jaxgtr

after 10 to 12 hours of riding typically.

Troul 

InstructGPT?

GhostRider62

The Garmin radar unit lasts 6 hours, so, every 1-3 rides generally although I can count it to die on a third ride.

beng1

I have never had to recharge any blinking lights, nor buy any batteries for them in the last 56 years of riding bicycles.

tankist

My Cygolites indicate they need recharging when they are turned on or off. Quite convenient.

grantelmwood

Someone PM"ed this to me.
At $8, Good point about just carrying a 2nd set spare, and letting them go to 0%.


I'm with you on using an inexpensive set of bike lights even though I was willing to spend $3K on buying my recumbent trike. A lot of times the only difference between an inexpensive set of lights and the more expensive ones is the markup to make it saleable by a bike shop that needs a certain profit margin to stay in business (worked in one so I know). This is the sub-$10 set I have used for several years and are identical to the Lezyne Drive 100 that sell for a lot more at bike shops. https://www.ebay.com/itm/125807072450 The run time in flashing mode is about 6 hours. Since they are so inexpensive I have more than one set and could even carry a spare if I thought it might run low (rarely had that happen). I know how long my rides are so recharge them between 5 and 6 hours of use. I even found a newer version of this light that uses chip-on-board LEDs that are more efficient that individual LEDs but those versions can only be ordered from China with long shipping times,

There is good reason to limit the number of charges you apply to a lithium ion battery. If you look up the specifications to most reliable battery manufacturers like Panasonic or to the Department of Energy website you will find that 500 recharges is what they specify before the battery capacity declines to 80% of full charge. You don't need to discharge the battery to the point where the light turns off by itself but if you do not recharge every time you use the light you will prolong the lifetime.

Inusuit

About every second ride or 5-6 hours of use.

kwb377 

What's the run time on your lights and how long are your rides?

This is like asking "How often should I put gas in my car". The answer is "It depends...".

If your lights have a 90 minute run time and your rides are typically 20 - 30 minutes...charge it after every other ride. If your rides are 60 - 90 minutes, charge it after every ride. No rocket surgery involved with this.

genejockey 

I used to ride without lights. Then a local rider died because she was riding in an area of dappled sunlight - so, largely invisible - and a van pulled out of a driveway right in front of her. I decided aesthetics are secondary to safety.

shelbyfv

Lombard

I get about 6 rides out of my taillight (Cygolite Hotrod) before it warns me to charge it. I get more out of my Cygolite headlight, but I charge them both when the taillight needs it.

beng1

She did not die because she had no lights, she died because she did not have the brains or education to keep her from riding in poor light with no lights. Even with lights it is far more hazardous to ride a bicycle in the dark than in daylight. I simply never thought it was worth the trouble to ride a bicycle at night, there is no reason to. Educated people know what is risky, and some of them take risks anyway because they are adults and figure the benefit outweighs the consequences. It is evolution, if you are not smart enough to figure out what can kill you, then you will not be around to pass your "knowledge" onto future generations as long as you otherwise may. I am an old man and I know as many or more dead people than living, it comes with the years, and I don't feel sorry for anyone who dies from poor decision making, only for those who died because of the poor decisions of others, who were victims of the greed or ignorance of their peers.

genejockey 

She was riding in the middle of the day, not at night.

shelbyfv

I don't think "dappled sunlight" means what you think it does.

BillyD

Good catch.

tcs

Misplaced a taillamp. Found it 2½ years later. Wouldn't take a charge. Charge 'em every month or two even if you didn't use 'em.

PeteHski

Lights and brains/education are not mutually exclusive. Blinking lights improve your visibility to traffic at any time of day, so I run them as a matter of course in daylight - especially at the rear. I don't see any downside here. I don't ride at night out of choice and I try to avoid dawn and dusk too because of the low sun. For me, that's the worst risk.

Lombard

You're shooting from the hip as usual. Did you not read the part of his post about "dappled sunlight"? She was riding in the daytime! Posts like yours are selfish, unkind and unnecessary.

beng1

That does not matter, if you you do not have the capacity to realize when a situation is hazardous and see what it could mean, then you do not belong there and if you do not have the intelligence to remove yourself from those situations then the universe will do it for you sooner or later.

beng1

I ride most miles on this bike in traffic with no helmet and just a rear coaster brake. Been riding bicycles on public roads for over a half-century. I don't get vaccines, never used condoms or seatbelts and have run automobiles and motorcycles over 100mph longer than anyone but a pro race-driver. If I get run over tomorrow that is not so bad as I have actually lived. I feel sorry for those who always do what they are told, always follow rules. If you can think independently and critically and know your world and your place in it, then you don't need to worry or have any fear, you can make your own rules and live among those who are not free, but be free yourself and alive.

genejockey 

You must be a gas at funerals, prattling on about how stupid the departed was.

genejockey 

Yeah, I think we're done here.

shelbyfv

Clearly cognitive decline with age is a myth, promulgated by Big Blinkie.

canalligators

You always have the option to put rechargeable AAAs in this light. I do.

canalligators

I wish there was a way to automatically block postings by specific users. I would use it sparingly, but it would be useful.