Tesco 3w cree

Surf-Matt

Bought another one yesterday (AA) - £8 now!!!

rob13

From that video, it looked like there was a fair amount of focus, but not a very bright spread?

delcol

here's how i mount my fenix ld20 to my giro zen..

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AmXSLhajdMU

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx2Vx4_QmBU


so simple yet secure..

Northwind

mtbikerboy wrote:

Any one else feel like these torches just arent bright enough? They do help me see because otherwise i would be in pitch darkness but they arent satisfactory. I run a 2C on the helmet and two of the 2AA version on the bars.

Obviously I would say this, since I sold mine to you, but I found them adequate for light... I used a P7 on the bar and the Tescos which you've got now on my head, the only reason I decided to swap to the 2 P7s was for simplicity- I was annoyed at dealing with batteries for 2 different lights, but I felt the torches did do the job OK. I suppose it also depends what you expect from a light, I like night riding but I know a lot of people want to basically ride like in daylight, and that needs serious lightage.

The real downside of the tescos is that they're so beamy, they're pretty bright but on the bars it takes a conscious effort to keep them pointed where you want to go. Better on the head for offroad I feel (I'm still using one as a bar mount for my road bike, for the unlit sections)

cougie

For the price - they are fantastic ! If you have a bit more money - try the p7 torch but make sure you get a few spare batteries - its so bright but run time is less.

mark62

Picked up 2 x Tesco AA today, The twofish blocklocks should be here by monday, so I'll test them that night. Tried the garden test, and there OK, but not as good as I'd hoped, but perfectly usable for a novice night ridder. One thing I noticed as soon as I switched them on, was that they both give off a different light. One is very concentrated and white, and the other is less concentrated, less white and has a wider spread. On close inspection, one of them has a whitish section around the buld, the other doesnt. There really is a big differnce between both these flash lights!!! Both came in identical packaging!

Legless

Some have a bright white emitter, others have a yellow one. The yellow ones aren't as bright.

I read this thread from end to end ages ago. Basically was stoked to find a cheap way of getting into night biking. I am terrified of the dark so didn't want to shell out and end up out of pocket as i got chased out of the woods by zombies and ghosts.

After my first go i bloody loved it! I have been out loads with these lights and they are brilliant. BUT and here is the but. When riding on my own or with the GF they are fine. But riding in a group with proper lights they are lacking. If a guy behind you has some portable sun on his bars then all you see is your shadow in his light. Normally not an issue as i am usually the guy at the back. But after working on my fitness last night i was in the middle and even the front at one point and i had this problem.

So i have stumped up some cash and gone for a bike specific P7 light supposed to be about 700 lumens and one of the lights on the ride last night that cast an ominous shadow most of the evening! I was going to plump for a P7 torch and some good rechargables but it was all looking like a bit too much hassle! Will keep the tescos as a back up and to introduce friends to night biking. Will also use one on my helmet as a spot.

Great lights for what they are though and gave me many hours of fun in the dark!

mark62

Hey legless, dont worry about zombies, they move very slowly. Thats a good point made about shadows. Luckly I ride with my son who's way fitter than me, so should be shadow free!

Northwind

mark62 wrote:

Hey legless, dont worry about zombies, they move very slowly.!

Not any more, these days zombies can catch you even on a bike. For night riding I recommend a lightweight XC bike, they're the only thing that can outrun a 28-Days-Later zombie.

Legless

Yeah it's the quick zombies I worry about! I actually watched 28 weeks later in the dark on Tuesday, then went night biking in the woods on Wednesday. Luckily I was so busy concentrating on not falling off with the snow and ice and the huge shadow my mates portable suns were casting I hardly had time to think about them. Those zombies are fast and hungry, the worst kind...

Honestly I love these lights, the value for money is amazing and if I am out riding with my GF who has the same tesco lights on her bike i have no problems with shadows. Can't wait for my own portable sun to show up though!

mark62

well, I'll not watch 28 days latter the night before a night ride, think I'll watch Bambie or Snow white & the 7 dawffs instead.

cheers

MarvintheAndroid

Ha ! I'm not afraid of zombies, they're afraid of me !!

The only danger when night riding is that some passing alien will mistake me for a UFO and try to mate with me !

Marv

Surf-Matt

I really wouldn't use the torch (or 2x torches) as a "main" light source.
I reckon they are spot on as a helmet mount (I now have mine done properly) but you still need a "proper" light for a nice wide spread of light.

Otherwise it's like cycling down a narrow tunnel all the time.

littleandy0410

Yeah, I agree with Surf Matt - I've been out a few times recently on my road bike on the unlit back roads near me, and on a cloudy night, it is like riding through a tunnel. Can't imagine what it would be like off-road, especially in trees!

30MPH+ was a rush though, having to lift my head further back to light the road further ahead!

Matt, how have you mounted yours? I went for 2 hair bands (borrowed from the wife) but then decided I didn't trust them, so cable tied them on too! (And kept the lanyards on them, looped through the helmet)

cee

don't panic.....zombies eat brains. no problem here.

Surf-Matt

Andy - if you look at FSR-XC's post on about page 5, I have done exactly the same as him.

My Hope 1 light came with a useful helmet mount (although I reckon the light is too big for that job) so I've just jubilee clipped it to that. Simple but solid as a rock. I had bodged it with gaffa tape which worked okay but wasn't handy if I need to remove it!

Not very useful if you don't have a Hope 1 light though!

neil²

I bought the AA version last night. It is not as bright as my Fenix, or with such a nice spread, but at less than £8 is still a bargain.

IMHO the build is nowhere near the Fenix quality and it is a tad heavy.

I will use it as a helmet light, methinks.

Northwind

Forget about zombies... It's that Blair Witch you want to watch out for.

oomidamon

GMARS70970 wrote:

Im not as technical as others on here, but i've managed to attach 2 lights to my helmet for £1.70 using a 22mm double pipe holder from B&Q

This one got me thinking so i had a look around B&Q today. I bought a pack of single 22mm pipe holders and joined two bottom to bottom using a countersunk M5 bolt. Twisted them so that one is at 90 degrees to the other and made up another one the same. They clip straight on to my Xen and seem to hold the (AA) torch firm and at a good angle. Not bad for about £3. Sorry, no pics.[/img]

cougie

I just used a hair band i 'borrowed' off my wife - bargain !

leeshields

YAY

Just got one of these, last on in stock at £8

Garden test is so promising compared to another light ive used on the helmet im off to another tescos shortly see if i can get another

2 of these on the lid and my pond scum special should be bang on

Was heading toward ay ups but really cant afford it

Mr Wu

You can buy them online
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-8191.aspx

littleandy0410

That's not the 2xAA version that most people are using. That's the 2x C cell one. (although it says it takes 2x D cells, which it doesn't. The D cell is £18 and 4 watt, not 3)

The 2x AA isn't available on the website, instore only, and only £8.

Mr Wu

Are they still available then?

Theyve not got any im my local store?

mark62

Took the 2 tesco cree's down my local trail tonight. Impessions, their no replacements for proper lights. OK for climbing, flats or cruising, but as soon as you put the hammer down, they just dont provide enough light. But, OK for £25 to see if you enjot night ridding or as helmet lights!! As main lights, there definitly not up to fast trail ridding, you'd need about six lights strapped to your bars!!! not pretty.

Northwind

I quite liked that actually, I sometimes put the P7s on low power so I can't jus tblast it... Night riding's a pleasure, take the same old trails I've ridden dozens of times and make them new. Night riding with better lights isn't much different from day riding.

MarvintheAndroid

30 pages and going strong. Time for a party !!
Marv

grandad3

Already got one of these on my lid, fastened down with a velcro strap.

Bought another on saturday for 8 quid from my local tesco, absolute bargain.

have put this one on me handlebars, looking forward to trying em out tonite folks .

mark62

Northwind wrote:

I quite liked that actually, I sometimes put the P7s on low power so I can't jus tblast it... Night riding's a pleasure, take the same old trails I've ridden dozens of times and make them new. Night riding with better lights isn't much different from day riding.

Northwind, thats a fair point, I'd not really looked at it that way. You do get that "tunnel feeling" with lower spec lights and it hightens your senses through concentration on the reduced/lower quality light pattern.

fossyant

Anyone still having issues with the diameter of the Tesco AA - i.e. only taking certain rechargeables.

I've had an AA for a few months now, but it only takes 1700...won't take my 2500 batteries.

Thinking of using the c Cell one with AA-C cell adapters (got these spare)