Not commuting, but ill be doing a lot of outdoor training and returning as the light fails. Ive seen these https://www.camdengear.com/products/led-bike-lights
But is there a better recommendation around the same value? I do have knog leds already.
Dusk is one of the worst times on the road.
Fit a good rear light, or two, and use them regardless of the time of day. Something small, LED and reliable (Not a Knog, then!) on the front is usually sufficient, but rear lights? Use proper ones, all the time. Day or night.
FWIW, I run two Moon Shields almost all the time. Usually one on helmet (fixed) and one on seatpost (flashing).
Decathlon...
Have both of the following. The first are great as they clip on just about anywhere and are very bright and simple to use.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/vioo-clip-500-usb-dual-bike-light-green-id_8385315.html
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/vioo-300-usb-bike-light-set-id_8281184.html
Riding into a low sun at dusk warrants the best rear light you can get.
I just got a collection of knog, leyzene etc that were on offer and keep them at work or on the bike - always 2 on the bike just in case
Just the most offensivly bright rear lights I can find
Dusk is one of the worst times on the road
QFT.
At dusk and in low sun I have my many lights on; bright and flashing, no pissing around with mini get-me-home lights....
remember, you're up against the worst of the drivers Britain has, tired and on their way home and with the sun in their eyes.
All good advice, thanks.
But - which lights? Im particulalry interested in those I posted becuse the front will go from flash to beam for a couple of hours.
the front will go from flash to beam for a couple of hours
I have an Exposure Sirius on the front of my Diverge, and Moon XP500 on the Brompton for exactly that purpose. Lots of flashing, and enough battery to use on beam to get home in case of incident/pub.
Put simply, fit good lights.
remember, you're up against the worst of the drivers Britain has, tired and on their way home and with the sun in their eyes, and choking for pint/wine.
FTFY.
Xeccon lights are good value. Tredz do em. They were recommended on Torchy's site, I think.
Those ones you linked to are the same as some I got my Mum a couple of years back - available on eBay for £11 for 2.
I bought a couple of these last winter and they've been great. Good light pattern. Bright without being dazzling. Last ages. Micro USB rechargeable so I can use a phone charger or even a portable power pack. A few weeks from China but maybe on eBay somewhere.
I wouldn't go for the one in the link in the first post. Party because its overpriced for a Chinese import torch but mostly because the beam pattern is very poor. Very limited angle of light with an over bright spot in the middle
Seeing as we're on the topic, does anyone have any recommendations for good (bright, decent run time, water/mud proof) rear light that don't cost silly money?
I got one of these [url= https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Rapid-Mini-USB-Rechargeable-Rear-Light_98136.htm?sku=349247&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9uP_08qN1gIVh7ztCh0Segm2EAQYBCABEgJJsvD_BwE ]long long link[/url]
It's pretty bright, absolutely tiny/weighs a negligible amount, and usb chargeable.
It runs long enough for a night ride - a bit more runtime would be nice, but at that weight it's fine. So far it's been fine in the Scottish "summer" - although I do mount it so that the charging port is on the lower side just in case it seeps a bit.
Personally, I use 3 lights front and rear.
Helmet light - Exposure Sirius (flashing) with Micro Red Eye on the back.
Solid Lights - Exposure Strada and Exposure TraceR
Flash Lights - Knog Mini Chippy front and rear.
If there's any traffic or hedge rows involved, a decent flashing light on your lid cannot be underestimated to stop people turning across you.
Andy, I have a USB rechargeable Lezyne one that came free with a magazine subscription, can be used as a front or rear but I only ever use it as a rear. Must be 4 years old now, think it's called a Zecto IIRC.
Seeing as we're on the topic, does anyone have any recommendations for good (bright, decent run time, water/mud proof) rear light that don't cost silly money?
Define silly money!
I think the Moon Comet is as good as any but they are £27. I've found that the cheap Aldi Comet clones have very poor switches and you can have real problems turning them on or off. I've also had the Moon Ring which is similarly decent but a bit cheaper. I can't remember the make or model of one I currently have, similar in size to the Moon Ring, it was about £15. All these are USB rechargeable.
No idea on those lights OP, but in my experience and as others have said, get decent lights. Definitely worth a little extra expenditure for your own safety.
I run Exposure Trace on front and TraceR on rear all year round on the commute - I like the pulsing mode as it is constantly on and people noticeably give my a wide birth.
I also use the Aldi Moon copies as additional LEDs on the back and have an old Hope Vision One which is still going strong and use for longer rides home int he dark when I hit the dark lanes.
My wife and kids drove past me cycling home the other evening and all commented that my lights were bright and no problems seeing me at all.
I'm using one of these just under the seat base (out of the way of my legs.. (because it's a bit big)
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But I have to use electrical tape around it to secure to the post (cos it wobbles)
and one of these
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TBH I prefer battery power rather than rechargeable ones..
I know exactly the one you mean, but have avoided it as there are a lot of reports of them failing when they get wet. But yes, that's more or less exactly the sort of thing i'm after.Andy, I have a USB rechargeable Lezyne one that came free with a magazine subscription, can be used as a front or rear but I only ever use it as a rear. Must be 4 years old now, think it's called a Zecto IIRC.
Currently running two of its smaller brother (KTV), and whilst they pass the waterproof test, they're just not very bright.
Edit: Seems they are doing a new brighter version for this year.
I have a moon shield which was excellent until this week when it inexplicably stopped working. Also have a lezyne like bikebuoy's top one, and it is reasonably bright, but battery life is poor so it needs charging for every ride. Getting a knog blinder mob kid grid in next to replace the moon shield.
Dusk is one of the worst times on the roadQFT.
At dusk and in low sun I have my many lights on; bright and flashing, no pissing around with mini get-me-home lights....
remember, you're up against the worst of the drivers Britain has, tired and on their way home and with the sun in their eyes.
To state the bleeding obvious, just in case it has not already occurred to the OP: if you are training rather than commuting, you have the luxury of deciding in which direction to ride. Therefore choose a direction that will result in the sun being behind you on the return leg when it is lowest in the sky. Then it will not be in your eyes, and more importantly it will not be in the eyes of the drivers behind you.
I use Moon Comet and the eBay copy equivalents. Small light and bright
Just bought myself a Moon Pulsar (£11.99 from CRC) to replace a Smart Lunar R2 that was clipped onto my saddle bag, but pinged off a couple of months ago.
The Pulsar runs off AAA batteries, but I have a charger & decent rechargeables are only about £6 for 4.
It'll do 43hrs on 'overdrive' and 68hrs on 'high', which IMO is where AAA batteries come into their own; you're lucky to get 5hrs out of a similar priced (batteries & light) USB rechargeable light.
My other light is an Exposure Tracer, which is stupid bright. I normally run it in the mid or lower output modes, on pulse.
In daylight I will use the high power option.
I ended up with a Cateye 400XC set of lights, reduced at my local Halfords to £40. It'll do what I need and has the added bonus of "on" plus "flash" at the same time in one of the modes.
job done.
I was going to suggest an Exposure Equinox. They've been dropped from the 2018 range so might be available at a decent discount. You could team it up with an Exposure rear light that runs off the Equinox battery.
