MTB Winter Lights?

[Matt106]

As the dark nights are slowly upon us I'm looking for some cheap lights for when I'm out on my MTB in the evening.

My budget is pretty tight, I'd like to spend £50 so probably looking at some HK specials! Can anyone recommend any lights for this price?

I've got a LED Lenser P7 that I could use however I'd prefer bike specific.

[MadDad]

If you can stretch to £100 I cannot recommend this one highly enough, it has 4 brightness settings and gives a long and broad spread of light;

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/products/Front-Bike-...

However if you cannot go the extra £50 then this is also a decent light for the money, a high/low setting and flashing (although IMHO the flashing is too bright to use on the road);

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ssc-p7-3-mode-900-lum...

Personally I use the top one on the bars the light up the trail directly in front of me, and the bottom one on my skid lid to light up the tail 50/60 yds ahead.

[Matt106]

MadDad said:

If you can stretch to £100 I cannot recommend this one highly enough, it has 4 brightness settings and gives a long and broad spread of light;

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/products/Front-Bike-...

However if you cannot go the extra £50 then this is also a decent light for the money, a high/low setting and flashing (although IMHO the flashing is too bright to use on the road);

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ssc-p7-3-mode-900-lum...

Personally I use the top one on the bars the light up the trail directly in front of me, and the bottom one on my skid lid to light up the tail 50/60 yds ahead.

The magic shine light looks really good, I may have to up my budget I think! Also good that it's UK stock, thanks.

[MadDad]

It really is worth the money, I use mine on my road bike this time of year as well as the MTB. The lowest setting or more than adequate for riding along lit roads, and the second setting is more than bright enough for unlit country lanes etc. I have never needed to use the top two settings on the road, and don't think I have ever really had the need for the top setting off road!

The bottom couple of settings last for hours on end, and even the top setting lasts for several hours - more than enough for a couple of hours fun at your favorite trail center or XC trail!

One word of warning, they don't go down well with the guys who spend hundreds on the top end lighting kit, 'cos they are easily as bright at a fraction of the price!!!

[Rolls]

Joystick here - expensive, yes, but no complaints...
Will look at one of the cheaper ones on offer as a back-up though!

[tjdixon911]

I've just got one of these, looks to be the same as the Deal Extreme one;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140744146377?ssPageName=...

Purchased off this guy and arrived in good time.

Not had a chance to try it on the bike yet but the Garden test looked good.

[Matt106]

I presume a lot of copies are kicking about on the internet but would it be worth investing the Magicshine - http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-sxo-3... over the non branded ones that are £20-£30 cheaper?

Edited by Matt106 on Tuesday 18th September 13:56

[SpydieNut]

I picked up the Magicshine 872 *with* the digital battery for £79 + £8 postage from eBay about 2 weeks ago - and it is a lovely piece of kit.

[theboymoon]

Magic shine all day (err night?) long.

For the price they are amazing.

I have the 1200 lumen and on almost every ride last year someone asked me what it was because it was so bright!

[otolith]

Those things must be eye-searingly bright - I just picked up a Moon front and rear combo pack from my local bike shop, which is 300 lumens front / 60 lumens rear, and it's enough for my purposes (my purposes being "yeah, now you see me").

Just meant to replace my rear LED with another cheap one, but they'd got this one reduced and I accidentally bought it.

[Matt106]

I'd love to spend the money on the 872 kit however I don't think it'll get used enough. I might pop out every other week for a quick hour around the local footpaths so it could be over kill.

[AndrewM]

tjdixon911 said:

I've just got one of these, looks to be the same as the Deal Extreme one;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140744146377?ssPageName=...

Purchased off this guy and arrived in good time.

Not had a chance to try it on the bike yet but the Garden test looked good.

I bought one of these a month or so back - ridden a few times with it - very impressed for the money.

[Watchman]

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

[Matt106]

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

What's the battery life like? Seems like it could be worth a punt for that price!

[Watchman]

Matt106 said:

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

What's the battery life like? Seems like it could be worth a punt for that price!

Longer than any of my rides. Longest I used them for was 3-and-a-bit hours. Never actually let them die on me yet so I couldn't say.

[Watchman]

P.S. Worth changing the mounting to these:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/41023/Ho...

I have. They are more rigidly mounted and easy to remove.

[With these feet]

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 one - lets see how long it takes!

[CerbitonFlyer]

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

That's insanely cheap! Did you have to pay any import duty?

[Watchman]

CerbitonFlyer said:

That's insanely cheap! Did you have to pay any import duty?

I actually bought my two a year or so back, and paid a bit more than this (about £25 all-in). I can't recall if I paid import duty or not - I think not because I've had to pay it recently for something else, on-line, and I didn't recall having to go through that process before.

Might be worth asking if the seller can list it as a gift - I have a distant memory that this gets around the requirement to pay import duty.

[Matt106]

Watchman said:

I actually bought my two a year or so back, and paid a bit more than this (about £25 all-in). I can't recall if I paid import duty or not - I think not because I've had to pay it recently for something else, on-line, and I didn't recall having to go through that process before.

Might be worth asking if the seller can list it as a gift - I have a distant memory that this gets around the requirement to pay import duty.

I'm not sure they get away with sending as gift anymore as it'll void the insurance on the parcel.

I've ordered a couple of items from HK before and not been charged any import fees.

Edited by Matt106 on Wednesday 19th September 11:12