Exposure Flare

Headhuunter

What does everyone think of this rear light? Seems to be the best built and brightest rear light available, excepting those that have to be connected up to external battery sources.

However I don't have much experience with rechargeable li-ion CR123A batteries. What are the best brands? Is it best to get an intelligent charger for them?

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... Rear_Light

downfader

Its based on the Redeye but rated slightly lower for extended battery use (the redeye using a cable to power it from one of Exposure's front lamps)

I think one person on CChat has just bought one. Hoping to get one myself sometime soon to try out. Havent a clue on the 123 range of batteries though. I'm guessing my usual choice of Energiser would be ok, as AA and AAA have been fine with that make.

Headhuunter

downfader wrote:

Its based on the Redeye but rated slightly lower for extended battery use (the redeye using a cable to power it from one of Exposure's front lamps)

I think one person on CChat has just bought one. Hoping to get one myself sometime soon to try out. Havent a clue on the 123 range of batteries though. I'm guessing my usual choice of Energiser would be ok, as AA and AAA have been fine with that make.

Thanks. I was just wondering about chargers too. I use one of those Technoline intelligent chargers for my AA and AAAs

downfader

Headhuunter wrote:

downfader wrote:

Its based on the Redeye but rated slightly lower for extended battery use (the redeye using a cable to power it from one of Exposure's front lamps)

I think one person on CChat has just bought one. Hoping to get one myself sometime soon to try out. Havent a clue on the 123 range of batteries though. I'm guessing my usual choice of Energiser would be ok, as AA and AAA have been fine with that make.

Thanks. I was just wondering about chargers too. I use one of those Technoline intelligent chargers for my AA and AAAs

I might be wrong, but I think you can get decent solar chargers for them too, now.

Ramekin

I'm interested in these lights too.

I think I read somewhere that battery life is 9 hours with a disposable battery and 3 hours with a rechargeable.

That's quite a difference and I wish I could find where I read it but I can't!

I see that Exposure Lights are going to be at the Cycle Show this weekend so I'll check out the lights and have a chat with them.

karlmoreton

Loads of high capacity rechargeables on ebay, just make sure they are the 3volt version and not 3.7volt.
Battery life with the exposure batteries varies because the rechargeables are only700mA/h but disposables are 1300mA/h.

try these,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2xGTL-CR123A-3-0V ... _515wt_940




they are a bargain, especially when disposables are around £6 each

downfader

Just had a skim on Maplin and found these non-rechargable:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=46314

Theye do the rechargable 700mah ones too but about 3 quid more.

Headhuunter

700MaH?!! That might not even last me the journey home. Having doubts now.... Wouldn't want to be forced to buy disposable batts for it every week. Even my AAs are 2900MaH!

downfader

Headhuunter wrote:

700MaH?!! That might not even last me the journey home. Having doubts now.... Wouldn't want to be forced to buy disposable batts for it every week. Even my AAs are 2900MaH!

I'm guessing they're aiming it at those requiring a bright flash.

crosstowncommuter

I've just ordered the combined Flare/Flash with rechargeables from Wiggle after seeing them at the cycle show. For commuting in built up areas with street lighting the runtime should be fine for my 1 hour each way commute.

Get an extra set of batteries and spare charger and keep it at work - this works well for me with my current lighting setup.

The big plus with the Flash/flare lights is they are quick to put on / take off the bike and you can carry spare batteries with you. Two C123A batteries are small enough to go in a jersey pocket or a saddle pack - just put them in one of the small plastic cases you can get on ebay to avoid them shorting.

I'm going from using a Dinotte system which is superb, but overkill for my needs at the moment. Will be interesting to see how these compare.

If you want a beefier front light the exposure Spark is 220 lumens, still very small and uses the same battery setup.

wyadvd

if money is no object (and your safety on country lane commutes) go for this its the ultimate:

http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared ... oducts.asp


has a special "emergency vehicle" strobe that wakes em up

pastey_boy

this looks like an interesting rear
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... 560311.htm

ianmichaeljones

I've had the Flash and Flare for a week or so now and they're lovely lights. Absolutely tiny - you could pop them in your pocket and not know they're there. But with a good bit of poke - I think the Flash would get you home on unlit tarmac roads in a pinch. For commuting you couldn't do better.

The Flare (rear light) does 20+ hours of flashing mode on disposables, according to Exposure. Only 10 or so on constant, but who puts rear lights on constant?

The thing to watch out for is the output of the Flash (front light) which varies depending on batteries - 70 lumens with rechargeables, only 30 with disposables.

For now, I've put a disposable in the rear and am using both rechargeable batteries in turn for the Flash. (You get 3.5 hours of constant with rechargeables.)

I'd highly recommend these - pop 'em on, pop 'em off. They make me smile, they're so good. One small quibble: the front light can be tricky to switch between flashing and constant while riding as the whole light tends to revolve when you twist the lens. With winter gloves it'll be impossible. I think I might fettle a little wedge to keep the light body static in the holder. It's almost easier to pop the whole unit off (holder, band and light) than to pull the light out, so you wouldn't be losing anything much.

Be interested to hear what other people think when they get theirs.

ianmichaeljones

Oops - just checked and the leaflet you get with the Flash says 110 lumens output with rechargeable, 40 with disposable. But you get the idea.

crosstowncommuter

A bit more feedback on the exposure Flash / Flare combo.

Mine turned up at the weekend with the rechargeable battery set, plus I also ordered a second charger and batteries (to keep handy at work). In use the lights pack a lot of punch for their size and are usefully visible even on a sunny day like today.

The only word of advice I would give is make sure you go with the 3.7V rechargeable battery option over the disposable 3v C123A batteries as I think there is a huge drop in output for the front light especially making it less effective during daylight.

Also it seems not all RCR123A rechargeable batteries are created equal. I initially thought the exposure branded 750mAh rechargeables would be easy to replace with higher capacity ones. However nearly all of the higher rated (900mAh+) RCR123A rechargeables on ebay and from other popular brands like Tenergy are voltage regulated down to 3V rather than 3.7V. This means the output in your exposure lights will be the same as for disposables (i.e. much lower - 40 for the front rather than 110 lumens for example).

My solution is to carry a fully charged pair of batteries in one of the small plastic hard cases. This is very small and easy to put in your saddle pack or jersey pocket.

I am comparing the Exposure lights to a set of Dinotte lights (200 lumens front / 140 rear), and whilst not in the same league for visibility during daytime, the exposures are still a solid product for the money with the big plus of pocketability / convenience.

Only slight worry is maybe the quality of the Exposure chargers. One of the ones I have made a bit of a crackling noise when first plugged in then stopped working. Will send it back to Wiggle for a replacement / refund.

Looking around the Ultrafire WF138 charger and the AW branded RCR123A 750mAh rechargeable cells seem to get good reviews if you want an alternative to the Exposure charger and cells.

750mAh seems to be about the max capacity for the 3.7V rechargeable cells though whichever brand you choose.

barrybarryr

I've had the rechargeable set since the weekend and used them in the dark twice so far.

I think for the money they're really good. They're perfect commuting lights.

The twist is a bit fiddly for the first few times but one you get used to it they're great.

I might pair them with a hope vision 1 front light and get a cheap led for a reserve on the rear.

jeremyrundle

How about here

http://www.cellpacksolutions.com/Search ... ery=cr123a

Headhuunter

Well I've decided simply to order the Smart R1 or whatever it's called, the new 1 watt Smart rear. I already have an intelligent AA and AAA charger and lots of AA and AAA batts, in the end it just seems a bit pointless to start up a whole new battery system...

crosstowncommuter

Few more quick observations / questions to those that have the flare rear light:

1. On unscrewing the lens to replace the battery it looks like there is a light smearing of clear grease of some sort over the threads and the contact ring with the alu body of the light. Anyone know what this is (i.e. is it some kind of conductive grease to help the connectivity between the metal band terminal on the lens assembly and the case?

2. A couple of times now after riding on badly surfaced roads on my commute the vibration seems to sometimes break the circuit in the light acting the same as if I had turned it off and then on again. Particularly annoying as I use it in flash mode for longer battery life, but after this happens it leaves the light in full power non flashing mode. I can switch it back, but its a pain.

issue 2. doesn't seem to happen on the front light, but I am wondering if its somehow related to the coating on the contacts mentioned in 1?

barrybarryr

I would have thought the grease was to act as a water barrier to prevent rain getting in, and also just to make it easier to twist (but I'm no engineer).

I haven't had the problems you've mentioned with the rear. Maybe you have a dud?

crosstowncommuter

I guess it could be just for weatherproofing - just seemed strange it was also on the metal contact ring on the lens unit where it contacts the casing. I would have thought this connection needed to be good electrically, which wouldn't be the case if it was just normal non conducting grease.

I'll see how the light goes with the mode switching issue - its only happened a few times so far and the unit is under 2 year warranty so not too concerned.

Despite issue mentioned in my previous post I still think these lights are excellent, especially for the money. The tiny size and ease of removal (no battery packs etc) are perfect for commuter lights.

singlespeedexplosif

The Flare (rear light) does 20+ hours of flashing mode on disposables, according to Exposure. Only 10 or so on constant, but who puts rear lights on constant?

people who want to be seen, rather than those going to a disco or concerned about battery life.

cyberknight

Headhuunter wrote:

Well I've decided simply to order the Smart R1 or whatever it's called, the new 1 watt Smart rear. I already have an intelligent AA and AAA charger and lots of AA and AAA batts, in the end it just seems a bit pointless to start up a whole new battery system...

I run 2 of the 1/2 watt smart flashers + 1 standard smart flasher on each pannier + a helmet flasher , all run an rechargeable AAA`s which i have plenty so for similar reasons i will stick with what i have .

morxy

Only slight worry is maybe the quality of the Exposure chargers. One of the ones I have made a bit of a crackling noise when first plugged in then stopped working

Yep. Me too. Mine buzzed and sizzled and crackled. Stopped working. Dead. Then it seemed to work again an hour later. Will try it again tomorrow. Connection is very temperamental and fragile isn't it? The power cable has to be plugged in at an exact angle and depth or the status light dies and it stops charging. Any wiggling of the cable and the power cuts out.

I have the Exposure Joystick lights too and, again, the cable from the charger must be plugged into the light very precisely or it won't charge. It's a fragile, precarious connection.

I suggest Ultimate Sports Engineering Ltd. address the quality of their chargers. A manager at a nearby LBS mentioned there were problems with them some weeks ago so I'm sure they're aware of it by now.

2. A couple of times now after riding on badly surfaced roads on my commute the vibration seems to sometimes break the circuit in the light acting the same as if I had turned it off and then on again.

Yep. Me too. Yesterday I started the rear light on flashing. 7km later I found it on constant. I didn't go over any noticeable bumps or potholes. Smooth road all the way. So I twisted it off and then - oh... what's this? It's dead. It won't turn on again. Great. I had to remove and then reinsert the battery to get any life out of it again.

I don't mean to rant but personally I find this deplorable. I've had rear lights that let water in, rear lights whose batteries fade too fast. But this is about the WORST thing a rear light can do to you. At least if it was the front light you'd have a chance of noticing it's stopped or changed modes autonomously.

I didn't pay £80+ for a quality UK engineered product and expect this. If I wanted a defective, sizzling charger and a dodgy rear light I'd buy them from a random Chinese Ebay seller at a fraction of the price.

crosstowncommuter - has your experience of the Flare improved 3 weeks on? Still the same problems? Did you exchange the charger and light?

crosstowncommuter

I've remounted the light on the rear of my saddle pack rather than directly on the seatpost which seems to have cured the mode changing problem for me. Not sure why this is, but maybe the saddle pack reduces the vibration / jolts transferred to the rear light?

I originally had 2 chargers - one that came with the light set and one extra one I bought. The extra one was the duffer which I sent back to wiggle and got a full refund for.

I have now found a 3rd party charger (Ultrafire), plus some AW branded rechargeable cells both of which are better quality than the Exposure supplied items, although a little bit more expensive.

I think exposure have got the product spot on in terms of size / brightness / convenience. However I'd be inclined to agree there are a few aspects of the Flare / Flash product that could do with some better quality control.

On balance though I would still recommend them for their sheer tiny size and the great light output.

Headhuunter

Glad I didn't bother with the Flare then. I had similar problems with 2 of the cheap Tesco CREE torches, within a week of being used on the bike they began to intermittently turn themselves on and off. I can only assume they developed bad contacts internally through all the bouncing/shocks through the forks. I replaced them with a Fenix L2D torch and it has worked well through rain, snow, shine, potholes etc and never had any poblems. The only problem with my current lights set up is that Smart STILL doesn't seem to have solved the problems their lights have in the rain. I bought the R1 (1 watt rear that has just been released) light and although it doesn't switch itself off completely when it gets wet like other Smart lights I have had (one of them switched itsefl off and never worked ever again), when I arrive at my destination I often find that it will not switch OFF! I have to remove the batteries, open it up and either dry it under the toilet hand dryer or leave it on my desk to drain. It seems to allow a hell of a lot of water in

Avoneer

Hi,

How about these re-chargeables: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4x-RECHARGEABLE-C ... 5d2c4535bf

1000mAh and 3.7v.

Pat...

milfredo

Avoneer wrote:

Hi,

How about these re-chargeables: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4x-RECHARGEABLE-C ... 5d2c4535bf

1000mAh and 3.7v.

Pat...

I'm interested in that too.

bother

crosstowncommuter wrote:

2. A couple of times now after riding on badly surfaced roads on my commute the vibration seems to sometimes break the circuit in the light acting the same as if I had turned it off and then on again. Particularly annoying as I use it in flash mode for longer battery life, but after this happens it leaves the light in full power non flashing mode. I can switch it back, but its a pain.

I've recently got a Flare and having this problem too. I'd find the light had changed from flashing to constant on its own. After a while trying to diagnose I found that if I tapped the light on a hard surface it would momentarily turn off and on again and hence change mode.

I've stretched the wire coil/spring underneath the battery to make it longer, and hence make the bttery contact firmer inside the light, but whilst this seems to have improved things, it hasn't cured it completely.

Has anyone had their light replaced under warranty due to this problem?

crosstowncommuter

bother wrote:

crosstowncommuter wrote:

2. A couple of times now after riding on badly surfaced roads on my commute the vibration seems to sometimes break the circuit in the light acting the same as if I had turned it off and then on again. Particularly annoying as I use it in flash mode for longer battery life, but after this happens it leaves the light in full power non flashing mode. I can switch it back, but its a pain.

I've recently got a Flare and having this problem too. I'd find the light had changed from flashing to constant on its own. After a while trying to diagnose I found that if I tapped the light on a hard surface it would momentarily turn off and on again and hence change mode.

I've stretched the wire coil/spring underneath the battery to make it longer, and hence make the bttery contact firmer inside the light, but whilst this seems to have improved things, it hasn't cured it completely.

Has anyone had their light replaced under warranty due to this problem?

I ended up getting a refund for mine for this reason from Wiggle where I got them from. However I think this was more down to Wiggle's good customer service rather than Exposure.

Wiggle told me to return them so they could return them to Exposure for a warranty claim. After a few weeks I chased it up with Wiggle as I had heard nothing. Wiggle told me they had had no response from Exposure, but said as a gesture of goodwill they would just refund me.

I like the size and design of the lights a lot, but I think exposure cut too many corners with the build quality sadly.

bails87

"As a gesture of goodwill"? It's up to Wiggle to sort out a replacement or refund, not Exposure! After all, who's got your money?

Still, a good result, apart from the broken light. Try a Magicshine Mj818.