticeable mounted on the handlebars, but I'm not sure how it wouldn't be. If it's mounted on the fork I imagine it would be a lot less noticeable. Has an on/off switch.

BarracksSi

The Cyo is good; I have a D-Lumotec Oval, which was recommended to me at a German shop after I told them it would be going on a bike with cantilever brakes. It's got an LED (not as bright as the newer Cyo's), standlight, a nighttime-sensing circuit and an off switch.

I paired it with a B&M Selectra, which has one main LED, two side LEDs, and a standlight. If your Tikit doesn't have a rack, I'd see about getting a Seculite Plus and mounting it somewhat like Peter White posted at his site.

The lowest-profile lighting, especially the taillight, you can probably get are the Supernova lights. They'll cost a bunch more, but you'll get performance to match.
https://www.supernova-lights.com/

ChiapasFixed

hmm, the supernovas and the B&M look good, but I am still looking for something with a lower profile. especially since i will be folding and unfolding the bike at least twice daily, I dont want to have to worry about breaking the lights or having to remove them every time I fold!

edit: hmm the Busch&Müller DIWA Plus system is looking good though...

BarracksSi

I think it matters most where you mount them. I don't have a Tikit, but I'm sure that you can find some good spots. If it's got a rear rack, you can probably tuck a rack-mounted light within the rack so that it won't hit the ground. If not that, then maybe somewhere on the left chainstay (or would the right side be better?) or on the seat mast. A front light would be easier as long as you choose one with a handlebar mount.

Use plenty of wiring and properly-placed zip ties and you should be good to go.

If I get myself a Tikit, I'll make a real attempt at my own setup.

ChiapasFixed

im thinking mounting it on the crown is the way to go, both for folding purposes and also to dissuade potential thieves...
I am looking at the B&M oval lights, but am wondering what the differences and comparative advantages are between the halogen and LED versions...

BarracksSi

Halogen = good, traditional white light; needs some speed to get up to full brightness.
LED = brighter at lower speeds, very long lifespan.

Beam patterns of both are comparable these days, especially among the better-engineered lights like the Lumotec IQ Fly, whose LED actually faces backwards against its reflector.

ChiapasFixed

so someone just said that the 16" wheels of the Tikit may "overdrive" the Alfine dynohub?? Is this a legitimate concern?

BarracksSi

I don't think so; does Shimano recommend that it only be used in larger wheels?

Overdriving the lights themselves isn't a problem anymore since all the modern ones have circuitry to prevent it.

ChiapasFixed

not as far as I know, and there is at least one other Tikit currently running the dynamo:
https://combingmyhairinabrandnewstyle...t-impressions/

BarracksSi

You should be good to go, then. I gotta say that the Tikit's advantage of using a dynohub makes it preferable to a Brompton, IMO.

BarracksSi

Just now noticed that his (and yours, I'm assuming) has a wider-than-stock fork to accommodate the hub. That's cool of Bike Friday to make that change.

ChiapasFixed

yes! they now have the tooling to make the wider forks for any customer, so just ask! The disc brake add-on is also nos officially a Tikit option I believe... BF are very accomodating and will work with you to create you ideal bike!

BarracksSi

Quick fold, internal gear hub (as seen on the Season Tikit), front dynohub, disc brakes, fenders, racks... Yeah, it really is the go-anywhere, do-anything bike.

ChiapasFixed

you may appreciate knowing that thanks to you, my bike is now officially known as the UGADA Tikit!
It will be here on Wednesday, and I cant wait!!!!

BarracksSi

Sweet -- post some pics when you get it set up.

genman

I mounted a light on a Bike Friday Pocket Crusoe's fork crown as well as I created a mount for the rear fender light.

ChiapasFixed

did you mean to say the rear rack? and is that a B&M toplight flat plus?
I would like to see how you made the mount as i will probably have to do something similar...

genman

Yes, that's the rack and it's "toplight flat plus".

I took a piece of ABS plastic sheet, about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. I imagine acrylic or other kinds of plastic would do. You want something that's fairly stiff but not brittle and easy to saw and drill. I'm not sure where you can buy ABS sheets. I had some laying around which came with another project.

It's easy enough to make a template out of cardboard. I could get the dimensions for you but basically you're just making a square for three holes.

One hole is for hanging the plate from the rack. It's attached using a few washers and a screw. The plate is hanging behind the rack so that the light isn't too exposed and hopefully won't get whacked when the bike is folded. Use threadlock to keep the screw from backing out.

Two holes are for the light. Use the default spacing. 50mm? Also, you want to have the light far enough down so that it can stick out around the outside of the rack, which is narrower than the light. I think the light comes with locknut nuts and washers.

What you want to watch out for is cracking and fatiguing around the screw holes. I haven't seen any trouble with the installation so far.

thebikebiz.com

The Busch and Muller IQ Cyo is a great very bright light but it does not have much "spill" of light outside the patch on the road. The D-Lumotec is not as bright but still bright and lights up the periphery of the road much better.

There are tamper resistant metric nuts/bolts that can add a lot of security to your light. They can be special ordered at many hardware stores.

tatfiend 

For rear dynamo light mounting on racks I used about 1/16" or so aluminum plate. I have quite a bit of it in various thicknesses that I have picked up at scrap yards over time for projects. I have made mine large enough so I can run a Planet Bike Superflash battery light as well as the dynamo taillight.

PaulRivers

The difference is that the LED versions put out dramatically more light than the halogen versions, and that the "IQ" version of the LED lights put out dramatically more light than the non-"IQ" version.

The Peter White site has beam shot comparisons of dynamo lights -
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

There is a dramatic difference in the light output of the Cyo vs the Oval, so you might want to look into it before making a decision based purely on the appearance of the light.

akohekohe

My solution for mounting the rear super nova light. Since I'm required by law to have a red rear reflector, and the e3 rear tail light doesn't double as a reflector, I simply drilled a hole in the reflector and used some epoxy. This way the mounting hardware for the reflector is all that is needed. I prefer the large reflectors you get in auto parts stores, they are much brighter than anything sold for bicycles.

I use the Spernova E3 triple which is very bright but expensive. To mitigate the blinding effect of this light on other road users I constructed a light shield. The shield has the added benefit of improving the beam pattern. I have mine set to be easily removed because I use it on different bikes but this does allow me to bring it with me instead of leaving it on the bike.