Commuter lights

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

cheers,
clive

Clive George wrote:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that. I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

in message
,
D.M. Procida ') wrote:

What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

Hub dynamo. Cheaper and /much/ more reliable than a good rechargeable
battery system; /very/ hard to remove from the bike (provided the lock
goes through the wheel).

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; how did we conclude that a ****ing cartoon mouse is deserving
;; of 90+ years of protection, but a cure for cancer, only 14?
-- user 'Tackhead', in /. discussion of copyright law, 22/05/02

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
Clive George wrote:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that.

What I'm wondering is how many people will say it :-)

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?
TBH I wouldn't rebuild your new bike's wheel, I'd get a whole new one.
(you'll need new spokes anyway and the new hub is obvious). Somebody
mentioned some very cheap ones based on the older shimano hubs a few days
ago. Yes, the older shimano ones had more drag than a SON - but the
difference isn't noticable when riding IME.

(I got an NX10 for my old commuter a few years ago, and I fully intended to
swap to a plain front wheel for summer to get rid of the extra drag. I never
did...)

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

That's why I suggested a hub dynamo, which don't suffer this. (although I
will point out that a properly fitted sidewall dynamo doesn't actually slow
you down much at all - I got my first one when I was a kid and it was fine.)

cheers,
clive

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.



Reflectives. Wear reflectives and have reflectives on your bike. These will
help get you seen.


The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.


I use lights I take off when I park the bike up.


I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?


I *like* the new LEDs that give light you can be seen by and see by combined
with a long runtime.

If you have a helmet-mounted LED this will aid getting you seen as it has
the WTFIT factor for oncoming vehicles.

Cheers, helen s



Thanks for any advice,

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

D.M. Procida wrote:

I knew someone would say that.

That's 'cause, like the man said, they're a very, very good solution.
Get on bike, lights there, they work, 'nuff said.

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Keep that wheel as a spare and get a new one built. Yes, it will cost a
bit, but the cost is repaid every time you need lights because you don't
forget them, have the batteries run down, forget to charge them, get
caught a bit later than you'd planned without them, and so on. You are
paying to reduce the possible faffs with lights to an absolute minimum
well into the future.

Also, I guess that dynamos have changed since 1982, because the ones I
used around then, which pressed on the tyre making a racket, would slow
down a bike nearly as effectively as a brake. And it seems a shame to
expend my puny output for lighting when I can need it all for the road.

Hub dynamo will not add any noticeable drag unless you're on a very high
spec racer. Practically none at all when on, and less than that when
off. The SONs are reckoned to be the best but the new Shimano Ultegra
ones are almost as good for a lot less money.

Dynamos I experienced as a kid put me off them a lot. I grudgingly
changed my mind and decided to try again when advice here suggested that
the dynohub lights for my 'bent tourer was a no brainer add-on, and I'm
/very/ glad I changed my mind.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
What kind of lights would be particularly suitable for commuting (7.5
miles each way, extra-urban)? I'm more interested in being seen than in
lighting up every detail of the road.

The system needs either to be very easy or very hard to remove from the
bike.

I would prefer something that uses rechargable rather than disposable
cells - does that strongly count against LEDs?

Thanks for any advice,

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

Daniele,

I use lumicycle (www.lumicycle.co.uk) - you may think over the top or too
expensive.

G.

Clive George wrote:

Hub dynamo. No cells at all.

I knew someone would say that.

What I'm wondering is how many people will say it :-)

I'd have to get my brand new bike's wheel
rebuilt in any case, and the whole business (rebuild, lights, dynamo)
would work out expensive I fear.

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?

Enough to be pleased with myself, but not so much that I get in trouble
for it... I guess around £100 would really have to be a sensible limit
on a bike priced at £430.

TBH I wouldn't rebuild your new bike's wheel, I'd get a whole new one.
(you'll need new spokes anyway and the new hub is obvious). Somebody
mentioned some very cheap ones based on the older shimano hubs a few days
ago. Yes, the older shimano ones had more drag than a SON - but the
difference isn't noticable when riding IME.

Hmmm... strokes beard

Daniele
--
Apple Juice
Chapter Arts Centre
Market Road
Cardiff CF5 1QE

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...

Well, you never mentioned a budget. What is it?

Enough to be pleased with myself, but not so much that I get in trouble
for it... I guess around £100 would really have to be a sensible limit
on a bike priced at £430.

You should be able to get a hub dynamo for that.

(has a look...)

SJSC have a nexus for 45 quid, including the clever switch. Spokes 10 quid,
rim 15 quid or so, build 10 quid (20 from SJSC). Light cost depends on how
much you want a standlight.

But that european one was even cheaper.

Hmmm... strokes beard

me too

cheers,
clive