Rechargeable front bike light

wideboy

Hi, I have been using these....

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/bik ... system.asp

for at least the last 10 years without fault, now the outter wires are all perished, and the battery has seen better days.

I commute 15 miles each way, and as I now work shifts im leaving off at 10pm, the first 3-4 miles is in town and I always have just used a catseye flasher AAA battery light, but then on the the unlit roads and country lanes full of pothole etc, I need a light to see where im going.

my budget is around £50

Thanks in advance

MrGrumpy

get one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L ... 8278178%26

craker

Agree with MrGrumpy, though that one looks like it hasn't got a waterproof battery pack. You'll have to find something to keep the water off (drinks bottle, plastic bag... you know the drill).

wideboy

Thanks guys

It certainly seems like they sell a few of these lights units each day.

I struggling abit to try and guess how this light will compare with my old smart light that was 5-10w

Anyone who owns this can confirm they are enough on a unlit road on a dark night?

Thanks

MrGrumpy

Compared to what you have already errr like night and day

supersonic

It will be 10 times as bright as your Smart light!

wideboy

Wow that is impressive, im guessing you guys are all running this unit? what sort of connection bracket do you get also how much run time do you get on a full charge?

supersonic

It comes with two rubber o rings (for different bar sizes), and is very secure.

On full whack, putting out about 900 lumens, are looking at just over two hours. On the lower mode (probably the same out put as your Smart!) will last for a good 15 hours or more!

The battery/cell pack is encapsulated in shrink wrap, the problem can be where the cable goes in, but can be sealed easily enough. Not had any probs with mine, un modified.

wideboy

Thanks

Just looking on ebay i notice there are 2 versions the 1200 and 1800 althought they read very similar apart for weight

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1800-Lumen-CR ... 3ccb40db09

vala

There's a couple of Hope Vision 1's on eBay at the moment sub £50. I think they won't go higher then that as you can purchase the 2012 version for £63 inc delivery new from Tredz.

supersonic

wideboy wrote:

Thanks

Just looking on ebay i notice there are 2 versions the 1200 and 1800 althought they read very similar apart for weight

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1800-Lumen-CR ... 3ccb40db09

They are pretty much identical. They like to inflate the numbers in some sort of arms race lol, in reality both are 900 lumens max, which is a lot of output. No better for the cash.

wideboy

I think you guys have pretty much sold it to me, and for that money i can afford to buy one for my Mtb as well.

Thanks for all your advice in this thread

kenan

I had one of those smart lights, good for the money back in the day. The new units are much brighter, more compact and also the battery is much lighter.

supersonic

Is amazing how fast things have moved with lighting. In 2005 the budget option was the Smart or Electron - both with massive batteries and about 100 lumens!

kenan

Isn't it just. I got a Light in Motion Stella about 5 years ago for which waaasen't cheap and no I have a £30 XML T6 which is so much brighter..

wideboy

kenan wrote:

I had one of those smart lights, good for the money back in the day. The new units are much brighter, more compact and also the battery is much lighter.

Ive gotta say the smart has done me proud over the years, now time for a little upgrade

kenan

wideboy wrote:

kenan wrote:

I had one of those smart lights, good for the money back in the day. The new units are much brighter, more compact and also the battery is much lighter.

Ive gotta say the smart has done me proud over the years, now time for a little upgrade

If you get the above XML T6 light you won't be disappointed.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

MrGrumpy wrote:

get one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L ... 8278178%26

Just "pulled the trigger" on this deal, after killing my Antarex (snagged wire from battery pack?) and a LED headtorch (damage from dropping?) in the space of two weeks, only to discover that my old Smart Electron 5+10W will only power the 5W bulb weakly for ~45mins after a full charge!

I await the floodlighting with great anticipation!

bigmonka

Do they give any light out the side to make you visible to cars pulling out of junctions, or are these 'to see with lights' rather than 'to be seen'?

supersonic

More of the former - they have an intense spot with a wide soft spot around it.

wideboy

Hi again got my light fitted and really pleased with it, ive just two questions...

Do you keep the connections together or separate them when not in use ie turning the green led off ( im not sure how much power this uses up)?

Im using the rubber O ring to fix it onto handle bars is this the best method?

cheers guys

supersonic

I use the O ring, has been fine.

Unplugging it will save a bit of battery life.

BOYDIE

I use this lens for a wider beam,works great and I now see more of the trail for very little loss in distance. Its from yank land and does take around a week to arrive.
You need to take up the slack in the ebay lights as the new lens is slightly thinner, I used a bit of insulating tape and all has been fine, an thinner o ring would do.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280752532003? ... 1423.l2649

waynemoule

BOYDIE wrote:

I use this lens for a wider beam,works great and I now see more of the trail for very little loss in distance. Its from yank land and does take around a week to arrive.
You need to take up the slack in the ebay lights as the new lens is slightly thinner, I used a bit of insulating tape and all has been fine, an thinner o ring would do.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280752532003? ... 1423.l2649

Or this one from UK stock http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 1134602508 did'nt have to modify anything to have it fir snug in my light.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I'm mostly very pleased with the http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L ... 71&afsrc=1 set I bought, but a few observations...

There are 3 modes, but I don't think one is flashing (more like high/medium/low)
The colour changing battery warning goes from green to red to no front light within ~15 minutes of warning (caught me out last night, must get a backup silicone front light)
The supplied battery lasts ~2.5 hours tops on mode 3 (dimmest setting)