Front light

stuarthop

I need a new front light for my commute. I ride on quite a lot of unlit road but also into derby city centre so it needs to have multiple lighting modes, don't want to dazzle to many cars. Wouls also like to use it as a main light if i go mountain biking at night.

Have a budget of up to £250 though could stretch it a little if its worth it.

I don't have a car so the light needs to be able to put up with being used a lot.

prawny

Exposure Max Enduro

gabriel959

Or spend £50 and get a MagicShine HA-III that does as well as the Enduro for less than a quarter of the price.

prawny

gabriel959 wrote:

Or spend £50 and get a MagicShine HA-III that does as well as the Enduro for less than a quarter of the price.

There is that too, have you got yours?

Any good?

thelawnet

stuarthop wrote:

I need a new front light for my commute. I ride on quite a lot of unlit road but also into derby city centre so it needs to have multiple lighting modes, don't want to dazzle to many cars. Wouls also like to use it as a main light if i go mountain biking at night.

Have a budget of up to £250 though could stretch it a little if its worth it.

I don't have a car so the light needs to be able to put up with being used a lot.

Check the big light thread:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12641036

gabriel959

prawny wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

Or spend £50 and get a MagicShine HA-III that does as well as the Enduro for less than a quarter of the price.

There is that too, have you got yours?

Any good?

Still waiting for DealExtreme to deliver but I only ordered on Tuesday so I expect at least another week of wait

prawny

gabriel959 wrote:

prawny wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

Or spend £50 and get a MagicShine HA-III that does as well as the Enduro for less than a quarter of the price.

There is that too, have you got yours?

Any good?

Still waiting for DealExtreme to deliver but I only ordered on Tuesday so I expect at least another week of wait

Bummer, I'm diggin around down the back of the sofa to scrape enough together as we speak :?

cyberknight

i use these ....

Revolution Vision Hi Power Led Light, Price £19.56 from endinburgh cycles and 1 tesco 3 watt led torch ( c size) on a glowgadgets mount
I am confident on the unlit back raods between repton and Swadlincote at 6 am when its pitch black.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=8995&f_SupersetQRY=C222&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003152c003247




http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-8191.aspx

shouldbeinbed

stuarthop wrote:

I don't have a car so the light needs to be able to put up with being used a lot.

consider a hub dynamo system - well in budget, no weight disadvantage over a bottle type battery for costly halogens, invariable a proper headlight, permanently affixed so no worries abouf leaving kit with the bike and no additional charging or failing battery faff

I'd lob a reasonably priced flashing LED on for straightforward visibility to cars and bob's yer uncle.

deffler

thelawnet wrote:

stuarthop wrote:

I need a new front light for my commute. I ride on quite a lot of unlit road but also into derby city centre so it needs to have multiple lighting modes, don't want to dazzle to many cars. Wouls also like to use it as a main light if i go mountain biking at night.

Have a budget of up to £250 though could stretch it a little if its worth it.

I don't have a car so the light needs to be able to put up with being used a lot.

Check the big light thread:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12641036

+1 here, save yourself a load of £$£$ & spend it on other shiny new things

spasypaddy

exposure strada is what i use and wouldnt hesitate to buy it again or to recommend it.

AndyManc

I've just ordered one of these at a very good price, I'll let you know what it's like when it's delivered , you could get two .... or tthree :roll:



http://www.parker-international.co.uk/13131/Smart-Lunar-35-Lux-Front-Light.html





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Aguila

Exposure race maxx 2, £160 on sale ay wiggle. Superb light.

gabriel959

Not being funny but that Exposure light is 240 lumens only - the MagicShine I have been recommending is 900 lumens rated (probably more like 600) and it is £50. You could buy three for the price of one exposure light and send SOS messages to another planet with them!

Even the Strada is only 480 lumens too and nearly £220!!!

Magicshine link http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149

spasypaddy

yes the strada is 480 and nearly £220 but it has two bulbs, one a spot and one a flood. it also has a remote switch for when you are on the hoods so you dont blind car drivers. with my strada i have had cars give way to me, await me passing them on narrow roads, roads that in the light they dont normally wait for me.

stuarthop

Well... Just spanked £279 on a Exposure Maxx D from Rutland Cycles. My parents and girlfriend were both stuck for things to get for my brithday... so they've both thrown a little bit of money towards it making the purchase a little less painfull. It better be as good as the reviews say it is... I'll post an update when its arrived.

fenboy369

I am seriously liking the look of those Maxx Daddy units! £279 is a cracking price too. Like the idea of no battery cables and a damn good run time. Also a good light for off Mtbing at night, so its a double whammy for me on that one! Let us know what its like, cos I'll be looking next month, if my pay rise comes through.

supersonic

spasypaddy wrote:

yes the strada is 480 and nearly £220 but it has two bulbs, one a spot and one a flood. it also has a remote switch for when you are on the hoods so you dont blind car drivers. with my strada i have had cars give way to me, await me passing them on narrow roads, roads that in the light they dont normally wait for me.

Depends if you think that is worth an extra 170 quid though.

Aguila

supersonic wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

yes the strada is 480 and nearly £220 but it has two bulbs, one a spot and one a flood. it also has a remote switch for when you are on the hoods so you dont blind car drivers. with my strada i have had cars give way to me, await me passing them on narrow roads, roads that in the light they dont normally wait for me.

Depends if you think that is worth an extra 170 quid though.

I do for one, there's no comparison in terms of quality and the exposure lights are actually designed to be bike lights. I bet our exposure lights last years but you lot will be buying again before long.

Plus there's just something a bit log about having a torch strapped to your bars.

Call me a light snob if you will.....

supersonic

Have you seen the torches and Magicshine for quality though?

spasypaddy

Aguila wrote:

supersonic wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

yes the strada is 480 and nearly £220 but it has two bulbs, one a spot and one a flood. it also has a remote switch for when you are on the hoods so you dont blind car drivers. with my strada i have had cars give way to me, await me passing them on narrow roads, roads that in the light they dont normally wait for me.

Depends if you think that is worth an extra 170 quid though.

I do for one, there's no comparison in terms of quality and the exposure lights are actually designed to be bike lights. I bet our exposure lights last years but you lot will be buying again before long.

Plus there's just something a bit log about having a torch strapped to your bars.

Call me a light snob if you will.....

ok i didnt actually pay £220, i got it alot cheaper than that but still a substantial payout. And yes if i needed to make the decision again i would and yes i would still buy it again.

Mine sits nicely on the handlebars, dont need to move my hands to change the brightness so i can look after other road users as well, button that is easily accessible and usable with full winter gloves on.

More lumens dont necessarily mean a better light, bright yes, better no.

sicknote

I think you will find that the Magicshine is a bike light and not a torch

Aguila

Sicknote wrote:

I think you will find that the Magicshine is a bike light and not a torch

Yes fair dos, I got this mixed up with all the torch evangelists that are all over these threads. the magicshine looks ok, if a little low quality.

Also I'd have to say I think 900 lumens is too much. Having ride with my 480 lumen exposure light along unlit roads on high, I can't see how you could possibly need more light than that. i think it would just be dangerous for people coming the other way.

RufusA

AndyManc wrote:

I've just ordered one of these at a very good price, I'll let you know what it's like when it's delivered , you could get two .... or tthree :roll:

I've had my Smart Lunar 35 Lux for a week and am quite liking it!

I use a Dinotte 200L as my main light, and used to have a Smart Polaris 5 LED as my blinky backup. However that disappeared somehow (suspect I left it on my bike momentarily and it got tea-leafed).

The Lunar 35 takes 2AA batteries. It's a similar brightness to the Tesco Cree 3W torch, but has a more usable beam for cycling, easier to mount, and 3 modes (low, high and blink high), not to mention the side spill so it can be seen crossing a junction perpendicular to traffic.

The black plastic finish is IMHO awful - supposed to be classy gloss ipod-esque, but I much preferred the matt grey/silver plastic finish of the Polaris model.

As a be seen light it's probably over-bright, but would be more than adequate on unlit roads. No idea of run times as it was raining too much last week to make full use of it.

Rufus.

AndyManc

RufusA wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

I've just ordered one of these at a very good price, I'll let you know what it's like when it's delivered , you could get two .... or tthree :roll:

I've had my Smart Lunar 35 Lux for a week and am quite liking it!

I use a Dinotte 200L as my main light, and used to have a Smart Polaris 5 LED as my blinky backup. However that disappeared somehow (suspect I left it on my bike momentarily and it got tea-leafed).

The Lunar 35 takes 2AA batteries. It's a similar brightness to the Tesco Cree 3W torch, but has a more usable beam for cycling, easier to mount, and 3 modes (low, high and blink high), not to mention the side spill so it can be seen crossing a junction perpendicular to traffic.

The black plastic finish is IMHO awful - supposed to be classy gloss ipod-esque, but I much preferred the matt grey/silver plastic finish of the Polaris model.

As a be seen light it's probably over-bright, but would be more than adequate on unlit roads. No idea of run times as it was raining too much last week to make full use of it.

Rufus.

Run time is 5hrs on max , so I'll be using rechargeables.

I'm a fan of smart, their front lights are far better than cateye IMO, if I like it when it comes I'll buy a second one, have two up, one flashing and one steady.

Edinburgh co-op are selling the light for £45, I'm getting mine for under £30 inc p+p, bargain


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gabriel959

spasypaddy wrote:

Aguila wrote:

supersonic wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

yes the strada is 480 and nearly £220 but it has two bulbs, one a spot and one a flood. it also has a remote switch for when you are on the hoods so you dont blind car drivers. with my strada i have had cars give way to me, await me passing them on narrow roads, roads that in the light they dont normally wait for me.

Depends if you think that is worth an extra 170 quid though.

I do for one, there's no comparison in terms of quality and the exposure lights are actually designed to be bike lights. I bet our exposure lights last years but you lot will be buying again before long.

Plus there's just something a bit log about having a torch strapped to your bars.

Call me a light snob if you will.....

ok i didnt actually pay £220, i got it alot cheaper than that but still a substantial payout. And yes if i needed to make the decision again i would and yes i would still buy it again.

Mine sits nicely on the handlebars, dont need to move my hands to change the brightness so i can look after other road users as well, button that is easily accessible and usable with full winter gloves on.

More lumens dont necessarily mean a better light, bright yes, better no.

:roll:

I think you are just trying to justify yourself as you have paid 4 times what I have paid for the Magicshine, but don't worry, I might be buying again in a couple of years another £50 light, but I will still have a more powerful light than you and be better off pocket as well.

When the warranty runs out and the light breaks (2 to 3 years?) you will be back for another Exposure light, you will be spending £150 for the same technology as you are now getting in the Magicshine.

I can personally sacrifice a button and a name for £150+ Thank you very much!

This is a good website for light testing (check Road) http://fonarevka.lux-rc.com/

I suppose its horses for courses and people see value in different things, I can personally live without that button.

geordiefella

just been to the cycle show and saw all the nice lights and I've been looking around for a while hoping that my tesco piece of c**p doesn't fall off for the billionth time. I've got to say that the strada really stood out for me, price aside.

better beam pattern to light a decent width rather than one big beam.
others were super blinding and no control over where the beam went....
lovely engineering
absolutely great quick release clipping system
dash of red (to match my juicy 7's)
button or rear light choice, both great for using like your car dipping action which really set it apart for those who are regular road riders or train through the year in poor weather.

i don't own it yet, but i can see how the strada has no comparison when it comes to being road specific for lighting the road (i'd still use a blinky too on the other side of the bar).

there are going to be some very good cheaper alternatives but a little extra thoughtfulness in design features will cost you extra, quick a bit extra admittedly, but if you're only going to have one good light and you ride regular, like up to 2 hours a day commuting / trainina then it's an important purchase and acceptable cash depending on what sort of person you are when it comes to value.

you pays your money and takes your choice..... money aside, i think the strada wins hands down.

(If only the money was aside)

RufusA

Aguila wrote:

I do for one, there's no comparison in terms of quality and the exposure lights are actually designed to be bike lights. I bet our exposure lights last years but you lot will be buying again before long.

What worries me about the new exposure range, is its battery. If it's anything like the previous MaXx 08/09 range, the battery can't be replaced. From their FAQ:

"The 05 / 06 / 07 lights have removeable batteries, the 08 MaXx lights have hard wired.."

Unless they have developed some remarkable technology a lithium-ion battery starts deteriorating after 200 charge cycles, and becomes severely compromised after 400. That assumes the battery cells have no issues, and the charger is fully intelligent to treat each cell individually and not cause any overcharging!

So your £200+ light unit could be junk after three years of regular use.

It may be repairable (at your expense after two years), but for me having a non-replaceable battery on a bike light is a deal breaker!

Rufus.

spasypaddy

thanks geordiefella, you said it like i was trying to but couldnt work out how to say it.

and no im not trying to convince myself that i have spent alot of money on something that i could of got for a hell of a lot cheaper. i got the light that was right for me for use in the manner i wanted.

Aguila

RufusA wrote:

Aguila wrote:

I do for one, there's no comparison in terms of quality and the exposure lights are actually designed to be bike lights. I bet our exposure lights last years but you lot will be buying again before long.

Unless they have developed some remarkable technology a lithium-ion battery starts deteriorating after 200 charge cycles, and becomes severely compromised after 400. That assumes the battery cells have no issues, and the charger is fully intelligent to treat each cell individually and not cause any overcharging!

So your £200+ light unit could be junk after three years of regular use.

It may be repairable (at your expense after two years), but for me having a non-replaceable battery on a bike light is a deal breaker!

Rufus.

I think your sums are a bit suspect there rufus. On lit streets I'm happy with the light on low, only going up to high for the unlit sections. with this pattern of use on an 11 mile each way commute I'm needing to re-charge once a week. I'll only use it when it's dark, so say 4-5 months a year. That's about 20-25 charges per year. I make that 10 years before big issues.

FOAD

Isn't this all a bit like saying don't buy a Pinarello Prince because you can get a Dawes Giro 200 for an eigth of the price?

Why people worry so much about what other people are spending is beyond me.

I have an S3 when I could have had a Leon with the same engine, what was I thinking?