Lights for winter commute ?

[J4CKO]

On my summer lights at the moment, be seen types, want an upgrade, had a few like a Hope Vision 2, a magicshine and some no name Chines "Owl Burners', all a bit knackered, well the batteries are so do I buy another cheapo eBay job or is there something better, not after super expensive, just decent duration and bright enough to light unlit country roads.

[loudlashadjuster]

I know these aren't in the upper tier of products, nor are they disposable, but my Lezyne 600XL (I think about the same output at the Vision 2 on non-overdrive setting but a lot cheaper) was perfectly good through the dark lanes of the Dunwich Dynamo and a big jump from the 100-odd lumens I was rocking before. It lasted well and bar the mega Exposure-type floodlights I didn't see many better lights out on the road that night, so a good real-world comparison.

On the back I can't praise the Moon Comet enough. Light and bright enough that you barely have to look down to see if it's on, even on the lowest setting, and lasts long enough for any conceivable commute.

[schmunk]

I use a BLF A6 flashlight on the front using "bike flasher" mode - constant 400lm with a 1400lm pulse every second. Great to see and be seen.

http://www.banggood.com/BLF-A6-CREE-XPL-1600LM-7-4...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFd43O0jGRA (this is slowed right down - in reality the four-pulses happens once a second)

Currently £15 from Banggood (I paid £25 a year ago)

[Kell]

Second vote for the Lezyne 600XL.

It's brighter than my cheapo Chinese Cree one.

My only gripe with that (and a lot of modern lights actually) is that they all seem to attach with rubber bands these days. This is not bad in itself as it doesn't seem like it's about to jump off, but it's not very tight on my bars and going over bumps tends to knock it either up or down (can't remember which now - but either way you end up lighting just your front wheel, or blinding everyone you come across).

[bigdom]

I used to use the cheap Cree jobbies, although I moved away a couple years ago as they really didn't deliver.

I run Niterider lumina range, in different sizes, good beam pattern, decent battery life, proper bar mounts and USB rechargeable. The 750 will do 2 hrs on full beam. Not the cheapest, although definitely not the most expensive either.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/review-niterider-lumina-75...

[tenohfive]

schmunk said:

I use a BLF A6 flashlight on the front using "bike flasher" mode - constant 400lm with a 1400lm pulse every second. Great to see and be seen.

http://www.banggood.com/BLF-A6-CREE-XPL-1600LM-7-4...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFd43O0jGRA (this is slowed right down - in reality the four-pulses happens once a second)

Currently £15 from Banggood (I paid £25 a year ago)

I run a BLF A6 as my front light but didn't know about the bike flasher mode (I've not delved into half the mode options available) so thanks for that. What sort of battery life are you getting on that? I currently use a cheap Gearbest USB rechargable light as a flashy:
http://www.gearbest.com/bike-lights/pp_288196.html...

On the back I run one of these on solid red - microUSB rechargable again (got a couple so I can rotate them):
http://www.gearbest.com/headlights/pp_294543.html?...

Alongside a Lezyne Femto Drive rear as a flashy. 60 hours off a CR2032 in flashy mode.

[SVS]

Bontrager's Flare R got a rare 10/10 rating in Cycling Weekly's tail light review.

[snowman99]

Magicshine Eagle 600 works well here. Tell you remaining battery life and more importantly has a dipped option. It's all very well getting a super bright light but if you blind oncoming drivers you put yourself at risk.

[schmunk]

tenohfive said:

I run a BLF A6 as my front light but didn't know about the bike flasher mode (I've not delved into half the mode options available) so thanks for that. What sort of battery life are you getting on that?

It's definitely at least 10 hours and still at ca. 50% battery (but current starting to sag, given the huge draw).

To get to it, starting from the first dim mode, half press 4 times to cycle through WAAAAAAH bright, normal strobe, battery test (one flash per 25% battery) to "cycle strobe".

[anonymous-user]

Lumicycle or Exposure.

I've used loads of cheap Cree tat and the variable battery quality etc just pissed me off. Buy cheap, buy three times.

[tenohfive]

schmunk said:

It's definitely at least 10 hours and still at ca. 50% battery (but current starting to sag, given the huge draw).

To get to it, starting from the first dim mode, half press 4 times to cycle through WAAAAAAH bright, normal strobe, battery test (one flash per 25% battery) to "cycle strobe".

I think I've got it in a different mode group (from memory there are two.) So I don't get strobe when cycling through normally. But will have a play. 10 hours plus is plenty, I keep a spare 18650 in my saddlebag anyway.

Am thinking about ordering a Convoy C8 with an XPL HI and whilst it's twice the weight I may test that on the bike to see if the extra throw is useful on murkier winters days.

[SVS]

snowman99 said:

It's all very well getting a super bright light but if you blind oncoming drivers you put yourself at risk.

I agree, but it's a difficult balance to strike between being bright enough for unlit country roads and not blinding oncoming drivers.

Aside from tilting the front light downwards, I've been wondering how to pick the right brightness of light myself???(I've found 400 Lumens is ample for town, but not enough for unlit country roads.)

[jesusbuiltmycar]

yonex said:

Lumicycle or Exposure.

I've used loads of cheap Cree tat and the variable battery quality etc just pissed me off. Buy cheap, buy three times.

Exposure come highly recommended by people that secretly wish they had bought a cheaper light and put the money towards a new bike or a nice set of wheels! £274 for a fking bike light!!! At that price I would want an anti-car force field.

[anonymous-user]

jesusbuiltmycar said:

Exposure come highly recommended by people that secretly wish they had bought a cheaper light and put the money towards a new bike or a nice set of wheels! £274 for a fking bike light!!! At that price I would want an anti-car force field.

When your light fails due to it's stty battery and it's pitch black, freezing and raining the extra money doesn't seem to matter. Like I said I have a few cheapo cree lights. None of them match the runtime claims, unlike the 'anti-car force field'

[gazza285]

It's not the batteries that fail on the cheapo Cree lights, it's the little circuit board that's in the battery pack. I've made a little twin cell pack up so I can remove the cells and charge them in a proper charger, not had any issues since...

[anonymous-user]

gazza285 said:

It's not the batteries that fail on the cheapo Cree lights, it's the little circuit board that's in the battery pack. I've made a little twin cell pack up so I can remove the cells and charge them in a proper charger, not had any issues since...

I guess you make a choice, buy something cheaper that you might have to mess with or pay through the nose and never have any worries? I have neither the time or inclination to modify lights, they just need to be reliable. In the case of the second (brighter) cree I had, if you used it on medium it would be completely discharged within 60 mins. On low you would get about 90 mins at a push. Compare that to 3hrs on high for the Loomie, more light for every ride, that why I bought it. It's also got the boost thing which although looks like a gimmick works well off road...as does the big toggle switch on the back mid winter with thick gloves. Lastly, the clamping system is rock solid. Every cheap light I have bought has driven me mental with the mounts, again, it's something you put up with for the price. Having said all that the original cree with the non exploding battery charger and single LED is still working and charging ok.

[TwistingMyMelon]

I just use 2x cree lights on one battery with a splitter and a spare battery in the bag, plus a magicshine LED as a separate backup

I keep the battery in a waterbottle on the bike

Had minimal issues over 4 years of riding through the dark lanes, quality control varies though

Some of the batteries havent lasted too long, but long enough for me to realise they need replacing , I then just replace with a more powerful battery

I like the Crees as they are cheap so you can buy several to factor in redundancy and parts, spending £70+ on one night would be a pain for me as I would have to buy two , as I have 10 miles of unlit roads and paths to ride down

Running 2 x lights through 1 x higher capacity battery gave me three hours on full setting, so about 4 hours + on medium setting, battery was £15

Tempted to try a better branded light this year, but cant really be bothered and wills stick with what I know

Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Thursday 22 September 10:38

[schmunk]

tenohfive said:

I think I've got it in a different mode group (from memory there are two.) So I don't get strobe when cycling through normally. But will have a play. 10 hours plus is plenty, I keep a spare 18650 in my saddlebag anyway.

Am thinking about ordering a Convoy C8 with an XPL HI and whilst it's twice the weight I may test that on the bike to see if the extra throw is useful on murkier winters days.

Sorry, I forgot to say you need to do long half-presses to cycle backwards to get to those options.

[gazza285]

yonex said:

gazza285 said:

It's not the batteries that fail on the cheapo Cree lights, it's the little circuit board that's in the battery pack. I've made a little twin cell pack up so I can remove the cells and charge them in a proper charger, not had any issues since...

I guess you make a choice, buy something cheaper that you might have to mess with or pay through the nose and never have any worries?

I've fixed a couple of Hope lights for friends, although it's nice having the Hope repair service available, not everyone can spare the time for the postage. Another mate is on his third Diablo...

[donfisher]

I’ve been lucky with a £15 cree. It’s done 4 winters now and hasn’t burned the house down or let me down on a ride (why did I say that?) Mostly an urban commute though which is mainly lit so it’s not an issue when it suddenly runs out of juice and goes out justlikethat as they’re prone to doing.

I’ve also got a rechargeable Leyzne Macro as a helmet light used on low power that would get me home on full if it does just stop in the middle of a ride.

Bodging the bracket and adding a bit more waterproofing to the battery pack took about 20 minutes and a few bits I had kicking around. I can completely understand why someone wouldn’t want to bother though. I Can’t understand spending 10x the price of one for something else.

The complaints about the spread of light are solved with a diffuser lens that cost less than £5 for two delivered IIRC.

Need to dig it out again now I’m often leaving work after dark. If it’s conked out over the summer I’d definitely get another.