lights
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You are currently reading a thread in /n/ - Transportation
What's a good front and back light for my bicycle and why?
I've used a Sigma for 8 years now and the battery pack only lasts for like 30 minutes anymore.
When reading about some lights, there's no light that seems to be really fine. They all seem to be trash or maybe I'm just looking in the wrong direction.
Also I don't need to see 10000 meters ahead, I just need to be seen on the streets.
I'm willing to spend a decent amount of money on it.
NiteRider's combos are all you need for typical utility cycling. Their rear light is the best I've ever encountered. The front light's battery life is merely passable, so I would recommend getting a higher powered model and running it on a lower setting for more endurance. 200 lm is sufficient for road riding, though on unlit roads more illumination may be useful.
I would also recommend showing at least two lights to the rear, for the purposes of redundancy.
>>911954
Thank you, I will take a look at it.
Do you personally own it? How does it do during rain? I guess for that price I can use it as an underwater light, no?
>>911952
I'd suggest whatever super China lights you can get on ebay or at a hardware store.
In my experience, its better to consider lights as a consumable, either because they break, get lost, or stolen.
I work with a cat eye rear reflector light, and a CREE LED light and a battery pack.
Cost about 60 bucks all together.
>>911954
>>911957
Not that anon, but I have one.
Shit is bright as fuck, and last long as fuck.
Well, the back light at least, the front I don't use as much so I have yet to use up the stock batteries...
It rides just fine in the rain, doesn't hurt it one bit.
Underwater is another story I have no idea on.
I got mine pretty cheap because they were on sale.
>>911958
>super china lights
You mean "muh lumens" that shoot the light into everywhere except where they're actually needed, and break the instant it drizzles.
>>911954
This isn't terrible advice, although on the contrary, unlit roads you can actually kind of get by with less lumens because there are less light sources to fuck up your night vision. I also disagree on the 200lm thing, assuming a non-shit beam pattern that's enough to be seen, but not enough to really light up the road. 650lm up front is an ok minimum to shoot for, although depending on the beam pattern some people think you can get by with less (see: germany).
Two rears is good, two fronts is also good. In the back one should blink and one should be steady.
http://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/index_en.html
I got my lights from this guy, and I'm pretty happy with them. With dynohub the lights are just on when they should be on, like any other road-going vehicle. You don't have to recharge a motorcycle tail-light every other hour! Even if you don't go this route his extensive reviews are worth reading.
>>912041
What is it with bike part guys on the internet having websites that look like they were coded entirely in emacs
Haven't these grandpas heard of squarespace?
>>912042
>judging a book by its cover
Maybe I'm the only one, but I really appreciate sparse websites - all content no distractions
>>912030
Anti China shills please go.
>>912048
I'm not anti china. Practically everything is made in china. I'm anti shit brands, especially these generic lights on amazon with 50,000 5-star reviews written by bots. It's just a few bucks more to get a legit brand with good optics and waterproofing. Lights are critical safety equipment, I don't understand why anyone would skimp on that.
>>912045
I like tech retrougrouches too, but one could argue that a guy who writes his website in a text editor probably isn't up on security practices in the last 15 years or so. On the bright side, most of these guys seem to only like to do orders by phone, this one posted a PGP key although I dunno if you're supposed to construe that as an invitation to email him your cc #
>>912050
Corporate brand whores please go.
The best light on the market is a 7$ LED light, with a 1$ diffuser lens, and a 20$ battery pack. While the light spread pattern isn't as specific as a SON light, the raw strength makes up for that. They come with waterproofing o-rings, and even then, any other spots of concern can be easily proofed with electrical tape or plumbers tape.
The only other lights that can compete with this set up performance-wise are 100$+ lezyne or light and motion products.
You sound like a little bitch if you have to believe the sanctity of recognizable American companies to sell you a glorified flashlight.
Also lights aren't that much of safety concern, its more of a convenience thing.
>>912030
>>912050
>>912059
I'm generally wary of direct-from-China stuff too, most of it is cheap crap, but my experience is that the LED lights pictured are a noteworthy exception to the rule. $25 and they vastly outperform basic lights that retail for $50 at your LBS - I've been using these the past three years and have nothing but praise. I can ride in pitch darkness with the lowest setting, switching to mode 2 or 3 for fast descents, and get 90-120 minutes from a single battery pack.
To be fair, they're not perfect - I dislike that they shutoff when the battery dies instead of dimming and wish they had a charge indicator, but in practice this isn't really a problem, if I'm going to ride for more than an hour after sunset I just carry two (or more) battery packs and switch after 75 minutes or so.
>>912041
One downside of dynohubs is that it's really hard to do pic related. When the bearings go (and they will) you don't just pop in new ones. You have to unlace the hub, send it off with $50, wait 6 to 8 months, and relace. Practically just buy a new one.
>>912030
>Two rears is good, two fronts is also good.
Two lights to the rear is more important than two to the front because you will probably be unaware if a single rear light fails. If your front light goes out it will be immediately obvious to you and you can typically remove yourself from the roadway promptly.
>>912064
> $25 and they vastly outperform basic lights that retail for $50 at your LBS
Yeah I guess if you are dirt poor and live in a third world country, then it's better than nothing, but besides having to carry around a stupid battery pack, it's rude to other cyclists. Poor people tend to value their drug and alcohol addictions over common courtesy though, so I can understand why they make the choice.
>>912059
>implying
I use a mixture of German and American lights, get fucked commie
>>912119
It depends on the level of redundancy you're after.
If you want to be at the level where you experience one fault, survive it and limp home in safety, then one front light is enough.
But if you want to experience one fault and continue to your destination with minimal fucks given, you're going to need a backup up front as well.
>>912146
speaking of drugs and alcohol, you're more likely to get your lights stolen by a crack head than you're likely to experience any manufacturing problems with a china light.
And when your light does get stolen, you can simply buy another china light, and still be spending less money than if you bought one 'Merican brand light.
>>912259
Theft is another nice thing about a dynohub setup. The lights are pretty worthless by themselves, and the front wheel is (hopefully) locked up. Unclipping both lights every time I park would be way too much work!
>>912259
yeah or you could... remove your fucking lights? if I parked my bike outside I'd be more worried about my saddle, which is harder to carry around in the grocery store, and costs more than any single light I own (albeit less than several of them combined). but I guess you probably have a $50 fake chinese saddle too.
>>912272
Actually, its brooks, and I have the bolts locked in place. With lights, that option is very rare.
You sound like a super anal cyclist that recommends redundandt lights, even for day time riding, always wears a helmet, and a safety vest, carries 3 spare tubes, and in all likelihood has a orange marker flag too.
Guess what faggot, we all don't want to be like you and can handle the small inconveniences imposed by others as compared to the several you impose on yourself.
>>912278
Why the fuck would you want to lock your lights onto your bike?
>Shitting on DRLs
wat are tunnels
wat are thunderstorms
>>911952
Got these desu, FWE 150 lumen front 15 back. USB rechargeable.
So far so good. Both front and back are bright and have various modes. I've yet to use them at night but used them in day and in poor weather.
>>912278
What the fuck are you on about m8, you take your lights with you when you lock the biike.
>>912448
Apparently lack of common sense makes you a Real Cyclist
It's probably the cager from Colorado
>>911952
I have the front light and the side LED is annoying as hell. it blinds you a bit which makes a huge difference when it's really dark so I taped it off.
Also the red plastic on top around the button doesn't like to be in the sun and breaks after a few months. had to tape it or get water in it. now it's fine.
did i mention that I had to put tape around the thing to make it work properly and reliably?
would go for something else/10
>>912448
just like on a car right?
trust me, poofter, it's much nicer living life with a cheap effective products that you don't have to worry getting nicked all the time.
>>912536
>just like on a car right?
what the fuck is that even supposed to mean?
>it's much nicer living life with a cheap effective products that you don't have to worry getting nicked all the time
my lights have plenty of nicks already, stop being such a faggot and buy stuff to be used, not to be collected
>>912538
Not even the guy you are talking to, but...
The first part was obviously sarcasm. When commuting in a car, you don't have to carry parts of the car with you to prevent it from being stolen.
"Nicked" means "stolen." Now re-read his post.
>>912536
Is this bait or are you just a complete moron?
>>912536
>Every way in which a bike is not like a car is a drawback
cage apologist pls go
>>912545
thanks anon you da best
>>911952
Ignore this. This is only a test.
>>912799
Still me
>>912545
>"Nicked" means "stolen.
Not in english it doesn't. I suppose you're one of those people who thinks "uni" isn't a kind of fish roe
>>912884
Don't you have burgers to eat and guns to shoot, cleetus?
>>912886
Don't you have semen rations to eat and chavs to be stabbed by, guv'na?
Can everyone just calm down?
>>912884
>Not in english it doesn't
Open up literally any English dictionary.
