MTB Winter Lights?

Author
Discussion

Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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vwsurfbum said:
If your riding in deep dark muddy forest you can never have too much light.
^This. If you're doing proper, singletrak mtb then anything you 'miss' is a potentially awkward problem -at night, in a hole, with an owl...

Plus, if you ride with others, there is the little considered but very relevant 'mutually assured destruction' issue - if the rider behind you has a much more powerfull set of lights, all you can see is your own shadow. Very, very difficult. Had a guy with a Lupine Betty follow me once and I nearly got a sunburnt neck.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Digga said:
vwsurfbum said:
If your riding in deep dark muddy forest you can never have too much light.
^This. If you're doing proper, singletrak mtb then anything you 'miss' is a potentially awkward problem -at night, in a hole, with an owl...

Plus, if you ride with others, there is the little considered but very relevant 'mutually assured destruction' issue - if the rider behind you has a much more powerfull set of lights, all you can see is your own shadow. Very, very difficult. Had a guy with a Lupine Betty follow me once and I nearly got a sunburnt neck.
Muddy = wet. Wet + Very bright lights = glare. You can have too much sometimes on ST.

minimoog

6,856 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Gizmoish said:
It's ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. No-one needs that much light. Buy one biggrin
Sold smile

dudleybloke

19,717 posts

185 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Watchman said:
Magicshine for a little over 17 quid.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Bicycle-HeadLight-C...

Don't be fooled by the fact that it isn't branded. It's the real deal (I've got two).

Edited by Watchman on Tuesday 18th September 18:06
just ordered mine.

smashing

1,613 posts

160 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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minimoog said:
Sold smile
+1 just ordered that smile my flat mate has a magic shine so I will have to do a little comparison smile

Dover Nige

1,308 posts

242 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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Dover Nige said:
Just ordered a front light as per Watchmans suggestion. worth a try at that price point!
.... It arrived today. Holy crap what a light!!! I've never seen anything as bright as this on a bike before! Amazing..!!!
Just need a matching back light an ill be out for night rides just for the hell of it..!

Thanks to Watchman for the pointer..!!

Dover Nige

1,308 posts

242 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Forgot to add, it came with a UK adaptor included!

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Dover Nige said:
Thanks to Watchman for the pointer..!!
You're very welcome however I think I got my original one because of a recommendation on PH. That one wasn't as cheap as these though - I found this one after searching for "magicshine" on Ebay.

TheGreatSoprendo

5,286 posts

248 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Watchman said:
Magicshine for a little over 17 quid.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Bicycle-HeadLight-C...

Don't be fooled by the fact that it isn't branded. It's the real deal (I've got two).
Can you attach these to a helmet?

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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TheGreatSoprendo said:
Can you attach these to a helmet?
Dunno - I've just ordered a 3rd because I want to do precisely that. Might have to "make it fit" with a little ingenuity. smile

I'll let you know when I'm done. With pics, naturellement.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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It comes with a head strap, not sure how well that would work with a helmet.

Gizmoish

18,150 posts

208 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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otolith said:
It comes with a head strap, not sure how well that would work with a helmet.
The head strap fits over my helmet. How well the mount sits will depend on shape though.

TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

249 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Dover Nige said:
Dover Nige said:
Just ordered a front light as per Watchmans suggestion. worth a try at that price point!
.... It arrived today. Holy crap what a light!!! I've never seen anything as bright as this on a bike before! Amazing..!!!
Just need a matching back light an ill be out for night rides just for the hell of it..!

Thanks to Watchman for the pointer..!!
Nice one, I ordered one too - a day or two after you so hopefully mine will arrive also. Glad to hear it's a bright mo-fo! biggrin

minimoog

6,856 posts

218 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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My order placed too. I also ordered a wide angle lens as it's reportedly a bit 'spotty' as stock.

Lens from here: http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/acces...

Edited by minimoog on Wednesday 3rd October 10:33

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
minimoog said:
My order placed too. I also ordered a wide angle lens as it's reportedly a bit 'spotty' as stock.

Lens from here: http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/acces...

Edited by minimoog on Wednesday 3rd October 10:33
Nice idea (it does put out quite a narrow beam) but take note of their warning:

Website said:
Please note, for some off brand lights the stock lens is made from a thicker glass. To use our Wide Angle lens with these lights you will need to take up the extra thickness. This can be done by adding one of our replacement tempered glass lenses in front of the wide angle lens. (which has the added advantage of protecting it). Or with a gasket cut from some available material, an O-ring, or wrap the edge of the wide angle lens with a thin strip of electrical tape to build up it's thickness.
What they say is true. One of my cheapos came with a thicker lens than the other (still waiting for the third). The one with the thinner lens rattled a bit because the bezel was screwed-in tight and didn't clamp the lense and reflector enough against the innerds of the light. I have machine-shop capabilities so simply reduced the depth of the bezel by the merest of fractions until it screwed-up tighter.

What these guys are suggesting could be a problem with their thin lens might result in similar rattling, however the best solution (if you cannot machine the bezel) would be a thin o-shaped piece of metal IMO against the rubber o-ring. You don't really want a thicker rubber o-ring because it will extend inwards too, limiting the diameter of the light (I've tried that). However a metal or thick-card o-ring enables you to simulate thickness front to back without it extending inwards.

With regard to their suggestion to add a secondary lens... one pro and one con. It'll protect the new lens but will inevitably limit light output (a little).

Gizmoish

18,150 posts

208 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
minimoog said:
My order placed too. I also ordered a wide angle lens as it's reportedly a bit 'spotty' as stock.

Lens from here: http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/acces...
The ones with smooth mirrors are a little bit spotty, the 'lumpy' mirrors diffuse the light better.

For on-road I think I prefer my smooth mirror T6 (easier to point out of the way of traffic) but off-road the lumpy P7 is just awesome.

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
I used to frequent the candlepower forums - OK, I'm a sucker for anything "gadgetty".

They refer to the different stippling effects on reflectors as variations of Orange Peel (not sure if industry standard or not, but widely used):

LOP = Light Orange Peel
MOP = Medium Orange Peel
HOP = Heavy Orange Peel
SMO = Smooth

Gwnerally SMO gives you better distance but with "artifacts" in the light (like concentric circles of different brightness lights) where various OP reflectors smooth out the light into one consistent circle, but at the expense of ultimate throw.

There is a ROP talked about in torch/flashlight circles too but that means something completely different (it's a converted Maglight using an overdriven overhead projector - OHP - bulb made by a company called Pelican - hence Roar Of the Pelican, or ROP - sorry - terribly geeky).

Watchman

6,391 posts

244 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all

Gizmoish

18,150 posts

208 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Watchman said:
I used to frequent the candlepower forums - OK, I'm a sucker for anything "gadgetty".
(...)
Gwnerally SMO gives you better distance but with "artifacts" in the light (like concentric circles of different brightness lights) where various OP reflectors smooth out the light into one consistent circle, but at the expense of ultimate throw.
Realistically, I think since the advent of high power LED emitters, outright distance has ceased to be a consideration. With the pidding little filament bulbs rubbing off two C-size Evereadies the mirror needed to give it as much help as possible, but when was the last time you actually needed to see something 1km away?

bicycleshorts

1,939 posts

160 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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bicycleshorts said:
bicycleshorts said:
I'm after a rear light as well, any got any suggestions? Linked from the listing above is:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIte...
Just ordered this. Will update when it arrives.
fk me it's bright. Should be great if I choose to cycle along the unlit canal though.

The rear light isn't up to much, the cover seems quite flimsy. Once I've got some AAs I think I'll duct tape around the edge to keep the cover on.