Forum menu
The other half is doing a daily commute from Sheffield to Chesterfield and back on country lanes.
Now it's getting darker we're looking into getting a decent set of lights - we're thinking something like an Exposure Strada, (integrated battery, decent beam pattern for road use), but she's really after something that has decent side visibility too, as she passes a lot of junctions, especially on the urban bits.
When we lived in London she used a Lumicycle halogen with a glow ring on, which worked pretty well with some black tape on the top to stop the glare. The silicone johny that pops onto a Joystick she finds blinding.
Her route involves some big ups and downs - she regularly breaks 40mph on the descents (in daylight!), so it needs to be pretty punchy.
Ideas?
Thanks!
New strada ftw.
Add on some other hi viz bits like spoke reflectors, reflective shoe covers, a fibre flare and some assorted cheap lights dotted around the bike.
Strada Mk6 does the side visibility thing very well - beam is much wider than the Ixon Core, for example.
Lezyne lights are nicely visible from the sides too.
Helmet lights seem to help visibility to traffic all round. I use some cheap Smart emergency lights, but the £2.99 Aldi helmet lights the other week are astounding value. Can't comment on long term reliability yet.
[url= http://road.cc/content/review/140077-lezyne-ktv-pro-front-light ]This one is really good.[/url]
If dynamo is an option, perhaps the [url= http://www.bumm.de/produkte/dynamo-scheinwerfer/lumotec-iq-x.html ]B&M IQ-X[/url].
A new [url= http://www.lumicycle.com/which-light/commuters/freeway-2016.html ]Lumicycle[/url] with the glow ring and an integrated hood on the top?
Something cheap(ish) for visibility only, such as [url= http://www.zyro.co.uk/cateye/products/detail/CA460HLRA3 ]Cateye Rapid 3 front[/url], although you might need to bodge a hood.
Or, on a different tack, a [url= http://fibreflare.com/collections/fibre-flare-side-light-colours/products/fibre-flare-full-size-yellow ]Fibre Flare side light[/url] mounted to top tube or down tube.
Combine with retroflective ankle and/or arm bands and she should stand out.
Does the mk6 Strada have a beam pattern that prevents dazzling like ze German lights? Exposure mention a "road specific beam" on their website but don't really go into details. Ideally I'd like something which is more friendly to oncoming motorists and also other cyclists on cycle paths. Currently have a Maxx D which is not ideal! I notice the Strada has a button on the back and also a remote. Is this just on/off or some kind of dimmer/beam-pattern-alterer?
The Strada remote is both on-off and dimmer.
My initial impression (from only 6 dark rides) is that the Mk6 is more nearly 'road specific' than previous versions, but doesn't have the sharp cutoff of the German offerings. On the other hand compared to the Ixon lights the beam is much wider, much more homogeneous because it's a lens doing the shaping rather than a bent-plastic reflector and it has the ability to switch to a useful high beam easily.
However, I don't ride on cycle paths (there are none), I do my (non-MTB) winter riding almost entirely on a mix of forest singletrack and dark roads with low traffic levels, so there's little for me to pose a dazzle hazard to, and no major advantage to a purely road-specific beam, because I still need the flood possibility as well.
The other advantage (a big one for me) of the Strada over all the battery-driven STVZO lights I've seen or tried is that the mounting is solid - set it up and it stays there, unlike the cheese-based rubbish used on the STVZO lights. (Edit: I should add that this comment applies less to the dynamo lights which generally mount at the fork crown with a more solid mount.)
Strada really is very good. Do a fair bit of night road riding and it works very well. Only notice how good the beam pattern is when I ride occasionally with a non-road specific light.
Used the remote a bit but was fiddly to mount securely and found it just as easy to reach the button on the back of the unit with it mounted under the bars. Use it with a long cable RedEye now (same you can't get an adapter that allows you to plug both into the SmartPort.)
Do you mean good for you or oncoming drivers/riders? My Maxx D is fine for me as regardless of the beam pattern not being ideal for the road it has the RAW LUMENZ. I'd quite like to get something that doesn't make other people hate me though!Only notice how good the beam pattern is when I ride occasionally with a non-road specific light.
Better for others than the Hope R4 I have on the Krampus, by a long way. Less good (for others) I think than the Ixon IQ. [i]But[/i] there are a couple of points about that comparison.
First, the Ixon mounting is not that stable, and although I can set the beam properly when I go out, I can't guarantee it's set properly all the time after it slips and I readjust. Which may be a bugger for others, because of course a too high Ixon beam is [i]seriously[/i] unpleasant. Second, because the routes I ride are quite hilly, it's all bit moot, since we don't have self-levelling lights.
In summary - I don't think it's perfect, and on flat, busy (lit) cycle paths or roads I'd stick with the Ixon. On the not flat, not lit, not busy, sometimes very bumpy routes I ride the Strada is better.
Do you mean good for you or oncoming drivers/riders?
Both I think.
Interesting point about RAW LUMENZ. I can run the Strada on a low setting and it's far more effective on the road than, say, the MaxxD on a low setting despite still chucking out less lumen.
For side visibility, what about lighty up valve caps?
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=291494600542&alt=web
I'm thinking of getting some
These are great for being seen
http://www.amazon.co.uk/12pcs-Bicycle-Reflector-Reflective-Warning/dp/B00PFGXORK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1444745329&sr=8-3&keywords=spoke+reflectors
Well the majority of my commute is an unlit, fairly busy cycle/shared path so I am tempted by the Strada. It's a lot of money to spend though if it doesn't end up solving the problem of dazzling people!In summary - I don't think it's perfect, and on flat, busy (lit) cycle paths or roads I'd stick with the Ixon. On the not flat, not lit, not busy, sometimes very bumpy routes I ride the Strada is better.
Another (pricier but moar awesomer) option for enhancing side visibility:
[url= http://www.monkeylectric.com ]www.monkeylectric.com[/url]
I absolutely love mine, it's like being in Tron. It gets lots of encouraging comments too.
Well the majority of my commute is an unlit, fairly busy cycle/shared path so I am tempted by the Strada. It's a lot of money to spend though if it doesn't end up solving the problem of dazzling people!
It is. I'd be tempted to try an Ixon core first (£30 plus postage off Rose). It's a competent light, and may well be enough, but much less of a hit if it isn't.
I use the same light I use for night riding off road (on a low setting with the lamp aimed downwards) + wheel reflectors and also some 3M Scotchlite Black reflective tape on the frame (my road hack is black). Less faff than having an extra light just for road riding, also dirt cheap.
Personally, I'd suggest using a minimum of 2 lights to achieve this. At the moment I have a Lezyne Micro Drive on my helmet for looking at cars, a mega drive or Solar Storm on my bars for me to see and a Moon Comet for side visibility. I'd also suggest some spoke reflectors, I got mine from Aldi and they're really bright when a cars headlights hit them from the side.
I take a similar approach on the back and have 3 or 4 lights, some flashing, some constant and again, this seems to work well.