Bike Gadgets – Lights

Another Bike Gadgets post. A quick shout out to Serfas UK.

I have used Serfas lights for 7 years now. I wrote in Nov 2011 abouth my Serfas ‘True 250’ . Alas, sadly the LBS is no longer there – It seems t’internet has taken over the world.

In 2016 my True 250 it took a battering and Leicester based Walkers, who stock Serfas lights came up trumps and put a new rubber clasp in the post!

Sorry to say my bike took a tumble in the dirt last year and the True 250’s mount took another battering – after 7 years of regular winter use. That’s every day, twice x 45mins use, clipped on & off the handlebars twice a day. That’s about 1500 uses x45mins. The light works fine but the mount is shattered and strong glue only lasts so long.

Time for an upgrade!

And there’s no need to break the bank!

Although the internet has its uses, it can’t quite replace a good LBS, and the folks at Future Cycles Leicester always have a good selection of stuff to peruse!

Yes, you can spend! and OK you may want to go night riding at speed in some cavernous God forsaken forest or the-like – but really, for simple commuting, who needs more than 500 lumens? I got by fine with 250 for years.

For less than £40, for me, the Serfas e-lume 500 does the job well!

I cycle for 8 miles twice a day, using shared paths, off the road for ~7miles.

I do occasionally set the light on to it’s highest setting in bad weather for the darker riverside parts of the ride, but for the pavements and short stretches of road, I just need to be seen and the lowest setting is fine.

I have to say, I do sympathise with pedestrians issues about the brightest lights on bikes, and I regularly have to look to the floor as when people on bikes with the brightest lights come beaming towards me (and why flashing!?). I won’t make an issue here, but I do wonder is there really a need for more than 500 lumens on a shared pedestrian path when other people are approaching? Slow down dude, life’s too short to get there early!

Anyway just to say – the e-lume 500’s doing great, and when I had an issue with the strap, the folks at Serfas UK jumped and speedily sorted me out again. Thanks Abi!

All good!

If you’re interested, you can read about my Camera and bone conductor Headphones here:
https://julesprichards.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/biking-gadgets/