best dynamo front light with SIDE visibility
#26
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,465 Times
in
1,433 Posts
Thanks for telling us about Ciclavia. I hadn't heard of it. There's a link for everyone else.
A distant relative lives in Colombia, and I'm watching her facebook posts. It looks like an interesting country. I should have learned Spanish long ago. I picked up a tiny bit on the streets of New York but not really enough.
I also have distant relatives in Argentina whom I've never met. Maybe I'll go one day.
Boy, I'm the king of changing the subject.
A distant relative lives in Colombia, and I'm watching her facebook posts. It looks like an interesting country. I should have learned Spanish long ago. I picked up a tiny bit on the streets of New York but not really enough.
I also have distant relatives in Argentina whom I've never met. Maybe I'll go one day.
Boy, I'm the king of changing the subject.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#27
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Way late to this conversation.
I see you've gone with an IQ-X. I've got one as well. Originally used a Topline taillight with it, but that was rack mounted and I switched to a seatpack on that bike.
So it's got DIY taillights on each seat stay now.
The integral standlight for the IQ-X doesn't last very long anymore. It's probably 5-6 years old now.
So I've considered replicating the taillight in front with amber or white LEDs. You could do the same for side lights.
The IQ-X taillight terminals are AC.
So the taillight is a rectifier with 3 red LEDs in series and a resistor. I don't recall the value. Somewhere around 22-33 ohms. Plus a capacitor across it all.
I think I used a 1 F cap. Which is much larger than necessary. Probably rated for 9V, but I may have risked it with a 7.5V.
For the front I would use 1 white + 2 ambers in series. Similar resistor. White facing forward and an amber facing each side.
That said. A small 5mm Amber LED is probably not going to catch the attention of a driver intending to roll through a stop sign.
And do you aim it straight to the side or angled forward.
High vis attire and gear is probably more effective.
I can't post a photo of the taillight so imagine a Supernova E3 oriented vertical on each seatstay. Except it's an ugly aluminum angle with black goop and 3 really bright red LEDs.
I see you've gone with an IQ-X. I've got one as well. Originally used a Topline taillight with it, but that was rack mounted and I switched to a seatpack on that bike.
So it's got DIY taillights on each seat stay now.
The integral standlight for the IQ-X doesn't last very long anymore. It's probably 5-6 years old now.
So I've considered replicating the taillight in front with amber or white LEDs. You could do the same for side lights.
The IQ-X taillight terminals are AC.
So the taillight is a rectifier with 3 red LEDs in series and a resistor. I don't recall the value. Somewhere around 22-33 ohms. Plus a capacitor across it all.
I think I used a 1 F cap. Which is much larger than necessary. Probably rated for 9V, but I may have risked it with a 7.5V.
For the front I would use 1 white + 2 ambers in series. Similar resistor. White facing forward and an amber facing each side.
That said. A small 5mm Amber LED is probably not going to catch the attention of a driver intending to roll through a stop sign.
And do you aim it straight to the side or angled forward.
High vis attire and gear is probably more effective.
I can't post a photo of the taillight so imagine a Supernova E3 oriented vertical on each seatstay. Except it's an ugly aluminum angle with black goop and 3 really bright red LEDs.