Now it's summer I need bright lights. (?)

iknowgungfu

Hi all,

i bought myself the Fenix L2D and was just wondering if any of you guys get a slight humming noise from it when turned on? If I turn the power down a little the noise lessens, I am hoping that this is just normal for the torch but was hoping someone could pass comment?

Cheers.

Zippy

iknowgungfu wrote:

Hi all,

i bought myself the Fenix L2D and was just wondering if any of you guys get a slight humming noise from it when turned on? If I turn the power down a little the noise lessens, I am hoping that this is just normal for the torch but was hoping someone could pass comment?

Cheers.

Humming torches? It shouldn't be aloud! (Sorry.) See CandlePower Forums: they've had some correspondence on the matter. If it makes you suspect something's wrong I'd send it back: a reputable supplier should replace it without demur: or indeed, murmur.

Zip'.

iknowgungfu

When I say buzzing it is not a massive noise, just a light hum.

Larok

no humming on mine

Zippy

I hear a sort of contented sound every time I use mine. No hang on – that's me.

Zip'

psilocybe

I've just put an order in for a TK11, batteries, charger, mount and a diffuser, I'll put some pictures up when it arrives and I've tested it. I also bought a diffuser so I can use the torch as a camping lantern.

Zippy

Now it's summer I really did need bright lights: yesterday I was out for five hours in good-ish light; but constant, miserable and often-heavy rain.

On the twisty, country-ish road sections, however, I did note that oncoming motorists seemed to be rather more aware of my presence than usual. Why? My Fenix L2D CE Premium Q5 (what's in a name, eh?) torch, on a lockblock, on my 'bars, on the flash-setting. (That's 180 lumens of 'turbo'-mode: a rapid pulsing as opposed to flashing on and off.)

Oh, but you do have to change the two AA batteries before two hours are up, just to be sure.

Curiously, I can't wait till the darker afternoons now.

Just my two penn'orth.

Zip'.

Larok

Nice one Zippy !

benjd

Will someone explain to this idiot (me) what the difference is between 18650 and CR123 cells.

Secondly, what would be the advantages of having the Fenix TK11 over the P3D, or visa versa?

I'm a bit lost!

manxshred

I was thinking of getting a TK11 for the bars, and a P2D for the helmet as things are getting darker.

The question I has was do these cause problems with wireless comuters? my cateye basic flasher overrides the reading from the computer sensor and makes it look like I am flying up climbs and when I am stopped!

alfablue

I think it may be computer-dependent, my Fenix L2D's work fine with my VDO wireless

alfablue

Stormy wrote:

GOLDGPR wrote:

Regards places to buy you wont really find them cheaper but can recommend
www.fenixtorch.co.uk they have excllent service and he is also a fellow biker and decent bloke.
G

Yup already found that one out G but thanks for the heads up, got my original TK11/charger/cells etc. from that site last week (as a result of reading this thread btw)
Yesterday I rang up to discuss the issues I was having with bar mount and spoke with Anthony (site owner)? And like you say he’s into biking so that was an immediate plus, anyways the upshot was I placed a further order for another TK11 and a pair of lockblocks. He then said he’d credit the cost of the original Fenix bar mount, against my latest order because I wasn’t happy with it insisting there was no need to return it! He’s also throwing in some other type of mount which is not advertised on his site free of charge………….absolutely knocked out with the service, his attitude towards his customers and genuine interest shown when I rang.

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/

Once I find some time and everything arrives, I'll get some pics up

I bought the Fenix bar mount from Rob at The Photonshop. I emailed him about the rattling (the play described above), he sent me a Lockblock next day free of charge (I obviously thoroughly recommend this shop - he does L2D's for £37.95 delivered).

The Lockblock is superior, but I have improved the fenix holder by wrapping several turns of ptfe tape between the two parts.

Another great retailer is Doc at www.glowgadgets.com

Dazzza

benjd wrote:

Will someone explain to this idiot (me) what the difference is between 18650 and CR123 cells.

Secondly, what would be the advantages of having the Fenix TK11 over the P3D, or visa versa?

I'm a bit lost!

cr123 are half the size, so some people use those two instead of the one cr18650 battery, trouble is many lights arent regulated or can't handle the extra voltage when using the two cr123's so be careful as you may end up burning out the emitter.

Zippy

Hello, all. I'd meant to post for a while but work-commitments then effectively being locked-out of the forum (sounds like a Phil Silvers/Zero Mostel film) for several days put paid to that. (For the latter difficulty I hadn't realized that you have to clear cookies from your web-browser occasionally.) Anyway, here I am, with my three penn'orth for those still umming and aahing (and, occasionally, humming!) over whether to buy the Fenix L2D CE Premium Q5 torch for use as an mtb off-road light.

Recently, I've been able to compare it to the USE Exposure Race Maxx (i.e. two-LED) as well as the single-LED Joystick Maxx. Sorry that I can't post beamshots but will you accept honest, informed opinion? When recommending one over the other I must stress that there are riders: for slow riders, particularly those who aren't out for long or who don't mind changing batteries after a couple of hours, the L2D torch with 'orange-peel' reflector is, for under £40, a wonderful bike-light. On 'turbo' – a notional 180 lumens – it seems perceptibly brighter than the 240-lumen Joystick Maxx: the £160 Joystick Maxx (which nonetheless can be found for less but you really do have to shop-around).

In the Joystick's defence, though, I would say that its beam is better for unlit bridleways than the L2D's. It is more subtle: there is no discernible 'hot spot', so you're more able to take-in the detail either side of the path. Also, the Joystick's pool of light starts almost directly beneath it: the emitter-and-reflector combination really has been most thoughtfully designed. It also runs for three hours at maximum; and, if you shell-out even more for a piggy-back i.e. spare, battery, for much longer still. The L2D, in the other hand (as I compared them) sends a beam out some yards before the corona or 'spill' reaches the ground. I think it possible that in that belt of darkness immediately ahead of your front wheel it would be possible to miss something that may be a hazard: well, that's how it seemed to me.

As to using either light to attract attention when on the road, please bear in mind that the Fenix L2D strobes at maximum brightness (for about two hours). It's very eye-catching. In fact, I think some oncoming motorists might deliberately put high-beam on you in retaliation. It's even quite disorientating to ride behind, let alone be in front of. The Joystick Maxx, in comparison, slow-pulses on its lowest setting (I think) and will do so for days. (The maker's claim, not mine.)

Me, through careful shopping – and a stroke of luck – I'm able to have both lights. I suspect I'll use the Joystick for lighting the way and the L2D for that retina-fusing turbo-strobe.

Okay, on to the Exposure Race Maxx. For my purposes i.e. out for up to six hours on a mixture of bridleway, woods and country-road, its 480-lumen maximum setting is perfect – but runs for precisely half what I wanted. So it went back and I'm having the three-LED Enduro model, instead: its medium setting of 400-odd lumens lasts for 10 hours: more than enough for me, and with plenty to spare. However, I must say that when comparing the 180-lumen L2D (on 'turbo') to the 480-lumen Exposure Race Maxx on full whack, the torch was by no means disgraced. The Race's beam, like the smaller Joystick's, is a more elegant affair and, ultimately, better; but I was very impressed that a 40-quid torch gave a tremendously good account of itself against the £250? £260? Race Maxx. (Again, shop-around.)

My conclusion? If, like me, you've decided to treat yourself, and are going to be out on your bike for hours, I think the Exposure Joystick and Race (and, I hope, the Enduro, too) are really proper pieces of off-road bicycling equipment. And I love the idea of just plugging them in to recharge. (I'm able to lean my bike against the garage-wall directly below a power-point.) But if you've only got £80 and a few rechargeable AAs and charger at home already, and you're only going to be out for a couple of hours, I'd get one Fenix L2D with o.p. reflector for flood and the other with the smooth reflector for a tad more throw, and I think you'll be well-pleased.

Did I say three penn'orth? Five quids', more like. (Sorry for my want of brevity; I hope the quality compensates.)

Meaning well, and all the best,

Zippy.

dunker

very happy with my l2d "op" reflector, on high setting i get over 4 hours riding. think i'll get another one but even with just one on high it blows away my cateye el530. i think if fenix did a "proper" bike light similar looking to the cateye with two led's that the l2d uses but with 4xAA that would be a fantastic and affordable? mtb light throwing out 250+ lumins for 4+ hours.

Zippy

Flip, 'dunker', what sort of battery are you using? Durasellafield?

Zip'.

dunker

ansmann 2700 nimh

grumsta

Handy post ziippy thanks for that

Zippy

Cheers, 'dunker', and thank you, 'grumsta'.

'dunker', when you say that the Ansmann 2,700 mAh NiMh batteries get you four hours out of the Fenix L2D torch on 'high' do you mean on the absolute-brightest setting (that they call 'turbo')? You know, the one that goes to strobe with a further gentle press of the tailcap-button? Or do you mean the brightest of the three non-turbo modes, please? (Okay, four, though one of them is an SOS-signal.)

For those yet to try this extraordinary torch as a bike-light the answer is not critical, for the brightest non-turbo setting's output is 107 lumens but to the naked eye doesn't appear at all far behind the 180 lumens of the 'turbo'-mode. I'm just interested; and have to confess that I've been using rather outdated 2,000 mAh NiMh AA rechargeables in my own L2D.

Speaking of which, anyone tried the new 'hybrid' AAs in an L2D? The brand called 'Eneloop' (honest!) gets very good reviews elsewhere.

Zip'.

dunker

high meaning high, not turbo. in the instruction booklet they advise not to use the turbo mode for more than 10 minutes or risk maybe damaging the led.

i think the fuss over eneloop batteries is that they hold their charge for a looooong time not being used but from my understanding 2000mah is 2000mah regardless if the batteries discharge over a much longer time left not being used. i think if you charge your batteries right before your ride you're better off with good quality high cap ones, 2700, 2900 as they have more in them.

these look good but pricey,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?Mod ... 2&doy=24m8
matched with this charger,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?Tab ... &U=Strat15

Zippy

I went out on my bike yesterday in broad daylight: strong sunlight at times, in fact, so the following wasn't the best of 'tests'.

On the outward leg along twisting country roads I had the USE Exposure Joystick Maxx on the 'bar in slow-flash mode as a 'notice-me' light. It's more a slow pulse than a flash, the light staying on between pulses. It didn't appear that motorists noticed me, much, though.

So on the return-leg I used the Fenix L2D torch, instead. Its flash-setting is in 'turbo'-mode, and it's a very fast flash: they call it 'strobe'. Even in good daylight it was obvious that car-drivers could see me, all right.

I'd been searching for a really effective front flashing light; how apt that it should turn out to be a flashlight.

Zippy.