good headlight

[PH]

Some additional reading you may find interesting.
http://www.blayleys.com/articles/lights/page3.htm

The Blayleys seem to have tried every decent dynamo LED available.  There's also a good head to head comparison between the E3 and the Schmidt here;
http://groups.google.com/group/randon/msg/b4d532a197373be3

These links unashamedly pinched from Bikeradar

[Fred A-M]

So the E3 has it, so it seems.  Cheers PH for the good advice, I bought the Supernova solely on your recommendation, although I did purchase blind, going against your advice to try out different models before buying....I am an even happier customer having read these reviews, despite my own experiences telling me that I clearly hadn't wasted any money regardless of the expense.  Intuition is no bad thing! 

[pdamm]

I am currently running an E3 with my old Schmidt E6 secondary connected in series.  I find that over about 20km/hr the E6 casts much more light directly in front of the bike.  The effect is much more pronounced than the photos on Peter White’s site indicate.  It effectively doubles the distance that I can see something that is directly in line with the front wheel.  If it is a little bit off to one side then the E3 picks it up when it gets a bit closer.  I like the wider beam the E3 casts and that it works so well at very low speeds.  Having the E6 left on at very low speeds does make the E3 slightly less bright at those speeds but not enough to worry me.

Peter

[freddered]

To clarify, the standard E3 beam is very different to that of the reflected lights, not necessarily better or worse, but definitely different.  If anything it's more comparable to the Solidlights beam, there's just more of it.

Hi PH.  Would you say there is significantly more of it? 

The Solidlights tend to get lost on wet roads, a bit more brightness would, I suspect, overcome this.

What does your experience tell you about the difference between E3 and Solidlights under such conditions?

[stutho]

Darn it all - PH !!!

I was all ready to part with my cash and buy a IQ Cyo 40, and then you when and tempted me with the E3.  Those links are very interesting reading especially the advice to mount the E3 as low as possible.

I will probably still go with the Cyo but I am swaying!!! 

[PH]

The Solidlights tend to get lost on wet roads, a bit more brightness would, I suspect, overcome this.

That's a tough one.  My perception is that LED lights in general are less effective in the rain than halogens.  I have no explanation for this and it's not something I've seen much discussion on, so it could just be me.  I find the E3 can get lost on wet roads, I doubt I'd find it significantly better than the Solidlights in that respect.  I have halogen and LED battery lights, Vista Nitelight and MiNewt X2 Dual, although the MiNewt is theoretically twice as bright I preferred the Vistas if it's wet.
I've probably said this before - If I had the Solidlights I'd be looking at something to supplement them rather than replace them, just my opinion.

[PH]

I am currently running an E3 with my old Schmidt E6 secondary connected in series. 

Interesting, I might give that a try next time I fancy a change.

[freddered]

If I had the Solidlights I'd be looking at something to supplement them rather than replace them, just my opinion.

I may try a supplementary battery IQ Fly, just for those occasions when I need a bit of additional focussed light thrown out front.  Would be useful to have a non-dynamo light for my other bikes.

Of course my Solidlights don't look as impressive any more, this is the problem with lights, once you know there are brighter lights out there you existing lights suddenly seem rather dim.

[freddered]

Update.

I just bought a B&M IXON IQ and it's superb.

4 x AA rechargeables.

Nor quite as bright as my dynamo-powered Cyo but almost.

[blair]

Update.

I just bought a B&M IXON IQ and it's superb.

4 x AA rechargeables.

Nor quite as bright as my dynamo-powered Cyo but almost.

I've had one of these for over a year and I agree they are superb.

Watch out which rechargeables you buy though. Some of them lose their charge in a couple of days, even with no use.
The Sanyo Eneloop or similar low self-discharge batteries will last a lot longer.
(In summer, I leave the light in my work bag in case I get stuck at work, but usually right home before dark. So it can be a few days between charges.)

I've got the light mounted on a Cat-Eye device which is a brake booster mounted on the canti pivots with the top horizontal and expanded to the same diameter as a handlebar. Looks inelegant, but puts the light where it belongs, just above the front wheel. These mounts seem to have disappeared from the Cat-Eye catalogue.
B&M do a mount for the Ixon which can be attached to the fork crown, but it won't work with cantilever brakes, and would be tricky with V-brakes (except where they are mounted behind the fork, of course.)

[freddered]

Mine's on a Minoura Space-Grip so it's central and just in front of the handlebar stem.  It means I can adjust it up and down as the situation dictates.

I used it on a recent 600km Audax ride and it got me all through the night.  Admittedly I used it on low power setting a lot (where it is still better than my old Cateye light) and saved full power for downhills.

I was carrying a set of Lithium AAs just in case.

[Vintagetourer]

I recently bought a set of Ayup lights and highly recommend them. The brightest, lightest lights I've had in 30 years of cycling. I also have an EL530 Cateye, which though good enough, is quite dim by comparison to the Ayup. The Cateye is fine for commuting. The Ayup (my set is helmet mounted but they are available in a variety of configurations) is ideal for turning pitch-black bush tracks into almost daylight. http://www.ayup.com.au

[rualexander]

B&M do a mount for the Ixon which can be attached to the fork crown, but it won't work with cantilever brakes, and would be tricky with V-brakes (except where they are mounted behind the fork, of course.)

My Ixon IQ fits perfectly well on the B&M fork crown mount with cantilever brakes. Brilliant light.