Lighting the way
lackofgrip
Posts: 851
I currently have a Cateye 610 which has served me well but my route has now changed for my commute and although I am on busy roads some of them are unlit.
The Cateye simply doesnt cut it for seeing where I'm going.
Looking for something within or around £100.
Any suggestions? :roll:
The Cateye simply doesnt cut it for seeing where I'm going.
Looking for something within or around £100.
Any suggestions? :roll:
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Comments
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Have a look a the Cateye Nanoshot+ £89.99, there is a Spec. and user reviews on the Wiggle wedsite.0
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Cateye volt 1200, you wont regret it!Allez 2013
Pitch 2011
GT Moto 20030 -
Are those Cree lights on eBay any good?0
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oxoman wrote:Currently using a £20 Cree off ebay does me for unlit country lanes on low setting. Flash mode is really only usable during the day as to much at night. Weak link is normally the battery, not made for leaving on bike in the wet as they aren't that waterproof. Not had any issues with mine in over a year, batteries can be replaced easily enough. Moon X500 well worth looking at as well.
How does it fair in heavy rain? The cree. Also how many lumens is the cree you use?0 -
Check the big lights thread on MTB Buying and get yourself a couple of XM-l2 501/2b torches,plenty light, cheap and with two you have back up and spread options. Torches good batteries,mount and charger can all be got easily for well under£40 UK or more like £30odd for Chinese based like dx or kaidoman.
Find a post by DIY and his sig has great links re these lights.0 -
Ive got the Cateye Nanoshot+ and an Ultrafire Cree torch.
The Cateye has been my commuting light for over a year - I'm very pleased with it.
The Ultrafire is an experiment that has started this year. So far - I've had to pad out the battery, I've broken the lens, I now need to replace that and glue the reflector back in, at least one of the batteries that came with it is duff and the spread of light isn't as good as the Nanoshot ... Nothing that can't be fixed, but that takes time.
In short, it's a cheap torch that serves a purpose - and for me that purpose is as a secondary light on my commute down a busy unlit country A road and country lanes.0 -
lackofgrip wrote:Are those Cree lights on eBay any good?
for the money their fantastic ! A little cluncky but the light spat out is insane....on un-lit roads the minimum setting is enough and the flashing tells drivers for a mile away your there !
Highly recommended.0 -
Thanks for all your advice, think I'm going to go for the Cateye Volt 1200. Found it for £124.990
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Only negative I've heard on the Volt is that the button is a bit small to operate with gloves on ... would be interested to hear your take on that too as it would be the next logical step from my light..lackofgrip wrote:Thanks for all your advice, think I'm going to go for the Cateye Volt 1200. Found it for £124.990 -
+1 for the Cree lights.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/11113097 ... =83&ff19=0
£15 for the torch plus 2 batteries plus a charger. I'd get two as you need a spare - even if you buy a 'proper' bike light.
Two lock blocks to hold them on - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Velcro-Bicycl ... 43bf7f4cc2
You've spent less than £40 - you've two lights, two mounts, two spare batteries and even two spare chargers.
You've also twice the lumens of the Cateye Volt and spent 1/3 of the money.
I've had no problems with water on them - they're a torch - pretty sturdy. Plus you can use them for running, camping, hiking etc.0 -
Lumens isn't everything - it helps, but you do need it shining in the right direction ...
First - Cateye Nanoshot plus (on full power)
Second - Ultrafire Torch (on full power)
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That is a good point - some good photos here illustrating this :
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/bi ... abase.html0 -
No issues for me with my volt1200 switch operated fine with winter gloves and liners.Allez 2013
Pitch 2011
GT Moto 20030 -
I bought a Volt 1200 the other day and had read of those concerns about the button, but it's unfounded in my experience wearing thick ski gloves. I do have skinny fingers so maybe that helps.Slowbike wrote:
Only negative I've heard on the Volt is that the button is a bit small to operate with gloves on ... would be interested to hear your take on that too as it would be the next logical step from my light..lackofgrip wrote:Thanks for all your advice, think I'm going to go for the Cateye Volt 1200. Found it for £124.99
It's a very impressive light: great build quality, much brighter than my old Magicshine MJ-808 with a better beam spread, less than half the weight, and the all-in-one package is much more convenient than a separate battery pack. The hyper-constant mode is great in traffic and the respect gained from motorists has been marked with quite a few pulling over and stopping to let me past when there has been plenty of room. Maybe I had just blinded them!0 -
Thanks for the updates guys - I think when my nanoshot+ gives up I'll be getting a Volt1200 ... or perhaps before!0
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cougie wrote:That is a good point - some good photos here illustrating this :
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/bi ... abase.html
Damn it, I'm back to square 1 now!!0 -
Sold my Nanoshot, skews the GPS signal from my Garmin Edge 500 too much.
Gone back to my Cree LED torch i got 5 years ago, going to upgrade the battery (18650, Trustfire 2500mAh) to a higher capacity/better type (Panasonic based lithium as mentioned on Torchy's website).Cheers, Stu0 -
Funny. My nanoshot plus sits right alongside my 800 and I've noticed no difference between summer and winter performance0
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On the back of the Nanoshot box it says mount 7cm+ away from a GPS, difficult on a road bike setup with the Edge in the middle (out front mount).
Maybe the plus is different? Does it have the same warning on the back of the box?Cheers, Stu0 -
oxoman wrote:Currently using a £20 Cree off ebay does me for unlit country lanes on low setting. Flash mode is really only usable during the day as to much at night. Weak link is normally the battery, not made for leaving on bike in the wet as they aren't that waterproof. Not had any issues with mine in over a year, batteries can be replaced easily enough. Moon X500 well worth looking at as well.
i'm looking at the moon X power 500 also which is universally well reviewed, but can get the 600 cheaper.
is there much difference between the two apart from the obvious higher output of the 600?
The lights look quite different..............0 -
Just looked at the manuals online - Nanoshot is 7cm as you say, the Plus is only 5cm ...
I've got my 800 mounted on the stem and the Plus on the bars, when fitted they're almost touching ... perhaps I'm just lucky ... ?0 -
I must admit I didn't notice the problem right away but found I was missing some strava segments on my usual commute and when looking at the plot it went 'offroad' a bit at times when the previous 12 months it hasn't missed a beat.Cheers, Stu0
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It's a bit of a gamble with the e-bay specials in terms of build quality. Personally I have 2 ultrafire torches and a £20 cree special (actually cost me £30 because I got it from a UK shop with a guarantee) and they've all been faultless, even in pretty heavy rain.
Other people have had much less satisfying experiences, especially with battery packs.Music, beer, sport, repeat...0 -
Thought I'd try one of these for £30 before shelling out big money
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320813276190? ... 1439.l26490 -
lackofgrip wrote:....
Looking for something within or around £100.
Any suggestions? :roll:
£100 budget for front light? Buy two £50 lights.
Why? If one fails whilst riding you've a backup. Concentrate one beam immediately in front of you, and the second further forward for optimal visibility.
I had the same budget a year or two ago and bought a pair of Lezyne Power Drives. Still using them now.0 -
fish156 wrote:lackofgrip wrote:....
Looking for something within or around £100.
Any suggestions? :roll:
£100 budget for front light? Buy two £50 lights.
Why? If one fails whilst riding you've a backup. Concentrate one beam immediately in front of you, and the second further forward for optimal visibility.
I had the same budget a year or two ago and bought a pair of Lezyne Power Drives. Still using them now.
If the eBay job is ok, that's my plan lol0 -
Just collected my moon xp 600 and almost blinded self with the overdrive setting............should be bright enough!
Seems a goods sturdy little unit. I have far more confidence in this lasting than the Chinese Cree lights that it's replacing. But double the cost.......0 -
lackofgrip wrote:Thought I'd try one of these for £30 before shelling out big money
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320813276190? ... 1439.l2649
Mmmm. Isn't that an old SSC P7 emitter? Could probably gotten a newer XM-L based light in the same package for a couple of quid cheaper.0 -
Ouija wrote:lackofgrip wrote:Thought I'd try one of these for £30 before shelling out big money
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320813276190? ... 1439.l2649
Mmmm. Isn't that an old SSC P7 emitter? Could probably gotten a newer XM-L based light in the same package for a couple of quid cheaper.
No idea what all that means :-/0 -
Means the P7 LED is a couple of years out of date (not that bright). You can get that exact same light, for around the same price, with a more modern (brighter) XM-L LED instead.0
