Split from Aldi torch light thread....
I thought about one of those but didn't know how to fix it to the bike. Instead, I ordered one of these....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0440339821
They're supposed to be quite good and for just over a fiver include the handlebar bracket and a rear light. Even if it's not up to much as a bike light it'll make a decent torch. Will report back when it arrives.
Saik 5w LED CREE Flashlight Torch Bike
Moderators: Philip Whiteman, Andy Terry
Saik 5w LED CREE Flashlight Torch Bike
Last edited by CakeStop on 13 Oct 2010 23:43, edited 1 time in total.
Eat cake before you're hungry
Crikey, that seems a pretty awesome piece of kit!CakeStop wrote:I thought about one of those but didn't know how to fix it to the bike. Instead, I ordered one of these....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0440339821
They're supposed to be quite good and for just over a fiver include the handlebar bracket and a rear light. Even if it's not up to much as a bike light it'll make a decent torch. Will report back when it arrives.
The only downside is that when it finally arrives it will be the summer.
"You only need two tools: WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape"
Reckon you'll look like a plane coming into land
The £5 torch thingy arrived today, 5 days from despatch in Hong Kong. Compared with my 3 LED Blackburn it's about the same brightness in flashing mode but when fully on it has the same bright centre spot, maybe brighter, but also has a wide halo which is nearly as bright - this is what I really wanted, to get me back through the lanes from the Coach & Horses because I was relying on knowing where all the potholes are. Handlebar bracket looks OK but I haven't tried it on the bike yet. Screws on the bracket are probably the weak point but if they eventually fail it'll still make a good torch.
The £5 torch thingy arrived today, 5 days from despatch in Hong Kong. Compared with my 3 LED Blackburn it's about the same brightness in flashing mode but when fully on it has the same bright centre spot, maybe brighter, but also has a wide halo which is nearly as bright - this is what I really wanted, to get me back through the lanes from the Coach & Horses because I was relying on knowing where all the potholes are. Handlebar bracket looks OK but I haven't tried it on the bike yet. Screws on the bracket are probably the weak point but if they eventually fail it'll still make a good torch.
Eat cake before you're hungry
Tried this out on the road tonight, alongside a 3 LED Blackburn for comparison. With centre beam aimed at road approx 10m ahead it was bright enough to see any pot holes. Sufficient for descending familiar unlit lanes at about 25mph. My only concern was the top of the diffuse halo was above car rooftops but while they all dipped their headlights none didst protest. Not sure about battery life, after about 1hr30min on constant beam, flashing mode was feeble but, bizarrely constant still seemed OK - I'd guess 2 hours max on constant from 3 AAAs. For best effect I combined it with the Blackburn aimed about 5m ahead and slightly to the left with the Saik 10m directly ahead.
Worth a fiver for occasional use on short rides when you need to see where you're going on unlit lanes.
Worth a fiver for occasional use on short rides when you need to see where you're going on unlit lanes.
Eat cake before you're hungry
As I'm sure you're aware, Steve/Rich, the £5/batteries comment wasn't meant to be taken literally. The point is simply that the thing is going to eat a lot of batteries, which has to be a drawback worth weighing up against its obvious advantages.
Rechargeables do clearly save money, but it's worth remembering that they don't deliver the same voltage as the same-size 'ordinaries', so the light will be dimmer. And when I've used them with lights in the past, I've found that (especially the cheaper brands) soon don't deliver juice for anywhere near as long as when they were new.
I appreciate that Steve's only planning occasional use of this light, but, for more regular use, rechargeables have their drawbacks. I used to have a complicated system involving 3 sets of batteries that I circulated, one in the house being charged, one in the lights and one in my saddle bag in case the latter set died mid-ride. It was a heck of a fag, it was vulnerable to disruptions to the normal pattern of life and I was glad when I could stop.
It's a pity that these light manufacturers don't quote more directly comparable data. This light has an impressive wattage, but wattage isn't directly related to brightness. So Steve has to take a plunge and then make his own subjective assessment as to whether the thing is brighter than his other lights. What a buyer could do with, especially when considering a more expensive purchase, is figures on the intensity of the light at a given distance.
Rechargeables do clearly save money, but it's worth remembering that they don't deliver the same voltage as the same-size 'ordinaries', so the light will be dimmer. And when I've used them with lights in the past, I've found that (especially the cheaper brands) soon don't deliver juice for anywhere near as long as when they were new.
I appreciate that Steve's only planning occasional use of this light, but, for more regular use, rechargeables have their drawbacks. I used to have a complicated system involving 3 sets of batteries that I circulated, one in the house being charged, one in the lights and one in my saddle bag in case the latter set died mid-ride. It was a heck of a fag, it was vulnerable to disruptions to the normal pattern of life and I was glad when I could stop.
It's a pity that these light manufacturers don't quote more directly comparable data. This light has an impressive wattage, but wattage isn't directly related to brightness. So Steve has to take a plunge and then make his own subjective assessment as to whether the thing is brighter than his other lights. What a buyer could do with, especially when considering a more expensive purchase, is figures on the intensity of the light at a given distance.
Somebody on YACF reported using one for about 8 hours on steady despite the feeble flash mode. I'd assumed it wasn't going to last much longer but I'll have to wait and see. Like I say, it's only meant to get me to the pub and back once in a while - for regular use it would clearly be worth investing in something better or even a dynamo.
Eat cake before you're hungry