100 Lux dynamo light

[andrew_s]

Lithium batteries have a shelf life of several years.  Should be ok

It is in the nature of emergency lights that they live in the saddlebag, where the switch is vulnerable to getting switched whilst rummaging to stuffing knobbly items into the bag.

[Kim]

Lithium batteries have a shelf life of several years.  Should be ok

It is in the nature of emergency lights that they live in the saddlebag, where the switch is vulnerable to getting switched whilst rummaging to stuffing knobbly items into the bag.

The nature of emergency lights is that it should have some sort of molly-guard, so this doesn't happen, otherwise it's unsuitable as an emergency light.


Although my general approach to the head torch issue is to have one that I actually use, rather than just for emergencies, which means it gets regular testing and battery recharges as necessary.  The downside to that is the risk of not remembering to bring it on bike rides because I've been using it for something else.

On the gripping hand, I have an auxiliary rear battery light in addition to my dynamo lighting, for redundancy and to allow for static+flashing in situations where it seems worthwhile.  In extremis, a static red light is adequate illumination for cable bodgery (or battery-changing), assuming it doesn't deteriorate into the warhead-disarming scene from The Abyss.  Actually, that's a point, how about a chemical glow-stick as an emergency backup light source?

[andrew_s]

I've seen Schmidt hubs mysteriously go open circuit and it seemed to me that the wires might have tugged the connections so hard that this damaged the connector block in the hub. This should never happen!

That used to be a problem with the original non-Schmidt Schmidt dynohubs (i.e. the "Wing", made by Union under licence).
The connector arrangement was truly abysmal.
Basically, the very thin wires came out via an axle slot, were bared at the end, and were then clamped against the side of the coppered-one-side PCB-style spade connector by a cone bearing style nut & locknut.

Couple that with a solid axle, and tightening the axle nuts could drag the axle round far enough to pull the wires either out, or far enough out to short. Trying to tighten the nut/locknut enough to prevent this pushed the cartridge bearing out of the inside of the hub.

It's still on my junk heap somewhere, I think

[mattc]

Lithium batteries have a shelf life of several years.  Should be ok

It is in the nature of emergency lights that they live in the saddlebag, where the switch is vulnerable to getting switched whilst rummaging to stuffing knobbly items into the bag.

All the head-torches I've had have 2 protective features against this:
- they last flipping days on 1 battery, so you'll notice in time. And
- they have those rubbery hold-down-for-2-seconds switches. Which I don't really like, but I've NEVER had one self-activate in storage.

Tesco/Petzl/topeak IIRC. 

Of course, _{SHIT HAPPENS}, but I've found my head-torches to be worry-free in 10 years of night rides. Unlike almost all other electrical gubbinses ...

[Kim]

All the head-torches I've had have 2 protective features against this:
- [...]
- they have those rubbery hold-down-for-2-seconds switches. Which I don't really like, but I've NEVER had one self-activate in storage.

Indeed.  I think I've had it happen once in umpty years of torches and bike lights with soft-molly-guarded switches.  (And many more times on the ones which will switch on with a single short press, notably SMART rear lights.)

My current high-end Petzl takes it a step further, and has a lock-out function where you have to hold down *two* buttons (on different faces of the unit) for a couple of seconds to wake it up.  Attempting to turn it on in the normal single-button-press manner results in three short flashes of the red LED to tell you that it's locked out, before it goes to sleep again.  This seems like a prudent feature on a device that's capable of draining its battery in under 3 hours at the highest power setting, but overkill for the little lightweight torches that I'd choose if I just wanted an emergency backup light for saddlebag purposes.

[andrew_s]

The one I bought the other week (a current Petzl Zipka, to replace a Tikka XP2 that no longer clips together properly) is a short click for high and another short click for low.
It's turned itself on once already, though that was in the jersey back pocket, and I noticed it getting hot.

If it was a proper emergency light, rather than emergency/useful, I'd protect it by putting a bit of plastic under the battery contacts, but if you use it more than very occasionally that's a bit of a pain.

It doesn't really matter - as a former potholer, I tend to be profusely equipped with several sources of light at all times.

[Kim]

It doesn't really matter - as a former potholer, I tend to be profusely equipped with several sources of light at all times.

I tend to liberally distribute those little LED keychain torches about my life in much the same manner as salbutamol inhalers.

[Brucey]

Feeble light? Pack an LED head torch they don't cost much or take up much space.

-yup, and the batteries go flat before you get to use them....

cheers

Lithium batteries have a shelf life of several years.  Should be ok

should be

if they get damp they tend to discharge rather quickly IME. The only way most lights won't turn on in the bag is with a plastic insulator in the battery compartment (or similar) but this doesn't stop the damp...

When I'm thinking of it I carry multiple light sources, but planning to 'expect the unexpected' obviously cannot work infallibly....  so I have had some 'rather disappointing incidents' over the years.

cheers

[drossall]

It is in the nature of emergency lights that they live in the saddlebag, where the switch is vulnerable to getting switched whilst rummaging to stuffing knobbly items into the bag.

I've got quite a few Cateye lights that I keep in bags. I'm getting increasingly frustrated that they hadn't cracked this one in several decades of light making.

[Cudzoziemiec]

My initial impressions following a couple of hours in dark lanes last night and a few urban after sunset trips:
It's very bright! I'd say it's brighter than my Exposure Strada.
The beam is wide enough for almost everything. I think the Strada is probably a tad wider but the only time I found it didn't illuminate everything I needed to see was on a tight 90-degree (or slightly more) bend. The beam is also slightly taller than the Strada, to my surprise.
It needs very careful alignment. Even though the lamp body seems to be horizontal, the beam was going slightly upwards. A couple of cars flashed me. No cyclists seemed to complain once I was on the cycle path though, but then I didn't see any till I was in the lit section. It needs a careful alignment session on a flat, dark path with useful things to align by.
Torx screws are fiddly.
The way the light fades dramatically when stopped is disconcerting but expected. What's perhaps more disconcerting is the pace at which it continues to fade on standlight. I thought there was a German law requiring them to last at least minutes? This doesn't seem to comply. I'm tempted to fit the reflector just for junction peace of mind, though that would require redoing the wiring so it all fits under the cap thing.

Three disadvantages and two advantages of fork crown mounting compared to bar mouning:
- You get a giant shadow of your front wheel.
- You can't so easily or quickly wave your hand over the light as a signal to drivers (that they should dip or that a lorry which has overtaken you can now safely pull in, for instance).
- You get brake-cable shadows. (Ok, that might not be universal.)
+ You can easily have a bar bag without resorting to bodged mounts or ugly spacegrip things.
+ You free up a bit more bar space for even more gadgets (probably a + on balance... )

[Kim]

± The shallower angle casts more exaggerated shadows of surface imperfections.  Good, in that it helps you spot them, bad in that you can sometimes end up slowing right down for massive bumps that aren't.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I didn't really notice that effect last night, but I think I do need to realign it.

What about the standlight? I can't figure out why it's so shortlived, and also why it discharges itself when off (ie ride with lights on, stop, turn lights off, set off again some time later and there is no standlight power when turning lights on)?

[Kim]

I haven't noticed the standlight runtime lasting any less than the 'a few minutes' of a Cyo (or discharging when off).  You might have a fault.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Hmm, I'll have to try and time it. Or maybe I'll find some silly wiring I've done (no idea what that could be). If it is a fault, not sure ICBA returning it frankly.

[amedias]

Re: mounting positions, I have my dyno lights mounted on the front of the mudguard*, well out of the way of bar bags, cable etc. and no front wheel shadows to worry about, also leaves room for front rack and can keep it centrally mounted rather than bolted to the side of a rack.

*one bike has a small from rack which the guard is also bolted to, on the other i use an additional stay in front of the forks to keep the front of the guard stiff enough and support to light as well.

[slope]

You get a giant shadow of your front wheel.

I like that effect - makes me feel I'm alone flying along in the dark straddling a rocket 

[Ivan]

I like that effect - makes me feel I'm alone flying along in the dark straddling a rocket 

Or a penis :-(

More importantly, how does this light compare to the Edelux II? Has anyone done some side by side evaluations?

[Kim]

I like that effect - makes me feel I'm alone flying along in the dark straddling a rocket 

Or a penis :-(

Glad it's not just me.  The shadow cast by a 28mm tyre under a 45mm mudguard is particularly CDC-like.

[mark]

More importantly, how does this light compare to the Edelux II? Has anyone done some side by side evaluations?

I've got the Edelux II on my tourer/fair weather commuter and the IQ-X on my winter/snow bike. The Edelux II has a very bright central beam and a decent level of light to either side, although less than the central beam. The IQ-X has a more uniform beam pattern, with maybe a little bias toward the right side. The IQ-X also has small lenses on either side to make the cyclist a bit more visible from the side, and a white reflector underneath the lens for when the standlight goes out.

I can turn off the standlight on the IQ-X, but not the Edelux. The on-off button on the IQ-X is illuminated when the light is turned on.

Both bikes have B&M TopLight Line Plus taillights. I can turn off the rear standlight on the Edelux/SON hub equipped bike, but not on the IQ-X/Shimano hub equipped bike. I'm not sure why, and I'm not really worried.

Peter White Cycles has photos of the two beam patterns:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt-headlights.php
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/b&m-hl.php

Peter White Cycles' assessment of the two lights matches mine. The IQ-X is an excellent commuter light and excellent value for money. The Edelux is a better light for faster speeds and more intensive use. "Value for money" is not a phrase that comes to mind, though.

[Kim]

Both bikes have B&M TopLight Line Plus taillights. I can turn off the rear standlight on the Edelux/SON hub equipped bike, but not on the IQ-X/Shimano hub equipped bike. I'm not sure why, and I'm not really worried.

FWIW, I have a Toplight Line Plus in combination with an IQ-X, and the TLP's standlight-off button works fine.

[Cudzoziemiec]

And a Toplight Flat S Plus (it can't be long till B&M's model names get too long to appear on the products) has no switches or buttons and its standlight does not do anything in response to the IQ-X switch.

[amedias]

Re: side by side comparisons of the Edelux 2 and IQX...

I've been back-to-backing them on two (very similar) bikes for the last few weeks to do just that, I was pondering on taking beam shots but it's actually quite difficult to do while moving and trying to keep all other factors equal, not least because I can't ride two bikes simultaneously to the dark lanes to do it!

My impression so far is that the IQX is noticeably brighter when jumping between the two, but after 5 mins you forget/don't notice it as 'better' if you know what I mean, and the beam is wider, but I think I still prefer the Edelux beam, especially at speed as the centre bit is better. I'm still not 100% convinced either way though!

[slope]

Re: side by side comparisons of the Edelux 2 and IQX...

I've been back-to-backing them on two (very similar) bikes for the last few weeks to do just that, I was pondering on taking beam shots but it's actually quite difficult to do while moving and trying to keep all other factors equal, not least because I can't ride two bikes simultaneously to the dark lanes to do it!

My impression so far is that the IQX is noticeably brighter when jumping between the two, but after 5 mins you forget/don't notice it as 'better' if you know what I mean, and the beam is wider, but I think I still prefer the Edelux beam, especially at speed as the centre bit is better. I'm still not 100% convinced either way though!

^ this - we're always wanting MORE of something! What's wrong with enough, actually?

[Kim]

Looking at the Peter White photos, it seems to be a trade-off between slightly more width, and the distracting transition between the two parts of the beam on the IQ-X.

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's a shame, purely IMO, that the silver is a sort of grey silver rather than shiny silver. At least, judging from the photos. Don't think I've seen a silver one IRL!