Biking In The Dark

[Lola]

As winter already appears to have arrived, I know lots of you carry on cycling to work, x-ctry etc in the dark and must use lights of some kind. The London bike show is in a few weeks and I was planning to spend my time there trying to find a decent set that will last a few years, have plenty of battery burn time and even light my way.
Given the number of replies to the headtorch thread ealier I was hoping some of you could share your experinces to give me a bit of knowledge ahead of time.
As ever, money is a limiting factor.

[wheezing donkey]

Pity WRT money being the limiting factor. I'm sure that the new Petzl Ultra headtorch, with 4Ah battery (£300), would match most of the established cycle lamp front-runners for beam range and pattern; and exceed most of them on burn time. Plus it would double up for running as well as cycling:-
In effect a £150 bike lamp and a £150 head torch in one package.

[Lola]

I knew this was going to be tricky.
Just been to the Petzl website and can't find an 'Ultra' at all, is it one of the duo LED/halogen models?

[wheezing donkey]

Lola, it has its own website. Google "Petzl Ultra". Should be in the shops this month. Hitch & Hike in Derbyshire have been carrying an advert ( taking orders??) for a couple of months. In effect, it appears to be 6 Myo XP '08's in one package, with cutting edge Li-Ion battery packs (2Ah or 4Ah) and charger !!

[Al Fowler]

Lola, i dont want to should like a right cheap-skate but if you're not looking to spend alot of money on your lights, i got a brilliant L.E.D front and rear (seperatly) from ebay for not much money. I didnt buy any cheap things that would break, and ive had them a year now and they are still bril!, and they give off enough light for those ultra-dark nights.

This is the light i have for my front, it may look a little small but its brilliant!, its kept me out of the thorn hedges on those dark and teist lanes.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LED-Bicycle-Bi...d=p3286.c0.m14

This is the same light as i have for my back/rear light....its very brights and lights up the ground behind me!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-LED-Bicycle-...d=p3286.c0.m14

[idler]

I'd go something like:
Cheaper LED, £20-£0
Hope single LED, £80-ish.
One of the Exposure Maxx range, £140-300 for 1,2 or 3 LED, neat single units.
And maybe think about the Hope 4 LED, £300-ish +

Depends if you want to be seen/see where you are/see where you going at speed/see where you going at speed off road/how many carrots you've eaten.

I'm thinking the same thoughts, but I'm cheap too. Will probably plug away for a bit longer with my LED commuter lights and old, brown halogen offroad.

HTH!

[Lola]

Great, thanks for all this.
I've looked at the Petzl now and with a battery pack it may fit the bill. I've currently got an Opticube cable-tied to my helmet and that works well so a petzl with a remote battery may give the enhancement needed.

Sorry, can't see e-bay at work so that will have to wait a few hours.

The Hope lights look gorgeous, real girlie friendly stuff, but Hope skewers and the like break very easily so I'm a little worried - do you have any experience of them.

Do we have any idea why bike lights are sooo expensive, what is the main cost item (aside from profit!), after all, LED technology is not that new and cellphone batteries drive the power production issue?

Last Q for the day. Are any of the web providers known to be better value?

Thanks again.

[dominion]

Planet X often have lighting on offer,

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/...ights_129.html

Depends on how 'limited' your 'limiting factor' is...

[nobbut a lad]

And maybe think about the Hope 4 LED, £300-ish +

£300 for a light . I didn't pay that much for my bike.

[Ady In Accy]

http://www.aukweb.net/lights/

Geeks guide to everything about cycle lights