Lights for trike and trailer

[ejsmith]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum so hope I'm putting this query in the right place!
I've had a Powatryke and dog trailer for a couple of years and don't know how I lived without it (I can't drive for medical reasons and it's given me so much freedom). I've started taking one of the dogs to agility and this is the first time I've needed lights - front lights in particular as I've sorted the back ones. Some of the road I use has no street lighting nor finished 'edges', and you take your life in your hands when you go through the stableyard. The first lights I tried were about as affective as riding along with a couple of lit candles. I then got an extra bright light which is excellent at lighting up whatever is in front but gives no help as to where the roadside is. I need more of a 'floodlight' and am hoping someone will be able to suggest one.

If anyone can suggest how to stop cars pulling up beside me as I'm cycling all and taking photos on their mobiles that would be great too. Anybody would think that they haven't seen an electric trike pulling a trailer with a hairy bearded collie hanging out the top!

Elizabeth

 

[tillson]

A friend of mine uses one of these here.

He's not had it long so it is difficult to say how reliable it is. It does seem well made and throws out an enormous amount of light which seems to be quite floodlight like.

I bought an Airbike Everlight last year. It cost a similar amount of money, is of similar build quality and was also made in country where they eat man's best friend. It has held up well for the last twelve month and puts out as much light as you could ever want, and that is less powerful than the one linked to above. Unfortunately, it seems like the Everlight is no longer in production, but they crop up on Ebay from time to time.

I have had no problem with Deal Extreme. There is no postage to pay and I have never had to pay import duty.

There is lots of other treasure on the Deal Extreme website too!

 

[Fecn]

I also use an SSC P7 LED based torch with a handlebar mount for my illumination (this one.. DealExtreme: $34.05 MTE SSC P7 900-Lumen 5-Mode Super LED Flashlight (18650) ) - It's totally awesome and chucks out an incredible amount of light, and it's only a tiny bit bigger than a small maglite - decidedly pocket sized. The only downside I can see is that it is possibly too bright, and can easily dazzle oncoming motorists unless you point it right down at the ground - I don't know if the bike-specific version is different - really it could do with a different beam spread so that less light it thrown up into the eyes of car drivers..... But having said that.. buy one anyway - They're great.

 

[tillson]

I don't know if the bike-specific version is different - really it could do with a different beam spread so that less light it thrown up into the eyes of car drivers

The bike one isn't any different. It throws light everywhere and can dazzle car drivers if you're not careful. I usually point mine down and slightly toward the kerb and have not had a problem.

For the rear I have used one of these built into one of these and this driver.

In high mode, it puts out an absolute "wall" of red light to the rear. From anything less than 50 metres all you see is a massive ball off red light which appears to be about 1 metre in diameter. This obscures everything. Far too much red light for ordinary night use. However, it really comes into use in low visibility conditions. I turn it on using the lowest power setting when car drivers are using their rear fog lights and it is perfectly acceptable then. It makes you stand out with similar intensity to the cars.

It's my rear fog light for the bike.