Front lights

[fossyant]

Anyone got any news on a possible new version of the vision 1?

I live in fear of it being reborn/reinvented in plastic with a built in battery you charge from your wifi connected toilet or whatever.

I would like a redesign of the mount though - something that would allow easy swapping between bikes.

Nope, no sign. The newer version had a plastic end cap (bad), but it did warn of low battery (good). I have two originals and they were my mainstay commute lights for about 6 years. Currently still attached to my 'crashed' fixie in my folks garage awaiting the 'other side' to inspect it, nearly a year on.

The AA batteries are a good idea for lower powered lights.

 

[*Dusty*]

And by the time you sort all of that out you could have probably bought a branded light as mentioned elsewhere. Sometimes it's just a false economy buy cheap buy twice ! Of course you may just get lucky !

Possibly, but for someone on a budget it may be financially easier to buy a cheap light to get by then pick up the rest as they go along.

It's less of a sting if it gets broken/lost/stolen too.

I've been running a solarstorm thing on my mountain bike for a couple of years now, it's grand, the batteries are grand and the charger still works fine.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Just picked myself up one of these for sh!ts n giggles

Ive been running one of these for a while now and i use it on the lowest setting while having it angled down a the road a little but I just did a small test and compared it to my remaining working MJ-858 and the 858 is stupidly bright.... Both of them are rated at 1000lm but the BKone on full is like the 858 on half. Light and day difference if you pardon the pun.

The same sahara light on Amazon.Us has had many favorable reviews. I hate to say it but maybe Torchy has been rebranding chinese lights and selling them on his ebay for a big profit.

Heres one I was looking at on amazon and heres one I found on Torchys ebay shop for almost double the price.

 

[MrGrumpy]

what battery comes with the amazon one and also the charger type ?? Some right dodgy batteries and chargers on some of these lights ? To be fair there are better branded options IMO for sale if shopping around and in the sales . Quality comes at a price ! Ignore the lumens its all ballaches and willy waving with these type of lights.

 

[Jody]

I hate to say it but maybe Torchy has been rebranding chinese lights and selling them on his ebay for a big profit.

Of course he is but the difference being a better water proof battery pack (6 cell 7200MAH as opposed to a 4400MAH), solid handlebar mount, he seems to offer a good warranty/support and tests his batteries thoroughly. Add onto that E-bay fees and profit and you can see where the doubling of price comes from.

 

[MrGrumpy]

yep bought a battery pack a couple of years back from him and night and day difference over the supplied pipe bomb.

 

[RoubaixCube]

what battery comes with the amazon one and also the charger type ?? Some right dodgy batteries and chargers on some of these lights ? To be fair there are better branded options IMO for sale if shopping around and in the sales . Quality comes at a price ! Ignore the lumens its all ballaches and willy waving with these type of lights.

Of course he is but the difference being a better water proof battery pack (6 cell 7200MAH as opposed to a 4400MAH), solid handlebar mount, he seems to offer a good warranty/support and tests his batteries thoroughly. Add onto that E-bay fees and profit and you can see where the doubling of price comes from.

yep bought a battery pack a couple of years back from him and night and day difference over the supplied pipe bomb.

Well i already own multiple battery packs from him. I also bought my fluxient u2 mini & some other 500lm light off him as well as the BKone i linked in my previous post. While his batteries are top notch. The inflated cost of the rebranded chinese light is too much imo even if he adds his own battery & ebays selling fees ontop.

Since the Sahara is stocked by Amazon themselves and not some 3rd party merch, it should be under warranty for a year so thats a non issue.

I was thinking about grabbing another MJ-858 from Planet x during their sales for just under £60 but there are multiple reviews/reports where the light itself died so it seems like my 858 dying isnt a one off. Not only is planet x selling a bad batch but they are also selling the older version which comes with the older 2-cell battery pack.

On a side note Ive also learned how to waterproof my batteries with a little electrical tape and a sandwich bag - Its not 100% waterproof and the battery will die if i dunk it in a cup of water but it will get me through any major shower i get caught out in no problem.

-----

The criteria I had when i was trying to find a light apart from it being fairly cheap was that it would be compatible with one of the adaptors that I had ordered so that i can have the light mounted under the gopro mount instead of on the handle bars.

I did scour the internet for branded options but i couldnt find anything that fitted that so for £23 -- its worth a punt

 

[Jody]

And by the time you sort all of that out you could have probably bought a branded light as mentioned elsewhere. Sometimes it's just a false economy buy cheap buy twice ! Of course you may just get lucky !

You say that but my X2 with a digital charger, quality batteries, waterproof holder etc has cost about £70 to put together and will be starting its 4th year. My friend runs an Exposure mk2 (£200+) light. The benefit of the exposure is its self contained batteries. Side by side mine puts out way more light but is slightly more spotty than the exposure. If my light goes wrong it will cost £10ish, a cell sub £10. If his goes wrong then its another £200 light. So is the exposure really worth 3 times more?

 

[Jody]

While his batteries are top notch. The inflated cost of the rebranded chinese light is too much imo even if he adds his own battery & ebays selling fees ontop.

Profit is not a dirty word. You are buying the light for £25 and he is selling at £50. You add a £10 battery pack and some fees to your light and he is making a tenner. Its hardly like he's ripping people off.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I hate to say it but maybe Torchy has been rebranding chinese lights and selling them on his ebay for a big profit

He's in business, profit pays his wage.

If you want to know what makes his light different to, and dearer than, another just ask him. He's a very reasonable guy.

 

[RoubaixCube]

So is the exposure really worth 3 times more?

How much its worth is really subjective... Both points you made are valid -- on one side -- cheap light, cheap to replace if goes wrong. On the other side -- much more expensive light, possibly better build quality, most likely closer to advertised specs and probably better support from the manufacturer/brand if it goes wrong but if not very expensive to replace.

I havent been in the world of cycling for long (didnt really get serious about cycling until about 2 years ago) but I have seen posts in other forums from years ago where MagicShine was considered a cheap chinese brand and look where they are now.

I Bought the older style of the Torchy BK One that i linked in my previous post. It cost me £20 and while I havent taken it out on completely unlit rides but having seen how bright my 858 was on the DD ride during the 40-60min stretch of unlit country roads I dont think id feel as confident doing the same ride with it and most likely supplement it with a head torch.

Maybe Im just over thinking things perhaps.

for £23 on the Sahara -- i think its worth a punt seeing as there are a few videos and more than 400 reviews on Amazon UK & US which have mainly been very positive. I think one of the biggest complaints was that the battery was hit or miss but that doesnt bother me as i already have battery packs from torchy waiting to be put in use.

 

[MrGrumpy]

You say that but my X2 with a digital charger, quality batteries, waterproof holder etc has cost about £70 to put together and will be starting its 4th year. My friend runs an Exposure mk2 (£200+) light. The benefit of the exposure is its self contained batteries. Side by side mine puts out way more light but is slightly more spotty than the exposure. If my light goes wrong it will cost £10ish, a cell sub £10. If his goes wrong then its another £200 light. So is the exposure really worth 3 times more?

Not dissing your solution but you have confirmed already my point, you buy a cheap light , you then have to spend more to make it better quality. Or you could buy an expensive light and it lasts. For reliability you need to spend money !

 

[Jody]

For reliability you need to spend money !

I have and its still less than 1/3 of the Exposure cost.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Not dissing your solution but you have confirmed already my point, you buy a cheap light , you then have to spend more to make it better quality. Or you could buy an expensive light and it lasts. For reliability you need to spend money !

Cheap chinese light off amazon/Ebay = £10-25
Torchy 8800mAh 8 Cell 7.4v = £40

Its still quite a big saving compared to some of the more powerful exposure or Hope lights....Hope R4+ is like £175 for the cheapest kt with only one 2-cell battery.

Contrary to popular belief - you dont need to spend top dollar to get reliability but theres quite a big err on the side of caution. Theres always the 'peice of mind' aspect but even super cars that cost millions of pounds can often break down or suddenly randomly go up in flames.

I have a friend whose used his X2 for years, He's still using it but it could do with a new battery though. Just because its cheap doesnt always mean its bad

 

[Jenkins]

Since the Sahara is stocked by Amazon themselves and not some 3rd party merch, it should be under warranty for a year so thats a non issue.

Both the lights you have linked to on Amazon are sold by other parties (probably by remote sellers in China) and only fulfilled (ie posted from one of their warehouses) by Amazon. I doubt you'd get a warranty from the sellers.