Commuter lights

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

cheers,
clive

Clive George said:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that. I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Clive George said:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that.

What I'm wondering is how many people will say it :-)

Quoted message said:

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?
TBH I wouldn't rebuild your new bike's wheel, I'd get a whole new one.
(you'll need new spokes anyway and the new hub is obvious). Somebody
mentioned some very cheap ones based on the older shimano hubs a few days
ago. Yes, the older shimano ones had more drag than a SON - but the
difference isn't noticable when riding IME.

(I got an NX10 for my old commuter a few years ago, and I fully intended to
swap to a plain front wheel for summer to get rid of the extra drag. I never
did...)

Quoted message said:

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

That's why I suggested a hub dynamo, which don't suffer this. (although I
will point out that a properly fitted sidewall dynamo doesn't actually slow
you down much at all - I got my first one when I was a kid and it was fine.)

cheers,
clive

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

Reflectives. Wear reflectives and have reflectives on your bike. These will
help get you seen.

Quoted message said:

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I use lights I take off when I park the bike up.

Quoted message said:

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

I *like* the new LEDs that give light you can be seen by and see by combined
with a long runtime.

If you have a helmet-mounted LED this will aid getting you seen as it has
the WTFIT factor for oncoming vehicles.

Cheers, helen s

Quoted message said:

Thanks for any advice,

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

D.M. Procida said:

I knew someone would say that.

That's 'cause, like the man said, they're a very, very good solution.
Get on bike, lights there, they work, 'nuff said.

Quoted message said:

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Keep that wheel as a spare and get a new one built. Yes, it will cost a
bit, but the cost is repaid every time you need lights because you don't
forget them, have the batteries run down, forget to charge them, get
caught a bit later than you'd planned without them, and so on. You are
paying to reduce the possible faffs with lights to an absolute minimum
well into the future.

Quoted message said:

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

Hub dynamo will not add any noticeable drag unless you're on a very high
spec racer. Practically none at all when on, and less than that when
off. The SONs are reckoned to be the best but the new Shimano Ultegra
ones are almost as good for a lot less money.

Dynamos I experienced as a kid put me off them a lot. I grudgingly
changed my mind and decided to try again when advice here suggested that
the dynohub lights for my 'bent tourer was a no brainer add-on, and I'm
/very/ glad I changed my mind.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

Daniele,

I use lumicycle (www.lumicycle.co.uk) - you may think over the top or too
expensive.

G.

Clive George said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that.

What I'm wondering is how many people will say it :-)

Quoted message said:

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?

Enough to be pleased with myself, but not so much that I get in trouble
for it... I guess around £100 would really have to be a sensible limit
on a bike priced at £430.

Quoted message said:

TBH I wouldn't rebuild your new bike's wheel, I'd get a whole new one.
(you'll need new spokes anyway and the new hub is obvious). Somebody
mentioned some very cheap ones based on the older shimano hubs a few days
ago. Yes, the older shimano ones had more drag than a SON - but the
difference isn't noticable when riding IME.

Hmmm... <strokes beard>

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?

Enough to be pleased with myself, but not so much that I get in trouble
for it... I guess around £100 would really have to be a sensible limit
on a bike priced at £430.

You should be able to get a hub dynamo for that.

(has a look...)

SJSC have a nexus for 45 quid, including the clever switch. Spokes 10 quid,
rim 15 quid or so, build 10 quid (20 from SJSC). Light cost depends on how
much you want a standlight.

But that european one was even cheaper.

Quoted message said:

Hmmm... <strokes beard>

<me too>

cheers,
clive

Clive George said:

Quoted message said:

for it... I guess around £100 would really have to be a sensible limit

You should be able to get a hub dynamo for that.

Quoted message said:

But that european one was even cheaper.

www.bicycles.de, search either for nabendynamo or stock number 122388

700c Rigida rim, Shimano hub dynamo, EUR 64.99

B&M Lumotec headlamps start from EUR 9.99

I haven't used Bicycles for a while, but bought quite a few things from
them some time ago, all of which turned up with the minor hassle of
being COD through Parcelforce despite having given my credit card
number on the site.

John

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham

Dean (') said:

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than
in lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from
the bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

I use lumicycle (www.lumicycle.co.uk) - you may think over the top or
too expensive.

So do I - for off road use where a dynamo just won't do. Compared to a
dynamo it has absurdly limited burn life and is absurdly expensive - but
it does have the great benefit that it stays bright when you are
negotiating a series of tricky tight turns over rocks and tree-roots. On
road? Very nice, of course, but not the right solution - unless you are
the sort of person who *always* remembers to charge their batteries.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'graveyards are full of indispensable people'

in message
<[email hidden]>,

D.M. Procida (') said:

Clive George said:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that. I'd have to get my brand new bike's
wheel rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights,
dynamo) would work out expensive I fear.

Yes, but not nearly as expensive as a Lumicycle kit, which is the other
thing that's been recommended; and good though Lumicycles are, they're
not nearly as reliable as a dynamo. And with a hub dynamo, the drag is
so low you won't notice it's there.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; If God does not write LISP, God writes some code so similar to
;; LISP as to make no difference.

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

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham

Dean (') said:

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than
in lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from
the bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

I use lumicycle (www.lumicycle.co.uk) - you may think over the top or
too expensive.

So do I - for off road use where a dynamo just won't do. Compared to a
dynamo it has absurdly limited burn life and is absurdly expensive - but
it does have the great benefit that it stays bright when you are
negotiating a series of tricky tight turns over rocks and tree-roots. On
road? Very nice, of course, but not the right solution - unless you are
the sort of person who *always* remembers to charge their batteries.

That'll be me then. Except, of course, the one time when I forgot. I'd
consider a dynamo if I was replacing my hub. Could I use one to power the
existing lumicycle lights? Do they store some power for when stopped?

elyob said:

That'll be me then. Except, of course, the one time when I forgot. I'd
consider a dynamo if I was replacing my hub. Could I use one to power the
existing lumicycle lights? Do they store some power for when stopped?

Probably not best to power battery lamps, as those won't have anything
to prevent overpowering as dyanmo specific units generally do. As for
storing power for stopped, that depends on the lamp used. "Standlight"
is the usual term for ones which accumulate a bit of fizz to keep things
glowing at standstill. These are integral to the lamps, not the dynamo.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

elyob said:

That'll be me then. Except, of course, the one time when I forgot. I'd
consider a dynamo if I was replacing my hub. Could I use one to power the
existing lumicycle lights? Do they store some power for when stopped?

You would not want to use the existing lights I don't think. If you
want lights when you stop you need a stand light which is an LED light
that runs from a capacitor and is usually built in to the main light.

Seeing as you are local to me if you want to see a working set up I
could demo mine when my frame returns from the menders, ie September:-(

--chris

D.M. Procida said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

FER Dynamo? http://tinyurl.com/a4x4g for example.

Not the best, but cheap as chips.

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

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham

Dean (') said:

"D.M. Procida" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than
in lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from
the bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

I use lumicycle (www.lumicycle.co.uk) - you may think over the top or
too expensive.

So do I - for off road use where a dynamo just won't do. Compared to a
dynamo it has absurdly limited burn life and is absurdly expensive - but
it does have the great benefit that it stays bright when you are
negotiating a series of tricky tight turns over rocks and tree-roots. On
road? Very nice, of course, but not the right solution - unless you are
the sort of person who *always* remembers to charge their batteries.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'graveyards are full of indispensable people'

Yep - perfect for me. Easily move across onto my other bikes, inc mtb, too.

Cheers,
G.

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

Quoted message said:

That'll be me then. Except, of course, the one time when I forgot. I'd
consider a dynamo if I was replacing my hub. Could I use one to power the
existing lumicycle lights? Do they store some power for when stopped?

Trouble with the lumicycle lights is the optics are almost certainly
somewhat different to decent dynamo lamps. The latter are very good at
getting a useful beam for road cycling from not much power - eg they don't
tend to chuck too much light upwards.

That's ignoring the electrics issues. Would a 5W bulb (approx 0.5A) work at
all, or would it just sit there at 0.5A running cooler with only 6V across
it?

cheers,
clive

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That's ignoring the electrics issues. Would a 5W bulb (approx 0.5A) work at

all, or would it just sit there at 0.5A running cooler with only 6V
across
it?

Neither. Approx 250mA would flow (Ohm's law), and it would be fairly
dim. Power is proportional to the square of current, so the "watttage"
would be closer to 1.5W.

Bulbs are designed for a particular voltage.

I submit that on or about Mon, 1 Aug 2005 11:26:39 +0100, the person
known to the court as [email hidden]
(D.M. Procida) made a statement
(<[email hidden]>
in Your Honour's bundle) to the following effect:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that.

There is a reason. Having commuted with alkalines, rechargeables,
bottles, bottom brackets and hub dynamos, I always now equip commuter
bikes with a hub dynamo. It is simply the most effective tool for the
job. Yes, there is a cost. A wheel build costs me about £20 in
labour. But then, I always have machine-built wheels retensioned by
hand anyway, so the additional cost is a set of spokes, pence each.

Quoted message said:

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Good rechargeables are expensive as well, plus you have to remember to
charge them.

Quoted message said:

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

Damn right! The SON is so efficient I regularly forget to switch it
off when riding in daylight.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken