Help,Best LED Lights, which ones?

rich05uk
rich05uk Posts: 3
edited January 2010 in Road buying advice
Hi all,

I’m new here so I hope I’m posting in the right place and that you can help me. For years now I’ve been cycling to work 2-3 days a week (40 mile round trip each day) but I’ve only done it during the summer months. This year I have decided to continue throughout the darker days of the year too, my ride therefore will take me, mainly on quiet single track roads which are very dark, but also about 20% well lit but busy town roads. I now have all the winter gear except for my lights, mainly because I just simply can’t decide which ones to buy as there is too much choice out there.

I’ve spent months reading reviews and forum pages but still none the wiser. I’m not too fussy about price but obviously would not want to spend £500+ for a light if there is one worth less than £200 of equal quality. But at the same time, I don’t want to compromise on performance, quality, durability etc, if I buy a £500 light and it lasts me years to come I will be happy, but if the one costing less than £200 gives equal performance but burns out after 6 months I will not be pleased. Hope I’m making sense, so here are some of the lights I’ve been looking at, can you offer any advice, which one is going to be good for me or bad, which one will last years or only months, is there a better light out there that I haven’t mentioned?

Radical-Lights Podda 4L Medium - www.radical-lights.com/4Lmedium.php
Approx £550 depending on options
4 x unknown LEDs (1137 Lumens)
Made in Australia, lifetime warranty (Like this idea)

Lumicycle LED-System-4 - www.lumicycle.com/product/186/led-system-4.htm
Approx £330 depending on options (Approx £600 for a two lamp set) – based on smallest battery.
4 x 4 Watt Cree XRE R2 LEDs (1120 Lumens – Single lamp set, 2240 lumens for a two lamp set)
Made in UK, 6 months warranty

Lumicycle LED-System-3 - www.lumicycle.com/product/110/led-system-3.htm
Approx £250 depending on options (Approx £400 for a two lamp set) – based on smallest battery.
3 x 4 Watt Cree XRE R2 LEDs (850 Lumens – Single lamp set, 1700 lumens for a two lamp set)
Made in UK, 6 months warranty

Night Lightning Quad-Blaast - www.nightlightning.co.nz/endurenz%20details.htm
Approx £300 depending on options
4 x CREE R2 LEDs (approx 1000 Lumens)
Made in New Zealand, 12 months warranty

LUMEN8R LED Quad - www.hidtechnologies.com.au/Lumen8RLEDQuad.php
Approx £300 depending on options
4 x CREE XRE R2 LEDs (approx 1000 Lumens)
Made in Australia, 12 months warranty

Tiger Lights - www.tigerlights.co.uk
Approx £250 depending on options (Approx £400 for a two lamp set)
? x latest XLamp super LEDs from Cree (825 Lumens – Single lamp set, 1650 lumens for a two lamp set)
Made in UK, unknown warranty

FOUR4TH - High Performance Extreme Sports / Bike LED Lights - www.four4th.co.uk/four4th_led_light_sets.shtml
Approx £240 depending on options
4 x CREE XRE-R2 LEDs (approx 1200 Lumens)
Made in UK, unknown warranty

Magicshine P7 (MJ-808) (from GeoManGear.com) - www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page= ... cts_id=138
Approx £70
1 x Seoul Semiconductors SSC P7-C-SXO (900 Lumens)
Made in China, 90 days warranty
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Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    There is no point in spending any more than the £70 for a Magicshine (apart from maybe £20 to £30 for a helmet light). It will out perform most lights up to £300, and is plenty of light. Yes, you can spend more and get something beautifully manufactured and engineered, but within 2 years it will be yesterdays news (or lost, or broken, or needing a replacement £150 battery pack). Better to have spent £70.

    See the "What Lights" thread and buy a Magicshine and another P7 torch based light for your helmet.

    In 2 years I predict that the mega £££ dedicated bike light manufacturers will have to substantially revise their business model!
  • gs3
    gs3 Posts: 249
    Check out Ay-up lights from Australia.

    http://www.ayup-lights.com/

    .
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    dont forget new lights from use exposure
    http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/7175
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Ay-Up are beautifully designed, but they have been superseded in terms of performance by P7 lights between £20 and £70. Yesterdays news. In the What Lights thread you will see some side by sode reviews of Ay-Up and other last generation lights, versus P7's. (And in the next 6 months there will be the next generation of LED lights equipped with XP-G emitters - these will feature in torches about 1 year before the bike light manufacturers start to catch up, in fact, they are likely to be 2 generations behind, yet charging X10£).
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    For Exposure, see comments re: Ay-Up - they are catching up with a P7 emitter though, but price will be several times what is necessary to spend. Just as they catch on with P7, XP-G comes on stream.
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    I agree 100% with alphablue.

    Get a MagicShine.

    By the way what do you guys recommend for the rear light? I use 2 1/2 Watt Smart Lights but the bracket is quite low rent and was looking for an upgrade.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • I've seen the Magicshine P7 in my LBS under the name of Lumi-C....I thought everything sold in the UK had to have a 12 month warranty. But if these are imports how valid is the warranty?
    I'm over 6' and have quite a large head.
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    I don't know what the warranty is for the MagicShine if you get it from DealExtreme, that shop being advertised above offers 3 months.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    Is the lumens race becoming like the megapixel race in digital cameras a few years back? My current light (18 months old) gives me more than enough light, so will the new LEDs provide any other benefit, such as lower power consumption?
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    sorry - but which is the magicshine? - is this the MTE SSC that is linked to in the first post on that "what lights" thread?

    if I search for magicshine on dealextreme it comes up with a key-ring lantern!
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I just don't understand how some companies are justifying the price for what is a fancy machined housing for a standard emitter made is Korea / China? Anything above 1000 lumens is getting into overkill, particularly for the road.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    gkerr4 wrote:
    sorry - but which is the magicshine? - is this the MTE SSC that is linked to in the first post on that "what lights" thread?

    if I search for magicshine on dealextreme it comes up with a key-ring lantern!

    sorry - and following up on my last note - is the Hope vision1 a "p7" emitter? - this is the light I am looking at the moment - about £72 from ribble - would the P7 torches be better?
    the hope seems to get decent reviews.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,824
    For some reason the DX light is boxed as a Magicshine light but listed as this
    "HA-III SSC P7-C (SXO) 3-Mode 900-Lumen LED Bike Light Set"

    http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149
  • Thanks all for the advice. I think based on what alfablue has said, I will go with the Magicshine lights and replace them if and when they stop working, hopefully it will be in 2 years time when I can get some of what will be then the latest technology in LED’s for around the £100 mark. Finger crossed.

    Question now is, do I get them from www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149 which will cost £51 exactly with free shipping, or do I get them from www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page= ... cts_id=138
    as per my original post for £70?

    Geomangear seems to have a good reputation for after sales care and appear to be selling a 3rd generation of the light which incorporates loads of upgrades such as better thermal conducting, 5 modes (not 3) and an upgraded mounting bracket. I thinking this is the better option but his sold out at the moment…. :(
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,824
    Just ordered the Magicshien HA-IIIs (sku 25149) last night.
    Will see how long these take to arrive as my previous 'serious set' of L & M Solo Logics need replaced, and the beam shots of those ones seems pretty darn impressive.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Took the MTE P7 out last night in torrential rain for a couple of hours.

    It was fine.

    Really happy with it, looking forward to the arrival of the Magicshine so I can be like Blackpool laloominations.
  • I have had nothing but trouble with DX. I bought a P7 SCC 900lmns torch for biking, it took a month to be delivered and then did not work. I tried to contact them and they ignored me for two weeks and when they did reply said it was not their problem and I am still trying to get my money back!! I will be buying from Geoman in future.
    Can anyone suggest my next move with DX?
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I don't know - keep trying. TBH I have found them to be fair and efficient (although slow) with the couple of issues I have had over the years, I am surprised at the response. I think they are well aware that they are selling some items with very variable quality control, and they haven't quibbled in my experience.
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    I have had nothing but trouble with DX. I bought a P7 SCC 900lmns torch for biking, it took a month to be delivered and then did not work. I tried to contact them and they ignored me for two weeks and when they did reply said it was not their problem and I am still trying to get my money back!! I will be buying from Geoman in future.
    Can anyone suggest my next move with DX?
    Did you try this link,
    http://services.dealextreme.com/forms/R ... ective.asp
    Seems fiarly simple to me. Ive also purchased a P7 and charger batteries last year,
    as well as a number of other things.no problems.
    Ademort
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    Made an order in the middle of September with DX and had nothing but trouble, battery charger arrived but no batteries or torch, there's a message on my order page saying the items are back ordered, but if you go to the product page it shows 'in stock' :roll:

    I've tried getting in touch via the customer service page on two occasions with no response at all, very disappointed. Don't think I'll bother ordering with them again. Be warned!
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    I ordered the same lights last tuesday, they also showed IN STOCK.I still have not recieved a shipping number to track my order. Have used Dealextreme quite a lot in the past they have always been very good. Hope it gets sorted soon?
    Ademort :?
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • rb1956
    rb1956 Posts: 134
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I just don't understand how some companies are justifying the price for what is a fancy machined housing for a standard emitter made is Korea / China? Anything above 1000 lumens is getting into overkill, particularly for the road.
    *Shrug* How does anyone justify anything? It's what the market will bear basically. Cooling high-output LEDs is crucial to good light and long service life, so maybe "fancy machined housings" are technically justified by providing a combined heat-sink and radiator.

    Essentially I don't think there's any overkill in lighting until the photons shooting out the front start to slow you down. For my evening commute, I want the best possible chance for all the tired, preoccupied drivers to pick me out from the lights of cars, trucks, shop-windows, flashing advertising signs etc. Ideally I'd like my lights to make a driver instinctively think "motorcycle" rather than "bicycle".
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    sorry - this is slightly OT again .


    I am not convinced with the dealextreme website to be honest - i think I am erring towards the hope vision1 at the moment - but one question

    where do people get hold of rechargables which are higher rated than 2700mAH??

    there are loads of 1300, 1700 2000 etc - but even the top duracell "supreme" rechargables are top rated at 2650mAH

    the hope lamp recommends a battery "greater than 2700" - does this even exist??
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    edited October 2009
    I don't think there are any that are genuinely over 2700mah. I buy vapextech 2900mah batteries and they deliver between 2450 and 2550mah, and this is pretty close to the maximum performance you can expect with any brand. None will achieve the claimed capacity, and if you find any with extraordinarily optimistic claims (like some on ebay) they are just make believe.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    oh right - so actually those duracell 2650s are possibly as good as it gets?

    Argos have them at £11 for four AA's - is this decent?
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I would get the vapextech 2900mah - they are likely as good as the duracell, and cost £5.75 delivered. I have been using them for a few years now and they perform well. Probably the best brands around are Powerex (Maha) Sanyo and Ansmann, rated at 2700mah, though they achieve nearer to the stated capacity, the vapextech at less than half the price perform as well.

    Note that you need a good quality intelligent or "smart" charger to prevent the batteries being "cooked" - they will be dud in 3 months unless charged with care.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    cool - sorry one more thing - can you suggest a decent 'smart' charger too?
  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    Well, I read all the stuff about torches from DealExtreme vs 'proper' bike lights, and I still ended up buying a Hope Vision 2 bikelight. OK, a little more than twice the price of the current brightest buy, but in the pack you get:

    Beautifully machined head unit.
    Smart charger
    Tiny little lithium-ion battery pack (which I think is where a lot of the cash actually ends up)
    Proper dedicated mountings for handlebars, helmet and even a harness to use as a head torch.
    Electrical connections which are up to getting bounced around and covered in freezing salty water for weeks on end.
    Not had to use it, but I understand that the after-sales service is very good too.

    You can get more raw power for less cash. But I still reckon there's a lot to be said for paying a little extra for a top quality product which has actually been thoughtfully engineered for its intended purpose. And the Hope is plenty bright enough, so even if it's 'superseded' in two years by something twice as bright, so what? If you want something to see by it'll be fine. If you want something to impress your mates with your lumen count......well, that's another matter.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    rhext wrote:
    You can get more raw power for less cash. But I still reckon there's a lot to be said for paying a little extra for a top quality product which has actually been thoughtfully engineered for its intended purpose. And the Hope is plenty bright enough, so even if it's 'superseded' in two years by something twice as bright, so what? If you want something to see by it'll be fine. If you want something to impress your mates with your lumen count......well, that's another matter.
    I agree, we have powerful enough lights now, but in two years time the LED's available then may allow us to have 2 or 3 times the runtime for the same amount of light - this will be good. I reckon paying maybe £120 for bike lights is okay, but when you look at lights costing £200+ you are really getting very poor value for money in my view. I have spent about £500 on bike lights over the last ten years, and the majority of this spend has not stood the test of time, and I currently run a £40 light and its the best I have ever had.