Carbide bicycle headlights
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Originally Posted by inja
I'm interested in wind speeds as well...
Specifically, can I ride using alight like Petzl's Aceto lamp, which was designed for caving and has no front lens...?
Specifically, can I ride using alight like Petzl's Aceto lamp, which was designed for caving and has no front lens...?
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Originally Posted by ken cummings
I just found a company in India that makes calcium carbide headlights specifically for bicycles. Have any extreme Retro types here tried one?
I've seen some engravings of the old boston bicycle club night rides along comm. ave- highwheels rolling with what i assume is a carbide lamp on either side of the fork.
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The lamp at www.lehmans.com is more the original.authentic type I handled at the Colorado School of Mines. With that or the Petzl lamp we would need to rig a wind resistant case for it. The Amish horse buggies appear to have their lamps in boxes with a glass front. Find a caving forum and ask how much breeze in a cave it takes to blow out a carbide lamp. In mines air speeds are usually below 5-10 MPH except near the main fans. Any case you rig for a lamp must have vent holes covered with fine metal mesh or something like steel wool.
since the minimum order is something like 3,000 lamps let's stick with what they sell now.
since the minimum order is something like 3,000 lamps let's stick with what they sell now.
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I have looked into this recently. My best theory is to get the Petzl generator, and rig it to an old bicycle carbide lamp lens with a glass reflector, and perhaps get the petzl lamp valve in the old lens. That way the generator can go in your water bottle mount with the lens and valve up front.
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Carbide bike lamps.
Question: Can you use the taillight in conjunction with the headlight ? Is there a headlight that has the fixture for this use?
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zombie thread. Are you really asking about carbide taillights? They would be separate lights and have their own gas generator. There is a guy riding an Indian bike around town that has lights that look like they are carbide lights, but I'm not sure if they are real or not.
#32
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Seems more a Steampunk C&V thing than something to use commuting..
But yes cultural restrictions of the Amish does make non electric lights useful ..
the wagon is on 4 wheels Too, so The light will stay Upright..
But yes cultural restrictions of the Amish does make non electric lights useful ..
the wagon is on 4 wheels Too, so The light will stay Upright..
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Since the flame intensity was determined by the rate of water drip it had the interesting characteristic of automatically getting brighter when on rougher pavement. After hitting a few bumps the flame would sometimes extend at least 4" out the front. Used it for a couple years but eventually the carbide container developed a crack and the acetylene would leak out.
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can't believe you rode with one. I have a bicycle lamp, but no reflector. I watched a youtube video about a bicycle lamp, and now I want to crank mine up. Can't get the carbide container off. Not sure it's worth buying the carbide for it though.
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Up to the 20s or 30s these lights were the norm for all bicyclists. i remember a story about Bicycle messengers and yes, these type of lights were standard accessories for all workers.
#36
don't try this at home.
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Reprinted in the interesting "Brighton Bicycle Club" blog. These must be carbide lamps.
A report from the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper, Sept 17, 1900:
Hot chase in Northside
From the story:
A report from the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper, Sept 17, 1900:
Hot chase in Northside
From the story:
Police Officer Amos McCane, of the Tenth District, had a hot chase on Spring Grove Avenue, in Cumminsville, shortly after dark last night after two bicyclists, who were riding without lighted lamps, in violation of the city’s laws.
Officer McCane was patrolling the avenue on his bicycle and came upon the wheelmen near Spring Grove Cemetery. Noticing that their lamps where not lighted he called out to the riders to stop and light them. “Don’t have to” were the words that came back at the officer’s order. “You light those lights or I’ll run you in” yelled McCane as he took after the men. The cyclers had a good start on the officer and began to pedal for dear life. McCane, who is a good wheelman, began gaining on them. Three squares were traversed when McCane, who was almost upon the fleeing riders yelled again: “get off and light your lamps!”
Just then the officer’s wheel struck a rut in the street and his own light was jolted out. The wheelmen noticed this and shouted back “light your own lamp!”
...
Then the policeman unlocked the box and called for the patrol wagon. Just before the Tens arrived Ray asked that they be allowed to telephone the Chief of Police Deitsch. McCane was willing, and conducted them to Wetterstrom’s Pharmacy, where Chief Deitsch was called up, and Ray, telling who he was, asked that they be released. Deitsch talked to the officer, and finally ordered him to release his prisoners with a reprimand and to see that they lighted their lamps. Both men very meekly touched matches to the little wicks in their headlights and departed on their wheels. The most exciting chase of the season on Spring Grove Avenue was ended.
Officer McCane was patrolling the avenue on his bicycle and came upon the wheelmen near Spring Grove Cemetery. Noticing that their lamps where not lighted he called out to the riders to stop and light them. “Don’t have to” were the words that came back at the officer’s order. “You light those lights or I’ll run you in” yelled McCane as he took after the men. The cyclers had a good start on the officer and began to pedal for dear life. McCane, who is a good wheelman, began gaining on them. Three squares were traversed when McCane, who was almost upon the fleeing riders yelled again: “get off and light your lamps!”
Just then the officer’s wheel struck a rut in the street and his own light was jolted out. The wheelmen noticed this and shouted back “light your own lamp!”
...
Then the policeman unlocked the box and called for the patrol wagon. Just before the Tens arrived Ray asked that they be allowed to telephone the Chief of Police Deitsch. McCane was willing, and conducted them to Wetterstrom’s Pharmacy, where Chief Deitsch was called up, and Ray, telling who he was, asked that they be released. Deitsch talked to the officer, and finally ordered him to release his prisoners with a reprimand and to see that they lighted their lamps. Both men very meekly touched matches to the little wicks in their headlights and departed on their wheels. The most exciting chase of the season on Spring Grove Avenue was ended.
Last edited by rm -rf; 12-24-16 at 09:28 PM.
#37
don't try this at home.
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And, if you have a soccer ball and a milk can and some carbide: Carbide shooting on youtube
#38
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besides being retro what is the advantage over a solid LED light?
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yeah, there is no advantage at all. When I was a kid, you could go down to the hardware store and buy carbide, nowadays I doubt there is anyone in town that has it. That was good fun, although my dad didn't like it much
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Oh Lordy it has been a while. Am amazed I am still on file. Anyway Lehman's Hardware in Kidron, Ohio has had carbide light for several years at about $69.00. A minimum order for carbide with Lehman's is about $79. As most of that is paperwork and Fedex ground with signature on receipt Lehman's says it isn't worth buying any less. Another reason for cost is that there is only one maker of carbide in the USA/
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you can mail order small amounts, but I don't know what kind of hassle you have to go through. I was actually thinking how dangerous that the local hardware store was with their carbide, it was in an open bag next to the nails. It is used in manufacturing acetylene, there was a period where acetylene was in short supply because the plant that makes it had an explosion. I think someone was driving around in the rain with a container that wasn't water tight. Acetylene explosions are no joke, we had one when I was at Trek that shook the building. Turned out someone had made a mistake that filled a 8 oz. container with acetylene.