I'm hoping to start cycling to work soon. Have everything but lights.
Can anybody recommend me a set. It's to be seen on the roads rather than lighting up what's in front of me.
Thanks in advance.
Bike Forum
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Cycling to work
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Posted 2 years ago #
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this is a good set:
the rear is REALLY bight and the front is too with side visibility.
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/smart-b-spoke-1-2-led-lightset-id41560.html
good deal, though recently wiggle had the set for £15 - still a good deal at je james
Posted 2 years ago # -
agree withe rootes1. I've got them (2 rears - one on by backpack) and they're still going strong after two years. plenty bright enough for my commute.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The law says your front light must be attached to the bike.
Most police wouldn't dream of stopping someone for having a helmet light only.... but I know of a policeman in Brighouse who has a particuarly hatred of cyclists and takes great enjoyment from stopping them for the most ridiculasly small infringement of laws you'd not even known about and helmet mounted lights is his current favourite.
So if your getting something powerful to do both road and off-road (which is my setup) make sure you have a basic cheap as chips front light strapped to the bars and then your legal.
Also applies if you get in an accident - light on the bars kills off any argument a sharp lawyer/insurance comp might try to use to wiggle out of it.
Otherwise I'd recommend the holy handgrenade rear light from cateye or the one of the mars range by topeak - very bright and work well.
(my set up is a mars3 rear light a basic (c.£8) 3 led bar light and a hope vision 2 on my helmet as the basic setup but with a red flashing LED light on my helmet and another in my backpack cover when the weather is particuarly bad)
Oh and I've also got one of these which matches my NightVision jacket:
Got mine on wiggle - bit of a pain to find but just type in "Respro" which is the maker - they also make iron on (think they call it "pressure sensitive") reflective stuff for fabric so if your jackets silver reflective bits are getting a bit old you can easily add some new stuff to be seen at night.
Badger
Posted 2 years ago # -
One of the things i look for is that both front and rears take two AA batteries. Anything else is a pain. AAA's don't last long, having 3 batteries for the front makes it irritating to charge them up, and those button cell batteries cost more than the lights themselves to replace!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Those 1/2 watt smarts are really good teamed with decent rechargers. I use two front and 2 rear lights, so if one unit packs up you still have the other. 1 rear on the bike, 1 on my courier bag. Don't be shy with reflectives and reflectors.
I'd avoid the cateye 'holyhandgrenade', much brighter, much cheaper, much better designed units out there now.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I find my AAAs in my smarts last just fine, better than many units that use AAs and brighter to boot. Decent chargers can charge individual cells. if you're going to be out and about commuting in the dark a lot it pays to use decent recharger cells (like eneloops etc) and a decent charger.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've got a couple of Smart rear ones and a pair of Halfords front ones, plenty for lit urban roads
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'd recommend getting several front lights. In the centre of the bars I have a cheapy no brand LED which is on constant and a DX for when I need to see where I'm going. Between the grip and the brake lever clamp I have a Topeak Whitelite that is set to flash.
At the back I use three Mars-3 lights which I think are the best rear lights there are. One on the pannier rack, one on the seatpost and one on a saddle bag. I set one to constant and the other two are on the flashing sequences.
I think the helmet mounted lights are worth adding to this set up as well. Also reflectors on the bike and clothing. May not look cool but at least people will see you to take the mickey.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I use a Mars 3 and have a smart 1/2 watt. The Mars is good, but the smart is brighter, lighter, cheaper and easier to get the batts out for recharge. The disadvantage is the bike mount, which isn't as positive an engage/disengage as the Mars once its worn in.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have my Hope 4 on the front. Works way better than any legal lights - people seem to take more notice. Will put a legal front on though.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The big chunky, bumpy double aa powered cateye one is brilliant, if that helps
Posted 2 years ago # -
The Smart rear lights are excellent.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The big chunky, bumpy double aa powered cateye one is brilliant, if that helps
I think the 'holy hand grenade' is useless, as I've said at great length in many many posts on the subject of rear lights.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I use this model on the rear as do circa 50% of other london commuters
Posted 2 years ago # -
ut I know of a policeman in Brighouse who has a particuarly hatred of cyclists and takes great enjoyment from stopping them for the most ridiculasly small infringement of laws
don't stop then. I am yet to meet the copper who could catch me.
Posted 2 years ago # -
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anotherdeadhero - MemberThe big chunky, bumpy double aa powered cateye one is brilliant, if that helps
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/550
I think the 'holy hand grenade' is useless, as I've said at great length in many many posts on the subject of rear lights.
Fair enough that more modern alternatives are available...but mine seems very visible from all sides, and each row runs of seperate batteries which is handy if a battery goes.
and its big, which is good when it coems to rear lights
Posted 2 years ago #
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