Off road lights

[PhillVR6]

I'm after some quality lights that are good enough for offroad riding. The trouble is that my bike is not partucaly conventional (its a Klein Mantra, see the link below for a pic) so think I will struggle to locate a battery.

www.bikebazar.com/ita/utenti/ricerca3.php3?49,9

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Phill

[pdV6]

I am currently in the throes of doing exactly the same thing and have a similar battery location problem (see: www.pizweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/imagesBike/Y33_700.jpg )

The system I'm 99% convinced I want to get is here:

www.lumicycle.com/Product/product2.aspx?product=SYSLIION2&dep=49

using a 12W spot and 20W flood combination.

Probably go for the battery bag and get some longer velcro straps if they won't go around the frame. The oher option is to get a seatpost-mounted bottle cage, a bottle battery and a long power lead but I'm not too happy about the length of cable flapping about between my knees (fnar fnar)

[neil_cardiff]

pdV6 said:

I am currently in the throes of doing exactly the same thing and have a similar battery location problem (see: www.pizweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/imagesBike/Y33_700.jpg )

The system I'm 99% convinced I want to get is here:

www.lumicycle.com/Product/product2.aspx?product=SYSLIION2&dep=49

using a 12W spot and 20W flood combination.

Probably go for the battery bag and get some longer velcro straps if they won't go around the frame. The oher option is to get a seatpost-mounted bottle cage, a bottle battery and a long power lead but I'm not too happy about the length of cable flapping about between my knees (fnar fnar)

Pete, on the Y bike, you'll need to get some seatpost bottle mounts, as it won't work on the frame. It'll just flap about...

Having done this years ago, it's the best alternative, as it stops it from flapping about, and keeping the C'o'G constant. Besides, the cabling isn't too bad...

[pdV6]

Furry muff.

Actually, the bag battery ought to attach to the seatpost ok - would just need something to stop it slipping down the tube?

[neil_cardiff]

pdV6 said:

Furry muff.

Actually, the bag battery ought to attach to the seatpost ok - would just need something to stop it slipping down the tube?

Should have additional straps at 90 degrees to give that - so you strap to the saddle rails.

Thats how its usually done.

Trouble is, that high , and the bike feels a bit wierd when out of the saddle.

Ultimately you've not got a lot of choice...

[minnsy]

Hi,

Have a lumicycle twin lamp set up - 12w spot, 20 watt flood. Fantastic. Battery Pack with velcro strap should fit on yer crossbar....I have just fitted mine to my wrist (!) and it fits with a fair amount to spare. My wrist is around 20cm round - so if your crossbar is similar size, you're in business... Or they come with bottle cage battery.

Last about 2 hours with both on, or 3 hours with flood on/off when you need it.

Fantastic lights - pretty robust as well. (mine are on charge now for my wednesday evening assult on the Ashdown Forest..)

HTH..

D

[White_van_man]

I have the hope light that bolts to your stem and it is very very good. I have used it alot in the lookout in racknell. I also have a small head torch cable tied to my helmet which is very useful

Edited by White_van_man on Wednesday 23 August 17:51

[deckster]

How much do you want to spend? If you don't want a battery pack then Luxeon LEDs are the way forward - just as bright as a decent Halogen system in a package the size of a normal LED light. As to whether £300 is a good price for a bike light...www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9419

[Locoblade]

Ive not yet ridden over the winter but several friends did last year and they made their own using 20w downlighters from B&Q, some plumbing fittings to encase them, and several sets of radio control car batteries to run them. It all sounds a bit heath robinson but they really are very good, last a few hours and bright enough for riding fairly technical singletrack etc. I'll see if I can get some pics of their setup.

Chris

Edited by Locoblade on Wednesday 23 August 22:29

[R1 GTR]

I run a set of Eurolites. Fairly basic and cheap (Argos job!) But stand up to mountain biking due to a key lock. Batteries fit into system so battery location is irrelevant. Front one is mounted to handlebars and rear to saddle post.

[moleamol]

White_van_man said:

I have the hope light that bolts to your stem and it is very very good. I have used it alot in the lookout in racknell. I also have a small head torch cable tied to my helmet which is very useful

This is by far the best solution I have ever seen, the enineering and finish is just stunning. There are probably some brighter lights out there but that is the only way they may be better, The Hope is just lush, check it out here: www.hopegb.com/voir_vishid.html

[Locoblade]

Agreed it is a very nice solution and TBH I wouldnt think there's anything significantly brighter than a 10w HID, unless you have two of them or an even bigger HID bulb!

[pdV6]

Any idea how much the Hope retails for?
Guess you have to factor in the cost of a new stem as well, though, unless you just happen to have the exact right one?

[pdV6]

Answered my own question with a bit of Googling - its £270 or thereabouts from most mail order places, excluding the stem. Good news is that the stem isn't a prerequisite, as a bar clamp comes with it.

However, at that kinda price, the Exposure Enduro thingy that Deckster mentioned starts looking attractive, as there's no separate battery pack at all to worry about!

[White_van_man]

The stem is the big downside of the light as far as i know it only fits on the hope or thompson stems this may have changed for this year now. Thankfully i already had a hope stem

[Locoblade]

If you've already got suitable batteries then these are worth looking into, a HID setup minus batteries for as little as £110.

[moleamol]

I think you'll find a noggin light very useful as well for when you look around, instead of just one fixed spot being illuminated.

[lord summerisle]

a ote for lumi's here - done 2x 24hr events using the 12w/20w combo - fantastic lights, can land airplanes with em

[Locoblade]

moleamol, Im not sure you'd need it with a HID / bright Halogen setup to be honest, as they seem to do a pretty good job of flooding the whole area in front, much more like a car headlight than a torch. There's a full writeup on beam pattern of different bike lights here but this is a pic of an average 10w HID, with the bike ~35m away



Having said that though I dont think Id fancy hurtling down a fast bit of singletrack in the pitch dark relying only on a single light / battery / switch etc, so I'll probably get an LED head torch too just in case the main light was to fail at the wrong moment.

[pdV6]

Well, finally bit the bullet yesterday and bought myself some lights.

Opted for a Light & Motion Vega HID unit as I just couldn't justify £200+ for a light.
Also added a small CatEye LED unit for my helmet.

Gonna try them out in the woods tonight - hopefully it'll be a vast improvement over the old £10 jobbie I've been using up to now!

Only problem is Neil's blagged himself a loan of a £500 set of Lupine Edison uber-lights, so mine will probably be drowned out anyway... I'll just have to, er, drop back a bit. You know, just to test my lights. Not struggling to keep up with whippet-boy at all. Oh no.