I’ve got some multiday trips and races planned next year, so I need a light system that I can keep working without using a charger. Ideally I’d get a dynamo system, exposure revo or similar, but that is a large outlay of cash. Most of the trips I’m doing will pass civilisation fairly frequently, allowing me to get AA batteries or similar, and I’ll be carrying batteries for the GPS anyway – are there any 800 Lumen or so lights that will take disposable batteries? Ability to headmount would be good too…

What lights do you currently have? Extra battery packs?

Exposure Spark?
http://www.exposurelights.com/outlet-store/spark-mk3

are there any 800 Lumen or so lights that will take disposable batteries?

You’d be changing batteries every 15mins trying to run an 800lm light off AA’s

you’d be changing batteries every 15mins trying to run an 800lm light off AA’s

yep, that was my concern. Just wondered if it may be possible. Currently run chinese lights with torchy battery packs.

I was considering that new alpkit joystick clone – the Boson – a buying a big USB battery to keep it and my phone topped up. Just seems a weighty way of doing things.

Ituo Wiz20 takes 2 x 18650 which are easily replaced. If you run it at 800 lumens you should get around 4.5 hours run time out of one fully-charged pair of cells. As others have said AAs are a waste of time.

http://www.brightbikelights.com/wiz20-1500-lumen-mountain-and-commuter-light

Since I know what you’ve signed up for (not stalking you honest 😆 ) as have I then I’m sort of in the same situation.

Unless you are planning on doing lots of night riding, unlikely given the long days at that time of year, then you probably only need enough battery power for a couple of hours a night to get to bivy spots and set up your kit. You are also unlikely to need lots of lumens so could run a light like the Exposure Joystick at a lower setting (riders this year used that and didn’t have to recharge)

A reasonable sized battery should hold enough to recharge the Joystick once and the GPS several times. Keep phone switched off except when you actually want to make a call/check the blue dots and that will last the whole event.

Ideally I’d go the dynamo route but as you say, it’s expensive.

Best I can come up with from a quick google is the Fenix LD41.
960lm, 4xAA, quoted runtime of 1hr with high quality rechargables, so probably ~40mins for off the shelf alkalines.

You could get a bigger USB battery pack and recharge a small light

Otherwise you could use something that uses 2AAs won’t be particularly powerful, or if it is will drain quick quickly

There are lights available that run off AAs though e.g. Fenix BT 10
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Fenix-Torches/Bike-Lights/12379-Fenix-BT10-Bike-Light.html

Some of the Moon front lights have replaceable rechargeable batteries, so you’d have to carry a few pre-changed, but would give you a good front light.

Just checked the larger Anker battery packs like the 20100. They weigh 350g to 450g and you get around 6 full charges for something like the Joystick (assuming that uses a typical 18650 or equivalent battery).

Even with a dynamo system you are going to want some form of battery to store power during the day so that you can recharge stuff at night.

See you on the startline Whitestone 😯

I know you’re doing that crazy snow race (stalking right back at you!), but are you doing Braunton again? I’m doing that and the cairngorm loop mass start, plus a reccy of the northern loop at Easter. That’ll probably be it in terms of preparation in terms of bikepacking, and will have to fit the rest of the training around job, kids etc.!

Those big battery packs seem pretty light for the promised charge – not much heavier than a dynamo, and as you say I’d probably need one anyway. I think that plus a rechargeable light is the way to go. As you say, with the phone off most of the time, the GPS running on AAs, and the possibility of mains charging at some points of the ride, it should be ok, I hope!

hmm – nearly 27KmA/hrs at 458 gms for less than £35 odd quid.

Seems like I may have a winner 🙂

Not doing Braunton – mainly as it’s a right pain getting down there at Easter but we plan to do it later in the summer, was annoyed at scratching TBH. Not sure about the Cairngorm Loop this year – I think Steve’s moving the group start to September so there’s two group starts this year, might do the Sept one.

Unsure whether to recce the northern loop, knowing what’s coming up might not be an advantage! Might do it on the May Bank holiday instead of the CL. Taper event will be the JennRide the week before (not doing the 200Km version). Not sure about Easter yet, possibly Pennine Bridleway.

Just come across this https://triduffer.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/powering-your-gadgets-for-endurance-races/ which might be of interest.

Decent power is tricky with AAs, I think if you figure out how many hours you expect to need, that might be a good place? And if there’ll be any chance to recharge at all or any opportunity to do a drop? Lipo batteries are so much lighter and more efficient than AAs that it could be easier to carry a couple than to carry a load of AAs…

(you can drive a lot of AA-powered lights and torches with 14500 IMR/lipo cells instead- basically just an AA sized lipo. You have to run them with dummy batteries or they blow up, mind… Again, not easily picked up on the run but way lighter and more effective than AAs so could be good as a backup.)