Choosing a Lighting System

by Phil Piltch

Most cyclists give little thought to bicycle lighting. Most club rides occur entirely in daylight. Commuter cyclists, when they must ride at night, usually do so on well-lit urban streets, where lighting is used primarily to alert others of their presence. The Ontario Highway Traffic Act ( HTA ) requires bicycles to have front and rear lights, but provides no useful guidance on lighting.

Good lighting is very important when completing ultra-distance cycling events. Randonneuring puts an especially high demand on lighting needs, since one will be travelling for several hours at night on unlit country roads with little or no support. One needs a reliable lighting system that will be able to provide sufficient illumination to see the road and avoid hazards over the entire period of night travel. While there quite a number of lighting systems available, few of them are truly suitable for Randonneuring. In this article I will give a short survey of what is available and where look for further information.

Bicycle lighting systems can be divided roughly into two categories: those powered by batteries, and those powered by a generator. Both have distinct advantages and weaknesses. Among the battery powered lights, LED (light emitting diode) lights are quite popular, use very little power for the amount of light they produce.

Generator-powered lights have been the traditional choice for randonneuring, because they are both lightweight and can provide light for as long as needed. Their main drawbacks are that they only provide light when the cyclists is moving and increase pedalling effort. Side-mounted "bottle" style generators either run on the tire side-wall or rim and mount either on the front fork or on a seat stay. This was once the only type of generator generally available. They generally work quite well and are the least expensive, but usually produce the most drag. The Lightspin has the least drag of bottle generators, but is among the bulkiest and heaviest.

"Bottom bracket" units mount just behind the crankset and run on the centre of the rear tire. These have less drag than side mounted units, but are vulnerable to dirt and water thrown off by the front wheel. These are now hard to find and may no longer be made. Hub generators are contained within the hub of the front wheel, and produce the least drag, but require rebuilding of the front wheel, and are the most expensive to purchase. Hub generators have some residual drag even when the lights are off, since the generator is always running, thought the best of them, the Schmidt, has very little drag. However, they are virtually imune to dirt and mud and have become the most popular style of generator. The headlight is turned on or off with a switch, usually installed in the headlight itself.

Battery powered lights have become increasingly popular. They offer constant light, even when the cyclists is stopped, are lightweight and compact, and helpful for emergencies, such as a flat tire. Some can be mounted on the helmet, to allow for reading one's route sheet and to light signs off to the side. As with generator powered headlights, the best use at least a 6 volt, 2.4 watt halogen bulbs. While there are headlights using white LEDs, the beam from these are generally more diffuse and not as bright as headlights using indcandescent bulbs. Battery-power taillights on the market are generally made exclusively with LEDs. Because LEDs are highly directional, LED taillights should be firmly attached to the bike or rear rack and should face straight back.

Battery-powered headlights either use disposable alkaline batteries (usually AA size), or some type of built-in rechargeable battery and will give about 2 to 3 hours of light before the batteries need to be replaced. Headlights have a quick release bracket that can be mounted on the handlebars. Rechargeable batteries, such as NiCad or NiMH can be used in place of alkaline, but the lighting times may be much shorter and the light output may not be as bright. There are also AA lithium batteries which can provide up to 3 times the lighting time as alkaline. One should always carry sufficient replacement batteries for the event.

Taillights currently on the market are the LED type. LED's put out a lot of light with very low power use, but they are highly directional - that is, most of their light is focus along a single line. When mounted on the bicycle, make sure that the LED's point straight back. Make sure that you purchase an LED taillight with both steady and flashing modes. While the flashing mode saves battery life, others will appreciate not having to stare at something wildly flashing for hourx on end. A number of headlights are now available using white LEDs, though most are not sufficiently bright to safely light a dark country road. It is best to either test them or use them with a halogen hightlight. Also, on some rides such as PBP, LED are not allowed as primary headlights.

There are a number of good web sites with information on lighting. Audax UK has an excellent source of information on bicycle lighting with links to many lighting web sites, including Peter White Cycles (carries Schmidt hub generators). All bike shops carry battery powered lights, but rarely generator lights. Bicycle Specialities in Toronto (416 423 0456) carries as number of generator lighting systems, which are hard to find at other shops.