Comments on: Commuting 101: Lights at night http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/ Tips, Hints, Reviews and Safety for Bike Commuters Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:00:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Xenon HID http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-112978 Xenon HID Sat, 18 Jul 2009 04:39:07 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-112978 Really, this light is looking very amazing. Regards Hidonlinestore.com Really, this light is looking very amazing.

Regards
Hidonlinestore.com

]]> By: Cycling Links for August 8 - 100 KM http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-87556 Cycling Links for August 8 - 100 KM Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:57:11 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-87556 [...] Commuting 101: Lights at night - Commute by Bike [...] [...] Commuting 101: Lights at night – Commute by Bike [...]

]]> By: bedlam http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-77497 bedlam Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:08:36 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-77497 HID and LED are all nice and stuff, but the light has a pale blue wan quality that just can't match the eye catching quality of Halogen. I built a 12v system from scratch using 14w yard lights, very bright but light weight as well as they are molded out of lexan, not glass. I have a pair of these up front with an amber xenon strobe off the back. The biggest advantage is that from the front I look like a MOTORCYCLE. I have actually had cars that were in the process of cutting me off come to a stop, and not just a Cal rolling stop either. Now that the days are getting longer and the lights are not as necessary and as I live in a college town, the other problem I have is vacant minded students walking out in front of me who don't pay any attention when you shout, so now I have a 12v bullhorn siren mounted under my lights that puts out a good 150db wail when I hit the horn button. So far that has avoided 2 collisions and has only been on the bike a couple of weeks. Total cost for parts of my complete system is equal to or less than the cost of a commercial twin headlight system that does NOT include a tail light. And you don't even have to be all that handy with tools, all you need is to remember which is the red lead and which is the black. HID and LED are all nice and stuff, but the light has a pale blue wan quality that just can’t match the eye catching quality of Halogen. I built a 12v system from scratch using 14w yard lights, very bright but light weight as well as they are molded out of lexan, not glass. I have a pair of these up front with an amber xenon strobe off the back.

The biggest advantage is that from the front I look like a MOTORCYCLE. I have actually had cars that were in the process of cutting me off come to a stop, and not just a Cal rolling stop either.

Now that the days are getting longer and the lights are not as necessary and as I live in a college town, the other problem I have is vacant minded students walking out in front of me who don’t pay any attention when you shout, so now I have a 12v bullhorn siren mounted under my lights that puts out a good 150db wail when I hit the horn button. So far that has avoided 2 collisions and has only been on the bike a couple of weeks.

Total cost for parts of my complete system is equal to or less than the cost of a commercial twin headlight system that does NOT include a tail light. And you don’t even have to be all that handy with tools, all you need is to remember which is the red lead and which is the black.

]]> By: Jean http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-68517 Jean Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:01:40 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-68517 I use a plain resitor driven 10W K2 Luxeon LED torch with a special bike mount. It uses 2 CR123s 3.7V Li-ion's with intergrated circuit safety. The torch has a 10W setting (30 min) and a 3W (2hrs) run-time and unfortunately no flashing mode. I got the whole package, plus charger with auto-off at the bargain price of.£31 from China Quality Goods (hong kong) on ebay. The light is water resitant with o-rings on all the interfaces. I recommend checking it out. I've been riding it now about 2 months to work in absolute rain and darkness in the typicle Manchester winter. Cars really notice me, I can see on dark un-lit roads no problem and the charger is small and light enough to pop in a saddle bag, so I take mine with me to make sure I always start with a full charge. Check the actual spec sheet for the lumen data...it depends how you measure it and over what angles you measure, but it's up there. I use a plain resitor driven 10W K2 Luxeon LED torch with a special bike mount. It uses 2 CR123s 3.7V Li-ion’s with intergrated circuit safety. The torch has a 10W setting (30 min) and a 3W (2hrs) run-time and unfortunately no flashing mode.

I got the whole package, plus charger with auto-off at the bargain price of.£31 from China Quality Goods (hong kong) on ebay.

The light is water resitant with o-rings on all the interfaces. I recommend checking it out. I’ve been riding it now about 2 months to work in absolute rain and darkness in the typicle Manchester winter.

Cars really notice me, I can see on dark un-lit roads no problem and the charger is small and light enough to pop in a saddle bag, so I take mine with me to make sure I always start with a full charge.

Check the actual spec sheet for the lumen data…it depends how you measure it and over what angles you measure, but it’s up there.

]]> By: Ken http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-67834 Ken Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:18:53 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-67834 NiteRider Flight HID/LED is a great, light weight, very bright (see in the dark), compact, rugged, highly adjustable brightness (and mounting) light. Price : performance ratio represents a super value. Good warranty and support. Ken :^) NiteRider Flight HID/LED is a great, light weight, very bright (see in the dark), compact, rugged, highly adjustable brightness (and mounting) light. Price : performance ratio represents a super value. Good warranty and support. Ken :^)

]]> By: BLINKY SUPER FLASH http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-53510 BLINKY SUPER FLASH Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:44:57 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-53510 Just a quick plug for a very bright rear light that I am very excited to own. The Planet Bike BLINKY SUPER FLASH is a 1/2 watt high powered LED tail light that I believe out shines the Niterider hard wired 20 LED tail light all in a compact package. Just a quick plug for a very bright rear light that I am very excited to own. The Planet Bike BLINKY SUPER FLASH is a 1/2 watt high powered LED tail light that I believe out shines the Niterider hard wired 20 LED tail light all in a compact package.

]]> By: Mike Myers http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-52349 Mike Myers Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:04:07 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-52349 Edd---My 600L is on backorder. I was told Nashbar expects new shipment at the end of September. The price was so good I figured I can wait a while. Edd—My 600L is on backorder. I was told Nashbar expects new shipment at the end of September. The price was so good I figured I can wait a while.

]]> By: Ed http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-52342 Ed Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:34:13 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-52342 MIke Meyers -- did you ever get the 600L from Nashbar? I tried ordering and they would not put me on the backorder list. MIke Meyers — did you ever get the 600L from Nashbar? I tried ordering and they would not put me on the backorder list.

]]> By: Mark http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-52310 Mark Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:57:18 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-52310 Bought a Lupine Wilma 4 LED headlight a couple of weeks ago. It puts out a scorching 830 lumens in the highest power setting, and can be dimmed to 12% (99 lumens) in one or two steps. The first 5 miles of my morning commute (leave at 5:00 AM) are on a very dark paved bike path that runs through woods. The 830 lumens allows for fast riding. With the light dimmed to 12%, oncoming cyclists are not blinded (I asked!). In traffic, there is enough ambient light to see, so I reduce to the mid-level 60% power setting to prolong battery life and LED life. Believe this is the brightest LED light available at this time. It's not cheap, but the German-made quality is very nice. Compact light head and Li-Ion battery pack. They also have other models with bigger batteries, but for me the lightwight, compact battery supplied provides over 2-1/2 hours of full-power run time. SInce I only use the full power for half the morning run, can get several days from a charge. So far, I'm pleased with this light. Bought a Lupine Wilma 4 LED headlight a couple of weeks ago. It puts out a scorching 830 lumens in the highest power setting, and can be dimmed to 12% (99 lumens) in one or two steps. The first 5 miles of my morning commute (leave at 5:00 AM) are on a very dark paved bike path that runs through woods. The 830 lumens allows for fast riding. With the light dimmed to 12%, oncoming cyclists are not blinded (I asked!). In traffic, there is enough ambient light to see, so I reduce to the mid-level 60% power setting to prolong battery life and LED life. Believe this is the brightest LED light available at this time. It’s not cheap, but the German-made quality is very nice. Compact light head and Li-Ion battery pack. They also have other models with bigger batteries, but for me the lightwight, compact battery supplied provides over 2-1/2 hours of full-power run time. SInce I only use the full power for half the morning run, can get several days from a charge. So far, I’m pleased with this light.

]]> By: Greg http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/comment-page-1/#comment-52137 Greg Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:06:26 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/09/10/commuting-101-lights-at-night/#comment-52137 my wife and I have been using our trusty niterider dual beam lights with the awesome super bright tail lights for ten years now. I have been stopped by motorists numerous times asking where i got the lights. Like so many other cyclists I have determined that it is best to be visible. I did have to rebuild that battery pack this last spring. I commute about 50-60 times a year. I have a 30mile round trip commute all on busy rural roads. my wife and I have been using our trusty niterider dual beam lights with the awesome super bright tail lights for ten years now. I have been stopped by motorists numerous times asking where i got the lights. Like so many other cyclists I have determined that it is best to be visible. I did have to rebuild that battery pack this last spring. I commute about 50-60 times a year. I have a 30mile round trip commute all on busy rural roads.

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