Helmet Light Inquiry & Steel Bike comment
Vicente Santiago
About the steel bike topic - I think it is the best material BUT I've been wondering lately - if money was not an issue, would a Serotta Ottrot based on the sport touring geometry of my custom steel ride better and make me faster? Has anyone had the same intrusive thoughts?
russell...@yahoo.com
as described in the following link. Used it on PBP.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=162784
Jake Kassen
> Hello everyone, I'm thinking of doing some Brevets early next year and I
> would like some recommendations on a lightweight helmet light. What
> brand do you use? Do you have to make modifications to attach it to your
> helmet? Is it light enough that you don't notice it? This is not going
> to be my main light, I have a Ixon for that but it is for reading the
> map, computer and fixing tires at night. Thanks!
I'm currently using a "Coast Micro Headlamp"
(http://www.utilitysafeguard.com/LL7451-Micro-Headlamp)
It's bright enough to read cues and people have said good things about
the green LEDs on the back. It stays on the helmet using the elastic
band. Not an amazing light but it cost $15 and gets the job done.
I've also had good luck with cheap headlights at Home Depot coupled with
a Velcro strap to hold them on. (Yes, I know I shouldn't do this.)
Jake
Joe Gross
>
> Hello everyone, I'm thinking of doing some Brevets early next year and I would like some recommendations on a lightweight helmet light. What brand do you use? Do you have to make modifications to attach it to your helmet? Is it light enough that you don't notice it? This is not going to be my main light, I have a Ixon for that but it is for reading the map, computer and fixing tires at night. Thanks!
(I need to turn this into a blog post or personal FAQ)
Being on my third helmet the last three years I'm a big advocate of
not permanently attaching anything to the outside of my helmet. I do
think that depending on the type of riding you do, having a helmet
light can help you avoid a collision with a vehicle/animal/pothole in
the first place and make up for the danger of having a protruding
object.
I use a homebrew generater powered LED for my main light, but for
reading signs, seeing around corners, and getting attention of drivers
I use a Fenix P1D-CE Cree Q5 flashlight that I zip-tied to my
helmet. With the flashlight firmly wedged into my helmet vent I can
turn the front easily with one hand to turn it on/off and adjust the
brightness. On medium (96 lm) it will last about 3 hours on one 123A
lithium battery. It'll go about 21 hours on low (16 lm), which is
still plenty bright for reading street signs on a dark road. High is
obscenely bright at 180 lm but only lasts an hour. I save that for my
fast descents.
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=354
During PBP, with my main lights attached to the bike I found myself
not using the helmet light at all except for descents.
I carry a little baggie of extra 123A batteries in my trunk bag,
enough to last the entire night part of any event on medium.
http://img.stimpy.net/pics/bike/lighting/640x480/IMG_0062.JPG.html
It took some trial and error to get the angle right. I wanted to have
the spot of the light in the center of my vision so that I could look
around naturally and have it follow me. I ended up wedging some rubber
pieces under the front of the light to get the angle right. I also
added some waterproof grease to the O-ring to allow it to turn easier
and keep the expensive flashlight waterproof.
The new Cree is the currently most efficient LED flashlight you can
buy, and the Fenix P1D-CE Q5 is a very highly regarded flashlight.
If you want to go brighter you can get an Cree MC-E powered
flashlight, but it's bigger, heavier, and takes hard to find
rechargeable batteries.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16540
For reading computer/cue sheets I use a Photo Freedom red LED light
velcroed to the front of my helmet. The red lasts much longer than
white, and doesn't mess with my night vision.
It claims to be waterproof and survived a very wet PBP with no issues.
While we're talking about illumination, I also recommend picking up
some red reflective tape for the back of your helmet, rack and
seatstays. It makes a huge difference for drivers coming up behind
you. I don't understand why all helmets don't come this way.
http://img.stimpy.net/pics/bike/lighting/640x480/IMG_0065.JPG.html
You can find a great selection of reflective tape at reasonable prices
at http://www.identi-tape.com/hi-intensity.htm
In addition to putting red on the back of my rack and the back of the
seat stays, I also put 1.5" of white tape between every other spoke on
my rims. This leads to the appearance of two solid white hoops, and
I'm told that it's still very visible even from nearly directly
behind.
Joe
Emily O'Brien
change the angle it points. That makes it more useful for both
reading cuesheets and reading street signs without having to contort
my head at weird angles. Street signs are best read with a helmet
light because you get more reflected light back at you if your
eyeballs are closer to your light source. Even a very small LED
helmet light works pretty well for this.
I have used a few different small/light/cheap LED helmet lights, all
of which seem to end up corroded and stop working after about a year
of life atop my helmet, which I wear every day all year 'round to
commute with. But thanks to the miracles of REI, when they stop
working, I just take 'em back and REI gives me a new one. The one I'm
currently using (I forget what it's called) is somewhat comparable to
the PrincetonTec EOS and the higher setting is bright enough that it
can be a backup secondary light if necessary. It uses two AAA
batteries, so it's quite a bit heavier than the various watch-battery
models I've used in the past. At first I was worried that the weight
might be a problem, since it does make my helmet noticably heavier;
but it hasn't been a problem, and I don't notice the weight unless I
think about it. And it didn't cause any neck problems on the 1000k
this summer.
YMMV, of course.
Emily
Charles Lathe
I'm glad you brought the topic up because I strap my Petzel headlamp
to my helmet for night riding and I don't find it a completely
acceptable solution. The strap goes around the back of my helmet and
a piece of shoe lace passed through vent slots holds the light in
place on the front ever since it popped of one night on a 600K. It is
a small light with AAA batteries, but I definitely notice the weight.
It's not that it's heavy, but it tends to move the front of my helmet
down. On hot, humid nights, with lots of sweat, it is more of a
problem. I have to admit I am not a helmet fan and might be more
sensitive to this because I only wear a helmet when rules force me to
it. I did an overnight permanent with a friend on Labor Day weekend
and noticed that he uses a book reading light clipped to his Berthoud
bag to read his cue sheet. I think he asked me to read street signs a
couple of times, though, so maybe his setup doesn't work for signs. I
use a Schmidt headlight so my helmet lamp doesn't need to do much.
Regards, Chuck Lathe
Franklinville, NC
David Lafferty
reading, tire fixing, etc. It weighs less than an ounce, fits nicely
between the top of my glasses and the bottom of my helmet, has two
brightness settings, and doesn't take up much space in my seatbag.
It's high setting is bright enough to illuminate road signs, but I
wouldn't use it as a main light.
If you're looking for more power in your headlamp, the Petzl Myo XP
($80) can be adapted to a helmet. The flash mode on that headlamp is
very noticable. It has the advantage of taking standard AA batteries,
but weighs quite a bit. To mount it to a helmet, you'll probably have
to craft something out of cable ties, velcro straps, etc.
Cheers,
David
>
> - Show quoted text -
jimg
needed the light ASAP for a previous brevet, and this version was all
that was available locally) and modified it slightly for helmet
mounting. I removed the elastic headband, stuck some grippy rubber
material to the baseplate, and strapped it to my helmet with a cheap
frame pump velcro strap:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimg/sets/72157603852540141/
Works absolutely wonderfully: weighs next to nothing, is quite bright
for its size (although that SSC P4 mod looks REALLY tempting), and
when it's off I don't even notice it's there.
-Jim G
On Oct 30, 10:16 am, "russellseat...@yahoo.com"
Jana Lingo
Lynne Fitz
the stretchy velcro strap to attach it through the helmet vents. Good
for cue sheet reading and flashing at motorists in the dark (I also
commute). I haven't had occasion to try it on a street sign yet.
I've velcroed a Planet Bike something or other (not a superflash) on
the back of the helmet.
Keith (ne' trekman1420)
model on Google) is ~$40. It runs on 3 AAA batteries and can be left
on to power its 3 LED lights easily all night for reading cue sheets,
etc. The only problem is that the Xenon light is so damn bright that
you're tempted to leave IT on which runs the batteries down in 3
hours. The battery pack can be carried in your jersey pocket after
routing the cable down the back of the helmet and securing it there
with a bit of Velcro. When not in use during the day, the light can be
removed from the mount on your helmet. It does have an adjustable tilt
which is nice for changing your aim so that you can fine tune it to be
right on your cue sheet when you look down at night.
littlecircles :: mikeb
love it. i use the highest red setting for cues, keeps the night
vision intact.
-mike