Thorn Cycles Forum
Technical => Lighting and Electronics => Topic started by: jags on August 13, 2015, 10:39:14 pm
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This is some set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU.
any thoughts lads love to set up my dolan with new front dynamo wheel and a pair of the premium lights .
anto
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Real pleased with the beam on my B&M Cyo Premium, Anto.
I see no reason why your bike couldn't be setup with a front wheel laced around a dynohub and powering one or more LED dyno lights.
All the best,
Dan.
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I see no reason why your bike couldn't be setup with a front wheel laced around a dynohub and powering one or more LED dyno lights.
All the best,
Dan.
Dan mentioned more than one light. If you try to power two lights, I did that but I used two lights wired in series, both lights were identical specification. If wired in series, both lights will consume identical amount of current. So, if you mix and match and they do not have the same current draw, your results may be poorer than you want.
Also, with two lights I had a higher minimum speed to get useable light than with one light.
Regarding the B&M light you are looking at, I have no opinion. I am quite happy with the new AXA Luxx 70 Plus I got.
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cheers lads quick replys im very impressed ,
few years back i done a fair bit of night riding ,i use battery lights 2 excellent lights but at full power 2 hours i'd say is max , now 2 of those premium cyo would be fantastic i reckon..
i had the shimano dynamo hub on the sherpa worked great btw is the son hub better.
thanks lads
anto.
good deal here.......http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m-lumotec-iq-cyo-premium-t--senso-plus-front-headlamp/aid:709237
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i had the shimano dynamo hub on the sherpa worked great btw is the son hub better.
Anto, the Shimanos (there is a range available) are very workable, as Andre will quickly tell you.
Shutter Precision makes a series of nice dynohubs also. Early versions suffered from bearing problems, but these seem to have been sorted long since.
I use and prefer the SON series for their low drag both on and off, for their high-quality sealed bearings, and for their pressure-compensating mechanism (a small hole in the center of the axle), which Shutter has advised in correspondence is missing on their present models. The SONs seem better suited for my use in some more extreme circumstances and I have been happy with them, but they are more expensive than Shimano and Shutter.
When you look at dynohubs, be sure to check output. Some models have lower output and are intended for powering only LEDs, while others will also power or charge gadgets through an adapter. I have been fortunate to find my setups will provide light while charging some gadgets; it depends on their electrical demands.
You could always go back and duplicate the setup you had on your Sherpa and come out very nicely. The recommendations from then are still good for a high-value setup.
All the best,
Dan.
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cheers Dan just window shoping as usual,still good to know what makes for a great set up ;)
anto.
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If you want the brighter dynamo light, get the new Schmidt Edelux II
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/choosing-your-headlight/
Beam shot from Peter White Cycles
(http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/Lights/sch-edelux-II-800.jpg)
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This is some set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU.
any thoughts lads love to set up my dolan with new front dynamo wheel and a pair of the premium lights .
Eh? Those Ixons are battery lamps. And very impressive battery lamps too. I don't see why with seven and a half hours of use out of a battery lamp you'd want to fit a dyno wheel on a road bike. With that kind of battery life, a dynohub is just dead weight you have to haul around all year for the few fine evenings when you can ride after dark.
The dynamo equivalents of the Ixons are the Cyo lamps.
Nor do I see that you need two of either. The Cyo, which I have in both the original version and as an e-lamp with the third series reflector in the Fly body, puts out more light onto the road than a VW Beetle did in the 6V days, and the Premium does better still. Two together would just be an irritation to drivers. As it is I keep my Cyo, currently on my bike, aimed somewhat towards the hedge and just tilt the handlebars to give a driver a brush below window level if he is stupid, and if he remains stupid I tilt the bars again to sweep the light through his eyes; nobody is stupid three times...
About the comparison between the SON and the Shimano hub dynamos: if the thing puts out the right voltage and current, for the practical purposes of 99.999% of riders, including tourers, and certainly including all road bikers, you can buy Shimanos for the entire family for the price of one SON, and not notice the difference. I have SON and a couple of grades of Shimano going back to the previous century, and it is just as well I got my SON compulsorily included in the spec of my Shimano-free (code for "We buy only German components") Utopia for "free", because I've long since concluded that a SON for most cyclists is ostentatious consumption, one-upmanship, and I'd hate to stand revealed as a hypocrite.
You have to put your mind around two facts:
Today LEDs produce more light for less current.
Today batteries weigh less and produce more current.
These two facts together mean that for the vast majority of cyclists hub dynamos are no longer as attractive as once they were, and for many they're dead weight and unnecessary expense.
Frankly, if I were starting over specifying my bike, I'd buy a lamp like this one as my lighting system
(http://gloimg.gearbest.com/gb/201301/goods-img/1357500190765-P-581411.jpg)(http://gloimg.gearbest.com/gb/201301/goods-img/1357500191644-P-581411.jpg)
-- for which I paid the grand sum of €10.65 landed at my door. And this to fix it to the bike
(http://gloimg.gearbest.com/gb/2014/201404/goods-img/1396891205682-P-1571059.jpg)
for another couple of quid, total 13 Euro and change for a complete lightweight, adaptable, instantly removable installation.
Don't be tempted to buy the stronger T6 lamp instead of the Q5: it will be too strong.
This particular lamp, primarily a hunting lamp I bought on its spec, also has a half-power mode, and an intermittent flash mode, which is what I want it for: I use it for a daylight running blinkie, and it serves as redundant backup if my other light system should break, but it would make a superb primary lamp system. Unfortunately it appears too strong to use as nighttime front blinkie though I plan to experiment with turning it to face the road and see how that works..
I'd like to find a lamp precisely like it with a red LED to use as a rear blinkie. As a red lamp it would be a bit stronger than the Dinotte 400 of fond memory, and like the Dinotte I would keep it turned down to the road to light up the entire bicycle and rider in a flickering glow of moving red light that no one can miss.
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That loooks very interesting Andre. Its available for £2.89 here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cree+q5&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=o97NVc3QOYXtarf7mNgF#q=cree+q5&tbm=shop&spd=1978965628839672817
Yours, as pictured, comes with a case though.
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That loooks very interesting Andre. Its available for £2.89 here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cree+q5&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=o97NVc3QOYXtarf7mNgF#q=cree+q5&tbm=shop&spd=1978965628839672817
Yours, as pictured, comes with a case though.
Mmm, in sterling it cost me £7.88. http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_6175.html But I also got an 18650 lipo battery and a charger for it. You won't get a whole lotta hours on the road trying to drive the cheaper versions with a single AA NIMH cell.
But I'll admit the big secret: I chose that version to get the case to carry my watercolour paints in...
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Ahh Andre you burst my bubble, here i was dreaming of a great light system and u recommend a feckin torch i'm very disappointed :'(
if i bought another cateye like the one im using it would be better than any dynamo system for lighting up the dark country road but the problem is charging them up after every ride,well maybe not so much a problem more hassle .
ah ok feck it im not going to get a new wheel or lights totally gone off that plan. :-[
think i'll buy a 99 instead.
anto. :o
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think i'll buy a 99 instead.
The one in which the ice-cream man sticks a chocolate Flake? I haven't had one of those in decades...
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i had the shimano dynamo hub on the sherpa worked great btw is the son hub better.
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Better can be defined many ways. This article was one of the pieces of research I did before I bought my SP hub. Very good info here:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/file/public/feature-hub-dynamos.pdf
I have been very happy with my SP PV-8. When I bought it they were very hard to find with no distributor chain in USA, I bought it on Ebay from Taiwan. But there now is a better distribution chain established.
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I'd like to find a lamp precisely like it with a red LED to use as a rear blinkie. As a red lamp it would be a bit stronger than the Dinotte 400 of fond memory, and like the Dinotte I would keep it turned down to the road to light up the entire bicycle and rider in a flickering glow of moving red light that no one can miss.
Andre.
Although I don't cycle at night I like to have a red blinkie for safe riding the lanes during the day. I bought and have been using for several months now a Cree 3 Watt LED rear bike light. I wanted a bright light and the Cree certainly delivers that at 120 Lumens. I'm very impressed with the quality of the lamp, the body is aluminium, much superior than most other bike lights from the likes of Cateye etc.
Id
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Jags,
This might help you get one for a snip, then practice your wheel building skills.
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=99350&sid=5291f22559e76e2f15705e34f2e7cfa2
I was swithering on buying it myself but I'd rather a 36 hole.
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Thanks for the link macspud but honest it would drive anto nuts trying to sus out the rim the spokes the nagging from the wife just would not be worth the agro.
i think if i were to buy a bracket for my head tube and another cateye light mount the two just under the handlebars it would be sorted.
wonder tho is that bush n muller from rose bikes better than my cateye .
i like night riding it's amazing how many guys you would meet with the same idea , midnight i think the eigets come out at night me being one ;D ;D
anto.
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I've got an Ixon IQ Premium battery lamp, it gives basically the same light output as the Cyo Premium. Advantages of a good battery lamp over hub generator lighting as I see it :
- it can be quickly swapped between bikes if you have several, so is much cheaper.
- it can be used as a very good torch. Night time shrimping and professional use on nocturnal amphibian surveys are two non-cycling activities I have used it for.
- if you are concerned about weight it can be left at home for daylight only rides.
But I prefer hub generator lighting and have progressively converted nearly all the family bikes to this type of lighting, despite the additional cost. Advantages of hub generator lighting as I see it :
- it is always there, so I never get caught out on a daylight ride that turns out longer than expected.
- no hassle with regular battery charging. I found this worse in summer, as I would often forget. In winter it was more of a routine, charging the front and rear lamp batteries every weekend for the following week's commute.
- it can be turned on in bad weather conditions and used indefinitely with no worries about discharging the batteries on long rides. I did this fairly often on my 2011 tour, to increase visibility while riding in dull, rainy conditions on several days on the homeward leg of the tour.
Nowadays I often leave my bike lamps on all the time with the aim, similar to motorcyles, of being slightly more visible to motorists. Decent hub generators and LED lamps are so efficient that I don't really notice the difference riding with lights on or off.
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Martin if i could afford it (i can't) i would have a set up like the video i posted but until then its the cateye ;)
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Thanks for that recommendation, Id. Do you have a link or a model or vendor name?
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Not sure if I mentioned this before. Old timers disease?
I bought a pair of second hand Bromptons recently, which were already equipped with Shimano dynamos and B&M Lyt headlamps and Spaninga tail lamps. The Spaningas have a stand light function, but the Lyts don't. The Lyt also has one of the worst spreads I've ever seen in ANY light, and riding down a quiet, poorly lit backstreet gives you a rectangular hot spot about the size of an A3 or A2 page, which dazzles your eyes and prevents you from seeing anything outside this beam. I don't know why Brompton have chosen this arrangement (other than the Lyt is appropriately tiny), as the light is already so close to the ground that you really need the widest field you can get.
The Shimano and lights add approx. 440g to the weight of the bike, which is substantial with a Brompton. (These bikes also have titanium sub frames and forks, which is a hideously expensive way to save about 700g!)
Anyway, I'm not at all happy with the Lyt, so looking at my options. I could upgrade the headlight to an Eyc or a Luxos B, and the taillight to a Toplight Line Plus BrakeTec (my favourite)., and live with the Shimano. I could also swap out the Shimano hub for an SP, which is lighter and better quality.
Prior to reading this thread, I hadn't considered battery lights, but that is now a serious option, and the lightest, although perhaps not the cheapest. ::)
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Running your headlights in daylight is of some value I find.
B&M Cyo headlight (older model) - as bright as a car headlight in my comparative observations.
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u666/petesig26/Weekend%20on%20the%20Grand%20Ridge%20Road%20No%202/P1030556_zps0868058f.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/petesig26/media/Weekend%20on%20the%20Grand%20Ridge%20Road%20No%202/P1030556_zps0868058f.jpg.html)
Supernova E3 at about 300m distant, on a desert road
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u666/petesig26/Stray%20shots/DSCN0834_zps436ccacd.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/petesig26/media/Stray%20shots/DSCN0834_zps436ccacd.jpg.html)
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Running your headlights in daylight is of some value I find.
Yes. On my last bicycle trip to the UK I had a Brompton with SON dynamo and Cyo. Weather was overcast/rainy, so I left the lights on all the time. In narrow lanes cars would often pull in to wait for me, I'm fairly certian they wouldn't have done this so often without the bright front lamp.
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Running your headlights in daylight is of some value I find.
Yes. On my last bicycle trip to the UK I had a Brompton with SON dynamo and Cyo. Weather was overcast/rainy, so I left the lights on all the time. In narrow lanes cars would often pull in to wait for me, I'm fairly certian they wouldn't have done this so often without the bright front lamp.
You notice that people notice daylight running lamps not only on bicycles but on motorbikes and cars as well. It may just be that they see it as consideration, and consideration breeds consideration. Every little bit helps.
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Jags,
This might help you get one for a snip, then practice your wheel building skills.
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=99350&sid=5291f22559e76e2f15705e34f2e7cfa2
I was swithering on buying it myself but I'd rather a 36 hole.
Well Jags, it was snapped PDQ, sold a couple of hours after I linked to it. If I come across any battery lights at interesting prices, I'll let you know.
i like night riding it's amazing how many guys you would meet with the same idea , midnight i think the eigets come out at night me being one ;D ;D
anto.
I also like night riding, hills seem easier at night as you just keep plodding away without being able to see just how much further you need to climb. I usually find that I get to the top before I am expecting to when it's dark.
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Cheers Macspud 8)
jags.
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Thanks for that recommendation, Id. Do you have a link or a model or vendor name?
Andre.
I purchased from Am-Tech, AMTECHTOOLS.com stock code S8076, £18.20 + £4.95 shipping & handling. I've since found the light on Amazon.uk for £17.37 free delivery.
Id.
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Thanks! How long does such a powerful lamp last on 3xAAA?
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Thanks! How long does such a powerful lamp last on 3xAAA?
Andre.
The batteries that came with the lamp lasted approx 16hrs. I've just fitted some Duracell batteries and expect these to last longer.
Id.
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Hi,
I have a front wheel 700 x 36h with a Shimano DH3 N72 dyno hub it has stainless spokes and a nearly new Schwalbe Marathon tyre everything in great condition if any one is interested. I bought the wheelset but only wanted the rohloff, as I already have a son28. Pm me if interested.
Regards Alf
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yeah i'd be interested alfie will it take 25mm tyre. mind u it depends on the price im very carefull with my money seen as i dont have much of it ;)
anto
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Hi Anto
will send you PM
Alfie
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;) cheers Alfie
anto.
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But I'll admit the big secret: I chose that version to get the case to carry my watercolour paints in...
Andre,
Would you be so kind as to measure the inside dimemsions of that box for me? I've just bought an old dial indicator gauge that is in need of some sort of case for safe keeping. That box may be just the ticket. It would also give me a good excuse to buy that torch too.... ;)
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That loooks very interesting Andre. Its available for £2.89 here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cree+q5&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=o97NVc3QOYXtarf7mNgF#q=cree+q5&tbm=shop&spd=1978965628839672817
Yours, as pictured, comes with a case though.
Mmm, in sterling it cost me £7.88. http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_6175.html But I also got an 18650 lipo battery and a charger for it. You won't get a whole lotta hours on the road trying to drive the cheaper versions with a single AA NIMH cell.
But I'll admit the big secret: I chose that version to get the case to carry my watercolour paints in...
Andre did you buy from that site in the states.can that exact same lght be bought here.
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But I'll admit the big secret: I chose that version to get the case to carry my watercolour paints in...
Andre,
Would you be so kind as to measure the inside dimemsions of that box for me? I've just bought an old dial indicator gauge that is in need of some sort of case for safe keeping. That box may be just the ticket. It would also give me a good excuse to buy that torch too.... ;)
165x105x40mm approx inside measurement, of which some is taken up by the removable foam lining. You can also buy the box alone, in two sizes, at http://www.gearbest.com/duffel-bags/pp_104970.html and http://www.gearbest.com/other-camping-gadgets/pp_111310.html; if you search Gearbest for "waterproof box" you'll probably find more colors -- mine is green.
I don't think the torch will be useful on its flash mode at night, because it is too strong. Even in daylight I have it turned down to the road, so drivers just see the edge of it, which is enough. But it will do brilliantly on lonely dark roads to light up the trees that try to knock me off my bike, and as an emergency lamp.
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That loooks very interesting Andre. Its available for £2.89 here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cree+q5&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=o97NVc3QOYXtarf7mNgF#q=cree+q5&tbm=shop&spd=1978965628839672817
Yours, as pictured, comes with a case though.
Mmm, in sterling it cost me £7.88. http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_6175.html But I also got an 18650 lipo battery and a charger for it. You won't get a whole lotta hours on the road trying to drive the cheaper versions with a single AA NIMH cell.
But I'll admit the big secret: I chose that version to get the case to carry my watercolour paints in...
Andre did you buy from that site in the states.can that exact same lght be bought here.
I think Gearbest is in China, Anto. However, though I got an 18650 lipo battery, a charger and a case with my lamp (together not overpriced but not cheap either), you can get it cheaper, though in a version that uses AA batteries which won't last nearly as long. Swings and roundabouts.
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Cheers Andre ah its looks great but i'll stick to what i have untili can afford to change.
mind you what im using is pretty good .
thans Andre
Anto.
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Thanks Andre. :)
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I just bought a Cree Q5 which uses a 18650 battery. I was so impressed with it I bought a second. I now have proper headlights on my bike so no excuse for a driver not to see me anymore :)
P.S. I have made sure they point towards the ground and have adjusted the beam zoom so that I won't dazzle anyone.
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I have made sure they point towards the ground and have adjusted the beam zoom so that I won't dazzle anyone.
<nods> This is very thoughtful and a wise precaution, as a light-dazzled oncoming driver might not be able to see well enough to miss a rider or other obstacle an it would be horrible to be the unwitting but proximate cause of an accident. I have been dazzled as a driver and -- Boy! -- it hurts, and I've lost valuable seconds while my eyes recovered from the extreme glare.
Symmetrical beams can require particular care in this regard, as they lack the upper cutoff of a "capped" beam. I have a 2-watt white LED blinky used not to see with, but to be visible (in conjunction with my IQ Cyo R and Premium lights) and I have to take care it is aimed downward. Locally, drivers have come to recognize cyclists in daytime by high-viz, neon yellow-green jerseys and jackets and at night by white and red LED blinkys -- to the point where both are almost mandatory if one is to be seen and recognized as a cyclist in the traffic stream.
All the best,
Dan.
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Thanks! How long does such a powerful lamp last on 3xAAA?
Andre.
The batteries that came with the lamp lasted approx 16hrs. I've just fitted some Duracell batteries and expect these to last longer.
Id.
Andre.
An update, the Duracell batteries have just given up the ghost. Checking back the 16 hours I quoted was incorrect. The 3 AAA batteries at best last 10 hours.
Id.
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id is that 10 hours on full beam.i'd like to get a couple of those cree lights if there as good as u guys make out it would surly be well worth it.
anto.
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id is that 10 hours on full beam.i'd like to get a couple of those cree lights if there as good as u guys make out it would surly be well worth it.
anto.
Anto
The Cree 3 Watt has three settings, the first is full beam, the next is slow intermittent and the last is fast intermittent. The 10 hours was on the latter setting. Most of my rides last about 2.5 hours so the batteries last 4 rides which is not long but the qualitity of the lamp is excellent and clamps to the seat post rigidly so I'm prepared to compromise.
Id
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Thanks! How long does such a powerful lamp last on 3xAAA?
Andre.
The batteries that came with the lamp lasted approx 16hrs. I've just fitted some Duracell batteries and expect these to last longer.
Id.
Andre.
An update, the Duracell batteries have just given up the ghost. Checking back the 16 hours I quoted was incorrect. The 3 AAA batteries at best last 10 hours.
Id.
Even ten hours sounds pretty good for such a powerful lamp; a few years ago we would have considered it absolutely great to get ten hours from a bicycle battery lamp. It's just that a) I want to get away from AAA's, having just trashed a front blinkie that used the last AAA on my bike and b) my current rear lamp, a Cateye TL-LD1100, goes a 100 hours plus (that's more than a hundred hours with two zeroes) on 2x AA batteries. I want both a stronger lamp than the Cateye, which has been the best available for many years but is now a bit outmoded, and a lamp that runs longer on its batteries.
Still, I pretty faithfully take the motor battery off the bike for charging after every ride, and I'll probably have to charge the 18650 for the front blinki every few rides, so I may as well include the rear blinkie in the routine.
For those who want to know what happened to my BUMM Cyo and Line Plus lamps, they're on the bike, permanently on, but I like having a blinkie front and rear as well, as a bicycle signature. I just wish I could buy a proper blinking lamp that would plug into the hub dynamo or 36V motor battery system.
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As previously mentioned, I now have two of the Cree Q5s - I was so impressed with the first I bought a second. I was actually only going to buy one to replace a Lenzyne Superdrive that I still have. The Lenzyne light is very bright but only lasts for around two hrs, max brightness, on a 18650 battery. The Lenzyne cost me over £90 when I bought it a couple of years ago. But to be honest there really isn't much difference between the brightness of the Cree and the Lenzyne - not to justify the difference in price anyway. So if I can get a lot more than 2 hrs battery life from the Cree, all in all, I will be a very happy man.
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Locally, drivers have come to recognize cyclists in daytime by high-viz, neon yellow-green jerseys and jackets and at night by white and red LED blinkys -- to the point where both are almost mandatory if one is to be seen and recognized as a cyclist in the traffic stream.
I have taken to using solely solid (non-flashing) lights. It ensures drivers mistake me for a (slow) motorbike. In my local area if the drivers know you are on a bicycle they tend to take impolite and unsafe liberties.
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Locally, drivers have come to recognize cyclists in daytime by high-viz, neon yellow-green jerseys and jackets and at night by white and red LED blinkys -- to the point where both are almost mandatory if one is to be seen and recognized as a cyclist in the traffic stream.
I have taken to using solely solid (non-flashing) lights. It ensures drivers mistake me for a (slow) motorbike. In my local area if the drivers know you are on a bicycle they tend to take impolite and unsafe liberties.
Daytime I use flashing red light to rear. Night time constant on so that they can get better depth perception which is very hard to estimate on a flashing light. Sometimes I have run one flashing and one constant on at night.
To the front, I never use flashing.