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Has anyone got any recommendations for a front bike light? Looking for something with about 200 lumens and around £50.
Need it for commuting mixture of unlit country roads and urban areas.
I'd go higher than 200, speaking from experience.
Take a look at Magicshine. fantastic lights, range of power outputs, and very weatherproof.
My commute is a mix of dark country roads and main roads in Manchester. I use the MJ 872 and would use anything less powerful.
This is t he most popular model:
http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/bike-lights/magicshine-mj-808e-1000-lumens-bike-light.html
They have recently released a new road bike commuter specific light:
http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/bike-lights/magicshine-eagle-600-road-bike-light.html
But its £95.
If you want cheap and cheerful, then either of these would fit your spec:
http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/mj-838-junior-magicshine-front-light-set-includes-helmet-mount-and-extension-lead.html
http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/featured-products/mj-890-160-lumens-commuter-bike-light.html
But if you are riding dark roads, especially round here, you need something powerful to see the potholes, mud and most importantly, the ice. But I guess its all down to how much use you will get out of it...
Cheers.
Kris.
I've got a Moon 500, which is ridiculously lighthouse-like bright, to the extent that it's easy to blind oncoming road/trail users. Lightweight though and USB chargeable. Love it.
@AdyJapp wrote:
I've got a Moon 500, which is ridiculously lighthouse-like bright, to the extent that it's easy to blind oncoming road/trail users. Lightweight though and USB chargeable. Love it.
I also have one, brilliant
Thanks for the advice. I do have another light on my bike which is 1800 lumens which covers off the spotting of pot holes etc. I need a replacement backup / flashing daylight so I will have a look at these options.
You may wish to review this
http://road.cc/content/news/97193-big-roadcc-lights-test-2013
hi ,if you go to ebay and type cree bike lights , myself I have 2 sets one of 1,800 lumens , other 5,000 yes they are bright battery lasts about 6 hours on full power . between charges irradiation distance 200 metres , Make is SMALL SUN rear light I use LEZYNE micro drive 200 lumens nearly forgot prices start from £20 -37 I know they are from china been using for last 2 months no problems , cheers Bruce
five fricken thousand ?! whoa!
I just use some cheap CR2032 powered lights from Decathlon for front flashing. Pretty bright, and the battery life is outstanding! Can easily get 40+ hours before a change is needed.
If anyone is after a good basic or backup light I am just about to take delivery of the Electron Terra Mini EHP440 front lights (RRP £49.95), Near 200 lumens and sold loads last winter. My normal price would be £39.95 but If any of you Weaver Valley lot want any I can get them down to £29.95.
This new wave of ultra bright white lights on bikes needs to be outlawed - The intensity of them is real hazard to other road users (including other cyclists and pedestrians too). At least car headlamps can be dipped!
If these very powerful lights are fitted, the rider should shut them off when other road users are coming towards them. This would necessitate the fitting of a regular front light of course.
On the Quest, I have a 2.4 W beam and a 6W halogen main beam for seeing potholes - It's enough.
the light I'd recommend is the one I use.
mine lasts easy 5 hours plus in normal brightness and 3 hours plus on full beam, which is all the brightness you'll need, I used mine mainly for riding the forest at night and was more than enough. having seen the 5000 lumens available, I can only guess they'll be having the birds singing as you ride past.
I always mounted the light to the helmet, which I felt was essential when off roading, it gives you the advantage of directing the light where you need it, it did look however that you where going 'down pit' but so what. Just to add to what Jed was saying, I felt that a little look towards the car with its full beam on coming towards you made them turn their full beam off, eliminating that momentary 'blindness' you get for five seconds once the car has gone past you with it's full beam on. Just remember to look back at the road once they've turned there headlights off.
on a side note, there is a windtex wvcc jacket in small in sue Ryder in northwich for a fiver! it's the retro impsport make and in great condition. I had the 'good as new' wvcc gloves for 1.75 so I don't know who has hung their wheels up recently.
and it the first time I've logged on as a member for an age and just seen the 'subs due' post in the members, so graham, the cheque is in the post.
Well said Jed,
There's loads of commuters who use them on the Connah's Quay to Chester CYCLE PATH!! There are plenty of ninja dog walkers and their hounds which are pretty difficult to spot, but these lights are so bright they completely blind anyone coming the opposite way for probably one hundred meters.
If you must use them, point the hot-spot down to about 5 meters in front of your wheel.
Cheers Matt
I'm thinking of getting a parabolic mirror for the Quest to return the unwanted light to its sender!!
@Jed wrote:
Cheers Matt
I'm thinking of getting a parabolic mirror for the Quest to return the unwanted light to its sender!!
I take that back - don't want to cause an accident (and a parabolic mirror wouldn't do the job properly anyway) Perhaps I'll get some flip down welding goggles instead!
Thanks for everyone's input. Thought I would post an update.
The troublesome light, a Moon Meteor came back to life when I took it apart and wiped some corrosion off the circuit board.
In the meantime I ordered a Lezyne Macro Drive and whilst all this was happening my charger for my CREE LED light died ...
So I now have a replacement charger and a fully functioning CREE LED, a Macro Drive and Moon Meteor and no space to put my hands my handle bars!
Sorry Jed, you will have to get a bigger mirror!