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I just read the article on the main website about the 'lighting drone' idea, and while i don't want to be enslaved by skynet, it made me think of an alternative to the usual take on nightriding.
Has anyone ever tried to 'floodlight' a pumptrack or set of jumps/ short trail? I'm thinking the purchase of a few of [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.H0.Xrechargable+floodlight.TRS0&_nkw=rechargable+floodlight&_sacat=0 ]these[/url] would be suitable to light up an area for a few hour's night jumping/sessioning.
As my main riding is the wintery mudbath of the Chilterns, this might provide an alternative and sociable way to get some play on bikes in for a week night. What could possibly go wrong...!?
I haven't illuminated a pump track, but I have tried to illuminate my back yard enough for working on bikes.
It's very difficult.
I used a 500W Halogen (as the units themselves are about £5), so I would imagine that you'd need at least 50W of LED to get something useful.
Then you'll need them from more than one direction. I would think 4 would be a minimum.
I'm sure there'll be someone with more experience, but the lights in my son's school playground are 120W LED each and there are 4 of them for a 5-a-side sized area.
Yup, I was thinking of about 6 lights dowlighting from trees, along with a whole load of camping lanterns and a couple of big bike lights....
I'm not inclined to bother about calculating the wattage too much, i reckon the best thing is to guestimate once i've seen the capacity of one light. I'm just thinking it could be a bit of fun to light up some jumps near to home, or there's a little BMX track nearby.
Of course, I could just outline the track and jumps with rope LED's...? That's be pretty!
Seems like a lot of faff to put up and connect/generate power if it's not a (semi)permanent feature.
I'm assuming you're talking about a public place with access to anyone?
Dig a big hole and store in there? Put them high up in the trees and hope no-one nicks them?
How about some of those roadworks type ones sat on top of a petrol generator?
Tow it in to place on the back of the bike? 😉
Yourself and 3 mates and you've got it sorted then.
Not sure where to source them from (except roadworks obviously, but I couldn't possible condone that).
Nicking a generator from roadworks and towing it in does seem a little overkill, thought it might sort my fitness...
Obviously riding with my lights on is the most straightforward and simple solution, but where's the fun with that? Besides, the idea would be to make it possible to have several riders going at the same time. Lots of headlights might be a bit painful on the retinas.
I reckon rope led's are the way forward;
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Blue on the outside of berms, green on the inside, yellow at the lip of jumps, orange on drops and red for gaps... (not entirely serious suggestion)