Greetings - looking for cycling lights

Hi,

found your site searching for cycle lights. Trying to get back on the bike and want to do some after work rides. But I don't get home until late so even with summer nights, may likely be riding home in the dark. So want to get some good lights (I live in NY!!) to stay alive! :o)

jim

Welcome to BLF, jallison. I ride with a non budget setup because I didn't know any better back in the day, so I won't be much help. But there are quite a few fellow cyclists here that will answer all your budget bike light questions. You may also want to use the search feature to pull up all the bike light threads already here.

Nice classic GT, BTW. :glasses: I sold truck loads of those in my day.

It's good to have you here, jallison12!

Welcome to BLF, jallison. Lot's of cyclists here, so hopefully you will get some good responses. Promise I'll chime in tomorrow (yawn). In the meantime, what type of bike? Urban, suburban or rural? Road, paved trail or gravel? Do you know anything about Li-Ion batteries or are you interested in AA format?

Thanks all. Getting back in the saddle slowly. Got some neck problems keeping me off the bike just now. But hopefully will square that away in the next few weeks and looking forward to getting on the bike more. Weekend warrior initially then hopefully those night rides along the LIE service road. Last time I road at night was back in the 1980's north of Burnley, Lancs with a budget front light from Halfords (UK) which pretty much only illuminated the top of my front tire. Never been so scared in my life.

Aloha and welcome to BLF jallison12!

Welcome

Sooner or later, you 'lll be looking at Li-Ion batteries (especially 18650 and 26650)

Have a look at flashlights like KEYGOS KE5, SHADOW JM07

Mounting https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8339

Rear lights https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8029

Welcome to BLF.

You picked the right place, lots of riders here.

Welcome Jallison to BLF. I am sure your needs will be met here when it comes to affordable high output lights for the bike. Have fun.

Thanks for all the replies! I ride pretty well lit roads overall. But occassional stretches would have no street lighting. I see club riders just sticking to the LIE service road at night and might do the same. It is big, wide and 100% lit. OTH, cars on there are pretty much doing 50-60 so I would want to stand out.

Thanks asot! Never thought of an actual flashlight mounted to the bike. Thinking outside the box. Will read up on your links.

Thanks again, jim

Welcome, I was getting ready to post a pic of one of my setups, but those links got a zillion pics of my setups!! ;)

Welcome to our little family, jallison! You sure did come to the right place.

You 're our (bicycle) man!!!

Nah, I am way behind betweenrides and few others around here, but I am learning...Wink

Asot - thanks for posting these links for jallison, it's a great start. Those two threads cover a lot of ground and I would add another one: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/7657

If this pesky work didn't keep getting in the way, I'd be able to dig into one of my favorite subjects more.... We'll have to give you some impressions on various flashlights that work for cycling, both flood and spot, 18650 and the larger 26650 sized ones. Cehoward is the master of the 26650 cycling light, the rest of us are not worthy to even be mentioned in the same thread. :D

If your on lit urban roads I'd concentrate on the rear lights, IMO these are the most important for safety. You need to be seen from a wide angle which is the hardest part to achieve. I'd suggest several of the SF clones CEhoward has linked I the above post, I'm still waiting on mine but they look ideal.

For the fronts a blinkie would be beneficial in an urban setting but I can't really help there. For off road you want LUMENS, lots. I have just got a Roche F12 from CNQG (I'd buy from intl-outdoor tho), this has a great floody beam and in NW tint the terrain should render much better, 2 on the bars should be giving you over 1000lumens or even 600-800 on medium. Then go for a more spotty light on your lid, weight is a major issue here, if you can put up with a C8 it would be an excellent choice and there is no better C8 than the XinTD from intl-outdoor.

+100,000,000,000,000,000,000

Cehoward is the man!

-Garry

Ah come on guys, you got me blushing like mad!!Wink

To tell the truth, I am the apprentice around here.. I have learned a big bunch around here!!!Smile

I am humbled by the warm welcome!! Very happy I found y'all.

Now off to read those links.

Thanks again, jim