Bicycle Lights

[Outback in Idaho]

  What do y'all use or recommend for night riding on mostly paved,l but perhaps some established trail riding?

  In the 90's era I used a Night Sun Team Issue that lasted nearly 2 decades on the same lights. 10w lowbeam, 30w high (10w + a secondary 20w), and it used a water bottle battery that lasted 3.5 hours with a tail light. Times have changed to the LED lights, but was surprised to see the Night Sun lights are still thriving!



  Specs:
Runtime: (Low Beam)
• 3.0 Hours Standard
• 4.0 Hours w/ Optional Battery
High Beam Power:
• 30 watts combined
Low Beam Power:
• 10 watts Weight: 2.32 lbs.
Battery Type:
• 30 watt hour rechargeable NI-CAD water-bottle battery

Maximum Power, Reliability and Output
  The Team Issue features a dual-beam configuration utilizing two gas-filled lamps, each with its own precision-focused reflector. Nightsun's new high-efficiency, 10-watt low beam lamp provides a broad flood pattern with 15% greater output. When high-speed descents demand maximum intensity, a flick of a switch augments the flood beam with a 20 watt high-beam spot light, for a bright 30 watt high-beam output. For maximum runtime, the Nightsun utilizes a high-capacity, 30 watt-hour NiCad water bottle battery for up to 3 hours of illumination per charge

  Not sure how much lumen these put out, but if they are like anything from memory and personal use these things are bright for incandescent lights.


  NiteRider has some high performance lights out there that are not nearly as expensive. Mako 200 USB is a 200 lumen light that recharges by a USB port is around $45 ~ $65.


  Anyhow, though I do not have the funds available to put into a high-output light system, am going to be looking for comparison and reviews. If an opportunity knocks, may have to leap on it. As for now am going to be casually riding in the evenings or so, don't foresee night-time commuting like in my younger days - least not till I shed 180# of lard.



  On a side note have noticed that incandescent lights don't hurt the eyes as much as the higher powered LED lights do. Wonder if the LED light intensity is going to bring about some issues later on? Especially if shined in people's eyes either on purpose or be regular usage.

[Millhouse]

If you have any high power flashlights, the Fenix bike mount will let you attach them to your bike.

[Gareth]

I know I've had this little rant before, so do please bear with me.   I LOVE the fact that cyclist have the option of properly bright lights, especially given the dim bulbs I was used to as a kid.   However, for the love of all that's holy, DON'T SHINE THEM INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, POINT THEM AT THE SUMRFING ROAD!!!  Honestly, blinding a guy driving a ton or so of steel towards you is not a good idea.

Rant over, back to normal cheery service.

[Outback in Idaho]

I know I've had this little rant before, so do please bear with me.   I LOVE the fact that cyclist have the option of properly bright lights, especially given the dim bulbs I was used to as a kid.   However, for the love of all that's holy, DON'T SHINE THEM INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, POINT THEM AT THE SUMRFING ROAD!!!  Honestly, blinding a guy driving a ton or so of steel towards you is not a good idea.

Rant over, back to normal cheery service.

  Back in the day with my NightSun twin lamp system, most of the light was focused downward - but further ahead because it could. It is a round light so it would illuminate all the way around.
  Only one time did an annoying driver have its high beams on me. Flicked mine from 30w (two lamps) to 10w (single) but he did not lower his. Flashed them a couple of times, he went from low back to high. So figured, fine you smurfin smurfhole, kicked mine back to 30w.
  As I drove by a side lamp came on, was a police car.    However the policeman kept on going by and did not turn around.

  Would say that just about everyone else had lowered their lights to low beam with I flashed my beams.


  Have not ridden at night in a decade or more. Only lights I have on hand are a Leatherman Monarch 500 stainless steel, which for 3 AA batteries is still rather weak. Only other remotely high powered light is a LED Lenser M5.

  Since I have no reason to ride hard core on the road may just use the M5 around the trailer park. Figure if I get good enough to ride at night and find a late night job should be able to afford a decent light system. As of now am on comparison shopping mode. 

[stealth007s]

Try not to ride at night if I can help it. I do have a tail light mounted to my rear water bottle cage that is three positions, flashing left, a steady flash and on. I usually have it on the steady flash when I ride during the day. I don't know what brand it is. It was a feeble when I did a ride last year.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I know I've had this little rant before, so do please bear with me.   I LOVE the fact that cyclist have the option of properly bright lights, especially given the dim bulbs I was used to as a kid.   However, for the love of all that's holy, DON'T SHINE THEM INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, POINT THEM AT THE SUMRFING ROAD!!!  Honestly, blinding a guy driving a ton or so of steel towards you is not a good idea.

Rant over, back to normal cheery service.

I normally point my handlebar mounted light down; immediately in front of my front wheel, in fact.  That way, I always have light right in front of my wheel, no matter where it's pointing.  I don't even use that bright of a light on my bars; about 100 lumens is enough for my needs for that. 

I do that because I also have another, more powerful and throwy light, on my helmet.  That one is aimed downrange a fair bit, to allow me to see what's up ahead of me in plenty of time.  I make it a point to not shine it at oncoming cars as much as possible.  However, I do occasionally run into someone who doesn't seem to think they need to respect my rights on the road; typically someone in cross-traffic, slowly pulling out in front of me, despite the fact I'm packing over 500 total lumens...  In those cases I deliberately aim my helmet mounted light right at the offending driver until they give me space.  Otherwise, I'm a good citizen with my lights.  (My bike is currently my only transportation, so sometimes riding at night is a necessity.)

My current lighting set up is a regular Quark AA neutral on my handlebars with a Two-Fish lock-block, and a Zebralight H51Fr on my seatpost with a Two-Fish bike-block, my ZL H51Fw on the front of my helmet under the visor, and my neutral Jetbeam Jet III Pro ST on top of my helmet with another lock-block.  I'll eventually replace the Jetbeam with a Spark ST6-460nw, then I'll have some real power on my helmet!   

[Zed]

Hey Gareth ill start pointing my light down when car drovers start using there inductors 

Seriously though I do point mine down  i use a fenix type bracket from Ebay china was cheap,i fitted a 6 led torch on it plus a red flashing bike light on my backpack and one on my seat post,I have got a smart battery pack double front light on my road bike for winter and have used them for years,heavy though but bright and can use 1 or both lights, also good for night time mountain biking 

[Gareth]

Paul, drivers not indicating properly is another rant of mine, really hacks me off.

[Zed]

Paul, drivers not indicating properly is another rant of mine, really hacks me off.

As a serious cyclist I could rant all day about motorists Gareth  i was cut up a month back,I gave the finger  and then was chased down the street by the driver,i stopped and walked over not looking very best impressed, let's just say him and his passenger looked away and drove off 

[Gareth]

For the most part I am totally on cyclist's side, some drivers are idiots and definitely deserve the occasional hand gesture.

Some (and I really do mean only some) cyclists however just don't seem to get the idea that they are mortal and it's really up to them not to put themselves into dangerous situations.  The blinding of oncoming drivers is one example; if a guy on a bike and a guy in a car have a head on crash because they were both being stupid with lights, the guy in the car isn't going to end up dead....

BTW, just so as you don't think I am being unfair, I also disagree with 'revenge blinding' between two car drivers, it's just as dangerous IMO.

[Zed]

Sadly Gareth there will always be bad car drivers and cyclists who make us all look bad,we get a lot of cyclists down here that don't even use lights  not proper cyclists in my books,

[Grumpy]

Paul, drivers not indicating properly is another rant of mine, really hacks me off.

As a serious cyclist I could rant all day about motorists Gareth  i was cut up a month back,I gave the finger  and then was chased down the street by the driver,i stopped and walked over not looking very best impressed, let's just say him and his passenger looked away and drove off 

  well done paul

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

For the most part I am totally on cyclist's side, some drivers are idiots and definitely deserve the occasional hand gesture.

Some (and I really do mean only some) cyclists however just don't seem to get the idea that they are mortal and it's really up to them not to put themselves into dangerous situations.  The blinding of oncoming drivers is one example; if a guy on a bike and a guy in a car have a head on crash because they were both being stupid with lights, the guy in the car isn't going to end up dead....

BTW, just so as you don't think I am being unfair, I also disagree with 'revenge blinding' between two car drivers, it's just as dangerous IMO.

Several years ago, when I was a bike messenger in San Francisco, I was going up Third St. crossing Mission in the SoMa district, when some a$$hat in an econo-box blew through the light (I had the green) and nearly hit me.  He never even slowed down as he came to the red light his direction, and was going fast enough that had I not managed to avoid the collision (he took no action whatsoever to try to not hit me) I'm sure I would have been fatally injured. 

Well, I yelled bloody murder at the guy, and he flipped me off!  That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me... I turned down Mission and started chasing him.  I caught him at a red light on First St. and as I came up behind him, pulled out my Krypto, holding it by the curved part, and used the bar end as a club and busted his driver-side mirror clean off as I went by him between the lanes.  I stopped right next to him, and smashed in his driver side window with my next swing, screaming every swear word I know at him and telling him I was going to beat the living $hit out of him, and daring him to get out of his car. 

As soon as the light changed, he swerved across another lane of traffic, sideswiping another car in the process, and peeled rubber to get away from me as best he could.  I wasn't able to catch him again, which is fortunate, because I was 23 at the time, in the best shape of my life, and probably would have beaten him to death, and then gone to prison for it. 

I've gotten a lot better with anger management as I've gotten older though, and I've learned better than to do stuff like that anymore. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Sadly Gareth there will always be bad car drivers and cyclists who make us all look bad,we get a lot of cyclists down here that don't even use lights  not proper cyclists in my books,

I've been guilt of this myself in the past, on both the bike, and in the car.  Despite my previous hotheaded and radical tendencies, I'm a lot more conservative on my bike, and in the car now, and am able to just shake my head at pretty much everything I encounter now days.  Not driving, or cycling, as crazily as I used to is a big part of that, because I am now able to avoid pretty much everything I got myself into when I was young.  And, now that I'm also a parent, I do my best to be a good citizen, especially on my bike.  But, I'd be lying if I said it doesn't tick me off sometimes when people in cars get upset at me for actually obeying stop signs and other traffic laws.   

[Nhoj]

For the most part I am totally on cyclist's side, some drivers are idiots and definitely deserve the occasional hand gesture.

Some (and I really do mean only some) cyclists however just don't seem to get the idea that they are mortal and it's really up to them not to put themselves into dangerous situations.  The blinding of oncoming drivers is one example; if a guy on a bike and a guy in a car have a head on crash because they were both being stupid with lights, the guy in the car isn't going to end up dead....

BTW, just so as you don't think I am being unfair, I also disagree with 'revenge blinding' between two car drivers, it's just as dangerous IMO.

Several years ago, when I was a bike messenger in San Francisco, I was going up Third St. crossing Mission in the SoMa district, when some a$$hat in an econo-box blew through the light (I had the green) and nearly hit me.  He never even slowed down as he came to the red light his direction, and was going fast enough that had I not managed to avoid the collision (he took no action whatsoever to try to not hit me) I'm sure I would have been fatally injured. 

Well, I yelled bloody murder at the guy, and he flipped me off!  That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me... I turned down Mission and started chasing him.  I caught him at a red light on First St. and as I came up behind him, pulled out my Krypto, holding it by the curved part, and used the bar end as a club and busted his driver-side mirror clean off as I went by him between the lanes.  I stopped right next to him, and smashed in his driver side window with my next swing, screaming every swear word I know at him and telling him I was going to beat the living $hit out of him, and daring him to get out of his car. 

As soon as the light changed, he swerved across another lane of traffic, sideswiping another car in the process, and peeled rubber to get away from me as best he could.  I wasn't able to catch him again, which is fortunate, because I was 23 at the time, in the best shape of my life, and probably would have beaten him to death, and then gone to prison for it. 

I've gotten a lot better with anger management as I've gotten older though, and I've learned better than to do stuff like that anymore.

That's pretty awesome! A bike beating a car. That's the kind of thing I want to do when things happen like yesterday a schoolbus ran through a light and almost hit me. A school bus! I was in a car though.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

For the most part I am totally on cyclist's side, some drivers are idiots and definitely deserve the occasional hand gesture.

Some (and I really do mean only some) cyclists however just don't seem to get the idea that they are mortal and it's really up to them not to put themselves into dangerous situations.  The blinding of oncoming drivers is one example; if a guy on a bike and a guy in a car have a head on crash because they were both being stupid with lights, the guy in the car isn't going to end up dead....

BTW, just so as you don't think I am being unfair, I also disagree with 'revenge blinding' between two car drivers, it's just as dangerous IMO.

Several years ago, when I was a bike messenger in San Francisco, I was going up Third St. crossing Mission in the SoMa district, when some a$$hat in an econo-box blew through the light (I had the green) and nearly hit me.  He never even slowed down as he came to the red light his direction, and was going fast enough that had I not managed to avoid the collision (he took no action whatsoever to try to not hit me) I'm sure I would have been fatally injured. 

Well, I yelled bloody murder at the guy, and he flipped me off!  That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me... I turned down Mission and started chasing him.  I caught him at a red light on First St. and as I came up behind him, pulled out my Krypto, holding it by the curved part, and used the bar end as a club and busted his driver-side mirror clean off as I went by him between the lanes.  I stopped right next to him, and smashed in his driver side window with my next swing, screaming every swear word I know at him and telling him I was going to beat the living $hit out of him, and daring him to get out of his car. 

As soon as the light changed, he swerved across another lane of traffic, sideswiping another car in the process, and peeled rubber to get away from me as best he could.  I wasn't able to catch him again, which is fortunate, because I was 23 at the time, in the best shape of my life, and probably would have beaten him to death, and then gone to prison for it. 

I've gotten a lot better with anger management as I've gotten older though, and I've learned better than to do stuff like that anymore.

That's pretty awesome! A bike beating a car. That's the kind of thing I want to do when things happen like yesterday a schoolbus ran through a light and almost hit me. A school bus! I was in a car though.

It makes for a good story, I'll admit, but I don't feel proud of myself so much any more about it...  My life was filled with a lot more conflict, uncertainty, and loneliness back then, and since I've mellowed out a lot with age, my life has improved significantly, and I wouldn't go back. 

[Nhoj]

For the most part I am totally on cyclist's side, some drivers are idiots and definitely deserve the occasional hand gesture.

Some (and I really do mean only some) cyclists however just don't seem to get the idea that they are mortal and it's really up to them not to put themselves into dangerous situations.  The blinding of oncoming drivers is one example; if a guy on a bike and a guy in a car have a head on crash because they were both being stupid with lights, the guy in the car isn't going to end up dead....

BTW, just so as you don't think I am being unfair, I also disagree with 'revenge blinding' between two car drivers, it's just as dangerous IMO.

Several years ago, when I was a bike messenger in San Francisco, I was going up Third St. crossing Mission in the SoMa district, when some a$$hat in an econo-box blew through the light (I had the green) and nearly hit me.  He never even slowed down as he came to the red light his direction, and was going fast enough that had I not managed to avoid the collision (he took no action whatsoever to try to not hit me) I'm sure I would have been fatally injured. 

Well, I yelled bloody murder at the guy, and he flipped me off!  That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me... I turned down Mission and started chasing him.  I caught him at a red light on First St. and as I came up behind him, pulled out my Krypto, holding it by the curved part, and used the bar end as a club and busted his driver-side mirror clean off as I went by him between the lanes.  I stopped right next to him, and smashed in his driver side window with my next swing, screaming every swear word I know at him and telling him I was going to beat the living $hit out of him, and daring him to get out of his car. 

As soon as the light changed, he swerved across another lane of traffic, sideswiping another car in the process, and peeled rubber to get away from me as best he could.  I wasn't able to catch him again, which is fortunate, because I was 23 at the time, in the best shape of my life, and probably would have beaten him to death, and then gone to prison for it. 

I've gotten a lot better with anger management as I've gotten older though, and I've learned better than to do stuff like that anymore.

That's pretty awesome! A bike beating a car. That's the kind of thing I want to do when things happen like yesterday a schoolbus ran through a light and almost hit me. A school bus! I was in a car though.

It makes for a good story, I'll admit, but I don't feel proud of myself so much any more about it...  My life was filled with a lot more conflict, uncertainty, and loneliness back then, and since I've mellowed out a lot with age, my life has improved significantly, and I wouldn't go back.

Yes, it's nice that you're at a point that you can have a family and have a username of Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

[MeadMaker]

I think I finally have my cycling light set up figured out.  I had been using a Coast HL7 head lamp on my helmet and an LED Lenser L7 mounted on my handlebars with a ranger strap.  This set up put out a fair amount of light, but I wasn't happy with the mounting systems.  The elastic straps of the head lamp would occasionally slide off my the helmet and the ranger strap allowed the beam of the L7 to bounce around a little.  About 70 percent of my rides take place in the early morning darkness I felt it would be a good idea to improve my lighting set up with a bicycle specific system.

The first upgrade was a Serfas True 150 light mounted on my helmet with the mount that came with the light. https://www.serfas.com/products/view/142/referer:products|index|lights|usb-lights The mount was very easy to install and a after a little trial and error it was adjusted to place the beam just where I wanted it to be.  The light is a bit of a thrower which is exactly what I wanted in a helmet light. The run time is more than adequate at 3 hrs on high and longer n the standard, low and flashing modes.  The mini USB charging system is handy and the light and bracket weigh in at only 150 grams.  The color of the light beam is very neutral with is a great improvement over the purple tint of the Coast product.

The next improvement was a Serfas True 200 light for the handle bar https://www.serfas.com/products/view/698/referer:products|index|lights|usb-lights.  I wanted a little more light on the bar and I stuck with Serfas  because I was so pleased with the True 150.  The True 200 did offer more light and it was a little more floody which is a good choice for a handle bar light.  But it did not work out.  The run time was only about 45 minutes and many of my early morning rides last an hour.  And, unlike the True 150 you cannot swap out the battery with a spare.  The color of the light was particularly bad.  The floody part was purple and the hot spot was bright yellow.

This is where I am glad I buy my stuff at a local bike shop.  I can exchange items easily, there are no shipping charges and they gove me a 10% discount because I purchased my latest bike there.  I went in looking for the Serfas True 250 because it is based on the same platform as the True 150.  My only reservation about that model is that it would be thrower like the 150 and  I wanted a little more flood on the handle bar.  Well, all of the 250's that were in the display case previously were gone so I coughed up some more money and got the TSL-S500 https://www.serfas.com/products/view/732/referer:products|index|lights|usb-lights, but I was even more concerned about that model not being floody enough.  One minute into the first ride with that light I knew that it was the right choice.  It was floody enough, put out enough light to illuminate the pot holes that hide in the darkness and the color was very similar to that of the 150.  It is also based on the same platform as the True 150 so if offers the same features.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Here's my current helmet mounted light set-up.




The torch on the top is my old Jetbeam Jet III Pro ST with a neutral XRE emitter.  Runs off of 1x18650.  Very throwy for a small light; gives me good downrange light.  The two lights on the sides are two Regular Quark HCRI heads on AA bodies, running off of L91s.  I have the left side one set to turbo, and the other one set to regular mode so it clicks through the moonlight, low, medium, etc. modes with a half click.  They give me direct like right in front of me, and the Jetbeam gives me light downrange when I need it.

[stealth007s]

Here's my current helmet mounted light set-up.




The torch on the top is my old Jetbeam Jet III Pro ST with a neutral XRE emitter.  Runs off of 1x18650.  Very throwy for a small light; gives me good downrange light.  The two lights on the sides are two Regular Quark HCRI heads on AA bodies, running off of L91s.  I have the left side one set to turbo, and the other one set to regular mode so it clicks through the moonlight, low, medium, etc. modes with a half click.  They give me direct like right in front of me, and the Jetbeam gives me light downrange when I need it.

Nice setup Heinz What's the combined lumens?

[Outback in Idaho]

  Anyone have ideas on how to mount a stainless steel Leatherman Monarch 500 on handlebars for a light? Don't have much materials to work with to fabricate something, and velcro & paracord does not seem to work well. Is there a flashlight mount available that could work, or anyone have ideas on how to make a holder/mount?



  This one isn't the best with the rings, but money is tight. Should of invested in a light instead of getting that Wenger S557... 

[MeadMaker]

A ranger strap will work.  I've used them to mount similar lights on my handle bars.

[Outback in Idaho]

A ranger strap will work.  I've used them to mount similar lights on my handle bars.

  What is a ranger strap? 

[Outback in Idaho]

A ranger strap will work.  I've used them to mount similar lights on my handle bars.

  What is a ranger strap?   

  Had looked on the internet for an ambiguous ranger strap, lashing, knot, tie down - nothing relevant came up. In the forum I saw a photo of a flashlight tied to handlebars called a ranger strap, but nothing on tying such a critter.

[MeadMaker]

That photo was posted by me.  I will try and get some pictures of the mounting procedure posted.

[MeadMaker]

Writing step by step instructions is not something that I so well, but here we go...

Step 1.  Lay the ranger strap on the handle bar.


Step 2.  Pull the rear loop of the strap around the bottom of the bar and pull it through the front loop.


Step 3.  Place the light on the top of the strap and pull the rear loop (now facing the front) over the head of the light.


Step 4.  Pull the front loop of the strap under the handle bar and stretch it over the end of the light.

[Outback in Idaho]

  Ahh... I thought it was paracord. Never seen that strap before.     Thank you. 

  Clever gadget, where did you find them?

[enki_ck]

Where did you get the High Tech Ranger Bands from? The only site I can find doesn't stock them anymore.

http://www.survivaldepot....ands/p474753_3500942.aspx

[MeadMaker]

I had to search for quite awhile before I found them.  In this forum and others that deal with EDC they are referred to as ranger straps, but a few sellers on Ebay call them silicone bandages. 

[enki_ck]

Found them. Thanks.