http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Lights en Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:23:08 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230218 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 19:18:25 +0000 gembo 230218@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Brompton folding - my record so far is did not finish </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230209 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 17:39:19 +0000 Arellcat 230209@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Do people not just find that wearing a cap (or peaked helmet?) solves all oncoming light problems?</em></p> <p>On the roads, in the wintertime drizzle, in a torpedo, no. :-(</p> <p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/AE7GEN"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/626/22747464442_91fdf09e63.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="https://flic.kr/p/AE7GEN">Blinding</a></p> <p><em>a Brompton folding competition</em></p> <p>My record at Biketrax last year was 7.49 seconds I think. It's hard to imagine how to shave off another two seconds, but apparently it can be done. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230208 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 17:38:12 +0000 gembo 230208@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Used a dynamo on Brompton I cycled home tonight. Bottle type that runs on the tyre. Noisy but good light. Brompton up ravelrig hill was not funny. Thinking if having a Brompton folding competition at Balerno farmer's market on Saturday, involving prizes sponsored by EBC. Along with smoothie machine cycle and nifty electric bike. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230167 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 12:16:55 +0000 Dave 230167@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We've got a shimano, sturmey and two SP dyno hubs in the fleet. The SP ones are nice but bog standard shimano is totally fine, and has held up over a few winters. (I think the bearings are hard for the LBS to service without snapping some wires or something, with Shimano ones). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230154 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:53:53 +0000 dougal 230154@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Got a Shimano alfine (disc) dyno for my new bike. Such joy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230150 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:27:08 +0000 steveo 230150@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Was told the Dynamo is tough on the rims? Is that right?</em></p> <p>I don't see why.</p> <p><em>So what's the best dyno (for disc):?</em></p> <p>Personally for the weight to cash I'd get shimano. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230148 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:23:51 +0000 neddie 230148@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So what's the best dyno (for disc):?</p> <p>Schmidt/SON or the SP (at roughly half the price of the SON) ??? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230143 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:16:59 +0000 gembo 230143@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was precontemplative about a dynamo recently. Looked at a couple of options. Was told the Dynamo is tough on the rims? Is that right? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230134 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 09:11:59 +0000 nobrakes 230134@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Have been getting up at 5 and doing an hour before breakfast. I'm in the country and it's pitch black with no lights when I leave, so I upgraded my old Cateye 'just about bright enough for the canal in winter' light to a Trelock LS950 this week. So far has proved to be a brilliant light. Has a very defined light box and is bright enough to see every bump and crack up the road in front. Cars coming the other way dip their headlights immediately so I'm guessing they see it as a 'bright' light and not just some numpty on a bike. With the Cateye most drivers didn't bother dipping their headlights which I have discovered is most uncomfortable on a recumbent. </p> <p>The Trelock adheres to German law so the cutoff means drivers are not dazzled despite being a very bright light. Canal riders with your light cannons burning out everybody else's retinas, pay heed! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230132 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 08:55:33 +0000 Dave 230132@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I can anecdotally but heartily recommend everyone fitting and leaving a dynamo set on year round. I feel like I'm noticed in wing and rear view mirrors rather more than I would expect to be.</em></p> <p>+1 this is what I've been doing the last two or three years. Makes a big difference when it gets busy and you're doing a lot of passing IMO.</p> <p>However, you will find that people shout at you for your light being too bright. (Even in midsummer sunshine). I guess unlike in winter you don't get to confirm the horizontal cutoff is right every day when riding through unlit areas, but that's not the problem in my experience. I use it as a baseline for winter - if more than the odd crank shouts at me then there's probably an actual issue! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230119 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 20:35:40 +0000 I were right about that saddle 230119@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@jdanielp</p> <p>A man's word is his bond. Transmit to me a rim, a hub, some tape and spoke money and it shall be so. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230113 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 19:30:51 +0000 Klaxon 230113@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can anecdotally but heartily recommend everyone fitting and leaving a dynamo set on year round. I feel like I'm noticed in wing and rear view mirrors rather more than I would expect to be. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230111 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 19:15:17 +0000 jdanielp 230111@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@IWRATS neat. I never did take you up on your offer to build me a spare front wheel with dynamo hub for winter. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230109 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 19:02:59 +0000 minus six 230109@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Do people not just find that wearing a cap solves all oncoming light problems?</em></p> <p>A cap helps but its not a cure-all</p> <p>Say you're coming down a rural hill path with the abuser heading up the way</p> <p>You don't want to be looking down to avoid their evil death ray</p> <p>Nah you want to be keeping an eye on the offender as they'll probably have poor bike handling skills over and above their obscene lumenophile tendencies</p> <p>Hanging's too good for them </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230103 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 17:48:11 +0000 gembo 230103@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have swung toTally in favour of caps, no helmet hair, absorb sweat. I do like to wear them like a peaky blinder but the latest one I have you could but the brim back down to stop being blinded. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230099 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:49:17 +0000 I were right about that saddle 230099@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If I were still using the canal to commute, I'd use one of these;</p> <p><a href="http://problemsolversbike.com/products/quick_release_nut_light_mount" rel="nofollow">http://problemsolversbike.com/products/quick_release_nut_light_mount</a></p> <p>to get the photon cannon lowered a bit. Nobody ever squawked at me, but it's a tricky balance between spotting ninjas and popping eyeballs. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230098 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:42:18 +0000 fimm 230098@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It was more that <em>on that particular evening</em> the light was just enough that you could ride the towpath without artificial light, so I thought the very bright lights were pointless. When I got back on the road I turned my lights on! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230097 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:36:34 +0000 Dave 230097@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Do people not just find that wearing a cap (or peaked helmet?) solves all oncoming light problems?</p> <p>I just tilt my head forward slightly so that the cap covers up oncoming lights, but I can still see all the area of ground that my own lights are shining on, so it's fine. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230096 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:35:21 +0000 Dave 230096@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah, you really need a good light for the canal in these post-landing strip times. Back in the day I sometimes used to switch off my front light and enjoy moonlight, but now I'm always trying to see if any of the lights up ahead are being eclipsed by man or dog, and a 'be seen' light would definitely make me nervous! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230094 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:22:31 +0000 fimm 230094@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've needed my lights for later returns along the canal for a couple of weeks now. I was particularly annoyed by the Very Bright Brigade the week the light was <em>just</em> good enough to cycle the canal path by - a lovely twilight. However now it is darker I'm finding that my "be-seen" lights don't illuminate pedestrians well enough and so I'll revert to the road. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230092 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:51:57 +0000 paddyirish 230092@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@IWRATS</p> <p><em>Yes and no... etc. </em></p> <p>Agreed, part of the variety that makes year round cycling so appealing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230090 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:42:24 +0000 amir 230090@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Winter is coming."</p> <p>So is spring :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230089 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:38:24 +0000 Roibeard 230089@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Winter is coming.</em></p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230088 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:36:10 +0000 minus six 230088@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>there is a recognition and unspoken bond between year-round commuters on the paths to/from Fife</em></p> <p>true that - yet its more of a snarl and grimace, for the lumen-abusers in our midst </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230085 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:29:56 +0000 I were right about that saddle 230085@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I do quite like it when the fair weather cyclists/walkers/dog-walkers shut up shop for winter</em></p> <p>Yes and no. You know you're dealing with fellow nuts when you chat at lights/in changing rooms, but I'm still glowing from the memory of the lady in a long summer dress taking her toddler for a ride in Dalkeith on a Dutch bike. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230083 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:22:16 +0000 paddyirish 230083@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Used mine for first time on Monday morning. Not a regular occurrence yet, but will be soon enough. Can time each day so I'll get 1 way in post dawn/twilight over winter, but the lack of vitamin D may lead to more lunch time rides.</p> <p>I know it is not politically correct to be saying this on a website for which encouraging cycling is it's raison d'etre, but I do quite like it when the fair weather cyclists/walkers/dog-walkers shut up shop for winter- more room on paths and in changing rooms. And there is a recognition and unspoken bond between year-round commuters on the paths to/from Fife. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16840#post-230082 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:11:43 +0000 I were right about that saddle 230082@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I headed home about 19h15 last night in the pre-rain gloom. First time I've put the lamps on the bike. Can winter be far away? Can the Reaper be far away? Always makes me sad that one, just like the first home commute without them makes me an inch taller.</p> <p>In other news I sorted my creaking left hand pedal, which has cheered me up a bit. </p>