Is this a wind-up

[thirdcrank]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... e#features

Definitely not an April Fool post. Wind-up cycle lamps. I've been thinking of a development of the idea so it could be run from the bike wheel, rather than a winder handle.

[Colin63]

It seems like a sound idea. I have a small wind up torch which I keep in the glove compartment. This looks ideal for urban cyclists who just use their bikes at night to nip to the shops or pop around to a friend's house. I doubt that it's much use for more committed cyclists though and it doesn't say how bright it is. "Super Bright' tells us nothing.

[simonineaston]

Hmm, had me one of them, a couple of years ago... First one died so got another. Good for about 10 minutes per wind-up, on steady. Flashing, you get double. Still, must say that during that 10 minutes it's bright enough to navigate an unlit path, albeit on a moonlight night. The rear lamp stays lit longer than the front - up to 1/2 an hour. 'Course, you can always stop and wind the handle.

[byegad]

I saw two at the weekend. Strictly an emergency light in my opinion, they were also chargeable from the mains.

[reohn2]

The thoughts of having to stop every 30minutes to wind up lights would wind me up!
I don't think theres a market for them as LED's are so efficient,bright, and cheap to run.

[simonineaston]

This interesting, if imperfect, light set (the little rear lamp is connected to the front mount by wire; the front lamp, with it's wind-up handle, slips onto the mount), has now taken up residence in my office desk, waiting for the autumn equinox, when, inevitably, I will get caught out by the advancing hours of darkness...

[glueman]

Why wind up a light with a muscle group cyclist's don't use much when a dynamo can be powered by some huge thighs?

[mw3230]

Why wind up a light with a muscle group cyclist's don't use much when a dynamo can be powered by some huge thighs?

Why would Chris Hoy power a dynamo for me?

[yakdiver]

That is a great idea, now if we could connect it to a wheel we could call it a dy-na-mo

[random37]

These look like toys to me. You could get some proper lights for less.

[kwackers]

If you had a short commute on a BSO and only infrequently needed lights they'd be ideal.

However, almost certainly the battery inside is a chinky one made from boiled rice. It'll work great initially but then having spent all summer in a discharged state you'd be lucky if it would hold the charge for more than a couple of seconds next time you tried to use them.

[reohn2]

........However, almost certainly the battery inside is a chinky one made from boiled rice. It'll work great initially but then having spent all summer in a discharged state you'd be lucky if it would hold the charge for more than a couple of seconds next time you tried to use them.

Which begs the question,if they are so bad (along with many other products ie electric kettles who's element can't be changed when it blows therebye rendering the whole thing useless or sealed for life BB's as another example)should they be sold at all from an enviromental POV?
Just a thought.

[random37]

Absolutely not, IMO. But which company would make things that were durable?

[reohn2]

Absolutely not, IMO. But which company would make things that were durable?

The one's that passed the renewable/servicable/well engineered,enviromentally sustainable(or at least minimising enviromental impact)tests.
What am I saying? that would need some forward/joined up/put the enviroment first thinking,something that capitalism is a stranger to.
Another similar thing is to charge a £1 refundable deposit for every bottle or can whether metal or plastic and make manufacturers recycle them,the streets wouldn't be strewn with them either,but thats way too radical for capitalism.
Makes you wonder who's running the show, it certainly isn't the governments.

[mw3230]

If you had a short commute on a BSO and only infrequently needed lights they'd be ideal.

However, almost certainly the battery inside is a chinky one made from boiled rice. It'll work great initially but then having spent all summer in a discharged state you'd be lucky if it would hold the charge for more than a couple of seconds next time you tried to use them.

Inappropriate expression.