Ayup Lights
Comments
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The idea is good, but as you say, Phillips need to work on it a bit. It is rather heavy, and using more modern cells and LEDs would help a lot in the efficiency and weight stakes. Not much point in having an efficient beam pattern when it is using dated tech for it.0
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That all sounds great, but I ride on the road (along a lot of unlit tarmac too) using a standard XML light and it works very well. Yes it's weak at long distance. It just doesn't matter, because I can't pedal at 70mph. And not a hazard to other road users unless you're stupid enough to shine it in their faces.
The phillips seems like a good bit of kit but it's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist except on paper, IMO.Uncompromising extremist0 -
Yep I agree, beam shape is never a problem for a XM-L running at 1A or more. You could easily add a lower hood if you wanted to give you some bounce similar to a flash head with the sticky out bit of plastic that comes with the defuser or you could grind down the crown a bit with a sander. Lots of options to mod reflectors too.
Here is the link to the zoom light. £15 inc. cell and charger.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/new-s06b-x ... 113?item=4
realistically at 2.5A its will produce about 700lm
Plus the efficiency is second to nothing.0 -
The Deal Extreme light is nothing but a flashlight with a beam not patterned for road use, which until the Phillips Saferide came along all bike lights were nothing more then a round flashlight beam. Phillips decided to make a light that was similar to a motorcycle light, flat wide and long beam that doesn't waste light energy lighting up tree tops. See this for more detail: http://reviews.mtbr.com/2012-bike-light ... ern-photos When you look at these beam shots don't look at the lights that light up all the trees, your not riding your bike up into the trees, so instead look at the intensity of the beam on the grass then on the fence behind the swing set. The only lights that beat the Phillips cost over twice as much and they all have and external battery pack to fool with, the Phillips batteries are self contained; also those real bright expensive ones agitate motorists because the beam is round instead of flat staying low and out of the eyes of drivers.
The Phillips is sort of heavy, but it's also built stout, the external casing is thick aluminum not plastic, but in reality it's not really that heavy at 250 grams (my helmet light weighs 200 grams a Cygolite Mitycross 480). On the road this light is really all the light you'll ever need unless you plan on riding single track stuff then you may need a brighter light, I do run with a helmet light because I can use the helmet light to flash cars approaching intersections so they will notice me. The light will run on high for 2 hours then automatically switch to low for another 2 hours, or run on low for 8 hours. I find this light perfect in all aspects except it doesn't have a flash mode, and the reason it doesn't have a flash mode is because this light is intended for the time being to be sold in Europe where flashing front lights are illegal. The light also throws out a side spillage 90 degrees that spills out one full lane that is very noticeable by motorists, in addition to a glowing ring that stands out from the side. Looks wise...sexy? I'm not making love to my light!!! But it's far from ugly, and if you don't like black they make it in silver. They also make a dynamo version as well.0 -
It still uses outdated LEDs, is inefficient, low output, uses AA batteries rather than proper cells, is useless off road, is heavy, expensive and is truly beaten by lights a quarter of the price. Beam pattern on torches can easily be controlled by simply putting a piece of tape across the lens.
It may work for some on the road, but this is an MTB forum, and this piece of kit is poor for it.0 -
As you say this is a MTB forum. The Philips is a road light - so I'm only judging it as a road light. For off-road use I know it's not the best option. However on road I know of no other light that does the same job.supersonic wrote:It still uses outdated LEDs, is inefficient, low output, uses AA batteries rather than proper cells, is useless off road, is heavy, expensive and is truly beaten by lights a quarter of the price. Beam pattern on torches can easily be controlled by simply putting a piece of tape across the lens.
It may work for some on the road, but this is an MTB forum, and this piece of kit is poor for it.
I don't disagree that the Philips light uses older LEDs. Are they up to the job? - Yes. Anything brighter would be overkill and would just bump up the price. They're not outdated, they've just been around longer. Worrying about how "current" a product is even though it does the job perfectly well is just allowing yourself to be a marketing victim.
Having said that I would prefer slightly more duration and a faster charge which could be had in the same size package if lithium cells were used.
The Philips is "low output" compared to many non-controlled beam lights, however that's not the negative that you're implying. The power output is lower but it gives better useful light than I've seen elsewhere. By definition that means it's highly efficient. You describe the Philips as "inefficient" but how can a high output light be more efficient if it needs more power to provide less useful light? The LEDs may be less efficient in terms of lumens/Watt but in terms of useful light/Watt I don't know of a better road light available.
You claim torch beams can be easily controlled by putting strips of tape on the lens and yet criticise a low power, purpose designed beam on efficeincy grounds. You're not making sense. Tape on a lens is the most inefficient way to try and "control" a beam and it comes nowhere near giving you the same result as properly designed optics.
"this is an MTB forum, and this piece of kit is poor for it" - MAY BE TRUE
"expensive and is truly beaten by lights a quarter of the price. Beam pattern on torches can easily be controlled by simply putting a piece of tape across the lens." - NOT TRUE0 -
The fact is that if that if it used a more efficient LED and a better cells it would be lighter and longer lasting. A lot longer lasting. This is where efficiency comes into it. Would it bump up the price? An XML LED is about £4. this could be driven less hard, and runtime would improve dramatically. Or give the option to run hard and have an even brighter lamp should you need it, ie flexibility.
Putting tape, or a reflective strip across the very top half of modern lamp will not effect the 'efficiency' much at all, but will stop the spill from going too high. Thing is it works, especially with XML 502 torches which are less than £10 each, and is great with the £30 MTB magicshine clones. Many people comment on just how good my bike lights are, on and off the road.
Ultimately this is why people are shunning 'branded' lamps and going the DIY route, because alternative options can work very well for a lot less outlay. I didn't say it didn't work on the road, but I think better can be had for less ie lighter, brighter, more runtime with perfectly good beam patterns. I don't think this makes me a marketing victim...0 -
Ai_1 wrote:The Philips is "low output" compared to many non-controlled beam lights, however that's not the negative that you're implying. The power output is lower but it gives better useful light than I've seen elsewhere. By definition that means it's highly efficient.
No, it doesn't. Their choice of LED and batteries are outdated and inefficient. The light makes efficient use of the output it has, but that doesn't mean the light itself's inefficient.
A much more efficient, more modern LED setup like an XML will still be more efficient even if you waste some of its output with blanking.Uncompromising extremist0 -
I agree with the general comments. AA for the rear light is fine, when a pair of AAs will last me 10 rides +
AA's on Front lights just introduces a weakness unless we are talking Urban riding when a couple of frog like flashers is all you need.
Power density differences are massive:
.1w per gram AA NiMH
.3w per gram 18650 li-ion
You'd also need 4-8 times as many AAs to do the same power as an 18650.0
