Bike Flash Light ? .

[johntalley]

So would it be best to find a bike flash light ?


or use a light holder ? maybe even 2 holders ?

when I look at e-bay those are just to cheap to work good ..

I have never used one but know it would be a great tool and much safer when I ride at night ...

for those that use them ? .. where and what is best ? ..

thanks for your time ...

 

[gravelmonkey]

I used to use a Fenix LD20 attached with a rubber and velcro mount (twofish lockblock clone) to my bars. Strobe setting for when there's loads of ambient light/when the weather's awful and turbo for the shortcut down an alley I used to take. IMO a $50 light is MUCH better than a $50 bike light (better built, more waterproof, brighter, better regulation etc).

 

[buds224]

We use a Jetbeam ST Cycler between me and my wife on night bike rides. It's the right amount of flood and throw. There is also a medium mode that intermittently pulses out a turbo beacon to help others see us during our rides; nowhere near being a strobe and will not distract or interfere with motorists. If I could, I'd have one on my bike and one on the helmet. Makes a great pedestrian flashlight as well.

 

[yellow]

in flashlight size = powered by AA cells, or up to 18650, but no external pack
every flashlight is lightyears ahead of these - mostly extremely overpriced - pieces of plastic junk that all those bikers seem to "need" as a light.

The only real "better" thing is, that they usually feature a bar holder.

So imho using a flashlight, + getting some means to fix it to the bars, is just the obvious and best solution.

 

[ronac]

Here's the Cryos Illumination Function light that we're working on:

It's a triple XPG2 or Nichia 219 setup that can output up to 1600 lumens. It runs on a single 18650, two 18350's or two primary CR123A's. The silver mount allows the light to attach to any sized bike handlebar. Check out our thread for more information about the light.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?360797-Cryos-Illumination-s-Triple-Function-Light

 

[bietjiedof]

I have a Magicshine 872 for my road bike, with a 4x18650 cell power pack. It makes a lot of light and it's quite affordable. But there are times when I leave the Magicshine at home and ride with a Crelant 7G3CS flashlight, which runs at full power for over two hours and has a great beam profile for cycling. One such situation is when I'm going to be separated from my bike - the Crelant slips into a pocket. Another time is when I'm riding off-road - I find a handlebar-mounted light waves around too much on technical sections, while a helmet-mounted light shows where I'm going - and the Crelant attaches easily to my helmet with duct tape and rubber bands. Using both (Magicshine on handlebars, Crelant on helmet) really turns night into day, but it's quite a bit of weight...

 

[johntalley]

Thats a great looking light can see some work went into for sure .... How much and will it be ready for sale ? ..

 

[ronac]

We're still working out the final details but just keep your eye out on the thread for updates.

 

[BenChiew]

Watching both threads.

 

[johntalley]

Any updates ? ...

 

[JCD]

There is no one size fits all solution to bike lights. The best light for you is highly dependent on your typical cycling speeds and your cycling environment. Higher speeds require more throw and less flood. Lower speeds require more flood and less throw.

I like to be able to see about ten seconds ahead at my typical cruising speeds. I don't need to simulate daylight, just enough light so I can see from a distance whether there are obstacles in my path. I also like just enough spill to see my outs. Putting light where it isn't needed means runtime is unnecessarily decreased or weight is unnecessarily increased. In some cases, on the street, it also risks temporarily blinding oncoming motorists, which is in nobody's best interest.

In general, you'll get much more bang for your buck by using a flashlight instead of a purpose built bike light. Particularly good are easily modifiable flashlights, such as P60 hosts, especially if you ride different types of bikes (e.g., a mountain bike and a road bike) or ride in different types of environments (e.g., mountain trails and streets). With P60 hosts, optimizing the light for the ride is as simple as swapping drop-ins; a completely different light isn't needed. Also, don't get caught up in the lumens race. Beam profile is far more important than total brightness.

 

[johntalley]

What would be the best hosts I can use Rechargeable Batteries .....

Thanks for the info ..

 

[ltsba]

I think the niteye B20 or B30 maybe suit you,