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Now the days are getting shorter, I'm concerned that my lights will fail. Can anyone recommend a cheap pocket sized set?
Mick
Aldi bike deals next Sunday. They've got lights again and they're usually pretty good.
Aldi coming up. Got the £15 front and rear set last year, front worked fine, about an hour on full power, could get away with a lower setting on road.
Depending on what you mean by pocket size, the £20 PX Bobby Dazzler might suit?
I keep a cheap torch and an On One Phaart in the bottom of my backpack. Less than £10. Should probably replace the torch with something with a more road friendly.
Conventional AAA batteries less likely to be flat when you need them than rechargable.
I run two rear lights on the bike one steady one flashing - so I always have one if it fails.
I have the aldi lights - very good
Plenty of options on Aliexpress, similar ones to the OnOne options around half the price they are asking.
I agree with TJ on the 2 lights thing. That way you can see when they are failed, which you can't if they permanently live in your bag. Get different types so the batteries don't go flat at the same rate.
For a tiny front light that really packs a punch look at the Nitecore range
Unsure of how to mount them effectively but they are really well made , and really bright.
Unfocussed / floody so road use could be tricky to get decent thro without blinding oncoming cars
I had a TiP and it was surprising good
Maybe just pick up a cheap Moon Meteor type thing for around £20 for the front. I picked up an Evans own brand rear light as a backup for £13 for similar reasons - just as a get me home kind of thing. That’s also rechargeable.
Yes, I could put more than one set on the bike but I'm frequently riding three different bikes. 😀
You an pre-order the Aldi ones online.
They have some £3 sets which are exactly what I am looking for.
Cheers,
Mick
Just getting back into the early morning commutes with lights routine... Arrived at work just as my front https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/ZXCANOPUSB/jobsworth-canopus-front--rear-light-bundle (or was it the Aldi/Lidl knockoff of same design?) battery died, to dismount and find my rear one's battery was already dead... OOPS!
Must get back to having redundancy lighting and active on the rear, with front one off but ready to use when I see it's required.
So I usually run above rear with my Moon Nebula rear, up front either being above with https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIMSMJ900/magicshine-mj900-1200-lumen-led-bicycle-light or https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIPHSOFL/phaart-strap-on-led-light (which are great as emergency backup lights, just disadvantage of not being rechargeable liek the others, using CR2032).
If you already own an Exposure Joystick for off-road use, adding one of their Micro Redeye plug-in things - https://exposurelights.com/products/bike/accessories/redeye-micro - gives you a neat, one-piece, helmet-mounted back-up light that'll get you home from unexpectedly extended pre-dusk trail rides or main light failure scenarios. The only downside is that the Redeye is stupidly small and easy to lose unless you improvise a way of tethering it to the light - Exposure should sort that.
Not suggesting anyone should buy a Joystick for this reason, but if you own one already, it's not a bad call.
I carry two sets for the same reason and use Moon Meteors for the front...
Very impressed with them, think I paid £30 for the pair from merlin.
That's a similar design to my Magicshine commuter light, in that it has no sideways visibility. The only thing I don't like about mine.