Night Riding Lights (off road) <£100
Comments
-
To be fair, the light companies are in a very awkward position. The technology moves fast- look how quick we went from HID to LED, and then up through progressively much better LEDs. Even the P7 will be replaced in the new year, I gather. So they're making a product with a limited market, with very fast obsolesence. And there's a ridiculous amount of competition, too. It's quite a silly market just now. You can't really expect most of the manufacturers to compete on level terms with a far eastern torch company producing probably hundreds of times more items.Uncompromising extremist0
-
Canada.
I think I'm a little closer to making my purchase. I have a coupe of questions, if you don't mind...
1) Does the TK11 take only one battery?
2) What is the free battery like that comes with the TK11? Is it a rechargeable? Is it AA size? If so, can you use normal AA batteries?
3) Do you need to carry a spare battery?
4) Do you use the TK11 alongside a helmet mounted light? If so, which do you use?
5) I assume that you only have the one TK11 light mounted on the bars?
Sorry for the questions, but I'm seriously considering the TK11, with charger, 18650 battery, and two lockblocks in the very near future (possibly this week).
Cheers0 -
Johnny Napalm wrote:Canada.
I think I'm a little closer to making my purchase. I have a coupe of questions, if you don't mind...
1) Does the TK11 take only one battery? Yes
2) What is the free battery like that comes with the TK11? Is it a rechargeable? Is it AA size? If so, can you use normal AA batteries? 18650,probaby single use
3) Do you need to carry a spare battery? Yes
4) Do you use the TK11 alongside a helmet mounted light? If so, which do you use? TK 11 best used as helmet mount
5) I assume that you only have the one TK11 light mounted on the bars?
Sorry for the questions, but I'm seriously considering the TK11, with charger, 18650 battery, and two lockblocks in the very near future (possibly this week).
Cheers
Alternatively if you can only afford one light,get one of these:http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/mountain_bike_lights_review_led.html2006 Giant XTC
2010 Giant Defy Advanced
2016 Boardman Pro 29er
2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
2017 Canondale Supersix Evo0 -
Alternatively if you can only afford one light,get one of these:http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/mountain_bike_lights_review_led.html
That and the Fenix is what I've narrowed it down to. Whatever my decision, I'm going to order to...at long last!0 -
Hey
1) Does the TK11 take only one battery? yes and no, two cr123a batteries or 1 18650 li-ion high powered battery that needs a special charger but has longer run life and more power than the cr123a
2) What is the free battery like that comes with the TK11? Is it a rechargeable? Is it AA size? If so, can you use normal AA batteries? the tk11 does not use aa batts becuase of the long run time and power, it comes with cr123a battery that is not rechargable, but mine is still going after two weeks of almost everyday use.
3) Do you need to carry a spare battery? I bought the 18650 battery and charger from uk, but will buy another one from deal extreme(make sure they are protected if you buy)
4) Do you use the TK11 alongside a helmet mounted light? If so, which do you use? I only use a tk11 on the bars and no other light, as I commute on a full suss and dont ride at night on trails, if you are I would say 2 lights for this.
5) I assume that you only have the one TK11 light mounted on the bars? Yes and it lights up the street and my house for that matter.0 -
Thank you for all your replies. Sorry to be another numpty, but it's the way I'm made. :?
I am edging more towards the TK11, over the Dealextreme P7, because of quality, and if anything did go wrong with it, it would be easier to return to a UK company. I'm going to try a Tesco for a helmet mount, along with TK11 bar mount to see what kind of results I get.
I have to admit that the 'Hope Vision 1' has thrown a spanner in the works though!0 -
I would buy the TK11 next day delivery and guy was very friendly.
I was looking at the hope but the tk11 is just as powerfull, and some people had probs with fading light after 30 min, seen the review on mtbr website but dont have a link.
But some other people like surf matt, i think has had no probs i dont think.0 -
TK11 is an awesome piece of kit for the price. There'll be a review on BikeRadar soon.0
-
Their you go, he has tried and tested, I have tried an tested.
IT IS BRIGHT
Do it.0 -
Johnny - I'd have a look at Hope 1 (at almost any bike shop) just to see what you think.
These torches are amazing but:
1) Hard to send back (Hope CS is very good)
2) No proper mount (Hope 1 mount is excellent)
3) Narrow spread of light
4) Possibly less robust?
5) Seem to eat batteries.0 -
Northwind wrote:Lupine Betty uses P4 LEDs, those torches mentioned use the newer P7s, a brighter and more efficient LED. The Betty still outperforms the torch, purely because it uses more LEDs. Seoul claim 900lm at 10W for the P7s so I doubt the torches manage that- with 3AAs they'd be pulling over 2 amps, so the batteries would be dead in no time. But it's still going to be pretty formiddable.
Nope, actually the p7 is just 4 p4 die's strapped together, albeit a bit more efficient but nothing out of the ordinary, two of those p7's i use would outstrip a lupine in terms of performance, the single p7 isn't that far off.
Supersonic, glad you're happy with the mte as always make sure it's a c bin so you get a decent runtime and performance, can't wait when cree start moving onto q7 or even r7 emitters' it'll happen given time.
Did you buy the ultrafire c1 as well, i can't honestly remember. :?
The p7's are currently at d bin which is about 700-800 lumen with c bin about 600-700 lumen depending on the battery and pot luck on the led and the wiring.
D bin would kill an 18650 in 40-50minutes, hardly worth the extra which makes the c bin ideal for now.
A p7 at peak would draw 2.8a but typically about 2.2a hence the need for a 18650 to handle the current draw whilst having decent capacity, aa's wouldn't last 5 minutes.
The mte p7 can fault, they suffer with weak springs, i knocked up a washer using a nylon tap washer and a brass dowell in the middle so nothing would short on the casing, works a treat, the c1 however is great on quality, can't fault it but a fenix would be best for quality.
Sorry i didn't jump in sooner, been rather busy.
Matt bike lights are not the be and end all, i had a lumi system, these torches are simpler, much cheaper and should anything go wrong it's not really a problem unlike bike lights which can cost a fortune, do the math.
All people that have seen the p7 have been rather surprised with it's output.
Easy to send back if from uk supplier.
Batteries can be plentiful at a good price.
Can be just as robust if not moreso.
Mounts, got me there.
Narrow or flood, check page 2 you will see the p7's spread it's plentiful.
Funny you should mention robustness, ive heard of a few hopes failing on the wiring, it can happen to any light regardless.The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
Giant Anthem X0 -
Dazza - it's like anything you (or anyone) buys, be it a light, a car or a TV - you tend to find the good points of what you spent ages researching and ended up buying.
I'm happy with a bike specific light, you are happy with a torch. That's why there are so many products on the market.0 -
Matt,thats true ,but its always worth testing some lights side by side.
I have first hand experience of the torches like the Fenix P3D,MTE P7,and bike specific lights including the Hope HID and USE Expsoure Enduro.
The P7 is in the same ball park performance wise as the Exposure Enduro and its 1/10th of the price.
Are you really risking much by spending £25 on a light to try one?
I am normally a sceptic,but I`m glad I tried it now.
All I can say,is that manufacturers like Hope must be making a very tidy margin,on these lights.2006 Giant XTC
2010 Giant Defy Advanced
2016 Boardman Pro 29er
2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
2017 Canondale Supersix Evo0 -
Thats what I have been saying
Two fenix tk11 at 50.00 are better quality and also heck of a lot cheaper and its meets or beats the hopes and most other bike lights.
440 lumen at 2.5 hours or 60 hours I think on normal, which is efin bright.
Batteries are cheap.0 -
BTW if anyone is needing a light for commuting ,I now have a Redundant Blackburn x3 I need to sell.......... .2006 Giant XTC
2010 Giant Defy Advanced
2016 Boardman Pro 29er
2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
2017 Canondale Supersix Evo0 -
Here's a test for the torch boys.
Take your torch and mount off your bars as quickly as possible and use only as a torch.
Time how long it takes.0 -
Undoes velcro strap.Ooo about 5 seconds.2006 Giant XTC
2010 Giant Defy Advanced
2016 Boardman Pro 29er
2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
2017 Canondale Supersix Evo0 -
You forgot to unsellotape the bar mount though...0
-
hahaha this is funny.0
-
M.Cole wrote:hahaha this is funny.
In that people are still paying hundreds of pounds on lights when a simple torch for tens of pounds could have done - I agree.______________________________________________
My Photo\'s
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsmiff/set ... 588563134/
My Video\'s
http://www.youtube.com/dnsmiff0 -
No - in the way people are so passionate on this forum.0
-
We are defending material items we possess.
The very bedrock of a capitalist society.
And the reason bike manufacturers constantly bring out "new" stuff for us to buy then justify...0 -
Justify no more and go ,for cheap and cheeerful............
BTW Velcro on the bars too,Matt.Sellotape that really would be a bodge too far. :P2006 Giant XTC
2010 Giant Defy Advanced
2016 Boardman Pro 29er
2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
2017 Canondale Supersix Evo0 -
Went out for a ride with my son last night (something we would not of contemplated due t the expense of decent bike lights) and had a fantastic time. Did not have a problem seeing with the Tesco lights (2 on the bars, one on our helmets), however we do know the route very well so I guess that helped.
Here is a photo of my son on the jump on Llandegla's black run from last night - that's not fear in his eyes!!
______________________________________________
My Photo\'s
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsmiff/set ... 588563134/
My Video\'s
http://www.youtube.com/dnsmiff0 -
dsmiff wrote:M.Cole wrote:hahaha this is funny.
In that people are still paying hundreds of pounds on lights when a simple torch for tens of pounds could have done - I agree.
There are reasons why people spend this money.
Manufacturers spend a lot researching things like how long the batteries last, useability and beam patterns amongst other things.
I would be concerned if my lights only lasted an hour. For one, I'd have to carry 2 spare sets of batteries. Then there is the problem of trying to change batteries in total darkness.
I'm not saying there is no place for these lights or that 'proper' bike lights aren't expensive, but there are pro's & cons to them all.
I use both. I have a 'proper' bar mounted light and have a modifed Tesco setup as a helmet light. IMHO the torches have too focused a beam to be really useful off road. I will say, on the road they are good, but they don't exactly give enough of a spread of beam to allow you to see close, middle and far distances. Something that most 'proper' lights try to achieve.
Matt - very amusing.
BTW, isn't it about time we started another 2 threads - 'what lights' & 'look at my cheap lights'Stumpjumper FSR 09/10 Pro Carbon, Genesis Vapour CX20 ('17)Carbon, Rose Xeon CW3000 '14, Raleigh R50
http://www.visiontrack.com0 -
Well i saved the manufacturers from all that precious 'research' then.
Went and did all the homework myself and it paid off, very well infact, plus when newer emitters are released my ultrafire can take p60 hostts so drop right in, no need to buy another £2-£300 light.
All of this proper light business, it's still just an emitter, some wiring a switch and the batteries, only awkward bit was mounting them.
Granted they have cons but hardly any if you do some reading up.
Mark you said yourself how surprising the p7 was, you know you want one, we'll convert you in the end.The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
Giant Anthem X0 -
Well, I've ordered the 'TK11', and going to try it in conjunction with the 'Tesco' light, which I already have.
Based on the reviews, pics etc. I think that this will be sufficient for the night riding I want to do. I suppose I'll find out in the very near future!0 -
"I will say, on the road they are good, but they don't exactly give enough of a spread of beam to allow you to see close, middle and far distances. Something that most 'proper' lights try to achieve."
You can't tar all torches with the same brush, that is one from dozens! The MTE P7 I has an amazing spread and depth of light! Plus the one hour is on FULL, At half, or even a third the run time is longer, and is STILL brighter than a lot of bike lamps that cost 100 quid or less.0 -
Just wondering supersonic, do you have a TK11. As mine lights up my whole back yard and also three doors down.
Then the throw kicks in with narrow beam and I can see for miles and miles and miles, wait a minute is that not a song, nope its the TK11 theme tune
Anyway, your not going to be sorry with any torch you buy, they are all great but the TK11 in the hands just feels right and it feels well built,solid and safe.
Charged my 18650 today, did not need it as 2 weeks in still running the CR123A that came with it but all was ok with battery and charger, auto cut off everything, so few!!!0 -
Nah, just two MTEs, good enough for me! Many torches offer great value.
I can sew why bike specific lights cost more - but not as much extra as they do. Sure, you get a better mount, higher capacity battery and a better circuit, but even then you can modify torches for just a few quid. And on their own they are hardly poor. You are paying a good 150 quid extra for these features.0