New pedals

Quoted message said:

Ooohhh... just got a parcel from Wiggle. New M515 SPD pedals, a Topeak mounting bracket for my
saddlepack and a Cateye EL400 light, which looks good.

Ready for a Locks, Docks and Two Smoking Ferries ride tomorrow. Meet 10am at the Cutty Sark in
Greenwich (or 9am at NFT) for a leisurely round of Docklands, going down past the Dome and over the
Woolwich Ferry, back past City Airport and Isle of Dogs.

I've been looking at that Cateye too. I could use it when I go climbing. How does it attach to the
head? Is there a strap that goes all the way round the head or does it attach to one of the 'bones'
of the helmet skeleton?

Hope you enjoy your ride!

My knee is still not feeling great despite the physio exercises so can walk fine but can't ride. :-(

Quoted message said:

I've been looking at that Cateye too. I could use it when I go climbing. How does it attach to the
head? Is there a strap that goes all the way round the head or does it attach to one of the
'bones' of the helmet skeleton?

It has a rubber strap, like the ones that the tail light LEDs which go round seatposts do. The
rubber strap passes through a catch which you can flip open. So yes, it attaches round the bones of
a helmet skeleton. It is very light, and would function as a very good hand torch. There's a little
lanyard mount on it (I think) so Cateye maybe think the same way.

Perhaps one of te head mounting straps for a small Maglite would do the trick - I;ve seen them in
outdoors shops.

For an LED light for climbing and bike use though, check out www.ultraleds.co.uk Rob lent me one for
the Dunwich Dynamo, which performed well. I later bought one of the more powerful 5-LED models from
him. Biggest drawback really is that you either put it round your helmet, or loop the elastic round
the bars. Wish someone would produce a handlebar mounting bracket for these, or the Petzl torches.

<snip snip>

Quoted message said:

It has a rubber strap, like the ones that the tail light LEDs which go round seatposts do. The
rubber strap passes through a catch which you can flip open. So yes, it attaches round the bones of
a helmet skeleton. It is very light, and would function as a very good hand torch. There's a little
lanyard mount on it (I think) so Cateye maybe think the same way.

Perhaps one of te head mounting straps for a small Maglite would do the trick - I;ve seen them in
outdoors shops.

For an LED light for climbing and bike use though, check out www.ultraleds.co.uk Rob lent me one
for the Dunwich Dynamo, which performed well. I later bought one of the more powerful 5-LED
models from him. Biggest drawback really is that you either put it round your helmet, or loop the
elastic round the bars. Wish someone would produce a handlebar mounting bracket for these, or the
Petzl torches.

Thanks for that and for the link. I have an old Petzl head torch but hope to get something newer
since the batteries don't last very long with it.

The Cateye would be useful for cycling and as a handheld torch, like you say. Maybe I could rig up
something so that it attaches to my head without a helmet too.

ouch said:

The Cateye would be useful for cycling and as a handheld torch, like you say. Maybe I could rig up
something so that it attaches to my head without a helmet too.

The internal head unit (put in some home made case) from a Cateye EL200 should be good to do some
rigging up with. It's small but more powerful with better optics than the EL400 unit. Requires 6
volts (normally supplied from 4xAA). Cable with separate battery? Or alternative battery box with
AAA cells? Just some wild ideas for you.

BTW, It's a shame Cateye don't do a smaller and lighter version of the EL200 with AAA cells (using
exactly the same LEDs and optics). I don't think the EL400 is as good as that would be. Ok, run time
would be reduced but batteries in the standard version last a *long* time!

~PB

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

Quoted message said:

BTW, It's a shame Cateye don't do a smaller and lighter version of the EL200 with AAA cells (using
exactly the same LEDs and optics). I don't think the EL400 is as good as that would be. Ok, run
time would be reduced but batteries in the standard version last a *long* time!

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO...

I hate AAA batteries. They're significantly worse value than AAs, since they cost about the same and
are a lot smaller. And they're harder to get hold of. The size/weight gain over AAs just isn't worth
it. (for anything, including remote controls IMO..)

This is why the rear led lamp we have is the AU-100BS (?) - it takes the larger cells. And why we
don't have the petzl led head torch, but instead one which takes AAs (and has a cleverer running
circuit, but that's a separate issue).

cheers, clive

Clive George said:

I hate AAA batteries. They're significantly worse value than AAs, since they cost about the same
and are a lot smaller. And they're harder to get hold of.

AAAs can be bought cheaply in bulk from: budgetbatteries.co.ukwelcome.plOpen ↗
(prices excl VAT)

They're also commonly available in supermarkets, etc. Not hard to find in the UK these days.

I do agree that some devices that take AAAs would be better off with AAs but the EL200 light might
be an exception because it uses four cells and its LEDs don't seem to consume very much power. Also,
I do like a nice slim remote control!

~PB