Dynamo light for pavement AND dirt

[GRAVELBIKE]

Greetings,

I'm looking for a dynamo head(light) that will work well for both paved and un-paved riding. My current setup is a B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo R mounted to the fork crown, with a Planet Bike 2W Blaze mounted to the side of my (front) low-rider rack. It works well for riding on unlit paved roads, but it's not enough for riding dirt roads or trails.

Would a Supernova E3 be more suited to non-technical off-road riding? Can the symmetrical E3 be aimed such that it won't blind motorists?

Thanks.

 

[BrianMc]

Greetings, ...Would a Supernova E3 be more suited to non-technical off-road riding? Can the symmetrical E3 be aimed such that it won't blind motorists? Thanks.

:welcome:

I am running two symmetrical but narrow (thrower) lensed lights, the narrower aimed slightly further. The narrow beams let me cut the top and the wider part of the side spill with hoods to make them road worthy:

My dyno light before Dyno:

After:




Looking at Peter White's beam shots, I think the technique could be used to good effect on the symmetrical E3. Judging by my Triple XP-G dyno light, with two LEDs up and one down, the hood without side amber part worked fine, inverted with one LED up and two down like the E3 triple, it has a bit too much side throw, but it is on the errand bike and mostly for a daytime running light where a bit wide is good.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

You could devise a hinged or snap-on arrangement to switch from trail to road and back.

Hope this helps.

BrianMc

 

[GRAVELBIKE]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Definitely something to consider.

BTW, it looks as if your brake pads are mounted backwards. If the security screw were to fall out, the pad insert could slide out when the brake is applied.

 

[BrianMc]

Thanks for catching the pads.

BrianMc

 

[Savvas]

Recommend you consider the Philips Saferide dynamo light. Great for road riding and plenty of side spill for dirt roads and relatively clear trails.

Otherwise consider KTronik's triple dyno light maybe.

Savvas

 

[GRAVELBIKE]

I played around with some battery-powered lights on the ride home last night.

For the initial paved section (approx 6-7) miles, I used a Princeton Tec EOS Bike as a secondary light. This actually worked better than expected, and when set to "high," it did a nice job of filling in the section between the Cyo R's "hot spot" and the front wheel. Good spread on the EOS' beam, and the "warmer" color (compared to the Cyo) seemed a little easier on my eyes.

When I arrived at the trailhead, I swapped the EOS or a Dinotte 200L (mounted in the same location). It was bright enough off-road that I didn't need the Cyo R. Not enough throw, however, so a helmet-mounted spot would be necessary to see where I was looking (vs where the wheel was pointed). The Dinotte's beam had decent spread, but I think I'd want something more flood-like.

I'm definitely considering the Phillips Saferide, but I suspect I'll still need at least one auxiliary (high-powered) light for off-road conditions. If I was riding strictly on pavement, The Phillips alone would probably suffice. I'm very concerned about the Phillips' bracket failing due to the shock from unpaved roads. Next step is to see how my Amoeba MTB lights work in conjunction with the Cyo R.