Re: [CR] Classic lights for 50's Randonneur

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme)

In-Reply-To: <4B00B8DD.8030102@verizon.net>
References: <351684.79029.qm@web82202.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:00:47 -0800
To: <hsachs@alumni.rice.edu>, Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>, classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Jan Heine" <heine94@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CR] Classic lights for 50's Randonneur


>>I still need to add racks, bags and lights to the 1954
>>Duravia/Mecadural. The lights in particular are a dilemma. I plan
>>to actually ride the bike, including possibly at night or early
>>morning. So the lights need to actually work dependable. This may
>>conflict with a 50's appearance. Aside from flashlights, most of
>>the 30's through 50's randonneur bike seem to have used dynamo
>>lights. Where flashlights ever used for rear lights as well as
>>front.

Yes. There were special models available. Check out the Paris-Brest-Paris-winning Herse tandem in "The Competition Bicycle."
>>Would they have had colored lenses in that case?

Yes, red for the rear.
>>One sees Radios and other classic lights on French eBay, but I
>>assume these are most dynamo powered. Will they work with modern
>>dynamos, or must one use old dynamos as well?

All dynamos since the 1940s have the same power output, with very, very few exceptions. You could run a Radios off a generator hubs, if you'd like. The old generators generally are quite reliable, though. A 1950s lighting setup is fine for occasional night-time use.
>>That rasies the issue of the reliability of both the lights and the
>>dynamos. Is there a source for bulbs for these old lights?

Any bike or hardware store in Europe. You could order a case of bulbs for less than $ 50.
>>Has anyone adopted the old cases with battery power and perhaps a
>>moden LED emitter?

Not so easy. Better to just get an aftermarket screw-in LED. We hope to test some for Bicycle Quarterly soon.

Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
2116 Western Ave.
Seattle WA 98121
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com