Hi Jimo
A few years ago now, when Troutie first seemed to get left with managing, well, starting really, the rabble that was the Fatty Owls he bought a big box of lights and batteries to the race. It was a godsend really as I was running cheap no name lights that were OK at a slow pace for a short time. The first lap Troutie strapped a row of these LCD's to my helmet I was giving myself a fright. Going up the fire road it was like driving a lorry with all the spotlights on, magic, I could see.
I didn't really know Chris at the time that well and was soon to learn that he used to make lights and pioneered many setups back in the day, quite famous for it really. He had stopped making them well before this time but still had boxs of spares etc.
A year or maybe two later after most of us had kept saying that we must get him to make us some he said that he had some spare casings and lights to make a few sets but we would have to buy our own batteries as he had no spares but he would sort them out.
Anyway, good man showed up a couple of years back with a great set of lights and a handlebar mount and the batteries were a small pouch, sort of like 4 x AA size in a nylon pouch that you can velcro to the bar or top tube, or even put in a handlebar bag when I use them on the road. On the road they are really bright and lots of depth, honestly, they are brilliant. The lights have three settings for brightness and even when commuting in the winter I have them at the lowest and can see far ahead. At this setting Chris reckoned I should get about 7 - 8 hours. The year before last they made most of the night at the Puffer, but I do stop for long periods
I think in the end we paid about £25 for the batteries or something like that and Chris built them all for the team. I am biased but for £25 I don't think in performance or quality you could buy them for less than a couple of hundred, at least.
Sadly just after the 2019 Puffer Chris had an out of the blue heart attack and passed away. Very sadly missed. Each time I use them, as well as other times of course, I think of Chris, or Troutie. In my house and amongst the Fatty Owls the lights are known simply as the Troutie lights. If you think his lights are good, you should have tried his home brew. He would brew up a load before the Puffer and then bring a big keg in the back of his van that would be pressurised by a track pump so you could pour.
Good days indeed.
We also had the big wood burner stove made by John MacLean shaped like an owl. Hopefully back up and running next year?? maybe 2022.
I will get a couple of pics of the lights tomorrow.
Jamie
A few years ago now, when Troutie first seemed to get left with managing, well, starting really, the rabble that was the Fatty Owls he bought a big box of lights and batteries to the race. It was a godsend really as I was running cheap no name lights that were OK at a slow pace for a short time. The first lap Troutie strapped a row of these LCD's to my helmet I was giving myself a fright. Going up the fire road it was like driving a lorry with all the spotlights on, magic, I could see.
I didn't really know Chris at the time that well and was soon to learn that he used to make lights and pioneered many setups back in the day, quite famous for it really. He had stopped making them well before this time but still had boxs of spares etc.
A year or maybe two later after most of us had kept saying that we must get him to make us some he said that he had some spare casings and lights to make a few sets but we would have to buy our own batteries as he had no spares but he would sort them out.
Anyway, good man showed up a couple of years back with a great set of lights and a handlebar mount and the batteries were a small pouch, sort of like 4 x AA size in a nylon pouch that you can velcro to the bar or top tube, or even put in a handlebar bag when I use them on the road. On the road they are really bright and lots of depth, honestly, they are brilliant. The lights have three settings for brightness and even when commuting in the winter I have them at the lowest and can see far ahead. At this setting Chris reckoned I should get about 7 - 8 hours. The year before last they made most of the night at the Puffer, but I do stop for long periods
I think in the end we paid about £25 for the batteries or something like that and Chris built them all for the team. I am biased but for £25 I don't think in performance or quality you could buy them for less than a couple of hundred, at least.
Sadly just after the 2019 Puffer Chris had an out of the blue heart attack and passed away. Very sadly missed. Each time I use them, as well as other times of course, I think of Chris, or Troutie. In my house and amongst the Fatty Owls the lights are known simply as the Troutie lights. If you think his lights are good, you should have tried his home brew. He would brew up a load before the Puffer and then bring a big keg in the back of his van that would be pressurised by a track pump so you could pour.
Good days indeed.
We also had the big wood burner stove made by John MacLean shaped like an owl. Hopefully back up and running next year?? maybe 2022.
I will get a couple of pics of the lights tomorrow.
Jamie
