My beginner lights thread.....
JGTR
Posts: 1,404
Posting this as it may help beginners (like myself) with their choice of lights. I personally found the existing threads too confusing and too long. The setup I'm using costs naff all (£30 max) and best of all it works great 
There may be better lights but this is more than adequate for a night ride.
I originally purchased 3 X Ultrafire torches and 6 batteries from DX but over 2 months later they still haven't arrived and to top it off their customer service is pretty poor. The idea was 1 for helmet and 2 for bike. Lesson learnt.
As summer is fast approaching I decided to buy some lights from eBay on a recommendation from a friend, UK seller this time! Lights arrived 2 days later.
SolarStorm for bike, XML for helmet.
Tried the lights side by side, the XML appeared brighter than the SolarStorm despite being half the lumens????? Experimented on first ride and ended up with the XML on the bike and SolarStorm on the helmet - solar storm may have slightly wider beam but XML was noticeably brighter.
10 mins into first ride the rubber band broke on my helmet light so had to tape it on, another lesson learnt - have ordered spare rubber bands for my back pack.
Helmet light is cable tied on, only pain is that I have to carry battery in backpack which makes removing the back pack a PITA. When the Ultrafire torches arrive I'll use one of them on my helmet, if they get here before summer :roll: I've used Velcro One Wrap for the cabling on helmet and bike, £2 for a metre on eBay, also handy as a general spare for trailside repairs. Mounted bike battery in tool bottle as I didn't want excess cable hanging around my handle bars, plus water proofing on batteries is pretty poor.
Runtime wise did a 2 hour ride and lasted no problem, helmet torch was only on half power. 2nd light on my bars is just a spare to get me home in case the main lights fail, it runs off AAA batteries and also means I can switch off main light when road riding to conserve power.
There may be better lights but this is more than adequate for a night ride.I originally purchased 3 X Ultrafire torches and 6 batteries from DX but over 2 months later they still haven't arrived and to top it off their customer service is pretty poor. The idea was 1 for helmet and 2 for bike. Lesson learnt.
As summer is fast approaching I decided to buy some lights from eBay on a recommendation from a friend, UK seller this time! Lights arrived 2 days later.
SolarStorm for bike, XML for helmet.
Tried the lights side by side, the XML appeared brighter than the SolarStorm despite being half the lumens????? Experimented on first ride and ended up with the XML on the bike and SolarStorm on the helmet - solar storm may have slightly wider beam but XML was noticeably brighter.
10 mins into first ride the rubber band broke on my helmet light so had to tape it on, another lesson learnt - have ordered spare rubber bands for my back pack.
Helmet light is cable tied on, only pain is that I have to carry battery in backpack which makes removing the back pack a PITA. When the Ultrafire torches arrive I'll use one of them on my helmet, if they get here before summer :roll: I've used Velcro One Wrap for the cabling on helmet and bike, £2 for a metre on eBay, also handy as a general spare for trailside repairs. Mounted bike battery in tool bottle as I didn't want excess cable hanging around my handle bars, plus water proofing on batteries is pretty poor.
Runtime wise did a 2 hour ride and lasted no problem, helmet torch was only on half power. 2nd light on my bars is just a spare to get me home in case the main lights fail, it runs off AAA batteries and also means I can switch off main light when road riding to conserve power.
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Comments
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Neither light will achieve the claimed Lumens, the battery pack simply can't produce enough current, the twin should deliver a bit more light as the LED efficiency improves at lower driven power, so half the same power between two emitters and you get a tiny amount more, not much though.
Been using a single for 4 years and about to try a Solar storm in anger for the first time.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
First winter night riding and been using the Cree X2 Solar storms one on the bike one on the helmet and for the money they have been brilliant, don't know what the difference is between ones like Exposure Lights and Hope etc but one hell of a difference in price :shock: paid £12 each for mine.0
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Oh yeah I'm under no illusion that the actual output is anywhere near the claimed output.....another ride last night, 2 hours no problem, through the woods lights performed well. Not sure how much light you actually need.....I find I can't go as fast as during the day (for obvious reasons) but not sure a brighter light would allow me to go faster??0
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Solarstorm's are great little lights for the money, the weak spot being the battery pack. I wrapped my'n inside a latex glove and duck taped it tight before putting it back in its pouch, dont what ever you do get them wet. I managed to get about a year out of my'n before it gave up the ghost, not bad for £25.
I decided that night riding was something I enjoyed and so went for a reliable/quality set, going for the mtbbatteries Lumentaor 2000 paired up with a Lumen 800 head torch, ive been really impressed with the lights, the batteries have a long life once fully charged, and the customer service has been perfect!
http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain- ... lumenator/Paracyclist
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube0 -
Guy I was riding with last night had a MTB Batteries set up, was better than my lights (although my lights are still adequate).0
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I go faster at night as things that frighten me into slowing down I see too late to slow down.......Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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A lot of fake solar storms out there now - if you get one, carefully check the battery for possible shorts and try and waterproof it.0
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supersonic wrote:A lot of fake solar storms out there now - if you get one, carefully check the battery for possible shorts and try and waterproof it.
Cost me £13........all I care is that it works!
How much is a genuine SS and how can I tell a fake?0
