Philips dyno light. Anyone got any experience ? I have now. Read to the end !

[Andrew Br]

I'm going to get a new dyno light for my old MTB since it has a SON hub and it seems daft not to use it (I've transferred the Supernova E3 to the Rohloff bike).
I've used an Ixon IQ in the past and I'm not entirely happy with its beam shape so I was wondering about the Philips light (this one:- Bike24 - Philips LED SafeRide Dynamo Front Light Set black)

It's about half the price of another E3 (which I like) and that makes it tempting.

Has anyone used one yet ?

[Hot Flatus]

No experience of it whatsoever, so ignore the following as it is idle speculation...

....but many are saying good things about the battery version. It claims 60lux, which is the same as the Cyo. It has the advantage of a metal body, and surely the switch must be better than the Cyo (on the grounds that it would be hard to be worse). The Cyo, it's main competitor, is a good light but you have to choose between a decent throw and almost no near ground illumination, or vice-versa.

If I hadn't just wasted £200 on an E3 triple I'd be very interested.

[fuaran]

No experience of it myself, though there's a detailed review of it here: Philips Saferide LED dynamo

Apparently it is about as good as the Schmidt Edelux, which its half the price of. Also see the review of the E3 Pro, which says its similar in performance to the Philips: Supernova E3 pro StVZO version, from 2010, supposedly 305 lumen

[Plug1n]

Can't say anything for the Dyno light, but the battery driven Philips LED (which seems to be the same sort of shape) has a totally fantastic beam, although it also has a few more lumens (~10%?).   The battery life is really disappointing though....

[border-rider]

No experience of it myself, though there's a detailed review of it here: Philips Saferide LED dynamo

Apparently it is about as good as the Schmidt Edelux, which its half the price of. Also see the review of the E3 Pro, which says its similar in performance to the Philips: Supernova E3 pro StVZO version, from 2010, supposedly 305 lumen

Dunno about the Pro, but the upgraded E3 Triple blows the Edelux out of the water. 

[simonp]

I am very pleased with the battery Philips. Though last night I was out with the EDelux in grotty lanes, and I'd forgotten just how good it is at illuminating the road.

I have to do a longer test of the battery light on low power. Couldn't run it for long as turning off the EDelux made my rear light go out after a few minutes. I suspect low power would be more like the dynamo one, and it was very good.

[Cudzoziemiec]

No experience of this light whatsoever. When I saw the thread title I was thinking of this Philips.

[Andrew Br]

It arrived this afternoon (and I only ordered it on Monday morning).
I fitted it easily enough and I'll give it a run out tonight.


11-02-16 Philips Safe Ride dynamo light by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-02-16 Philips Saferide dynamo light 2 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-02-16 Philips Saferide dynamo light 3 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

[Andrew Br]

I've just been out for a short (1.5 miles) ride around the local woodland (Chorlton meadows for those that know). It's gravel tracks with no lighting and enough tree cover to make it very dark.
This light is very, very good.

It spools up to full brightness at ~4mph by my speedo and the standlight stays on long enough for me to park the bike round the back, walk round to unlock the door, go in, take my shoes off, remove several layers, unlock the back door, hang the bike up, pour a glass of wine and start typing about 5 minutes.
It has a much longer throw than the Ixon IQ Speed that I also have on this bike (see piccies above). The beam is wider (with some slightly strange straggly patterns on both sides) and it starts much nearer to the front wheel than the Ixon despite me setting it (the Philips) to light as far ahead as possible.
When I had both lights illuminated, the IQ didn't bring any benefits- it gave a splash of bright light that dropped my focus nearer to the bike. It took some concentration to keep looking over the bright spot.

Compared to the Supernova E3 symmetrical on my other bike, it doesn't illuminate as far ahead (this is based on memory rather than a direct comparison) but it certainly puts more light out near to the bike (and for some way ahead of it as well). The IQ Speed brings more to the party when it's used with the Supernova.

I'm seriously considering putting the Philips onto my Enigma.

An ideal combination would be the Philips and the Supernova together, in the same way as the old Schmidt halogen set:- spread beam and longer throw beam.

[Somnolent]

Got mine from Bike24 earlier this week.   My first experience of dynamo lighting.   Previous "best" light was a Hope Vision 1.

Ups:
The Philips has a much wider beam - no impression of driving down a tunnel at all, and puts a useful amount of light a good distance down the road.   Quite happy on a narrow country lane at 25 kph - 30 kph.   Seems robust, & switch fairly positive (rubber covered "clicky")

Downs:
A few odd artefacts at the edges of the beam but barely noticeable.  Light is "flickery" even at speed, you don't notice this on the road - only on the reflections coming back from white signposts.  This was with a DH-3N80, don't know if it would have been the same with a SON - or even if all dyno lights produce this effect.

But these are minor downsides, the overall amount of well-spread light, for no noticeable difference to the pedalling effort means I can see this getting a lot of use, might even get a second one !

[Somnolent]

Update
Mounting bracket has broken.

[simonp]

Update
Mounting bracket has broken.

What kind of bracket do they use?  I found the release tab on the battery version very easy to brake (in freezing conditions - may have made it more brittle).

Image here:



Did it by any chance fail just above the mudguard bolt?  It looks a bit thin, and the light if it’s like the battery version is both heavier than the EDelux and the relatively large size of the light also increases the moment on the bracket.  Philips 130g, EDelux 85g.

[Somnolent]

yes - just above the mounting bolt.



I have e-mailed Bike24 to see what can be done, but without snapping the reflector to free the wires (or possibly removing the connectors) it does not look possible to just replace the bracket.

[simonp]

It looks like it’s failed at one of the indentations (presumably designed to make the bolt grip better).  Obvious stress point, and right where the load is greatest.  

The wires running through the reflector seems like a spectacularly flawed piece of thinking.  Presumably the light comes directly from the light rather than via a connector.

[RJ]

It should be possible to bodge something ultra-robust (if ugly) for that.  At least bracket fits the lamp closer to the centre of gravity than B&M's D'Lumotec.

[Andrij]

Can anyone do a comparison of this light with a B&M Cyo?  I'm satisfied with the Cyo, but as I'll soon be in the market for a light for another bike I'm open to the possibility of going for a different dyno-light.
 

[bodach]

The lines across the mounting bracket are ideally designed stress raisers for producing early failure.

[vorsprung]

istr hearing bad things about the battery version of the Phillips failing or falling to bits but I can't find a link to this

Glad the generator version seems good for you

[Somnolent]

Can anyone do a comparison of this light with a B&M Cyo?  I'm satisfied with the Cyo, but as I'll soon be in the market for a light for another bike I'm open to the possibility of going for a different dyno-light.

This Philips Saferide LED dynamo compares it favorably to the Edelux - what "sold" it to me was this sentence:
"the Philips lamp at the moment seems better value than the Edelux and Cyo: Better construction than the Cyo, about as good as the Edelux (performance and housing), for the same price as a Cyo"

It should be possible to bodge something ultra-robust (if ugly) for that.  At least bracket fits the lamp closer to the centre of gravity than B&M's D'Lumotec.

I'm thinking that it might be possible to ditch the reflector element (only required to comply with German regulations) and modify one of these:  B & M Light Bracket 475D Fly Long Stainless Steel

[Somnolent]

I've now had a response from Bike24 about the broken bracket.   Evidently brackets on their own are not available, and equally clearly Germany doesn't have the same laws governing retail trade as we do in UK .   Bike 24 simply say return it to them (at my cost up to $15- which they will refund) , they will return the light to Philips - who will decide whether to repair, replace or refund.  No guarantees about how long that process might take and therefore how long I might be out pocket to the tune of €80 and sans light.   

Unless they change their mind about how to deal with this - or until I can find a suitable replacement bracket than I can fit myself my advice is:

• Don't buy this light
  Don't deal with Bike 24

Interestingly the other popular German retailer Rose do have a very efficient pre-paid system for returns... although I dont know how well they deal with complaints like this.

[MacB]

I've now had a response from Bike24 about the broken bracket.   Evidently brackets on their own are not available, and equally clearly Germany doesn't have the same laws governing retail trade as we do in UK .   Bike 24 simply say return it to them (at my cost up to $15- which they will refund) , they will return the light to Philips - who will decide whether to repair, replace or refund.  No guarantees about how long that process might take and therefore how long I might be out pocket to the tune of €80 and sans light.   

Unless they change their mind about how to deal with this - or until I can find a suitable replacement bracket than I can fit myself my advice is:

• Don't buy this light
  Don't deal with Bike 24

Interestingly the other popular German retailer Rose do have a very efficient pre-paid system for returns... although I dont know how well they deal with complaints like this.

COUGH - broken on way into ditch and was Supernova E3 Triple not Philips, was it not? - COUGH

[Somnolent]

Although it broke on the same ride as the incident to which you allude ..... it happened about two hours before contact with the ditch.... and I'm too damn honest !

[Dtcman]

My brother in law and I bought one each of these last month as an upgrade for this years Paris-Brest-Paris.

One of the two didn’t work when it arrived! Sent it back to Bike24 who replaced it.

Out for a 200km ride on Sunday and his fell off as the bracket broke (that’s less than a month and about 800km). It was my first ride with my new one fitted. I’ve just checked the bracket and it has cracked on one side!

I’ve got a 600km audax this weekend, not sure if to bodge it or not. 80 Euros is a lot for something that fails first time!   

[Somnolent]

After initially failing to get a satisfactory response from Bike24 I bought one of these: Schmidt Headlight Bracket for Edelux
which can be made to fit with a bit of bending.

Since then Bike24 have been trying to be a bit more helpful, although from their e-mails it seems Philips customer services are either non existent, or not interested.   The broken bracket has gone back to them now and hoping this will finally get things moving.