Exposure Lights
Discussion
Just wanted to take a few moments to share my experience of Exposure Lights with you.
After quite a bit of deliberation a blew nearly £200 on a Strada Mk4 light last winter. I used it all last winter, and it was faultless, despite taking a trip down the road after hitting ice in Jan. Fast forward to now and it's come back out as the evenings are getting darker.
I was using it last Tuesday and for some reason it became stuck on. The button on the rear was unresponsive and I couldn't do anything with it. It was on overnight and eventually ran out 17hrs later. I contacted Exposure on Wednesday and told them, and they asked for it to be sent back. I posted it Wednesday and advised them I needed it back asap due to commuting (actually wanted it back by Tuesday for an evening ride).
So I sent it Wednesday afternoon. I received an email Thursday morning to advised it had arrived, and another email Thursday afternoon advising it had been repaired and posted back to me. I received it back Saturday morning. They had repositioned the battery and replaced the end cap due to it being faulty.
I can't tell you how impressed I am with this service, and this company in general. I appreciate their lights are quite expensive, but I do think you get what you pay for. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their products to others, and am about to get another of their rear lights now.
After quite a bit of deliberation a blew nearly £200 on a Strada Mk4 light last winter. I used it all last winter, and it was faultless, despite taking a trip down the road after hitting ice in Jan. Fast forward to now and it's come back out as the evenings are getting darker.
I was using it last Tuesday and for some reason it became stuck on. The button on the rear was unresponsive and I couldn't do anything with it. It was on overnight and eventually ran out 17hrs later. I contacted Exposure on Wednesday and told them, and they asked for it to be sent back. I posted it Wednesday and advised them I needed it back asap due to commuting (actually wanted it back by Tuesday for an evening ride).
So I sent it Wednesday afternoon. I received an email Thursday morning to advised it had arrived, and another email Thursday afternoon advising it had been repaired and posted back to me. I received it back Saturday morning. They had repositioned the battery and replaced the end cap due to it being faulty.
I can't tell you how impressed I am with this service, and this company in general. I appreciate their lights are quite expensive, but I do think you get what you pay for. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their products to others, and am about to get another of their rear lights now.
Edited by S10GTA on Monday 22 September 11:19
The only problem is that I can buy 20 equivelent lights for £10 each delivered from China and just throw them away if they go wrong, in my experiance they usually last about 2 years and then fail. and then usually due to water in the electrics. The component and manufacturing cost for the chinease light and the exposure light is the same.
but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
Tiddy1 said:
The only problem is that I can buy 20 equivelent lights for £10 each delivered from China and just throw them away if they go wrong, in my experiance they usually last about 2 years and then fail. and then usually due to water in the electrics. The component and manufacturing cost for the chinease light and the exposure light is the same.
but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
I disagree having owned both but each to their own. I'd like having the security of knowing how much battery I have left when I'm 2hrs away from home in the pitch black in the middle of winter, something my old Chinese light didn't offer.but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
I'd back up the recommendation of Exposure lights too. I started out with the Flare rear light which had an odd on/off mechanism. That has had a hard life so far and has been sent back and repaired twice and Exposure were quick about both repairs.
Last winter I bit the bullet and replaced it with the Blaze, which is brilliant (literally). Nice and bright, good range of programmes to suit your required burn times, good warning of charge levels and easy to recharge either through USB or dedicated charger. I get about 10 hours use between charges. The Flare normally sits in the rucksack as an emergency light just in case I completely misjudge / forget about charging.
On the front I've got a Strada and a Race (bought from the Exposure outlet store). This gives a really nice range of lighting options up front and no worries about battery life as both indicators are good and clear as to how much charge you have left. Both recharge through either USB or dedicated plug in charger.
Yes, the Exposure lights are expensive but out in use I have found them generally very reliable and the back up is good. You can undoubtedly buy cheaper but there is a lot of reassurance in knowing your lights are going to make it as sure as you can be that you're going to be seen and that they will work just fine, that's important for heavy use, especially in winter.
Last winter I bit the bullet and replaced it with the Blaze, which is brilliant (literally). Nice and bright, good range of programmes to suit your required burn times, good warning of charge levels and easy to recharge either through USB or dedicated charger. I get about 10 hours use between charges. The Flare normally sits in the rucksack as an emergency light just in case I completely misjudge / forget about charging.
On the front I've got a Strada and a Race (bought from the Exposure outlet store). This gives a really nice range of lighting options up front and no worries about battery life as both indicators are good and clear as to how much charge you have left. Both recharge through either USB or dedicated plug in charger.
Yes, the Exposure lights are expensive but out in use I have found them generally very reliable and the back up is good. You can undoubtedly buy cheaper but there is a lot of reassurance in knowing your lights are going to make it as sure as you can be that you're going to be seen and that they will work just fine, that's important for heavy use, especially in winter.
I agree that the exposure lights are great lights, but it always amuses me when people say of any product, well they are great because they were repaired quickly with little fuss. I define a great product as one that does not fail in the first place.
I have the same issue with carbon vs titanium frames, My s-works tarmac SL frame has just failed and is now scrap as it can't be repaired. numerous people have tried to persuade me to buy a Ti frame based solely on the fact that they can be repaired when they fail... seems like false logic to me
I have the same issue with carbon vs titanium frames, My s-works tarmac SL frame has just failed and is now scrap as it can't be repaired. numerous people have tried to persuade me to buy a Ti frame based solely on the fact that they can be repaired when they fail... seems like false logic to me
With the Flare I think it's just the on/off mechanism is not up to long term continued use. In see that for the Trace and TraceR they have moved away from that mechanism, so hopefully that old issue is dead and buried.
The Blaze and Strada have been absolutely bullet proof for me.
I agree with your comment though, I normally associate quality with not going wrong in the first place but after that I do value good support.
The Blaze and Strada have been absolutely bullet proof for me.
I agree with your comment though, I normally associate quality with not going wrong in the first place but after that I do value good support.
I have an Exposure Toro and it is a fantastic light. Very expensive but an excellent bit of kit. Thankfully my son worked in a London based Cycle store and he bought the Toro and a Diablo at trade prices.
I too have also had the cheap Chinese lights from eBay they are good but give no warning of when they are about to die and they die rather quickly too. I now use these as torches in the house and also keep one in the ruck sack to use as a helmet mounted light if needed, but I would not rely on one of these Chinese lights as my main light.
I too have also had the cheap Chinese lights from eBay they are good but give no warning of when they are about to die and they die rather quickly too. I now use these as torches in the house and also keep one in the ruck sack to use as a helmet mounted light if needed, but I would not rely on one of these Chinese lights as my main light.
Andy OH said:
...but give no warning of when they are about to die and they die rather quickly too.
I think of them as Cato in the pink panther films. Instead of jumping at you from behind a door, they go out without warning just when you least expect, in my case usually in the middle of a wood at night, so it suddenly goes pitch black. Think of it as extra training for your reactions, to see if you can stop in time before you head into a ditch / tree / bush... 
Fetchez la vache said:
Andy OH said:
...but give no warning of when they are about to die and they die rather quickly too.
I think of them as Cato in the pink panther films. Instead of jumping at you from behind a door, they go out without warning just when you least expect, in my case usually in the middle of a wood at night, so it suddenly goes pitch black. Think of it as extra training for your reactions, to see if you can stop in time before you head into a ditch / tree / bush... 
Tiddy1 said:
The only problem is that I can buy 20 equivelent lights for £10 each delivered from China and just throw them away if they go wrong, in my experiance they usually last about 2 years and then fail. and then usually due to water in the electrics. The component and manufacturing cost for the chinease light and the exposure light is the same.
but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
I can kind of understand this mentality but completely disagree with it.but it is still great to hear that Exposure are giving good service as usual, but that is basically what you are paying your £190 for.
Why create all that pointless landfill and create all that uncertainty when you could invest a decent amount of cash in a decent, British made and designed product?
In the interests of full disclosure I should say that I worked for Exposure many moons ago. The production costs for Exposure and the Chinese lights is absolutely not the same.
shalmaneser said:
I can kind of understand this mentality but completely disagree with it.
Why create all that pointless landfill and create all that uncertainty when you could invest a decent amount of cash in a decent, British made and designed product?
In the interests of full disclosure I should say that I worked for Exposure many moons ago. The production costs for Exposure and the Chinese lights is absolutely not the same.
I sort of agree with you, but I decided to go Chinese. (1yr and it's still going strong Why create all that pointless landfill and create all that uncertainty when you could invest a decent amount of cash in a decent, British made and designed product?
In the interests of full disclosure I should say that I worked for Exposure many moons ago. The production costs for Exposure and the Chinese lights is absolutely not the same.
) My logic was that lights are improving rapidly every year so I'd probably want to replace is after 2 yrs anyway. For items without such massive yearly improvements (tyres or clothes for example, I do buy "quality" items)So I spoke too soon. I used the light last night after work and it again get stuck on the lowest setting.
I called exposure again today and they have posted me a replacement light free of charge, and upgraded me from a Strada mk4 to a mk5, and asked me to post the original back to them.
Pretty good service I think.
I called exposure again today and they have posted me a replacement light free of charge, and upgraded me from a Strada mk4 to a mk5, and asked me to post the original back to them.
Pretty good service I think.
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