Spec me some bike lights!

Reza86 · 28 Aug 2013 at 13:05

Ok so I cycle about 6 miles to work and its a pretty varied cycle, the first 2 miles is through the city centre of Leeds, the next 2 miles is along the canal where there is no lighting at all and the last part is down very busy A and B roads which lead to the motorway. So what i'm looking for:

1: Either a set of lights or just one good front light and a standard rear light.
2: Needs to be bright enough along canal paths where there is no lighting.
3: Less than £50

I'm tempted by some of the Knog sets but I think I would need a another front light to go with?

Thanks in advance

[DOD]Asprilla · 28 Aug 2013 at 13:07

For that budget and use you'd need to look at some torches mounted on lockblocks

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/lockblock.html

Vonhelmet · 28 Aug 2013 at 13:43

Search ebay for lights with Cree LEDs. Something like the XM-L T6, and the newer one that's replaced it. Get them shipped over from Hong Kong or wherever. You can get sets on ebay with batteries and mounts and all sorts.

Tom_ed1987 · 28 Aug 2013 at 20:33

I got this recently and it is awesome:

CREE XM-L XML T6 LED Bicycle bike Head Light Headlamp Rechargeable Head Light
£14.99

Couple it with:
Magicshine MJ-818 Cycle rear Bike light + Y splitter cable for MJ 808 872 816
£29.00

Both available from UK Ebay sellers, both run off the single battery pack included with the front light.

Tenuous · 28 Aug 2013 at 23:35

Second the XML recommendation for front light. Halfords were doing a good deal on the Blackburn Mars rear lights recently, very bright with good side vis.

Adam123 · 29 Aug 2013 at 22:19

I use this as my rear light Cateye TL LD610 and it is super bright.

And the older version of this Nite Rider Mako 200L for the front (its good at lighting up a rapey old, unlit, tree covered road at night :-)

)

Both awesome lights imo... the bracket on the front light broke, emailed Nite Rider and they sent me two more brackets (free of charge) within a couple of days.

Adam

Disco Boy · 29 Aug 2013 at 22:29

Adam123 said:
I use this as my rear light Cateye TL LD610 and it is super bright.

The model below (ld600) is also very good, and an absolute bargain at the price.

Draeger · 29 Aug 2013 at 22:31

I have two Ultrafire 502BC Cree torches mounted on Twofish Lockblocks and they are absolutely awesome lights. Not pricey either. Recommended. Soon be time to dig 'em out again for the commute.

lordrobs · 30 Aug 2013 at 23:58

I also use a Lockblock with one of my Fenix torches, normally my P1D as long as I haven't run out of CR123 batteries

At the back I have a fairly basic 3 LED jobbie that really could do with being replaced so I'll keep an eye on this thread for suggestions

I also have a couple of tiny (but surprisingly effective) single LED coin cell lights as backups

MattHep · 2 Sep 2013 at 13:04

+1 For the Cree lights. Cheap and work amazingly well!!

There brighter than my £300 Maxx-d Mk5 light.

Draeger · 2 Sep 2013 at 13:09

I've just grabbed a pair of these Cree Q5 240 lumen lights from a seller on eBay:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200868096027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

For under £12 including bike mounts, a pouch and a rear light it's a bargain. And you get two of them for this price!! I got them to try on my mountain bike as I plan doing some night rides this year once the darker evenings come in. They've been dispatched today so I'll report back on whether they are any good or not once they arrive.

grudas · 2 Sep 2013 at 13:17

Draeger said:
I've just grabbed a pair of these Cree Q5 240 lumen lights from a seller on eBay:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200868096027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

For under £12 including bike mounts, a pouch and a rear light it's a bargain. And you get two of them for this price!! I got them to try on my mountain bike as I plan doing some night rides this year once the darker evenings come in. They've been dispatched today so I'll report back on whether they are any good or not once they arrive.

had them for over a year

not a bad set tbh, rear light went straight to the bin tho ;D

18650 batteries also help in them..

VeNT · 2 Sep 2013 at 22:16

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fibre-flare-ultimate-safety-rear-tail-light-single/

Adam123 · 3 Sep 2013 at 00:02

Draeger said:
I've just grabbed a pair of these Cree Q5 240 lumen lights from a seller on eBay:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200868096027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

For under £12 including bike mounts, a pouch and a rear light it's a bargain. And you get two of them for this price!! I got them to try on my mountain bike as I plan doing some night rides this year once the darker evenings come in. They've been dispatched today so I'll report back on whether they are any good or not once they arrive.

I'll check back for your thoughts on these... Seems like a good deal for £12.

Draeger · 5 Sep 2013 at 10:27

Lights arrived this morning. First impressions are good, half decent build quality and for the price it is a fairly comprehensive pack with the bar mounts, battery adaptors and the extension pieces to allow the use of 18650 rechargeable cells. The lights come in a little nylon pouch each too which although not really applicable to biking its a nice wee touch.

Just charging up a pair of 18650 batteries and then I'll fire them up and see what sort of output they give in comparison to my Ultrafire 501's.

uv · 5 Sep 2013 at 11:46

Adam123 said:
I'll check back for your thoughts on these... Seems like a good deal for £12.

I've had the same lights in the past. The mount for the rear light snapped on the first day, and the glass lens on one of the fronts fell out on the second.

Still, they're cheap!