Night riding thread?

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Very Blair Witch @link1896 . Looks like a great place for night ride.
We all know stuff is there behind trees to waiting eat you there so rub yourself with olive oil, mixed spices and drab of chili sauce behind the ears. It is the least you can do.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
Crikey @link1896, you'll be giving possums cancer with that sort of radiation... what sort of lights are they?
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
The trail is Blair Witch at Lysterfield Lake.

Handle bar lights are a diy creation. That’s a pair of XML-2’s running at 10 watts each in a super wide flood arrangement, actually no lenses at all, just a glass shield.

Another 10 watts of XML-2 on the helmet in a fairly tight spot.


About as bright as car low beam headlights, with no beam control. Can go flat out anywhere, any time with this much light.
 

Isaakk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Handle bar lights are a diy creation. That’s a pair of XML-2’s running at 10 watts each in a super wide flood arrangement, actually no lenses at all, just a glass shield.
Neat, what are you powering them with? Any issues with heat? I tried something similar, but couldn't figured out how to make a nice compact cooling solution.
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
Neat, what are you powering them with? Any issues with heat? I tried something similar, but couldn't figured out how to make a nice compact cooling solution.
Powered by a 3s1p lipo. Drivers are no name Chinese, zero modes, apply power and leds are on. The enclosures are actually 4wd “spot lights” with their lenses removed. Mounted to the bars with GoPro mounts.

I do dream of a proper light setup one day with better spectrum. Two wavelength “white” leds are still pretty ordinary to ride with, thanks to almost no green.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Powered by a 3s1p lipo. Drivers are no name Chinese, zero modes, apply power and leds are on. The enclosures are actually 4wd “spot lights” with their lenses removed. Mounted to the bars with GoPro mounts.

I do dream of a proper light setup one day with better spectrum. Two wavelength “white” leds are still pretty ordinary to ride with, thanks to almost no green.
So you don't think a lipo is too risky to strap to your bike Link?
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
yeah its not great. I've always planned to get away from lithium polymer and move to lithium ion. I am running a pair of lithium polymers inside a high pressure pvc pipe, so when (its not if), I crash, the lithium polymer cells are protected. The PVC pipe with top caps conveniently fits into the bottle cage. I then use velcro to hold it onto the bike.

I found lithium ion 18650 cells fit nicely into semi flexible mains gas pipe, the yellow stuff you can buy at bunnings. I have plans to make a nice big battery out of panasonic lithium ion cells to run lights and the suspension on my lapierre. I'd then run a nice multipin connector, to tap into every cell for proper balance charging. anyone series charging lithium can go jump in my book. its all great till the fire erupts.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
yeah its not great. I've always planned to get away from lithium polymer and move to lithium ion. I am running a pair of lithium polymers inside a high pressure pvc pipe, so when (its not if), I crash, the lithium polymer cells are protected. The PVC pipe with top caps conveniently fits into the bottle cage. I then use velcro to hold it onto the bike.

I found lithium ion 18650 cells fit nicely into semi flexible mains gas pipe, the yellow stuff you can buy at bunnings. I have plans to make a nice big battery out of panasonic lithium ion cells to run lights and the suspension on my lapierre. I'd then run a nice multipin connector, to tap into every cell for proper balance charging. anyone series charging lithium can go jump in my book. its all great till the fire erupts.
Yep, I run good 18650 battery packs for the same reason. Too scared to crash on Lipo. Sorry to hear about the CF mate! But glad you've finally got a diagnosis and place to move forward from.
 

Art Vanderlay

Hourly daily
Good time of day to ride during the magpie season. I have never been swooped at night.
Very aggressive magpie not far from me. Already taken a good chunk out of someones ear.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Good time of day to ride during the magpie season. I have never been swooped at night.
Very aggressive magpie not far from me. Already taken a good chunk out of someones ear.
True. The only thing with doing a lot of night riding is I find I get used to only focusing within your beam parameters and when I go back on day ride I tend to not too far enough ahead for a while. Nothing better in summer though
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Go for it lads, set something up in the General Discussion area and I'll sticky it if it goes bonkers. ;)
 

Cardy George

Piercing rural members since 1981
Any one doing night racing? Curious to see the setups. I've got a Gloworm Alpha set on the bars and a Lezyne 1100xl on my head, but I'm almost 100% road commute when comes to riding in the dark, and I don't reckon I've got enough firepower for dirt work
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
Try it and see on your own. Everyone’s idea of enough light is different.

Be prepared for some bastard with the sun on his handlebars to come up behind you, your shadow from his lights will be very challenging.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Any one doing night racing? Curious to see the setups. I've got a Gloworm Alpha set on the bars and a Lezyne 1100xl on my head, but I'm almost 100% road commute when comes to riding in the dark, and I don't reckon I've got enough firepower for dirt work
Sounds like heaps to me. I run about 1200 lumen on the bar and 750 lumen spot Lezyne on my head and that's fine for me. I've just received my Lezyne Decadrive 1500i "Fully loaded" pack that I bought on clearance that's 3LEDS pushing 1500 Lumen and I'm looking forwards to trying that tonight.
 
Top