Kalkhoff Lights

[lemmy]

50Cycles have just told me that Kalkhoff wire some of their bikes so that the lighting is permanently on. In spite of having a 3 way switch.

The bike went back to them with non-functioning lights and came back with them working but the off/ auto/on switch now does nothing.

It'd be OK (apart from people pointing and trying to tell you you have your lights on) if they had LEDs. But with bulbs at £4 a pop, I prefer an off switch.

I can't think this is actually intentional - why would any company fit three way switched lights and re-wire them?

Also, while the rear lamp has a stand light, the front doesn't which is absurd.

Has anyone taken these lights apart or any knowledge of the wiring?

 

[Fecn]

5

Also, while the rear lamp has a stand light, the front doesn't which is absurd.

The front light on my Agattu does have a stand light - There's a white LED which charges up after you've been cycling for a while... It takes a couple of minutes though. The back light has 2xAAA batteries in to power the standlight.

 

[lemmy]

My feeling is that 50Cycles are just fobbing me off.

It's the problem with buying a bike with one concessionaire. It's simply too much expense to put right a bike that resides 150 miles away. I become a nuisance to them.

None the less, it leaves me probably having to fork out £50 for a replacement light.

 

[jerrysimon]

50Cycles are active on this forum and always seem to help out. I am sure they will see your post and pitch in soon

Regards

Jerry

 

[lemmy]

I am tired of people telling me my light are on - I don't live in Scandinavia!

There are switches on the light, I expect to use them.

Pressumably if I spend the £50 on a UK light set, they will work to UK law.

What I don't understand is that if the Scandinavian spec is so safety orientated, they have no front stand light. So I have lights that for safety reasons are on in daylight - but when I stop at night, the front one goes out.

All the bits are there for the stand light - the LED just doesn't come on at all, neither does the rear monitor. Can Scandinavian spec really consist of disabling night safety?

It doesn't ring true to me. If I buy a bike in the UK I'd have expected UK spec.

Am I being unreasonable here? If I'd have known that the sale price meant a foreign spec I'd have bought a UK one at full price. Can Kalkhoff not supply UK bikes for the UK market?

 

[carpetbagger]

seems like somebody at the factory is new to the job !...My Agattu a month old but the 7 speed version has lights which appear to work ok ..or not depending on the market that its for !...ie off,,, auto on (depending on light) or on...
which version is yours lemmy ? Maybe they have changed it if its a later version.

 

[lemmy]

My Agattu is a month old too. I simply don't believe their explanation. The front lamp is obviously duff, a problem with the switch, I would think.

When it arrived the lights didn't work at all. It went back and came back to me with the lights on in all positions and no stand light on the front. And a spade connector with only half the wire strand going into it.

What they should do is send me a replacement front lamp rather than me have to fork out £50 myself.

 

[carpetbagger]

i would give them another ring.......it obviously isn't right and for that amount of dosh you could argue its not fit for purpose..good luck

 

[Cyclezee]

I replaced the original front light on my Agattu a year ago with a LUMOTEC IQ Cyo R senso plus. Expensive, but the improvement is worth it in my opinion.
Busch & Müller KG

I see that 50cycles have just introduced this rechargable auxillary light 50cycles bike accessories - NukeLight USB rechargable Mountain Bike Light High Intensity Photonic focused LED

J hn

 

[tillson]

I replaced the original front light on my Agattu a year ago with a LUMOTEC IQ Cyo R senso plus. Expensive, but the improvement is worth it in my opinion.
Busch & Müller KG

I see that 50cycles have just introduced this rechargable auxillary light 50cycles bike accessories - NukeLight USB rechargable Mountain Bike Light High Intensity Photonic focused LED

J hn

I have been contemplating the LUMOTEC IQ. This time of year nearly all of my cycling is in the dark. The trouble is, being an early Pro Connect owner, I'll have to buy a dynamo front hub as well because it won't work off the lighting circuit. This makes it quite an expensive exercise and I wonder if it is worth it.

 

[Cyclezee]

Tillson

My Pro Conncet S is fitted as standard with a version which is powered by the battery, I would have thought it would be possible to obtain and fit one to a Pro Connect.


J hn

 

[tillson]

Tillson

My Pro Conncet S is fitted as standard with a version which is powered by the battery, I would have thought it would be possible to obtain and fit one to a Pro Connect.
View attachment 1068

J hn

Hi John

Having spoken to 50C they tell me that LED lights won't work on the earlier PCs (the one fitted with filament bulbs). It might be a bit of an expensive exercise to try and test the theory!

 

[Neil]

Not Good Value

I got my Pro Connect lights replaced with a up to date 2.4W B&M LED front lights. While better than the yellow light it replaced it is not worth the £50 or so for the light unit. Much better to add this light to your bike.
DealExtreme: $79.81 HA-III SSC P7-C (SXO) 3-Mode 900-Lumen LED Bike Light Set For £50 you get a light 10 times brighter for the same price (remember to order an plug adaptor). I also own a 200 lumin Light & Motion Vega light but costs almost twice the price of the dealextream light but is totaly outcalssed in all areas. If you order from dealextream just remember that it will take time to get your order (can be several weeks depending if it in stock). It worth the wait.

 

[tillson]

I got my Pro Connect lights replaced with a up to date 2.4W B&M LED front lights. While better than the yellow light it replaced it is not worth the £50 or so for the light unit. Much better to add this light to your bike.
DealExtreme: $79.81 HA-III SSC P7-C (SXO) 3-Mode 900-Lumen LED Bike Light Set For £50 you get a light 10 times brighter for the same price (remember to order an plug adaptor). I also own a 200 lumin Light & Motion Vega light but costs almost twice the price of the dealextream light but is totaly outcalssed in all areas. If you order from dealextream just remember that it will take time to get your order (can be several weeks depending if it in stock). It worth the wait.

Thanks for pointing me to the DealX light. I have had bit and pieces from them in the past and have always been satisfied with the products and service.

Incidentally, how old is your PC? Who carried out the replacement of the lights with LED versions, you or 50C? Are the LED B&M lights standard un modified units?

Thanks

Tom

 

[Neil]

History of the lights

I had a problem with the chain tensioner it broke the casting on the side of the motor unit. cycles replaced the motor unit with the new 2008 unit. The lights of the 2007 bike would not work with the 2008 unit. They wanted to give me battery lights but I quite liked built in lights so they replaced the front wheel with a matching dynamo unit and fitted a B&M Lumintec sensor LED with backup. They had already replaced the useless bulb back light for a nice LED one. I had a bit of a wait because the unit was new and not in stock. All under warranty. They also changed the back wheel (kept braking spokes and rims a bit worn) put new cogs and chain on. You just cant fault their service.

 

[tillson]

I had a problem with the chain tensioner it broke the casting on the side of the motor unit. cycles replaced the motor unit with the new 2008 unit. The lights of the 2007 bike would not work with the 2008 unit. They wanted to give me battery lights but I quite liked built in lights so they replaced the front wheel with a matching dynamo unit and fitted a B&M Lumintec sensor LED with backup. They had already replaced the useless bulb back light for a nice LED one. I had a bit of a wait because the unit was new and not in stock. All under warranty. They also changed the back wheel (kept braking spokes and rims a bit worn) put new cogs and chain on. You just cant fault their service.

That more or less confirms what I have been told. The lighting system is different in the newer Panasonic unit.

Like you, I find the older bulb lights unreliable and would like to upgrade them to LED whilst retaining the built in switch system. I think the only option will be a dynamo.

 

[Neil]

You can change the back light

50 Cycles replaced my back bulb light when I lost the plastic cover (I have removed it so many times to change the bulb) with a nice LED battery backup light. This worked fine on the original old unit. If I was in your position I ring 20 cycles and arrange for a new back LED light. For the front the B&M 2.4W light cost about the same as Dealextream light. Having both on my bike I know where I would spend my money as the Dealextrame light is a class light for a cheap price.

 

[tillson]

For the front the B&M 2.4W light cost about the same as Dealextream light. Having both on my bike I know where I would spend my money as the Dealextrame light is a class light for a cheap price.

What is the beam pattern like on the DealX light? Does it throw the light forward or is it more of a flood? All of the cheaper high power LEDs that I have seen tend to produce a floodlight beam with very little distance penetration.

 

[Neil]

Beam pattern

Its a copy of Lupine Tesla 5 which costs over £300. You get a two beams a central bright one and a much wider and less bright one. The beam pattern is also like the Light and Motion Vega lights (which I have much more expensive, totally outclassed). Its the first light that I have heard pedestrians saying "Thats a bright light". I often get cars dipping out of sight round corners. For £50 (remember to order an a Plug adaptor) you get a fantastic light.

 

[LazyViking]

>>I would recommend getting extra lighting on the Agattu or any bike where it is being used in these dark conditions but keep your original lights too. I am sure most people will agree that the more lights on the bike the better.

Good advice. In any case it's good to have two independent light systems in case of failure.

>>This batch was produced for the Scandinavian market whereby all lights must be on at all times like with the volvo you see on the roads.

While the daylight headlight rule applies to cars, it is not applicable to bicycles (including pedalecs). These only need to have lights on at night and in poor visibility.

Regards,
LazyViking