New front lights

[pwa]

Mine is a Mk5 and the lens is clear.

How do you get on with directing the beam so that it doesn't dazzle but lights up dark lanes effectively?

[Tangled Metal]

Most of my lights I move around as I ride. Dark sections I raise the beam a bit. Pointing to the left a bit.

I think I'd like a German standard light. B&M model, what's a decent model that's rechargeable battery fed? Probably too expensive.

[Manc33]

Who remembers these?



The "D" cells those take don't even fit in the charger I have got these days and it charges many different sizes.

Ghetto blaster batteries lol

The LED lights you can get now for £15, back then (late 80's) would have cost probably well over £200 to get that brightness/run time out of it. I remember not that long ago like around 2010 seeing lights at H that were silly prices (over £200) when at the same time China were selling them at under £40. Those same ones that were £40 in China in 2010 are now £15.

[rmurphy195]

Who remembers these?



The "D" cells those take don't even fit in the charger I have got these days and it charges many different sizes.

I do - apart from the weight and the battery-eating capability of the filament bulb, I do remember the nice, big reflectors and lenses, so much more visible from a distance than some of the modern pinpricks. Until the batteries died!

Maybe an LED conversion in these old lamps would be a good idea?

[Mick F]

Mine is a Mk5 and the lens is clear.

How do you get on with directing the beam so that it doesn't dazzle but lights up dark lanes effectively?

The mount is quite adjustable, and you can alter the beam to suit as you ride. Also, the light output can be altered.

Who remembers these?

I do. I had a pair of them.
Excellent lights.

I used NiCad rechargeables and uprated the front bulb.
I commuted for a winter or two with them along unlit dark lanes. Excellent ........ honestly.

[dim]

these Philips bike lights get good reviews (if you can find them as I think they are no longer made):

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/BF48L20BBLX1/saferide-saferide

[pwa]

Who remembers these?



The "D" cells those take don't even fit in the charger I have got these days and it charges many different sizes.

I do - apart from the weight and the battery-eating capability of the filament bulb, I do remember the nice, big reflectors and lenses, so much more visible from a distance than some of the modern pinpricks. Until the batteries died!

Maybe an LED conversion in these old lamps would be a good idea?

I had those and they were dire. I seemed to spend half my life buying batteries for them. The contacts sometimes failed and you were always living with a light that would be dimmer at the end of the ride. I feel no nostalgia for them.

[pwa]

Most of my lights I move around as I ride. Dark sections I raise the beam a bit. Pointing to the left a bit.

I think I'd like a German standard light. B&M model, what's a decent model that's rechargeable battery fed? Probably too expensive.

I think you may be stuck with B&M's AA rechargeable battery lamp, which I imagine means taking batteries out to charge. Is that such a big problem? It does at least mean that the lifespan of your lamp is not limited by the lifespan of the battery.

[Mick F]

I had those and they were dire. I seemed to spend half my life buying batteries for them. The contacts sometimes failed and you were always living with a light that would be dimmer at the end of the ride. I feel no nostalgia for them.

Mine weren't dire at all.

Decent Duracell, then NiCads, uprated front bulb, keep the contacts coated in Vaseline, and Bob's your uncle. Mine were very good indeed. The front one wouldn't get me to work and back, so I invested in another set of NiCads for it ...... one pair to get me in, and another pair to get me home.

I parted with the lights when I bought the excellent Soubitez BB dynamo set ......... since sold on these very pages.

[hemo]

Lezyne do a STZVO range.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-lite-dr ... igodigital

I'm using a STZVO I got from Aliexp cost was about £12-£15 but needs an external battery source, my one is wired to my ebike along with a wired rear light.

[tatanab]

these Philips bike lights get good reviews (if you can find them as I think they are no longer made):

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/BF48L20BBLX1/saferide-saferide

I have one and it is superb. I also have the dynamo version. Mine are some years old and I believe later ones had quality issues. They are now mad by Spanniga as the Axendo 60 USB https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicyc ... ck-461984/

[The utility cyclist]

these Philips bike lights get good reviews (if you can find them as I think they are no longer made):

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/BF48L20BBLX1/saferide-saferide

As above Spanninga took the same light and made them, the ratings as per the Philips were exaggerated for the actual amount of light IMO. I bought a 60Lux and honestly it wasn't much if anything more than my 25Lux Sigma PAVA, the beam was too wide for my liking and wasted light, run time was poor as well.

If one is after a battery light then aside from the Sigma I recommended there is a AAA 28 lux Spanninga on ebay for £15 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spanninga-My ... SwkiZch8M6 I've no idea what the beam is like but they are BS/Svtzo approved AFAIK
Here's a mini test that shows the beam in high/low http://www.cykelportalen.dk/test-spanninga/

[Manc33]

Maybe an LED conversion in these old [Ever Ready] lamps would be a good idea?

It would but they are so bulky. If they remade them 2/3 of the size, clipping in the same way, looking the same, that would be good.

I had a car nudge me off my bike as I was going around a roundabout and I had those lights on my bike at the time, the lights and batteries ended up all over the road... put them back together and they still worked fine. I carried on and went to work as per usual.

[Mick F]

My Exposure Sirius Mk5 ............

I seem to have lost the charging cable.
I had a clear-out of redundant cables and connectors ........... we seem to have had hundreds of them, and the drawer in the livingroom was chocked full!

.......... and no doubt the charging cable went out with them all to the recycling dump.

I see that Evans do them for four quid.
I may do a click and collect next time I'm going into Plymouth.
https://www.evanscycles.com/exposure-us ... e-EV176720

I could have sworn the cable was still connected last time I put the light away. Hopefully it'll turn up.

[gaz]

I've no idea what the beam is like but they are BS/Svtzo approved AFAIK

Brochure (p4) shows it does not have DE-FR approvals (I take that to be Germany-France). Even so the beam shape in your linked review looks useful.