2 hours? with the hills round here I'm lucky if I get an hour!

 

Have to say that cycling at night is a lot more fun with a decent front 'headlamp', especially down unlit roads and cyclepaths.

 

The lights get power when the battery (& consequently bike) is switched on so there's zero chance of accidentally leaving the lights draining the battery when I'm not using the bike, however there is a chance I could forget I have the lights switched on and cycle around during the day with them on and not realising - I was thinking about an automatic light switch that works the same way as streetlamps, a simple photoelectric sensor & circuit would do the trick.

Good lights must be much safer too, I'll bet . I'll probably try to improve mine, especially for my first ebiking winter... it seems very forward thinking at the "height" of "summer" .

 

A photoelectric sensor sounds a good idea too Haku... so long as its not one more thing to go wrong! Good luck!

 

Stuart.

Edited August 10, 200718 yr by coops

I prefer night riding because there's less people about, cycling to Tesco at 3am is much more enjoyable than at 3pm

 

The photoelectric sensor idea might be more difficult than I first thought, your lights might go out if you go under a streetlamp! circuitry to ensure that doesn't happen could get complicated with a sensitivity adjustment and a timing function so that when the sensor sees short lows or highs of light level it doesn't affect the current state of the lights (on or off).

 

I also wondered about brighter LEDs to get even more light, the LEDs I have are 3v 20mA 12,000mcd brightness and a quick scout on eBay you can get thirty 3.4v 25mA 55,000mcd LEDs for about £6 from Hong Kong. More testing to do I think.

I've been idly looking around the web for other people's homemade front bike lights and there's some great stuff out there, especially on the CandlePowerForums site. Almost everyone who's making their own bike light setups are using the luxeon star type of LEDs as they yeild much more light per watt than the normal type of LEDs, but they don't have a built-in magnifying glass to project the beam like normal LEDs so optics are needed (hacking up cheap Hong Kong AAA torches seems to be a good way).

 

For example, the 12,000mcd (millicandelas) LEDs I'm using right now output approx 1.145 lumens each (3.4v at 20mA), the Cree® XLamp 7090-XRE outputs up to 87.4 lumens (3.75v at 700mA) each (but needs some heatsinking). So to get my normal LEDs as bright as the XLamp I'd need over 70 of them...! and it would use double the amps.

 

I'm still going to make my 15 front LED light setup as when it's completed it'll be extremely convenient to use and I'm looking forward to seeing just how bright the supposed 55,000mcd LEDs are, but I may look into doing a lighting setup with a Cree® XLamp 7090-XRE in the future because it's only $13 for the LED.

I purchased some 80,000 mcd LEDs from a supplier in Hong Kong but to the eye they appear to be no brighter than UK sourced 8000-12000 mcd LEDs, it's not unusual for Chinese suppliers to over specify their products as major toy companies have recently found to their cost.

 

I considered using Luxeons in my front lamp but the difficulties of efficiently deriving a suitable supply at the relatively high current of 350mA from the bike battery combined with the need for heatsinking and additional optics put me off. I simply added 27 LEDs in 3 series chains of 9, + 3 resistors, to the existing 7 LED headlamp. The result is a powerful lamp that consumes a mere 80mA from the 36V battery in steady mode and the unmodified beam angle of the LEDs is ideal.

When I get the 55,000mcd LEDs I'm going to stick 10 along side my 12,000mcd on some breadboard and put each at their maximum voltage to see which really is brighter. When I was toying with the white LEDs I have earlier in the year I put 60 on some breadboard powered off 4 rechargable AAs with a DC-DC converter, it was immensely bright and ate the batteries in about an hour.

 

The mcd rating of LEDs is drastically affected by the beam angle, using this rough mcd to lumens calculator the 5mm 55,000mcd 20degree output about 5.25 lumens, on eBay you can find 10mm 160,000mcd white LEDs but in reality they're only about the same brightness (approx 5.5 lumens) as the 5mm ones because the 10mm LEDs have a more focused 12degree beam angle.

 

Those 27 LEDs you've put onto your headlamp are probably using the same (or more) amount of power as a single Luxeon but the requirement for optics, a DC-DC converter for the right voltage and optics is a lot more hassle than simply drilling some 5mm holes and sticking the LEDs (with built-in optics) in.

Edited August 17, 200718 yr by Haku

One day most lamps will be LEDs. In addition to bicycle lighting I have a number of LED downlighters in the house, more of the same in my touring caravan where the low power consumption is a real advantage and several ornamental LED lamps in the house and garden.

So far the LED lighting 'solutions' I've seen in shops leave a lot to be desired as they're using traditional 5mm LEDs which just can't deliver the kind of light levels that Luxeons and similar do. But it's still early days.

 

Those 55,000mcd LEDs arrived today, you were right, they're no brighter than the 12,000mcd LEDs I have and they need a little more voltage (I suspect they use more amps but haven't measured that yet), they are slightly bluer though. It sppears if you want really bright lights you use a mass of high brightness 5mm LEDs or some Luxeons or Cree XLamp's.

 

 

edit: just tested the two different sets of white 5mm LEDs, the new apparent brighter LEDs use approx 40% more power than the bag of ~70 I had leftover from an earlier project this year, but they aren't 40% brighter. Guess which LEDs I'm going to be using (hint: these)

Edited August 20, 200718 yr by Haku

I've been looking more into the various motorbike handlebar switches as most fit 7/8" diameter handlebars which is the same as on my ebike (and presumably most other bicycles), there's quite a lot going cheap on eBay (search for: handle* switch) and I've also been googling for them too.

Some ideal ones I've found are: techquadshop.com - Handlebar ON/OFF switch

/ Switch: Handlebar On/Off Switch (toggle) - 040-HBS-01 (same as first link) / Switch: Handlebar Three Position plus Kill Switch - 040-HBS-02 (which would be ideal for a setup with low/hi beam, ie half the LEDs and all the LEDs in your front light, unfortunately the KILL button won't kill cars )

 

But the most interesting one is this:

http://www.haku.co.uk/pics/HandlebarSwitchBox.jpg

it doesn't normally come with switches installed, leaving you to put whatever switch(s) you want into it, and there's enough space inside for a DimensionEngineering DC-DC converter too. Unfortunately I can't find anywhere that sells it, this place has it listed for $12 but they haven't replied to my query and that page has been there for 8 years.

If anyone can find me that box I'd be eternally greatful.

Edited August 23, 200718 yr by Haku

Reflectors

 

Do you think somethink like these would be useable?

 

John

Do you think somethink like these would be useable?

 

Certainly, that's almost exactly what I'll be using for my back light/reflector, which I'll be supergluing a bolt into it to mount on the back of the pannier rack.

The ones I have I can take the clear red plastic away from the black backing by bending it slightly and prised them apart, then superglue the two pieces back together once the bolt is mounted inside & the LED holes drilled.

 

edit: the red ones in this pack are identical to what I have (and I got some red hands and red circles too)

 

My bike light setup is a little bit on hold whilst I drum up some money to get cabling, a waterproof fuse holder and a waterproof switch cover.

 

 

Haku, who's nursing scrapes after doing a impromptu superman impression on his bike concrete is so unforgiving

Edited September 3, 200718 yr by Haku

As Haku says, with a suitable mounting they should be OK. Reflectors seem fairly hard to buy by mail order but most decent bike shops usually have a selection. The last time I looked in Decathlon they had a couple of types on sale, not shown on their website though. It might be worth a look if you're anywhere near their Stockport store.

Mamma mia - ouch!

Thanks for the advice. Just wondering whether deep rear light casing are any better at all (see these). Which would be the better/easier to make for a soldering novice?

The thin ones are probably easier for LEDs, but you could use a pair of those marker lamps as they come, just wire them in series to the bike battery. At 5W each they would be much brighter than normal bike lights.

@ Ian

 

Wouldnt they be a bit too much strain on the battery though, Could I change the bulbs in them for LED replacements??

 

Thanks

They'd consume just under half an amp for the pair on a 24V battery, if your battery is 6.5 Ah then the lamps would consume about 7% of the total capacity per hour. LED replacement bulbs are available for cars, just do an ebay search for "LED bulb" although without knowing what bulbs those lights take I can't say if a ready made replacement would be available. It should be OK to wire 2 of those LED car bulbs in series to your 24V battery.

 

It would be important to remember to switch off filament lamps when not in use to avoid over discharging and possibly damaging the battery, the risk with LED's is very much less.

Edited September 3, 200718 yr by Ian

Personally I would completely avoid using traditional filament bulbs in this situation, if you're talking 500mA at 24v for just two bulbs that's probably 3-4 times what my 21 LED (17 front, 4 rear) bike light setup I'm creating uses. Not forgetting that to get the rear lights to go red you're pushing white light through a red filter, red LEDs need no external filters to show up as red.

 

I'd say either type of reflector would be suitable (the stick-on reflector or the rear light for trailers etc.), if using the rear light setup for trailers then remove the bulb and use a glue gun to stick the red LEDs in place as the glue won't significantly block the light, and you can get 10mm LEDs if the space left from removing the filament bulb is quite large (or a few 5mm LEDs).

 

Soldering up a few LEDs is very easy, soldering only starts to get difficult when you have to use tweezers and a magnifying glass to solder 1mm sized components (that's how I fixed my mp3 player, still runs to this day)

As promised for John and anyone else who's interested here's details of my extremely bright rearlamp. http://www.brandywinebridge.born2rock.net/USERIMAGES/rearlight1.jpg

 

Ian

I am thinking of rigging up a long, horizontal bright rear light to encourage car drivers to give more room when overtaking especially at night.

 

I used to have a plastic lollipop thing that stuck out of the bike but they don't seem to be made anymore.

 

I'm no engineer but would like your ideas on how to make a simply version of your bright light and any suggestions as to what to mount the lighting gear onto.

thanks

mil

Hi Mil

 

There is a ready made solution to give you wide lights, handlebar end rear lights.

 

If you go to the link below and then scroll down, the mountain bike type are the ones which will suit the Forte. They should keep the drivers well away from you:

 

Bar End Lights

 

These LEDs are small but very bright.

.

lolipops and lights

 

Hi Mil,

 

I did see one those plastic lolipops in a Nottingham shop a couple of weeks ago so they are available if you shop around.

 

An easy alternative to my light are cheap 3 led rearlamps at £2.99 each from Wilkinsons hardware stores, these have a belt clip and 1 or many could be clipped to a fixture on the carrier or even the riders clothing (I once did that and forgot to take it off, until I noticed the funny looks I was getting). A couple of those served me until I built the mega light, and I still carry one as a back up.

 

Or there's a ready made wide rearlamp here.

 

A disabled e-bike rider once commented how much more room drivers gave him when his crutches began to work loose from the carrier, so perhaps an insecure looking load is all that's required.

Edited October 10, 200718 yr by Ian

Hi Mil

 

There is a ready made solution to give you wide lights, handlebar end rear lights.

 

If you go to the link below and then scroll down, the mountain bike type are the ones which will suit the Forte. They should keep the drivers well away from you:

 

Bar End Lights

 

These LEDs are small but very bright.

.

 

thanks flecc. i've ordered some of them.

Bar end mirrow

 

Hi Ian,

 

What is the make of the bar end mirror on the bike in your pic and how good is the view?

 

Thanks

 

UrbanPuma

Trust Ian won't mind me answering partially meanwhile, it's a Cateye mirror, convex with a good field of view, but I've never measured that. I've just sold my Twist with one of these, but on my other bikes I now use the round Cateye convex model which I slightly prefer, and the field of view is just as good.

 

The latter is stocked by Halfords at around £5.99, but I haven't seen the oval one on sale for some while, but it may still be current. I bought mine about four years ago.

.

Mirror

 

Cat Eye black, BM-500, 16-22mm I.D. fit range

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hi Flecc, ive just found the details for this mirror but im not sure it will fit my handlebar as the hole seems quite small. What is the above measurement in cm?

 

Do you think it will fit?

 

Many thanks

 

UrbanPuma