LIGHTS MEGATHREAD - all questions on riding lights asked and answered here!!!
- Thread starter Oracle
- Start date
The Duckmeister
Has a juicy midrange
Battery pack mounted under top tube, tucked up as tight in the head corner as possible, one strap in front of the gear cable guide to stop battery slipping backward
Helmet light runs off either fully-contained battery or if needed plug-in piggyback battery which goes in the pack.
Helmet light runs off either fully-contained battery or if needed plug-in piggyback battery which goes in the pack.
bowtajzane
Likes Dirt
Bar light battery velcroed on top of stem, helmet light battery
in backpack, helps to have 70mm or longer stem. ....
Try a couple of different positions to see what feels the best. ....
Unclefeet, nice bike. .......
in backpack, helps to have 70mm or longer stem. ....
Try a couple of different positions to see what feels the best. ....
Unclefeet, nice bike. .......
rowdyflat
chez le médecin
Its old school but if the leads are long sit an old cut off water bottle in the bottle holder, if the frame allows it , on seat or down tube .
Most batteries will fit there with or without a strap.Unless your bike is house trained it can be recharged in position at an outside powerpoint .
For short rides most batteries + lights are together in one unit on handle bar so no tree snagging.
Just use electric tape first on the bar for grip then clamp on the narrow section of the bar so they wont twist.
Most batteries will fit there with or without a strap.Unless your bike is house trained it can be recharged in position at an outside powerpoint .
For short rides most batteries + lights are together in one unit on handle bar so no tree snagging.
Just use electric tape first on the bar for grip then clamp on the narrow section of the bar so they wont twist.
I run twin Ayups that the Mrs bought me for my birthday because she didn't trust the ebay cheapies I was using to not leave me stuck mid-ride.
One mounted on the centre of the bar with battery under the stem, very effective
Other on the helmet with battery on the back of the helmet.
This one is particularly useful when loading the car post ride, because I can pack EVERYTHING (including searching through camelback for car keys) before removing helmet. When I used to put the battery in the camelback I had to disconnect the cable to be able to take camelback off and search for keys, which meant searching in the dark.
Also came in handy when a mates lights died mid-ride, quick helmet swap and we were both away again.
One mounted on the centre of the bar with battery under the stem, very effective
Other on the helmet with battery on the back of the helmet.
This one is particularly useful when loading the car post ride, because I can pack EVERYTHING (including searching through camelback for car keys) before removing helmet. When I used to put the battery in the camelback I had to disconnect the cable to be able to take camelback off and search for keys, which meant searching in the dark.
Also came in handy when a mates lights died mid-ride, quick helmet swap and we were both away again.
Attachments
climberman
Likes Dirt
Batteries
Folks I've been successfully using some el cheapo lights for a year or so.
I want to grab some additional batteries.
As I have NFI as to where I got the lights from now, any ideas on a place to grab some battery packs? Ebay, jaycar, I dunno even what I'm looking for!
the charger tells me
Input: 100-240Vac 50/60Hz
Output 8.5VDC/1.8A
Cheers.
Folks I've been successfully using some el cheapo lights for a year or so.
I want to grab some additional batteries.
As I have NFI as to where I got the lights from now, any ideas on a place to grab some battery packs? Ebay, jaycar, I dunno even what I'm looking for!
the charger tells me
Input: 100-240Vac 50/60Hz
Output 8.5VDC/1.8A
Cheers.
pharmaboy
Eats Squid
G'day, I just buy batteries from http://www.mtbrevolution.com.
More expensive, but known quality and he's local so gets them to you in a day or 2 - the soft pack is also superior to the magic shines etc
More expensive, but known quality and he's local so gets them to you in a day or 2 - the soft pack is also superior to the magic shines etc
climberman
Likes Dirt
cheers pharmacy, will check them out.
Any others?
Any others?
stoo
Likes Dirt
I pulled the velcro off my night riding lid recently to fit a Sony cam mount. Now unable to fit my lights with the Velcro I made an alu. jigger to suit the Sony mount, all pretty stable and adjustable but sitting up a little high.
Anyhoo it looks like this.....
Parts ready to weld up.
All done, does the job.
Anyhoo it looks like this.....
Parts ready to weld up.
All done, does the job.
Holy Beelzebub!! That looks like some serious overkill IMO. That Alu mount may be light relative to steel and such but it's still going to have weight in it and the considerable height you've got it all sitting at is going to increase the effect that weight has on the helmet. Lastly, the higher the item the more chance it can catch on a branch or something and reef your head backwards.
Batteries - you can buy the rechargeable packs from the many ebay sellers that retail Solarstorms and similar el cheapos. I bought one a while back myself.
Batteries - you can buy the rechargeable packs from the many ebay sellers that retail Solarstorms and similar el cheapos. I bought one a while back myself.
I do like the idea of the clip on base though, might think of doing something similar myself.
I also have the lights with the bar-mount metal molding. I'm picturing something like just the horizontal tubing - or even a cross section of it clipping on to the base some how to retain adjustability but to reduce weight and height.
I also have the lights with the bar-mount metal molding. I'm picturing something like just the horizontal tubing - or even a cross section of it clipping on to the base some how to retain adjustability but to reduce weight and height.
Has anyone considered using a power bank 10000 mAh you can buy for recharging phones and the like? Tape her up to 9's, get old USB cable source the DC power wires and Jig that up to the provided wire with the lights. I might have to trial this, $36 for lights and $30 for the bank plus 20 minutes worth of life hacking and you can get and extra 3600 mAh. Please warn me if death is immanent.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EXTERNAL...AU_MobilePhoneAccessories&hash=item1c4a20893e
This little rig also has a chip to decide how much juice your device needs and changes the output accordingly. How helpful this will be to lights i do not know.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EXTERNAL...AU_MobilePhoneAccessories&hash=item1c4a20893e
This little rig also has a chip to decide how much juice your device needs and changes the output accordingly. How helpful this will be to lights i do not know.
Last edited:
sufferthesinglespeed
Likes Dirt
My first pair of el-cheapos came with two head torch type set ups. I just cut the straps off one and velcro it to my helmet.
Works a treat and I generally just leave it on all the time.
Lights mount the same way as to the bars, easy peasy.
Mine are the magicshine style knockoffs, 1600Lm I think, and have so far been faultless over the last 18mths or so. Battery life has been great, never run out on a ride. Generally we are out for 1.5-2hrs and I run them on high on the trail, only low on the roads.
I bought a cheap solarstorm recently, claimed 5000Lm, which puts out a lower light than the old ones I had. Throws a good spread though.
All three lights together have cost less than $110 combined. I'd call that a bargain.
Mate has some Ay-ups he bought a few years back, roughly $400ish I think he said. I've never used them but they do look quality and the build and packaging is great. Even got in touch with him when they upgraded the lens. That's service.
But I've still got three lights for his one pair at a quarter of the price.
Works a treat and I generally just leave it on all the time.
Lights mount the same way as to the bars, easy peasy.
Mine are the magicshine style knockoffs, 1600Lm I think, and have so far been faultless over the last 18mths or so. Battery life has been great, never run out on a ride. Generally we are out for 1.5-2hrs and I run them on high on the trail, only low on the roads.
I bought a cheap solarstorm recently, claimed 5000Lm, which puts out a lower light than the old ones I had. Throws a good spread though.
All three lights together have cost less than $110 combined. I'd call that a bargain.
Mate has some Ay-ups he bought a few years back, roughly $400ish I think he said. I've never used them but they do look quality and the build and packaging is great. Even got in touch with him when they upgraded the lens. That's service.
But I've still got three lights for his one pair at a quarter of the price.