Philips Saferide LED dynamo

My review is in progress, esp. the beamshots aren't done yet (will be made later tonight, or tomorrow), but have a look:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/verlichting/index_en.html#Philips Saferide LED dynamo

Thanks. I was just Googling to find info on this light last week!

Surprising geometry for a light without batteries!
Can't help thinking of that freakish Colani light:
http://www.trixum-s02.de/upload2/W/1/W1F8NtrBIGYbnwiOljqs.jpg
What's inside the Philips, behind the reflector? A bunch of supercaps? 1940's electronics? A "plant" transportation compartment?

swhs said:

My review is in progress, esp. the beamshots aren't done yet (will be made later tonight, or tomorrow), but have a look:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/verlichting/index_en.html#Philips Saferide LED dynamo

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Beamshots from a day ago have been sorted and have been uploaded to the website.

I've also made beamshots of the Edelux and pictures of the artefacts of the Edelux (prior to ca. late 2009 when the reflector was changed a little). Which beam is better, Edelux or Philips? I tend to think the Philips is better considering near field light. Taking price into account this looks to be the best-buy at the moment. As to the best light when price is no object, perhaps the new approved Supernova is better but I'm not going to buy one for reasons given on my webpage. Note further that I will go ahead with my plan to mod a Philips battery lightfor use with dynamo (see the other thread and my webpage for that light) and see how well that works, early November.

As to lamp height: I need to make a setup to change height without changing anything at all in the lamp's angle/direction etc. So the beamshots at 1.05 m and 0.75 m may not be that useful as small changes in angle seem to make more of a difference than the height. This seems to be so in particular for the beamshots I made of the Edelux.

I've added a webpage with more information on my setup and the reasoning behind camera settings, lamp height etc. here:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/verlichting/camera_en.html

And finally, I've been working on StVZO interpretations for a while. There's something on my webpage about it for those interested. The lower power output seems StVZO (or rather TA) related but as written on my website, I think there's a way around that.

Wouter

Excellent! Saw the beamshots last night. I'll be checking out your translation. Oh, and congrats on landing this light for testing on the strength of your previous work!

BrianMc said:

and congrats on landing this light for testing on the strength of your previous work!

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While I like many of their products, Philips, like other companies, is known to professionally control information output. I hope they aren't sending out hand-picked items for reviews.

swhs, have you tried dynohub-driving the Saferide and the Edelux/IQ lights together, in p or s configurations? A bit spendy, but it might create an acceptable combination, the Edelux' spottiness mitigating the Saferide's bright near field.

Marcturus said:

While I like many of their products, Philips, like other companies, is known to professionally control information output. I hope they aren't sending out hand-picked items for reviews.

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Well, I actually have 2... And I doubt Philips needs to send out tweaked lamps. A little variation in LED output for example won't give a massively different evaluation of how good it is. Nor will it give a massively more bright beamshot picture. There's more than just a few percent more or less light output that determines how good a light is. The dynamo version's reflector is smaller for example, and it shows (in a beam that's not of the same quality as the LED bike light). The LED bike light I tested was a retail one that I got on loan from someone who bought it, so no tweaking for sure with that one, and it was really impressive. In that respect, I was actually a bit disappointed that the dyno version *didn't* blow away the Edelux, which the LED bike light did do.

Marcturus said:

swhs, have you tried dynohub-driving the Saferide and the Edelux/IQ lights together, in p or s configurations? A bit spendy, but it might create an acceptable combination, the Edelux' spottiness mitigating the Saferide's bright near field.

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No, I'll try this just for fun, but I think the best dynamo light will be the LED bike light modified for dynamo (no StVZO power limit)...

Perhaps Dosun's U1 & U2 will be strong competitors too.

swhs said:

In that respect, I was actually a bit disappointed that the dyno version *didn't* blow away the Edelux, which the LED bike light did do.

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People tend to respect the 4AA LBL version for its massive beam, despite a few issues. I'm not sure they'll do the same with the Safelight. As you got two of them, and prefer the LBL's beam anyhow, why not go ahead and cut one up to check what's inside? Just tell Philips that it's in the interest of Science!

I think the best dynamo light will be the LED bike light modified for dynamo (no StVZO power limit)...

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Beyond the test voltages, and if the lamp still provides adequate supply to the tail light, there's no legal power limit, right?

Marcturus said:

People tend to respect the 4AA LBL version for its massive beam, despite a few issues. I'm not sure they'll do the same with the Safelight. As you got two of them, and prefer the LBL's beam anyhow, why not go ahead and cut one up to check what's inside?

Just tell Philips that it's in the interest of Science!

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I think the Philips dyno lamp is about as good as the Edelux for a much lower price, so it should be of interest. And it doesn't have the ugly plasticy housing of the Cyo. So, it depends what you want a dyno light for.

I'm not sure if B&M would have made a dyno light with full aluminium housing, but I feel because the Edelux is there, B&M will never make a proper lamp (beam pattern aside, I truly dislike the Cyo because of how the housing/cooler is made).

Cutting up: No, I'm using both. One in daily use, so if I notice anything else I will write it down. I want to keep the other for a while to make beamshots without having to remove it from a bike. So this is not going to happen soon. It probably won't give much useful information anyway. It's probably easier to design a driver circuit from scratch than reverse engineer someone elses design.

Marcturus said:

Beyond the test voltages, and if the lamp still provides adequate supply to the tail light, there's no legal power limit, right?

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Actually, that's what I first believed long ago, but though StVZO doesn't contain such rules, the actual set of rules that gets used to approve a light (TA), does.

A way around this is something I suggested to someone working in this field some time ago that may work, is by just saying the lamp is a 12V lamp. See for more details here:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/verlichting/stvzo_en.html

I've been meaning to finish that and check if it will work at the given StVZO/TA testing conditions, but haven't had the time.

swhs said:

Cutting up: No, I'm using both.

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It isn't so much the driver that I'd be interested in. I just can't think of a good, read: technical, reason for shrinking the optics from the original LBL, but keeping such a long housing for the SRLD.

StVZO/TA testing conditions

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Unless they recently changed these, I'd still reach a different conclusion. No hurry, but whenever you find the time to look it up, could you please supply the quote which, in your interpretation, poses a power limit above testing voltage?

I wonder about your comparisons being made relative to Edelux. From shots on the Web, the shape of Edelux' beam is similar to IQ Cyo without the near-illumination or to the older halogen lamps inferior to E6. With this for me Edelux appears inferior to IQ Cyo with near-illumination, i.e. the real practical issue becomes how Philips compares to the latter lamp. Since two LEDs can be more efficient than one, the Philips has a good chance to be superior but, as experience shows, optics can be tricky even at this day and age.

I know that this thread hasn't been posted on for a while, but worth noting that rosebikes in germany have reduced the price of this light down to £40. Well for the silver version anyway, the black one for some reason is still £68. I've ordered one today ( October 25th 2011)

Just hope it's a good light, I've been experimenting with home made lights for a while now, and the latest one has two Samsung sunnix 6 leds which are seriously bright. I find that producing the light isn't a problem, it's putting it where you want it is the tricky bit. Using plastic collimators giving a conical beam are great for a torch, but nowhere as good as a custom tailored reflector for a bike light,
Anyway for £40 thought it was worth a gamble.

Hope this may be of use to anyone who was going to buy one but put off by the price. Also got a shimano hub dyno for £17 from rose too (not for the bike, that's got an alfine, but for a small wind turbine)

Pete in Sheffield

lumière de bicyclette said:

I find that producing the light isn't a problem, it's putting it where you want it is the tricky bit. Using plastic collimators giving a conical beam are great for a torch, but nowhere as good as a custom tailored reflector for a bike light,
...

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Yes that is why this thread: Let's design a road front light beam is so long. If it was easy, anyone could DIY-it. Also, with some persistence, narrow conical beams can be tamed: Beyond German Standards - road light experiments. That said, it is a very interesting light a a great price! What model Shimano dyno? The Suntour is about that price but I haven't seen a Shimano for that little.

BrianMc

Hi, I have a question for those people, who own the dynamo-powered vesion of this light.The Busch & Müller Ixon (the newer ones) and Cyo lights have an anti-theft-protection which means that when you turn them off their standlight and the standlight from the rear light turn off, so that when you lock your bike in some dark place it's not glowing and getting the attention off possible thiefs.Does the philips saferide have a feature like this?

To answer your question Brian, the dynamo is the DH-3n20, it's the one without a quick release fixing, which I wanted for the turbine, I think it's the same as the DH-3n30 which I have on the winter bike, (which has the QR) which Rose bikes do for £22, it is easily as good as the DH-S501 alfine all be it a lot heavier.though that's £47

Hoping to get the "saferide" in a day or so, been tracking it on DHL.

here's the link http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/search/find/?q=hub+dynamo+shimano

Pete.....Sheffield

Hi Peter and CPFers,

I've been riding home from work in the evening all winter (all year in fact) using the Saferide. It's an excellent light. Like the edelux but with a slightly wider beam shape. I ride fairly slowly so haven't really noticed much difference in near-field vision between it and the edelux (which I also run on other bikes). I suspect the edelux may have better 'throw' but that's only supposition. I am extremely happy with the dynamo saferide. I bought mine from Bike24 or RoseVersand - I can't recall which - and it cost me about 65 or 70 euros I think, so the current price at RV seems a bargain.
The only things I'd really complain about are:
- the rather 'undeveloped' provisions for tail light connection (2 short wires with sliding connectors hanging free under the light)
- the built-in stress fracture point in the stamping on the bracket, encountered by some people who ride on rough surfaces (and fixable it seems by installing a large washer to eliminate flex). Haven't had a problem with mine - yet.

Verdict - great light!

Savvas.

Savvas said:

I've been riding home from work in the evening all winter (all year in fact) using the Saferide. It's an excellent light. Like the edelux but with a slightly wider beam shape. I ride fairly slowly so haven't really noticed much difference in near-field vision between it and the edelux (which I also run on other bikes). I suspect the edelux may have better 'throw' but that's only supposition.

Verdict - great light!

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I've been riding next to my wife who has a Cyo with near-illumination, i.e. having an A/B comparison. Unfortunately, Philips does not measure up to Cyo, in spite of its 2 LEDs. A shame in a sense.

"Saferide" arrived from Germany yesterday (only 2 days delivery time too) I was pleased that it was smaller than I had imagined from the pictures I'd seen.

Took the advice from many posts to fit 15mm washers either side of the mounting arm.

Only had 5 mins to give it a try in the dark last night, initial impressions , quite impressive.
From my previous diy lights, I'd say that judging by slow speed flicker, and the standlight time, the internal cap is no bigger than 1F, which is fine, 'caus it give immediate illumination on starting, I've found that using say 5F, it takes a few seconds to charge the caps up before the light come on bright, with no flicker what so ever.

Will test today, to see if the wires for the rear light are a} switched, and b) ac or dc, then there's the choice of either making a rear led light (3W POWERLED gives a wicked light even when drawing as low as 30mA ) or another small extra front facing light to illuminate the dead patch just in front of the bike wheel.

To answer "The Driver's" question about anti theft, switching the light off, does in fact kill the standlight.

Pete.....Sheffield

Thanks for your answer Pete

Had a chance last night for a proper test of the "saferide" filthy black wet night, with pockets of light fog, the light surpassed all expectations. Not being used to a fork mounted light, I was a bit nervous or reaching down on long downhill stretches to angle the beam higher, may make a cable operated handlebar adjuster similar to those used on some suspension forks.
The artefacts within the beam edges have been mentioned about this light, and these become really visible when its misty, quite a strange effect, but not too off putting, Probably would be annoying in thick fog, but I for one wouldn't be out on the bike in those conditions!

So all in all, £40 well spent.
Pete Sheffield