Which non usb light?

[cheys03]

I totally agree that AA batteries are surpassed Wh/g by lithium, but for this purpose it’s slightly academic.
4x AA Eneloop batteries offer approximately 10Wh max at 120g total. A single 18650 cell at 45g will typically provide about 12Wh max.
Far better power:weight from the lithium 18650, but it’s less than 100g.

Having said that, I’m still mulling the options for running the 2x IXON Premiums that I have off lithium, possibly 3x18650 in series (10v-12.6v) with the two lights in series also (requiring 2x 5-6v) to aligned the voltages.
I’ve already got the cells, test and charging equipment though from building ebike batteries.
I still may not do it. KISS and all that.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The lithium battery lights would be fine if you could swap them in and out. My smart charger can charge the 18650 type cells.

 

[freiston]

If you do go down the ebay route - the Lidl lights go under the brand name of Crivit and there are still a few 40 lux lights running on 4 x AA batteries for under £15 (sometimes including a 2 x AAA rear light). I have one for my folding bike and I find 40 lux good for winding single track country lanes.

e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175059305885?hash=item28c259059d:g:t0AAAOSwCgths4sK

Oops! that link above is only 20 lux - here's one at 40 lux:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192217359658?hash=item2cc10c252a:g:cU4AAOSw8A1ae4Ct

 

[DCBassman]

Slightly sideways: the lightsets from Lidl have swapped from the dreaded micro-USB to USB-C, much better all round. Except I now have a set of each...

 

[wafter]

Yes, the beam pattern is their biggest drawback - it's basically conical, all the fine-tuning and shopping around won't change that. (Although I have done loads of long night audax riding with my cheap ones).

18650s? Yup, technically a fair bit better than AAs. But have some cons - availabiltiy, need a separate charger.
Just carrying slightly more spare AAs gives you pretty much the same capacity/performance metrics. Still, they are an option

Indeed - tbh I'd not even considered beam shape; only coverage / spread. On the one hand I've used focussable (conical) torches on a bike before and they've been fine; on the other I can appreciate how a beam pattern that better suits what you're looking at (presumably wide and flat) would be better.

I think the main point is that the device has removable batteries of some sort. As it happens all my current lighting uses AAAs; however Li Ion cells now pretty much dominate "performance" devices and rightly so IMO as you'll need all the help you can get with run time given the output of many lights. True that another charger would be required; however decent ones can be had pretty cheap (a while ago I bought a used-but-mint 2-bay Nitecore unit for about a tenner) and will usually do NiMH too. Really I think it would be short-sighted to go with anything other than Li Ion given that this is the way everything is going.

 

[Blue Hills]

eg https://www.bikester.co.uk/busch-muller-ixon-iq-premium-headlight-with-battery-charger-M350106.html

It's also available without the 4xAA rechargeables and plug-in charger for £20 less, but the charger may be worth while to cut down on wear & tear to the battery compartment catch, which rumour would have it is a weak point.

I can vouch for it being a truly excellent light - have ridden through many a pitch-dark night with it.
and confirm that the catch is fiddly/delicate looking - so much so that I would never want to change the batteries on the road.
Have considered the in-situ charging of the batteries but looking at the recharge time quoted it seems to me that the charger charges at quite a high power - I charge all my AA/AAAs at very low power to maintain battery life - not a problem with a bit of organisation if not on tour.
I fear that light will be discontinued soon and that it won't be developed - pity - with some improvements (better catch/beefier construction) it could be truly wonderful/all you might ever need.*

* since despite claims to the contrary by some crazed specfiends, nights are not getting darker.

 

[Blue Hills]

The only other bit of advice I can give is to ensure that whatever you buy has a voltage reg as it's not fun when the light gradually dims over the course of your ride until you can't see anything!

You're spoilt - the early Vision 1's used to just totally shut the light off. I have one. Luckily never cut out on me when going downhill.

 

[Blue Hills]

Another vote for an IXON Premium. I have a couple a

Couple?
are you the canny person who bought two when they were inexplicably being sold for about £20 by some mysterious ebay seller?
(I got one - should have got at the very least another one)

 

[Blue Hills]

Really I think it would be short-sighted to go with anything other than Li Ion given that this is the way everything is going.

As a stand-alone device, no need to communicate with anything/become but a tiny cog in the internet of things, why do you need to follow a trend? Nothing to stop you ploughing your own well-lit path. As for feeding the power demands of "performance" lights, depends how much power you need - it's what you do with the power/where you chuck the light that matters.