LED adventure riding lights

**nigelp** · 24th September 2008, 17:21

Well as there has been a bit of interest on the Lees Valley trip regarding LED lights for adventure riding I thought it best to post up some more info for others if they are interest. My lights are designed at the moment for mountain biking but with the change of lenses and upgrade of the LED they could be ok for adventure riding in the dark.

I have uploaded some pics of the lights I have made. This is Version I. Version II has better LEDs and optics and also no dimmer (as never us this one anyway).

The lights are based roughly around some of the designs on: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/....php?p=1755372

I use a 1000ma driver with 8 AA batteries and 2 P4 (vII has Q5) LEDs. Housing is 25mm aluminium box section.

Downside to my light is casing looks very agricultural and as designed originally as MTB light has flood and spot light. Can easily be changed to spot and spot with lense change. I have experiemented with about 4 different types of lenses and reflectors.

Version III will be made in next few weeks I think - will have 2 (maybe 3) R2 LEDs using same Buckpuck driver and battery pack. I also want to make better housing so on the look out for things to make it out of. Anybody out there good with a lathe (and have one??)

Will post up somore details as I think of them - I have a menu of parts made up if anyone wants it as have a few people interested in making one.

May even pay to get together and have a group buy. I get all my parts from the states (www.dealextreme.com) but dont keep too many spares on hand.

**nigelp** · 24th September 2008, 17:26

Forgot to add that my original inspiration was from the thread http://www.vorb.org.nz/ftopic-55312-...rderasc-0.html on a mountain biking site. If you get through all the useless crap there is some useful stuff there also. Took my 4hrs to pour through that thread so enjoy.

**buggsubique** · 27th September 2008, 20:22

That's awesome. Me and my bro used to MTB nightride in the mid 90's and we would whack a 6v bulb into our standard bike light or a hacked up torch mounted to our helmets and run em off about 7.2 to 9.6V. Generally a bulb would only last a ride or so, hence a spare or two. LED's were never really around then - not to the power we have these days!

Can you please PM / post a parts list? Many thanks, Matt

**XF650** · 20th December 2008, 20:19

Found this

http://www.motorcyclejazz.com/trail_tech_scmr16_hid.htm

**NordieBoy** · 21st December 2008, 08:05

I'm having a little play with HID at the moment too

**CrazyFrog** · 21st December 2008, 20:03

There's an outfit in NZ (www.nightlightning.co.nz) selling quite good MTB/Enduro systems, using LED's (Blaast system)or Halogen bulbs (Comet Pro).
LED's obviously draw less charge, and can run happily on their own battery pack, but if you're considering hard wiring the system to your bike's battery it's prob more worthwhile using halogens = more powerful.
Both systems are great as auxillary lights for the bike or helmet.
Costs around $260 (Do it yourself kit for LEDs), or $120 D.I.Y for 35w Halogens.....a little pricey for the LED's, but nice little units and easy to mount.
They also have a handy assembly guide for the not so technically minded out there....handier than a handy thing.

**MotoRad-ical** · 21st December 2008, 20:55

http://www.nightlightning.co.nz/

Just bought one for the Dusty butt there local in chch and can make one to suit what you want.

Good to deal with and NZ made

**Alpha Solo** · 23rd December 2008, 20:30

I also dropped down there today - great people and picking up my unit tomorrow - looking forward to being able to see round corners etc!

**Transalper** · 23rd December 2008, 21:12

Will be interesting to see which ones you guys have chosen, what they cost and especially how effective they actually are.

As I mentioned somewhere before, I spent all me cash on other stuff recently and barely have enough for travelling expenses this holiday so will be riding without extra lighting... again. Oh well, whatever.

**MotoRad-ical** · 24th December 2008, 13:42

Originally Posted by Transalper

Will be interesting to see which ones you guys have chosen, what they cost and especially how effective they actually are.

Mine cost $448 incl
Light $328 +GST
Battery $70.23 +GST (lead acid)

If you feel like throwing abit more money into it you can spend up to $400 on a battery alone that weighs about as much as a cellphone but for what I'm doing lead acids fine. Another option is to wire it up to your bike batt.

For 3 LEDs the light is good. My intended use was for slow technical riding and getting light where your looking and I reckon it'll do just fine.

There are cheaper options out there and you can also make your own but I'm a believer in pay for what you get plus I'm short on time at the mo.

I'm hoping to try it out before the DB in Leighs valley (chch) one night (if anyones keen?)

**Transalper** · 24th December 2008, 16:29

Very good, that's the ball park I was expecting. Will have to check your opinion again after the big event.
A note on Lees Valley at this moment... the rain last weekend flooded the main crossing so if you go in just be prepared to go out the same way... which is still a good ride anyway.
River level right now is back down to 11.4 cumecs and dropping slowly this time.
It's Okuku Fox Creek in this list.

**Alpha Solo** · 26th December 2008, 08:36

I'm hoping to try it out before the DB in Leighs valley (chch) one night (if anyones keen?)[/QUOTE]

I'm keen to do Lee's in the dark again, I too now have an LED set up hardwired to the bike, also hard wired the helmet and GPS in helmet speakers to the helmet... total overkill but I'm a technician for a living!

Any night this week will suit me.

PM me or update this post

**CrazyFrog** · 26th December 2008, 10:12

Originally Posted by peachvw

I too now have an LED set up hardwired to the bike, also hard wired the helmet and GPS in helmet speakers to the helmet... total overkill but I'm a technician for a living!

Hey Peachy, where did you mount your new lights on the KTM, I'm trying to figure out the best place to put mine.....

**Alpha Solo** · 26th December 2008, 22:25

I mounted the LED light on top of my helmet and ran a cord to the bars, not ideal as it ties the helmet to the bike but it was the best solution when there is a power plug on the dash in front of you!

I will try and mount an image here later.

How did the lights actually work?
Well I've been riding bikes for years and the Whiteness of the LED's will take some getting used to, yes it's bright and probably works better on mountain bikes as I found the combination of bike headlights and the head torch quite a strange combination, if anything it made me ride slower, sometimes too much information can be a bad thing, same with the GPS and MP3 player I also wired to the helmet...

So the jury is out for me at the moment, although when I did have it on I had more detail in front of me but it looked more like a black and white photo of the moon had been laid over the yellow bike headlights...