CREE XML XM-L T6 LED Bicycle Light

Oceanblue

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicycle-Light-HeadLight-headLamp-/150625828029?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2311ffbcbd

Anyone any experience of Cree lights as above? Seem very very cheap but claim BIG ability...

hammerite

I have something similar but with claims of 900 lumens http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/products/Magicshine-bike-light-set-MJ-808LSET. I don't think it is 900 lumens, but it is bright. Too bright to use on full beam on roads with any traffic (I don't use full beam at all on roads, it's just not needed even in the middle of nowhere). I also use it off road on the MTB and it's really good, can ride round the woods just as fast as I would in daylight.

I've had mine for around a year, only really had winter use, but in all weathers. The light and battery pack have performed fine.

Oceanblue

My mate has a Magicshine MJ-816 1400 Lumens & loves it and at £97 he feels it great value. The Cree one is only £30 - as they say you get what you pay for but is it worth a punt? My bike budget took a severe bashing recently so looking to limit expenditure...

hammerite

Check out the seller feedback, if positive go for it. At £30 it's the cost of a poor/average cateye which is equivalent to riding with a candle on the front of your bike.

Oceanblue

Anyone else any experience of them? :?:

fredmac

Check out " Torchy the Battery Boy" , has comparisons on his web-site and also sells on ebay.
I bought his 75pound light a couple of months ago and so far have been pretty impressed.

Oceanblue

Great link - thanks very much told me all I needed

petemadoc

There's hundreds of pages about these lights in the MTB buying advice section.

General consensus is that they are superb for the money. You'd have to spend £200 upwards to get anything as bright from a UK bike shop. Quality is not superb but if it lasts 2 years I'd say that's pretty good value.

I've got two of the 900 lumen torches which I bought last winter. batteries are still performing well and I'm very pleased with them. I might get one of these CREE lights to use as a head torch.

Oceanblue

Purchase made - thanks folks...

yeachan153

Get this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280752532003? ... 1439.l2649

Makes it like a car beam instead of spotty. very very bright. car pulled alongside me, and my light was more visible then his even when diffused!

hammerite

yeachan153 wrote:

Get this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280752532003? ... 1439.l2649

Makes it like a car beam instead of spotty. very very bright. car pulled alongside me, and my light was more visible then his even when diffused!

would you need to be careful with that on the road with a bike light so bright? I take it you should only use that on the lower settings?

yeachan153

its got high setting, medium setting, and strobe (which unless you want to burn road user's retina's off don't use)

i normally use medium in traffic, then high if i get to a darker area. even then, ive never been flashed by a motorist -

redjeepǃ

I have one that looks the same that I bought from Deal Extreme and it's great. I've not used it on the bike yet, but use it for mountain running in the dark.

Apparently a strip of 'invisible' sellotape across the glass will give a very diffuse beam.

skelkelly

I got one, cost me £35 including 2 batteries, charger, car charger and mount. So far it's been absolutely brilliant, very bright and seems very tough. I'm using it on a off road blast tomorrow night so will let you know how I get on.

cleeve hill reject

I've had one for about a month, provides a very good light but the quality of manufacture is rubbish - the connector from the battery has shaken itself apart so I'm going to have to try and wire another connector on to it. Seller has offered to meet cost of repair but you get what you pay for in terms of quality.

skelkelly

Did a run through woods last night and it was great, very bright and performed perfectly. Just as bright as my friends light and his cost nearly £200.

However another mate of mine has had problems with his, he has had 2 replacement torches as they kept playing up. The eBay seller was great though, has kept replacing them until he got a working one.

Well worth a punt at £35 IMO.

bails87

I've got this and the MJ-872, and the XML is a very 'sharp' spot. It's usable on the bars, but the 872 is much more pleasant. That gives a general glow, illuminating everything in front of you. But, for £30, the XML is good, just carry a spare 'get me home' light with you, just in case.

As for not blinding people, keep it off 'high' when there are other road users about, and keep it aimed down. Maybe team it with a helmet mounted 'flasher' to aid visibility as there's very little side on visibility from these lights.

HasselHough

fredmac wrote:

Check out " Torchy the Battery Boy" , has comparisons on his web-site and also sells on ebay.
I bought his 75pound light a couple of months ago and so far have been pretty impressed.

I used this guys website as well, and I bought an Ultrafire 501b with senybor batteries from him, brilliant torch / bike light for the money :-))

pinarellokid

i have one of these on my MTB and the power that comes off them is amazing.. much too bright for the road but on low its fine,, excellent on a quiet road.

i have the 1800 one bought from a uk seller and they are excellent.. even have very good battery life