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Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:23am
by amediasatex
Samuel D wrote:How does the Edelux I compare to the II, in particular for distant illumination? Is there an argument to be made that the old version is better for fast riding in the 30 km/h range? I see the old model is still available for sale in some places at an attractive price.


I dont think the I is actually better for distance, just that it's nearfield is not as good as the II so it appears to have better throw. Does that make sense? ie: the II is as good as the I at distance but also better nearby, so the beam looks more even when compared.

I'm happy using either for fast club training rides at night but I do prefer the II overall, if you were to give me a choice at the same price I'd pick the II every time, but as you say the price differential is quite large...

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:38am
by old_windbag
I know that better waterproofing etc are cited as the benefits of edelux 2 but at £45 I feel my B+M cyo premium is a better buy against £120 for the edelux. My cyo premium has sat on my bike for coming up to 4yrs even when not active if has still been subject to all year conditions as it is on the bike I use throughout winter( low temperatures, driving rain, salt sea air ). The beams are to all intents identical too.

It's a great value light with an excellent beam pattern( full width of c-roads plus the verges ). The luxos which I was tempted by did have features perhaps pwa may like, on the luxos u it had light distribution variation by speed.... sadly they never put that on the lower cost B variant. So I opted for cyo premium and feel it was the right choice.

Edit: oh and I thought the edelux1 was effectively the original cyo with the edelux 2 being equivalent to cyo premium. The beam width is better on cyo premium/edelux2.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:40am
by Samuel D
That does make sense to me, amediasatex. Thanks.

Another question for those who might know: can Busch + Müller lamps cope with being mounted without a mudguard, i.e. in the full spray of the front wheel?

I’m exploring a variety of ways of making my bicycle work better for fast group rides at night. Hardly anyone in the groups I ride with use mudguards, and they’re also a nuisance for me when carrying the bicycle up and down narrow stairways (tyres are great bumpers; mudguards less so).

Every time it rains, I think mudguards are a great idea. Every time it’s dry – most of the time – I wish I didn’t have them. Of course I don’t use the bicycle for commuting.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:43am
by old_windbag
Samuel D wrote:Another question for those who might know: can Busch + Müller lamps cope with being mounted without a mudguard, i.e. in the full spray of the front wheel?


I just mounted my cyo premium on the handlebars( sits slightly below bar ), that would be well out of reach of spray I would have thought? Outside of the spray though it will always get wet.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:51am
by Samuel D
That would probably do the trick, yes. But handlebar space is at a premium on my machine (narrow bars, eTrex 20 for navigation, Cateye for speed/time/distance. I’m thinking of rationalising that too (Wahoo Elemnt Bolt?) but it would be easy to spend a lot of money on something that works worse).

I’ll not hog the thread more. For the record, the SONdelux and IQ Cyo Premium combo is highly effective, even at surprisingly slow speeds. Downsides are that the lamp is fragile (mostly plastic including the lens), a bit cheap looking (certainly compared to the Edelux), and the light is a bit blue (presumably the Edelux II has near-identical spectral power distribution).

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 11:55am
by amediasatex
Hardly anyone in the groups I ride with use mudguards


Filthy animals! Banish them to the back of the group in shame and disgust like any self-respecting clubman would ;-)

I can't comment on B&M longevity in harsh weather but my Edelux(es) appear to be as watertight as they need to be, mine are mounted on the front of my mudguard so still get a little spray from my front wheel, but they all get a good deal of spray from riders in front without guards (and those with them but too short, grrr, do it properly or don't bother!) on group rides and chaingangs.

I think the B&M is the probably the more sensible option as it's the same optics, but I'm happy to hold my hands up and say I jsut like the look of the Edelux more!

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:06pm
by old_windbag
amediasatex wrote:but I'm happy to hold my hands up and say I jsut like the look of the Edelux more!


Sounds as if we need to move down the route of snap on covers as with phones. We can have the "cheap" cyo premium and buy some chrome snap on covers. What bike tarts :lol: . Many dynamo lights look, how can I put it, old fashioned.

Anyway as a light it works :D .

This is the bar mount I bought but there are headset spacer mounts too https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/busch-muller-universal-handlebar-mounting-bracket/

Edit: Samuel my bars have my edge 510, cateye mtb style cycle computer on bars plus the light now. I could move the gps to stem if desired but on my 44cm c-c bars not needed.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:10pm
by amediasatex
old_windbag wrote:
amediasatex wrote:but I'm happy to hold my hands up and say I jsut like the look of the Edelux more!


Sounds as if we need to move down the route of snap on covers as with phones. We can have the "cheap" cyo premium and buy some chrome snap on covers. What bike tarts :lol:


Well one of mine is black, so it's not just about being shiny...
It's the whole package, shape, material etc. it looks nicer, it feels nicer, I prefer it, call me a bike tart or not I don't care :P

If I could get the modern guts of a LED light transplanted successfully into a nice old 50s/60s style housing I would love that :-D

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:11pm
by pwa
I'm thinking of mounting the light on the bars. With the right bracket (quite a few to choose from) I reckon one of the smaller lights can be positioned so it is more or less level with the bar, close to the stem.

Ordinarily I would have been looking at the more usual fork crown mount, which puts the lamp in a nice neat place. But my Thorn Club Tour fork crown is designed to have the guard screwed on directly upwards, meaning there is no hole at the front of the crown. There is a hole at the rear in case you want to attach a guard that way, with a short bolt. If I worked on it I could possibly come up with something using that rear hole and an arm passing between fork crown and guard with a hole for the guard bolt. But then there is the fuss of avoiding the cantis, the straddle wire of which currently bottoms out more or less on the guard. All in all a handlebar mount seems simpler.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:14pm
by amediasatex
IQ-X can be hung, and there is a hanging version of the Edelux II so you could save room by mounting under the bar...

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:20pm
by old_windbag
pwa wrote:But then there is the fuss of avoiding the cantis, the straddle wire


I used the B+M extended fork mount for exactly this( ran under straddle ). It lasted until a couple of months ago when fatigue snapped it in two.... great! So hence I moved to the bar mounting which is much nicer for accessing the light. Also sharing one bolt between light mount and guards etc I felt not optimal when adjusting stuff.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:26pm
by Samuel D
Bar mounting changes the beam pattern (slightly) and additionally puts the axis of illumination closer to your eye’s, reducing the 3D modelling effect. Not sure I’d want that.

My bars are 40 cm, old_windbag. Gives me 4 cm fewer to play with compared to yours. Thanks for your suggestions, by the way.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 12:47pm
by old_windbag
Samuel D wrote:Bar mounting changes the beam pattern (slightly)


I was a little concerned to do this for similar grounds but knowing that b+M actually made a mount for such gave me confidence that it would be ok. It is too, after setting up the light I actually prefer it especially as there is less issue with wheel/mudguard in path of light. So for my use it's turned out fine.

On the mudguard front, there is nothing worse than getting off your bike looking like a dalmation because the person in front chooses not to have mudguards. For wet weather group riding I feel it is considerate to have them.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 2:11pm
by PH
Samuel D wrote:How does the Edelux I compare to the II, in particular for distant illumination? Is there an argument to be made that the old version is better for fast riding in the 30 km/h range? I see the old model is still available for sale in some places at an attractive price.

I have the original and sometimes ride with someone who has a MKII. There is a considerable difference, on just about every criteria the MKII is better. It isn't enough of a difference to tempt me to upgrade, but if buying new I'd pay the extra for it.
I'm at the point where I've dropped out of the lights wars. Along with the Edlux, I also have one of the original Supernovas (Though it had its LED upgraded around 7 years ago) and a decent Nightrider battery light from three models back. It's enough, I'm often tempted to buy newer brighter lights, but I see well enough to ride at the speed I like with what I have now.

Re: Dynamo system choices

Posted: 10 Nov 2017, 2:22pm
by PH
pwa wrote:Very useful. Thanks. So far as beam pattern is concerned, on the dark lanes I have to do acute low speed turns in a couple of places, so I want a useful bit of light going off into the hedges just a few metres in front. A wide beam. I'm okay with that wider area being less intense than the main beam down the road, since it is lighting up something closer. But I don't want to be turning into an unlit patch because my beam is too narrow to deal with it. I'd prefer a slightly less powerful reach down the road if it means a bit wider beam up close.

Doesn't your 2nd battery light deal with this? Or where you thinking of replacing the two you now use with just one?
I don't think there is a light compliant with German regulation that still offers the same kerb to kerb illumination as many battery lights do.
I've not come across a light that emulates the same high/low beam as a motorised vehicle, but it isn't hard to replicate using two lights.