Road Cycling Essentials

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I saw a bike with some small rubbery stretchy clip-on LED lights. Looked like the rubbery body stretched round the seatpost and hooked onto itself, with a large single LED. Looked ideal for putting round the seatpost, rear upright, or attaching to a helmet. Anyone got any suggestions what they might have been and where to get them? The ones in Evans aren't the same as what I saw.
 
Wasn't a knog. It was literally wrapped round the seatpost and the light came straight out the back of it.

I just invested in a North Face Torpedo jacket. It's sort of somewhere between Goretex and Spandex and very thin. Works very well for me and I didn't sweat in it anywhere near as much as I did in a full waterproof. It's slightly insulating as well, so I can get away with just a long sleeve top underneath in this weather. It's a gruesome colour though :D

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I received my Fenix LD20 torch today at work and used it on the way home. I had it illuminating my path, while my Cateye EL-320 was flashing straight ahead, and I was amazed at how bright this thing was.

The batteries that came with it almost depleted by the time I got home (15-20min right) which I suspect was because the batteries weren't that full of energy anyway. Charging some AA 1700mah batteries now so hopefully these ones will last a bit longer :)

Thanks Jonny69 for your recommendation! Although you did recommend the L2D, but this is the successor.
 
Awesome, really glad you're pleased with it :)

I use these GP ReCyko rechargeable AA's and get two to three 20 minute commutes out of them: http://www.gprecyko.com/

They aren't the highest capacity in the class but they boast a higher number of recharges and don't discharge when they are sat in the drawer, which is a very handy thing in the summer when you only use the front light occasionally. I think I paid about £8 for six on eBay. I don't know if the higher capacity GP batteries have such low self-discharge.

Here we go: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-x-GP-ReCyko-AA-Rechargeable-Batteries-2100-mAh-/290416939190
 
prolly get 2+hours outta the 2700mah ones at 180lumins, similar specs to my fenix L2D. the fenix lights are soo good and reliable :)
 
Probably not quite that long. Mine are 2100mAh and do about 45 mins to an hour on my L2D. Definitely a good run time for the amount of light it puts out and how small the torch is :)
 
My LD20 died on Thursday morning, so I've been forced to rely on the pitiful amount of light produced by a cateye HL-EL135. Thankfully the ice has almost entirely cleared, because I was using the LD20 to help avoid it. It was good while it lasted...
 
Saundie said:
My LD20 died on Thursday morning, so I've been forced to rely on the pitiful amount of light produced by a cateye HL-EL135. Thankfully the ice has almost entirely cleared, because I was using the LD20 to help avoid it. It was good while it lasted...
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What was the lifespan of your torch? Will the spare parts on the fenix website fix it?
 
uvarvu said:
What was the lifespan of your torch? Will the spare parts on the fenix website fix it?
Click to expand...
Bought it in September, used it for about 10 hours before it died. I turned it on and set it to turbo and it just went off. Assuming that it was just flat batteries, I put in some fresh ones, but unfortunately this wasn't the issue. Very disappointed with it, to be honest, however I should be able to get it repaired or replaced under warranty.
 
That's disappointing. I've heard a lot of good things about Fenix's torches so you were probably just unlucky.

Here's a comparison of the EL-320 and the Fenix LD20 for those who might be considering a new light. The phone camera really doesn't do it justice, and the surface I shone it on was only 1.5m away.

Cateye EL-320


Fenix LD20
 
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Saundie said:
Bought it in September, used it for about 10 hours before it died. I turned it on and set it to turbo and it just went off. Assuming that it was just flat batteries, I put in some fresh ones, but unfortunately this wasn't the issue. Very disappointed with it, to be honest, however I should be able to get it repaired or replaced under warranty.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks. I've ordered a fenix torch and a mount as well after reading this thread but before reading your post, just hope it lasts :(
 
BlackDragon, which mode was the LD20 on when you took that photograph? I'm assuming it wasn't turbo mode, but it's hard to tell.
uvarvu said:
Cool thanks. I've ordered a fenix torch and a mount as well after reading this thread but before reading your post, just hope it lasts :(
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As BlackDragon said, I was just unlucky - Fenix torches are highly regarded as reliable and robust, which is the main reason I went for one instead a cheap clone in the first place. I just hope the warranty is honoured.
 
It is in turbo mode, but due to my phone camera being a bit rubbish it has significantly darkened my photo. It is much brighter in real life :)

As I ordered from Fenix directly, they gave this accessory set away for free as it is Christmas. I tried out each attachment and they seem to work:

 
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Back on the road at long last o/.

Although I did come off on a patch of ice that I wasn't looking out for. Will be a careful ride home..
 
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