I'm after recommendations for lights.
Comments
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He does love his lights!!I asked the same question a year ago - I settled for this after researching the options that were recommended - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-139357/wg_id-803
I wasn't disappointed. The link is for a front light and charger and is in stock. Approved for all bikes according to German road traffic regulations (StVZO).
Check out this review by a guy that is particular about his lights! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
Although it's tough for me to chuckle at his commitment as I'm currently stroking my chin thinking 'oh he's done a good job there'.
So good in fact I think that's the one for me, thanks.
Happy to help. Though you should resist the temptation to shine the aforementioned lights into the eyes of family members as proof of how good they are!0 -
He does love his lights!!I asked the same question a year ago - I settled for this after researching the options that were recommended - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-139357/wg_id-803
I wasn't disappointed. The link is for a front light and charger and is in stock. Approved for all bikes according to German road traffic regulations (StVZO).
Check out this review by a guy that is particular about his lights! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
Although it's tough for me to chuckle at his commitment as I'm currently stroking my chin thinking 'oh he's done a good job there'.
So good in fact I think that's the one for me, thanks.
Happy to help. Though you should resist the temptation to shine the aforementioned lights into the eyes of family members as proof of how good they are!
I feel as though I've now read every review and comment on the internet about the Ixon IX Premium.
Overall I get the impression that of those who have actually tried one, about two thirds think it's the dog's doodahs, and the remainder think it's dangerously dim for fast riding.
So I'm going to give one a try.
I don't do group riding so I won't suffer candlepower envy; all my night rides are solo and around fairly quiet country lanes. I just want to be able to see the road, and spot badgers, deer and potholes before I hit them, and without dazzling oncoming traffic / cyclists / peds. I'm already set up with a smart charger and AA batteries, and I like the fact I can mount it on the fork crown away from my side exit Shimano gear cables which annoy me to an irrational degree with the current bar-mounted torch...
Germany here I come!0 -
Well my light arrived from Germany today, having ordered it Friday morning.Happy to help. Though you should resist the temptation to shine the aforementioned lights into the eyes of family members as proof of how good they are!
First impressions, in a nearly dark back garden, are that it's fantastic.
I'll be using it on the road on Thursday but I'll be truly amazed if it isn't better than I'd anticipated.0 -
I'll just finish this thread off with an actual riding review.
Blimey this light is fantastic.
7 of us went out, 6 with variations of traditional, very good, spot lights and mine.
I've written that because it's clear this is a very different light, this is a car headlight.
When riding in the middle of the road it lit BOTH verges, as well as the furthest distance in front.
There's a big arc of good quality white light, slightly more concentrated in the middle, but even at the outer edges it still shone well.
It was my first ever full on night ride and that extra scope was certainly very comforting and made me think there were no surprises ahead.
I was even happy doing 41mph down an unlit rural descent.
(Although I do have to learn 'fast braking distances in the dark' :shock: )
We rode for slight over 2 & 1/2 hours, and it was on full beam all that time.
The blurb saying the batteries are only at full capacity after 5 charges so I have it on, in the house, and it's been on full beam for well over an hour longer than that.
That said economy mode is not too shabby anyway.
For a £50 light, pretty much the cheapest, very good light I looked at, I think it's a absolute steal.0 -
Thanks for posting; it's what I was hoping you'd say. And that you were impressed when riding with a bunch of other lights.
Quick, somebody lock the thread!0 -
I was riding with a good friend and colleague last night.Thanks for posting; it's what I was hoping you'd say. And that you were impressed when riding with a bunch of other lights.
Quick, somebody lock the thread!
His ever so slightly begrudging first words to me this morning were:-
"I take it your light is still on at full beam" 0 -
It is hard to beat a couple of XP-L or XM-L2, 18650 based flashlights on your bars. The most popular version is the 501b or 502b, because it is light and has a small head which actually casts the beam better. You can mount them easily using inner tube and they normally come in 5 or 3 modes, so you don't have to run them at 1000 Lumen the whole time. If you need to you can tape the top out or even put some opaque tape over the lens. Personally I find if you set them up like car headlights (dipping left) you wont have any problems with dazzle. The big advantage a couple of torches gives you, is that you can space them out across your bars a bit and this reduces a lot of road shadow.
I finally got round to doing a video on the mount, you can see just how easy it is to get potentially 1600 lumen of light for under £20.
https://youtu.be/FtAdD7-bux00 -
It is hard to beat a couple of XP-L or XM-L2, 18650 based flashlights on your bars. The most popular version is the 501b or 502b, because it is light and has a small head which actually casts the beam better. You can mount them easily using inner tube and they normally come in 5 or 3 modes, so you don't have to run them at 1000 Lumen the whole time. If you need to you can tape the top out or even put some opaque tape over the lens. Personally I find if you set them up like car headlights (dipping left) you wont have any problems with dazzle. The big advantage a couple of torches gives you, is that you can space them out across your bars a bit and this reduces a lot of road shadow.
I finally got round to doing a video on the mount, you can see just how easy it is to get potentially 1600 lumen of light for under £20.
https://youtu.be/FtAdD7-bux0
:roll: Its like watching Blue Peter. and the end result will probably be the same 0 -
These lights threads are a bit like tyre threads and I'm convinced that people have different low-light vision capabilities. 300 lumens has always been more than plenty for me (200 is adequate in most situations) riding all winter in the back roads of the Highlands. I could never see me needing more than that on the public roads. But, clearly, other people feel they need far more than that and I can only assume their low-light vision isn't very good. So, next time you're commenting on whether xxx lumens is enough or not, just remember that it might depend upon the user.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0
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These lights threads are a bit like tyre threads and I'm convinced that people have different low-light vision capabilities. 300 lumens has always been more than plenty for me (200 is adequate in most situations) riding all winter in the back roads of the Highlands. I could never see me needing more than that on the public roads. But, clearly, other people feel they need far more than that and I can only assume their low-light vision isn't very good. So, next time you're commenting on whether xxx lumens is enough or not, just remember that it might depend upon the user.
Totally agree, its surprising how well the human eyes can see in the dark if you give them a chance!
the trouble with the powerful ones on dark lanes, with a more focused beam in particular, is your eyes don't become accustomed to the dark surroundings and the eyes end up focusing on the spot of light in front of you, this after a while becomes very tiring and makes vision outside this bright area very difficult.0 -
These lights threads are a bit like tyre threads and I'm convinced that people have different low-light vision capabilities. 300 lumens has always been more than plenty for me (200 is adequate in most situations) riding all winter in the back roads of the Highlands. I could never see me needing more than that on the public roads. But, clearly, other people feel they need far more than that and I can only assume their low-light vision isn't very good. So, next time you're commenting on whether xxx lumens is enough or not, just remember that it might depend upon the user.
IMHO it also depends on the conditions - wet roads seem to suck light - so 300 lumens doesn't get you much visibility then ...
and then if you're (like my commute) constantly subjected to the bright lights of other vehicles, then a low power light isn't going to help much - assuming you need to see where you're going, which you may not ...0 -
If you haven't got much traffic around you then you haven't got other lights constantly ruining your night vision.
When I first started Night MTBing in mostly pitch black conditions we ran with maybe 3-500 Lumen total. Then someone would come along with 6-700 and everybody else needed to upgrade. Now I'm running 2,000 the key difference is you really can just ride the trail like it was daylight. Previously we were picking our way through a bit and second guessing shadows.
Its not whether you can see or not - its how much detail you see and how the shadows make a difference. But one HID equipped car coming the other way and your night vision goes.0 -
Its not whether you can see or not - its how much detail you see and how the shadows make a difference. But one HID equipped car coming the other way and your night vision goes.
I disagree. I mixed up my routes and there were plenty of cars about at times. I've never needed more than 300 lumens. Plenty of rain, some steep descents etc etc I could see perfectly well running the lights at the 200 lumen setting - only switching to 300 on the steep fast twisting descent and half the reason for that was that I wanted traffic coming the other way to see the pooled light ahead of me around bends.
On the converse side, I've had a car with HIDs which I hated because the reflected light from signs etc on full beam was horrible.
But the point is you can't see what other people see. You might very well need more light... others might not...ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
IMHO it also depends on the conditions - wet roads seem to suck light - so 300 lumens doesn't get you much visibility then ...
I rode London to Cambridge leaving London at 11pm in pouring rain on a Moonriders event. I arrived in Cambridge nearly an hour faster than the next person: so wet roads and totally unfamiliar route but the same lights.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
I'd want more than 400 lumens for dark lanes at speed. I've had a Cateye Volt 1200 for a good while now, and I couldn't recommend it more highly. It has a broad beam that lights up the full road and gives you the confidence to zoom along. The hyper-constant mode is great in traffic where you want to get noticed and the overall package is neat and convenient for moving from bike to bike and charging. If I were to buy a new light now, I would probably go for the Volt 1600 because you can never have too many lumens for unlit roads IMO.
http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Cateye/Volt-1200-Lumens-USB-Rechargeable-Front-Light/2V9H?gclid=CPyxhfWjscgCFYTnGwodd_ME2Q
I've had Magicshine type lights in the past, but these are just so much better for beam shape and convenience.
If that video is meant to showcase how bright the v1200 is then it failed big time, Christ my £15 eBay job makes that look like a candle, don't be fooled into spending hundreds on the LED unit spend your money on the battery, have a read here http://www.torchythebatteryboy.comRule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12998524
Found this old thread with a review on the B&M light. Puts a bit of a different spin on things. It's pretty hard to know where the truth lies on this one - perhaps as others have said, what works for one person might not work for another.0 -
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12998524
Found this old thread with a review on the B&M light. Puts a bit of a different spin on things. It's pretty hard to know where the truth lies on this one - perhaps as others have said, what works for one person might not work for another.
80 lux isn't a lot. I've always thought the beam pattern was interesting but the rest of the light was kinda pants (had one to play with for two nights last year).
Personally, it breaks two of my rules for front lights....
1) Never buy plastic lights.
Modern LED's when run at very high output require lots of thermal venting to stop them overheating. In other words... METAL casings (with fins preferably). If a light is plastic it's usually a sign they aren't pumping any real current into the LED and it's running cold/dim.
2) No AA/AAA batteries.
AA/AAA batteries went out with the dinasours. They are very low voltage and low capacity, as well as being quite heavy. Your typical Lithium-Ion battery puts out three times the voltage and capacity at less than half the weight. A single 18650 battery would power the Ixon just as well and for just as long as the three AA's that come with it (would make the light a damn site smaller too).
This is why your tablet, laptop, smartphone etc are run by lithium based batteries, not by Ni-MH AA/AAA's. So avoid any front light that uses them as it's main power source. The fact the Ixon gets such good runtimes off it's batteries is, again, because it's not being driven very hard (low amps, aka "cold/dim").
Just my thoughts on the subject. You can buy brighter lights with shaped beams that use a lithium based power source. The Fenix BC30, while not as shaped a beam as the Ixon, is still a pretty good light, powered by two 18650 Li-Ion batteries with collomated lenses with a fresnel upper to divert some of the light downwards onto the road and less into oncoming traffic. On turbo it's stupidly, stupidly bright (1800lumen) and that's coming from someone who owns a lot of twin/triple headed XML and XPL based lights. Certainly looks brighter than some of my other twin XM-L2 based lights but i suspect that's largely down to that fresnel bit diverting more light downwards onto the trail/path.
Look around a bit and you'll find other lights with interesting beam patterns that are Lithium-Ion based.0 -
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12998524
Found this old thread with a review on the B&M light. Puts a bit of a different spin on things. It's pretty hard to know where the truth lies on this one - perhaps as others have said, what works for one person might not work for another.
80 lux isn't a lot. I've always thought the beam pattern was interesting but the rest of the light was kinda pants (had one to play with for two nights last year).
Personally, it breaks two of my rules for front lights....
1) Never buy plastic lights.
Modern LED's when run at very high output require lots of thermal venting to stop them overheating. In other words... METAL casings (with fins preferably). If a light is plastic it's usually a sign they aren't pumping any real current into the LED and it's running cold/dim.
2) No AA/AAA batteries.
AA/AAA batteries went out with the dinasours. They are very low voltage and low capacity, as well as being quite heavy. Your typical Lithium-Ion battery puts out three times the voltage and capacity at less than half the weight. A single 18650 battery would power the Ixon just as well and for just as long as the three AA's that come with it (would make the light a damn site smaller too).
This is why your tablet, laptop, smartphone etc are run by lithium based batteries, not by Ni-MH AA/AAA's. So avoid any front light that uses them as it's main power source. The fact the Ixon gets such good runtimes off it's batteries is, again, because it's not being driven very hard (low amps, aka "cold/dim").
Just my thoughts on the subject. You can buy brighter lights with shaped beams that use a lithium based power source. The Fenix BC30, while not as shaped a beam as the Ixon, is still a pretty good light, powered by two 18650 Li-Ion batteries with collomated lenses with a fresnel upper to divert some of the light downwards onto the road and less into oncoming traffic. On turbo it's stupidly, stupidly bright (1800lumen) and that's coming from someone who owns a lot of twin/triple headed XML and XPL based lights. Certainly looks brighter than some of my other twin XM-L2 based lights but i suspect that's largely down to that fresnel bit diverting more light downwards onto the trail/path.
Look around a bit and you'll find other lights with interesting beam patterns that are Lithium-Ion based.
Not sure why you are going on about batteries? The B&M has a good run time and longeivity, end of story, it doesn't matter if it is powered by urine as long as it works. and it works.
And again, what is all that about plastic and thermal venting? It works, end of story.
If you don't like it that's fair enough but don't come out with that technical drivel. It work well and is reliable!0 -
Well it certainly continues to divide opinion!
Even after the VW emissions scandal I'm going to put my faith in German engineering and give one a go. For my use it appears to have the following advantages:
Shaped beam
4 hour run time
Fork crown mounting
AA batteries (cos I already have them and a smart charger)
£50-ish if I buy it plus bracket from Germany
If it's rubbish they can have it back0 -
Just got an Ixon IQ Premium from Rose bikes for £48.00 and I love it! I wouldn't ride at 30 mph down roads that I don't know but even on pitch black country lanes it is more than enough for me to avoid potholes at 20+ mph and on roads that I know, I am happy to go faster than that.
I was starting to think that I would have to splash out several hundred on something really smart having failed to get on with various Cree torches and other low to mid range options but I am now riding at night with confidence!0 -
If a light isnt bright enough to ride roads you dont know then in my book it isnt bright enough to ride any road. Assuming that because you know the road there is no debris or new potholes is asking for trouble eventually.0
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It is bright enough to ride roads you don't know - just not at very high speed. More to do with sudden sharp bends. The light is fine for potholes etc but if I am going down hill at 30+mph I want more than a couple of seconds notice of a U turn.If a light isnt bright enough to ride roads you dont know then in my book it isnt bright enough to ride any road. Assuming that because you know the road there is no debris or new potholes is asking for trouble eventually.0 -
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12998524
Found this old thread with a review on the B&M light. Puts a bit of a different spin on things. It's pretty hard to know where the truth lies on this one - perhaps as others have said, what works for one person might not work for another.
I wrote the review on that thread and stand by everything I said. I will concede however meanredspider's point that everyone's eyes have different capabilities in the dark and certainly envy anyone that can ride (safely) at 20+ mph using 2-300 lumens.
I also concur with Ouija's point about plastic lights and this fundamentally is what I cannot accept about the B&M Ixon IQ Premium light. I know all the marketing BS about beam patterns and lux being more important than lumens but I just can't accept that this light puts out any sort of useable power. I have designed and built many lights myself so have a pretty good idea about what is and isn't possible with various LED and optic combinations.
As I said in my review, the beamshots and YouTube video reviews I have seen of this light flatter it greatly. The camera sensors just do not see the light in the same way that the human eye does and as such will tend to exagerate the brightness even when exposure times are supposedly controlled. There definitely seems to be something "VW" going on here.
It's not just me either, I have two friends who ride with me and they both think the light is pants as well. It's not just the lack of brightness that is the problem but the beam pattern is very patchy with one main hotspot. This will tend to cause a problem as your eyes adjust to the brightest section of the beam to the detriment of the rest of the pattern, making it look darker.
One last thing I would say about lights in general. There now seem to be a plethora of lights from the likes of Cateye, Lezyne etc. that are using XM-L LEDs. The optics they are using in these lights even when as narrow as possible will still cause a lot of spill outside of the main beam. This will be very annoying for oncoming drivers even if the light is angled a fair way down. I would urge anyone thinking of buying one of these lights (for use on the road) to fit it to a bike and then walk maybe 20-30 metres in front of it and face the beam. Even 600 lumens say will be very painful.0 -
Have we reached any conclusions in this thread? I'm after a decent front light too. My requirements are:
1. Light up the road brightly 20-30m in front of me when there is no street lighting;
2. Light up the left and right parts of the road/path too;
3. Last up to two hours on a full charge at full brightness;
4. Hassle-free charging/power/batteries;
5. Good secure mounting options (stem, handlebar, combo Garmin mount, etc);
6. Rugged/waterproof/good warranty;
7. 100GBP or below.
Is there a light that meets the above requirements?0 -
Don't ask me.Have we reached any conclusions in this thread? I'm after a decent front light too. My requirements are:
1. Light up the road brightly 20-30m in front of me when there is no street lighting;
2. Light up the left and right parts of the road/path too;
3. Last up to two hours on a full charge at full brightness;
4. Hassle-free charging/power/batteries;
5. Good secure mounting options (stem, handlebar, combo Garmin mount, etc);
6. Rugged/waterproof/good warranty;
7. 100GBP or below.
Is there a light that meets the above requirements?
I bought the B & M IQ Premium, I think it's great and it ticks all your boxes, esp price.
The thing is it seems completely unrecognizable from the reviews by those that don't like it.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but their opinion is wrong 0 -
Have we reached any conclusions in this thread? I'm after a decent front light too. My requirements are:
1. Light up the road brightly 20-30m in front of me when there is no street lighting;
2. Light up the left and right parts of the road/path too;
3. Last up to two hours on a full charge at full brightness;
4. Hassle-free charging/power/batteries;
5. Good secure mounting options (stem, handlebar, combo Garmin mount, etc);
6. Rugged/waterproof/good warranty;
7. 100GBP or below.
Is there a light that meets the above requirements?
Exposure Sirius Mk4, I've no comparison except an old Hope Vision 1 and 2 but think it's great. Build is excellent, size is compact, easy to toggle low/medium/high on the road.
Max output: 500 lumens
Weight: 80grams
Burntime: Min 2 hrs Max 36 hrs
£83 from Treds with a £5 newsletter code.0 -
Don't ask me.
I bought the B & M IQ Premium, I think it's great and it ticks all your boxes, esp price.
The thing is it seems completely unrecognizable from the reviews by those that don't like it.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but their opinion is wrong
I would really love to understand what is going on here. I am prepared to accept that my B&M Ixon IQ Premium light may be faulty in some way but with a claimed output of only 80 lumens, I can't see how this light gets such glowing reviews.
Could someone who uses this light connect to the Busch & Muller website and compare the beamshots there honestly equate to what they are seeing on the road?
http://www.bumm.de/produkte/akku-scheinwerfer/ixon-iq.html
Similarly, if you haven't already seen this YouTube video then is it what you are seeing also?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
I've got 600 lumen lights that blow the Ixon IQ out of the water but they still don't come close to those B&M beamshots. I would estimate a double XM-L light rated at 1200 lumens might get close to that, something like the Cateye Volt 1200 or the Chinese NiteFighter BT21 from GearBest.0 -
This is the problem.Don't ask me.
I bought the B & M IQ Premium, I think it's great and it ticks all your boxes, esp price.
The thing is it seems completely unrecognizable from the reviews by those that don't like it.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but their opinion is wrong
I would really love to understand what is going on here. I am prepared to accept that my B&M Ixon IQ Premium light may be faulty in some way but with a claimed output of only 80 lumens, I can't see how this light gets such glowing reviews.
Could someone who uses this light connect to the Busch & Muller website and compare the beamshots there honestly equate to what they are seeing on the road?
http://www.bumm.de/produkte/akku-scheinwerfer/ixon-iq.html
Similarly, if you haven't already seen this YouTube video then is it what you are seeing also?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
I've got 600 lumen lights that blow the Ixon IQ out of the water but they still don't come close to those B&M beamshots. I would estimate a double XM-L light rated at 1200 lumens might get close to that, something like the Cateye Volt 1200 or the Chinese NiteFighter BT21 from GearBest.
Looking at those photos 10 to 80 lux.
My light can only between the 70 or 80 lux photo, probably nearer the 70 one, but certainly not below that.
Which is why I just don't understand the negativity.
Maybe there's a charging or battery issue, maybe I got lucky, I just don't know.
But if that is not good enough for night riding with a 4+ hour battery life then people on here must need a Labrador as well. 0 -
Wiggle has a nice little lights comparison tool:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sc/lights-comparison-guide
I'm not sure how realistic it is but I think as a comparison tool it's probably okayish.0 -
Have we reached any conclusions in this thread? I'm after a decent front light too. My requirements are:
1. Light up the road brightly 20-30m in front of me when there is no street lighting;
2. Light up the left and right parts of the road/path too;
3. Last up to two hours on a full charge at full brightness;
4. Hassle-free charging/power/batteries;
5. Good secure mounting options (stem, handlebar, combo Garmin mount, etc);
6. Rugged/waterproof/good warranty;
7. 100GBP or below.
Is there a light that meets the above requirements?
A shade over £100, but well worth it and fits your requirements on all options.
Cateye Volt 1200
Dynamic mode (full) is super bright (measured 1200 lumens) and lights up the full width of the road: great for unlit country lanes. (The 2 lower power modes are also very usable on unlit roads). Hyperconstant mode (constant on, but with flash) is perfect for riding in traffic. If I'm concerned about blinding oncoming drivers, I just rotate the light down and up on its mount as needed. The mount allows you to tilt the beam to the left, again pointing away from oncoming drivers. You get a lot of respect from drivers with this light as they will often pull over and stop to let you pass on narrow roads. The whole unit just slides off the mount for charging, which is done with a micro-usb cable and a suitable high power charger (e.g. iPad charger). The cartridge battery pack is available to purchase as a spare part. This light compares favourably with much more expensive Exposure units, and I have found it to be totally reliable in all conditions and couldn't recommend it more highly.
The Fenix BC30 that someone else mentioned earlier looks very good for the money, but it doesn't have the Cateye's hyperconstant mode, nor gives you the peace of mind of a trusted brand purchased from a bricks and mortar retailer.0
