Cycling in and around Birmingham England

Front light recommendations

What it says really.

I am after something that I can use for night time commutes through parks and on towpaths so I need to be able to see as well as be seen. I would also be carrying it as a backup for a dynamo powered lamp on my touring bike.

I had been using a Cateye Nano Shot Plus (600 Lumens although I know that it isn't just about that). I replaced this last year with a Cateye Volt 400 which, based on the Road.cc beam comparison tool seemed to be fit for purpose. The original light had to go as it was no longer holding a charge for long enough.

I don't like the Volt 400 at all as it isn't doesn't give sufficient illumination for my tastes on unlit roads. You can't switch straight from low beam to full beam (you have to go through 3 strobe modes) The switch is a bit small for big gloves The switch keeps on stopping working.

I want something that

1 Gives enough illumination to travel confidently at speed in the dark

2 Is rechargeable via USB

3 Has an internal; battery

4 Switches simply and quickly from full to dip and dip to full

5 Isn't excessively anti social

6 Won't break the bank

I use a single speed bike for commuting, I really like the simplicity of it and I don't want to use a dynamo.

Suggestions?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by On Your Bike on November 9, 2017 at 11:34

Hi Andy

We have these in stock:

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/accessories/lights/fron...

Pop in if you would like a closer look...

Stu

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Permalink Reply by Andrew W on November 9, 2017 at 12:25

But then I will start looking at bikes and we all know where that ends up ...

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Permalink Reply by Keith Dodds on November 10, 2017 at 17:09

Well you do need another bike Andrew

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Permalink Reply by Andrew W on November 11, 2017 at 8:08

I do suffer from a very low threshold between want and need!

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Permalink Reply by Robert on November 12, 2017 at 18:34

On the tow-path on Friday evening I first found myself facing off against someone with one of those fabulously bright torch-like lights. Unable to see where I was going, I had to slow to a crawl, and even then I nearly rode over the edge of the path. Just as my night vision had recovered, I encountered someone with a dimmer, but still bright, flashing front light. Just so everyone knew he was a t**t, he had a second bright flashing light on his helmet. The corollary of all that is this blog post on cycle lighting.

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Permalink Reply by Richard D on November 12, 2017 at 21:16

The light that you are looking for is a Spaninga Axendo 60.

Good shaped beam (permanently "dipped"); USB rechargeable (I slightly prefer the B+M beam pattern of their high-end lamps, but they don't have a good USB rechargeable light); quick/easy to remove, and not too expensive (I think I paid unde £50).

http://www.spanninga.com/products/headlamps/axendo-60-usb/

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Permalink Reply by Andrew W on November 16, 2017 at 10:25

Thanks for that. Can't find a UK stockist but I can get one shipped from Holland. The pictures seem to suggest that it will be fine to go fast with in the dark.

I have also been looking at this. It seems to meet the sociability criteria and I like the ability to go weapons grade at the touch of a button

http://www.ravemen.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&a...

Richard D said:

The light that you are looking for is a Spaninga Axendo 60.

Good shaped beam (permanently "dipped"); USB rechargeable (I slightly prefer the B+M beam pattern of their high-end lamps, but they don't have a good USB rechargeable light); quick/easy to remove, and not too expensive (I think I paid unde £50).

http://www.spanninga.com/products/headlamps/axendo-60-usb/

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Permalink Reply by Kim on November 16, 2017 at 12:34

It's about time someone came out with something like this. I'm a big fan of the StVZO-approved light for normal use with a second, conical, light for a 'main beam'.

Andrew W said:

I have also been looking at this. It seems to meet the sociability criteria and I like the ability to go weapons grade at the touch of a button

http://www.ravemen.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&a...

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Permalink Reply by Robert on November 16, 2017 at 13:20

60 lux should be sufficient for high speed cycling on unlit roads. Mine is 35 lux, and I find it sufficient for riding at speed on unlit paths, but if I had a regular need to ride on unlit roads I would want more illumination (particularly of the area either side of the beam). A dip/main beam switch seems like a very sensible idea for people who spend a significant amount of time on unlit roads.

Andrew W said:

The pictures seem to suggest that it will be fine to go fast with in the dark.

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Permalink Reply by Kim on November 16, 2017 at 13:57

Some of B&M's newer dynamo lights have greatly improved the width of the beam. You can go round corners on a recumbent (where lights are typically fixed to the frame axis, rather than the steering axis) without riding into darkness with an IQ-X. I expect it'll take a while for battery lights to catch up, simply because of the relative popularity of battery vs dynamo in Europe.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Andrews on November 16, 2017 at 13:58

I'm a big fan of the See.Sense range: https://seesense.cc/ not the cheapest but fit your criteria – it's a "smart" light.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew George on November 17, 2017 at 18:09

I agree, Robert. I wish more people would get dipped/dip-able lights. My most recent trip down the towpath around dusk featured about 25 bikes that went the other way, all but four with blindingly bright lights. Each time I had to come to a halt because I couldn't see a thing--in some cases the bike was still 100m away or more at that point. One headlight was so bright that it made the person riding IN FRONT of that bike invisible, never mind the people behind it. Honourable mentions go to the three people with dipped lights (and a somewhat less honourable mention to the person with no lights).

I know we all want to see where we're going, and to be seen by drivers, but a few do seem to be overdoing it.