Front Lights to 'see' with

[BentMikey]

Just enjoying my Maxx-Daddy light on the ride home tonight, 960 lumens means everybody knows you're coming.

 

[rusky]

Just enjoying my Maxx-Daddy light on the ride home tonight, 960 lumens means everybody knows you're coming.

Even Subaru drivers???

 

[Bollo]

Even Subaru drivers???

As an ex-owner, BM is pumping out way more lumens than the average Scoob. Great cars but crap, crap headlamps.

One of the side-benefits of an evil set of lights is the extra 'presence' it gives you on the roads. Motorists won't expect a bike to have lights that can compete with a car's full beam, so they'll usually approach with caution.

 

[billflat12]

value for money lights

" I found the run times of torches to be a bit disappointing, as was the beam from them (have to angle them down quite seriously to not blind on coming traffic). "

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I tend to disagree somewhat with above statement from a previous post (sorry john ) , The p7 torches are so much cheaper than dedicated bike lights and do come in a very much wider variety now, a solution for basic road use could be to use one of the lower power modes by using their click button on the back, or simply mount them lower on a fork leg, ,maybe a cheaper cree q5 flood to throw adjustable model. or an inexpensive cree aaa model like the tesco,s.
Coupled with the superior 18650 lion batteries the run-times and performance still offer much better value than any available dedicated bike light.
(read some of the torch reviews from real cyclists on dealextreme.com)
There are of course comparable more expensive dedicated bike lights available using the same torch technologies.
ok. so chinese names like magicshine are not really trendy or ring a bell with our media led cycling buddies , but compare them with some better known more expensive models that are rated so highly in our glossy media led cycle mags, i made an informed decision last year before buying mine for the use I intended (offroad singletrack)
so if your like me and appreciate value for money you really cannot ignore what these chinese manufacturers have to offer , also its no secret that nearly every bike manufacturer on the planet gets their frames from some lesser known Asian producer, same is now evident with modern electronics incl. led lights, plain economics pure and simple !!

anyhow some dedicated bike light links to click on ( again free postage )

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149 (Full kit high powered)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26340 (aaa 110 lum improved tesco )

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26800 (flood to throw aaa)

 

[Crankarm]

I have a USE Exposure Maxx-D and a Joystick, but that's a bit over budget for you. If you could double your budget, you can get the Joystick. This is super bright, brighter than a Fenix on turbo, and a very high quality light. £125 from Bigfoot Bikes in Hayes, Kent.

£325 more like it........

http://www.bigfootbikes.com/index.p...er_op=view_page&PAGE_id=40&MMN_position=39:39

 

[andrew_s]

£125 was the Joystick, not the Maxx-D

I saw Billflat12's DX bike light (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149 (Full kit)) earlier. Interesting, but OTT for road use (even allowing for the fact that 900lm high / 500lm low are more theoretical than actual figures). Three mode, with a 15h/150lm mode may have interested me. 100lm is all you need for unlit country lanes at flat road speeds.

 

[BentMikey]

£325 more like it........

http://www.bigfootbikes.com/index.p...er_op=view_page&PAGE_id=40&MMN_position=39:39

+1 to andrew_s - £125 for the joystick.

£260 for the MaxxD.

 

[John the Monkey]

"
I tend to disagree somewhat with above statement from a previous post (sorry john ) , The p7 torches are so much cheaper than dedicated bike lights and do come in a very much wider variety now, a solution for basic road use could be to use one of the lower power modes by using their click button on the back, or simply mount them lower on a fork leg, ,maybe a cheaper cree q5 flood to throw adjustable model. or an inexpensive cree aaa model like the tesco,s.

Cheers Bill.

It's interesting - I have two torches from DX from last year - granted, they cost me slightly less than £30 all in, but one suffered so much from the vibration of the bike that it would switch itself off and on intermittently, and one would last about one and a half commutes (which was a bugger if I forgot to charge the batteries again after getting in). I guess I'd taken those experiences and discounted the fact that that technology might have improved since buying those torches - I'll have a look at those links.

 

[Origamist]

Cheers Bill.

It's interesting - I have two torches from DX from last year - granted, they cost me slightly less than £30 all in, but one suffered so much from the vibration of the bike that it would switch itself off and on intermittently, and one would last about one and a half commutes (which was a bugger if I forgot to charge the batteries again after getting in). I guess I'd taken those experiences and discounted the fact that that technology might have improved since buying those torches - I'll have a look at those links.

It's a bit of a lottery getting cheaper torches from DX. I've had some that have worked just fine, whilst others have died within a week or two.

A better compromise is to get a high quality/high power torch - you will have to pay more (I splashed £110) but this is a military/tactical spec piece of kit with a lifetime warranty and excellent workmanship (it takes 2x18650).

On my touring bike I attach it the bottom of my drops so it's lower and lights up the road better. I'm going to get another and attach it to the other side of the drops for the sake of symmetry. The claimed lumens for both at turbo will be 1700, but what it means in practice is that I can run both at Medium (150 lumen each) and have 9 hours of battery life.

 

[John the Monkey]

A better compromise is to get a high quality/high power torch - you will have to pay more (I splashed £110) but this is a military/tactical spec piece of kit with a lifetime warranty and excellent workmanship (it takes 2x18650).

There's the thing though - £110?

The Ixon speed comes in at not much more, and has a reflector shaped for use as a road light. Two Ixon IQs would actually cost less (assuming they're bought without chargers &c). Still interesting in hearing where you got your lights and what brand/model they are though

The tip of mounting under the bars is a good one though - did that myself last year.

 

[Origamist]

There's the thing though - £110?

The Ixon speed comes in at not much more, and has a reflector shaped for use as a road light. Two Ixon IQs would actually cost less (assuming they're bought without chargers &c). Still interesting in hearing where you got your lights and what brand/model they are though

The tip of mounting under the bars is a good one though - did that myself last year.

Ixon make v good lights - but even the IQ Speed is nowhere near as powerful as what I'm using (and I also use them off-road).

I'll take some beam shots on a country lane to give you an idea of the output...

 

[John the Monkey]

I'll take some beam shots on a country lane to give you an idea of the output...

Much appreciated, thanks!

 

[billflat12]

It's interesting - I have two torches from DX from last year - granted, they cost me slightly less than £30 all in, but one suffered so much from the vibration of the bike that it would switch itself off and on intermittently, and one would last about one and a half commutes (which was a bugger if I forgot to charge the batteries again after getting in). I guess I'd taken those experiences and discounted the fact that that technology might have improved since buying those torches - I'll have a look at those links.

For road use lower mountings would help any blinding problems , the newer 3000ah batteries should increase run-time, Would definitely agree poor assembly issues can make these cheap p7.s unreliable. so i,ve posted this link below to an excellent illustrated troubleshooting guide to help any issues with these torches .

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=227518



also Spotted this on ebay earlier
26 " Dyno Hub wheel & Busch and Muller Lumotech light
Item number:290347973116
" Perfectly adequate for riding on unlit lanes."

There,s a beam shot somewhere in here http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

 

[GrumpyGregry]

used to have that combination on my ATB

"perfectly adequate for bimbling slowly along unlit lanes" iirc

 

[BentMikey]

£110? You'd be better off by buying a dedicated bike light like an Exposure.