Bike lights...

"FaHeL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What is the best value LED lights for front and rear.

I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

Even in $AUS, $47 for a even-LED rear lamp sounds outrageous. In Canada, a Planet Bike 7-LED
taillight is about $10 CDN ($11.50 AUS.)

I think I paid $30 CDN at my LBS for a Cateye EL-110 (one super white LED.) One of the things I like
about it is it has only one mode - solid, not flashing - so you don't have to [censored] around with the
switch. I wouldn't want to have to cross a minefield with it, but it makes a good 'see me' lamp.

FaHeL said:

What is the best value LED lights for front and rear.

I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

Your thoughts please?

--

Regards, FaHeL

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the so-called white-LED headlamps have one deficiency: there is no red in these lights. The illusion
of white is a a combination of blue and yellow light. Why does this matter? Because red reflectors
do not show up in these lights - like the tail-lights of parked cars.

I use a white-LED front blinky to be seen. I still use a halogen-bulb headlamp to see.

Note that this could be fixed many ways. One way: add a red LED to the mix of "white" LEDs. On a
multiple LED headlamp: synthesize "white" from blue, green, amber, orange and red LEDs (oh, look,
that makes 5...).

Sorry all, but part of what I do for a a living is design LED lighting systems (not for bikes
though...). And I have personally observed this deficiency of "white" LEDs on showing up red
refelectors.

Bike Dude.

EL300 is a fine light if it is bright enough for you. The Cateye Micro II halogen is about the
brightest for the lest cost. But I would personally want more light.

"FaHeL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is the best value LED lights for front and rear. I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for
front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

Quoted message said:

almost at once, tho. I do keep an EL100 (first LED model), with the case covered in tape to
eliminate light spill, as a backup to my Night Hawk.

Silvery reflective tape, I hope...

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

In rec.bicycles.misc Bike Dude <[email hidden]> wrote:
: the so-called white-LED headlamps have one deficiency: there is no red in these lights. The
: illusion of white is a a combination of blue and yellow light. Why does this matter? Because red
: reflectors do not show up in these lights - like the tail-lights of parked cars.

this one does,

photonlight.comfusionOpen ↗

otoh it costs $82US.
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light, so there isn't much reason
for a front LED light.

I've made a few 12V 2.0 Ah SLA headlights for $15 and they have worked well.

home.earthlink.netindex.htmlOpen ↗

The simplest and most reliable construction is attach the switch (such as a simple in-line appliance
switch) to the battery. My next model will be the 15 minute, 15 dollar bike light that uses the
connector as the switch.

"Rubin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

EL300 is a fine light if it is bright enough for you. The Cateye Micro II halogen is about the
brightest for the lest cost. But I would personally want more light.

"FaHeL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is the best value LED lights for front and rear. I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for
front and Cateye LD600 $47.00

for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the rear.

Well, "covered" is overstating it. The problem was light spill off the top of the LED section, so I
slid off the cover, cut a business card to fit, and slid it back on. So the sides still radiate, but
the top doesn't, which improves my aging night vision significantly.

My main light is a $35 SLA NightHawk 6W light, complete with a smart charger for $35 from
Performance. A fair bit more light than the 300, and a much better distribution of light. The 100 is
in my bag for backup...

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

almost at once, tho. I do keep an EL100 (first LED model), with the case covered in tape to
eliminate light spill, as a backup to my Night Hawk.

Silvery reflective tape, I hope...

Robert Haston said:

LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light, so there isn't much reason
for a front LED light.

Good for a "being seen" light, too dim for a "seeing with" light I would say. I would rather
use a couple of the bog-standard Cateye halogens as well, or better still a proper light set
(SON on order :-)

Guy
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I forgot another good solution. Buy two cheap 2C light sets and use rechargeables. You get
redundancy, two lights up to 2.8 watts each, independent aiming, all for less than $20 plus
batteries.

If you hate removing the batteries, just get a DC power supply and put charging plugs on them.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Robert Haston said:

LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light,

so

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

there isn't much reason for a front LED light.

Good for a "being seen" light, too dim for a "seeing with" light I would say. I would rather use a
couple of the bog-standard Cateye halogens as well, or better still a proper light set (SON on
order :-)

Guy
===
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Robert Haston said:

I forgot another good solution. Buy two cheap 2C light sets and use rechargeables.

I guess these things are relative - I am forever forgetting to recharge my lights, so have ordered a
SON for my recumbent (I have a Nexus hub on the tourer). For town use your two cheap C-cell lights
is probably all you need.

Guy
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