[Probes]

Last time i bought lights was about 15 years ago. Does anyone have any recomendations, I need some decent bright front lights for off roading/cross country, ones that are actually going to light up whats happening and a little back one for just general on road. There's millions of them about     Thanks alot.

[Dolly]

Merlin Cycles have got loads of good offers on Light & Motion gear ATM
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/Lighting/Bike+Lights/Rechargeable+Lights/list.htm

I've got  a Lumicycle which has lasted me ages and I still think is ace

Fatdoc will be along in a minute to tell me why I'm wrong and why you need to spend an enormous amount of money on some bespoke Canadian kit or summat 

[Probes]

Thanks, merlin are just down the road from me actually, should have thoght to check them out. Info from the other channel is putting me towards buying imported led stuff and fixing it my self to the bike..  ultrafire sound like the business. Stumbled into these though which look ok for the £...  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260864532855?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[sjw]

I just bought some P7 torches from Deal Extreme in China. There's loads of info and reviews about them if you google it. The downside is that they took about 3 weeks to come, however two torches (1200 lumen each), batteries (inc spares), a charger and helmet mounts came to £55 inc delivery. They're loads brighter than my mates expensive equivalent and they last 2hrs on full pelt. However I reckon that customer support would be a bit non-existent if anything went wrong. It's a bit of a risk, but worth considering if you're on a budget. I also got some cheap tripod mounts for night bouldering, which have come in very handy.

I got these ones: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-kh-t60-ha-ii-xm-lt60-5-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-flashlight-1-x-18650-57006

[Dolly]

Deal Extreme have just opened a UK warehouse so might be a good bet

[fatdoc]

I just bought some P7 torches from Deal Extreme in China. There's loads of info and reviews about them if you google it. The downside is that they took about 3 weeks to come, however two torches (1200 lumen each), batteries (inc spares), a charger and helmet mounts came to £55 inc delivery. They're loads brighter than my mates expensive equivalent and they last 2hrs on full pelt. However I reckon that customer support would be a bit non-existent if anything went wrong. It's a bit of a risk, but worth considering if you're on a budget. I also got some cheap tripod mounts for night bouldering, which have come in very handy.

I got these ones: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-kh-t60-ha-ii-xm-lt60-5-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-flashlight-1-x-18650-57006

nice board...

i"m out of touch with all the *from china, cheap imports* that many MTBers have sorted for themselves in the last 2 years - there are plenty...

what you need is... very IMO... 700 lumens + on your bars.. and a few hundred on your head. this will mean you ride the same speed at night as day for XC / AM. how you get there regarding price is now very variable..and every year the mainstream manufacturers have units the same price - but with more power.

FWIW i have a light and motion bar mounted 750  lumen light -  that is v cool.. coz the light only comes out in a way that lights the trail - nothing above head height... makes it all seem v fast.. and a USE diablo on me head for the descents.. gives me 1400 lumens or so... both v reliable units do far.

[gingerninja]

im waiting for a set of these to arrive http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82510
i have these too http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mj-808-ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-sxo-3-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-44459

[mikester]

+1 for the dealextreme lights - take your pick from dozens of LED torches or bike lights. I know some people have had problems with failing lights, exploding chargers, crap/no customer support blah, blah, blah...but these thing cost next to nothing compared to the big brands so what do you expect?! FWIW, I've had two sets of DX lights running for two winters without any problems. I've just got hold of some random fluxient (ebay) torch for my commute - seems bright enough to shock car drivers.

[tomtom]

Some good tests and info here: http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/

[gremlin]

I've used the Hope Vision One for about two years and highly recommend it:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-vision-1-led-front-light/

[john horscroft]

I've used the Hope Vision One for about two years and highly recommend it:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-vision-1-led-front-light/

...seconded.  My daughters got one of these and loves it.....

[gremlin]

...plus you're buying from a British company with great customer support and back-up. 

[gingerninja]

there are places like j e james selling the 900 lumen lights for just over £100 from a uk importer so you can deal with the shop and not someone in hong kong if thats a worry for you.

[Probes]

Went for 1 of these and i might get another if its ok. Feel a bit bad going chinese but for £35 for light, battery, charger, clamp, adaptor as opposed to £100. Knowing me ill probably deck it and smash the thing to bits in the 1st week anyway.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-kh-t60-ha-ii-xm-lt60-5-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-flashlight-1-x-18650-57006

[Probes]

Wow what have i been missing out on. Been out a couple of times off road with the lights. Last night was brilliant, visibility down to about 10 meters, misty and windy over the moors. Came down off darwen tower through jubilee woods, it was as someone said, like a flipping computer game, awesome, just howling along, great for some reaction training 

[Fultonius]

Just been looking into getting a set for my bike - great timing for this thread to pop up!

Anyone got any experience of these Aussi jobbies:

www.ayup-lights.com/systems/lighting-systems/ay-up-ultra-light/

I think I'll get a good set of bar lights, and if I feel like I need extre I can botch my headtorch to fit. (It's about 140 Lumens)

Any other ones worth a look? (I'll have a peak at the dealextreme and hope offerings)

[Probes]

From these brief rides, I think a good head torch is good idea. Been using my crap petzl, fine for until I started down hilling, the bar lights loose the track when you start jumping, sliding and generally just start nailing it.. n the petzl is way too weak. I guess with a good helmet one, tracking your line would be a lot easier. My bar lights are 1200 lm (supposidly) am gonna try and get near this on my head. Them aussie ones look the business, bit pricey though

[Fultonius]

The only night riding I've done was quite a gnarly DH at 4am!  For that I just had my Petzl Myo RXP gaffer taped to my noggin. Seemed
to work ok.

It's all a bit complicated - I'm thinking now a moderately priced set with good spread for the bars and a proper helmet mounted spot might be a better combo? I'd expect I'll be doing a fair bit of sliding, hopping, etc. so I suppose I don't want to be reliant on just bar mounted?

I thought £135 seemed OK for the aussie ones, but that was without shipping...so it's more like £175 which is why I started looking at other options.

Really psyched for getting outdoors midweek in the winter!

[Probes]

Yeah its great, no rushing home, trying to leg out cause your running out of light.
These look ok but wouldnt get them from the seller though, depends if your too bothered about chinese imports ...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170514393420?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[slackline]

Pricey but quite 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

They look better for being seen than lighting the road ahead. Got a set of the X2 Gloworms before christmas, pretty impressive. Similarly to Fult, I used my Myo XP previously and thought it was quite bright, then I put it next to the X2 and now it seems rather less bright.

http://www.crgmoto.co.uk/gloworm-x2-led-light-system---version-2---over-1200-real-lumens-1734-p.asp

They have discount codes on from time to time.

[bigphil]

Only ever ridden with an Exposure Joystick on the helmet and Hope II on the bars.  Not likely to change soon and the service from Hope when the connection from the battery developed a fault after three years was excellent.  I've seen better but more foten than not I've seen worse that I just wouldn' ride with.  Don't skimp is my advice.

[Ti_pin_man]

As Dolly mentioned at the top the old lumi's used to be the set to have but were expensive.  Prices have dropped and they are UK based but still a few cheaper options around that are better value.  Although I did just recently replace the battery on my lumi HID which I place on the bar. 

For offroad singletrack a head torch is pretty much essential as it points were your looking, better for cornering.  I use a Lumenator from mtbbatteries and its fab.. it has four settings that increase the light, the first is perfect for commuter duties, the next up good for fireroads and the brightest for singletrack.  Theres a strobe setting for inducing epileptic fits in dog walkers   The higher setting usually gets you flashed by drivers and complained at by walkers. 

The combination of the two gives me a good set up but it isnt essential to use the lunemator on the helmet, it comes with good bar mounts too.  And finally, mtbbatteries is a UK company with an excellent service reputation amongst mountain bikers.

enjoy. 

[cofe]

Nearly bought a Lumenator before getting a Gloworm. There wasn't much in it. It's great on the helmet, loads of light. Sadly I couldn't justify spending any more than that on Hope, Exposure etc.

[Norton Sharley]

Gloworm X2 is the same price as a Hope4, non?

[SA Chris]

I just got one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-1800-Lumen-LED-Cycle-Bicycle-Lamp-Bike-Light-HeadLamp-Headlight-/121013631498?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item1c2cf97a0a#ht_8322wt_1152

Which looks like the same as probes mentioned above. It's an amazing bit of kit, getting one for the bars and wearing one as a headtorch would be like daylight. A couple of mates have them and have never had any reliability problems. I suspect it would be great for bouldering at night too.

[Dolly]

I'm almost certain mine's the same as this. Took it out lamping last week, not as a headtorch, but just as another crag light.
Amazing for the price - very bright, however, if its the same model as mine, then you can't adjust the beam so its a spot only.

[SA Chris]

yeah, no beam adjustment, however angle is easy to adjust on the move, so will have to live with the KISS design.

[Probes]

Theyre cracking these arent they, mine are still running strong after 12 months. Only comment would be watch for running it at full pelt for too long as they get pretty hot, and prob not doing the led chip too much good and my bar one doesnt like a lot of water, not 100% sealed i dont think.
30 quid 

[mrconners]

I have the same thing for riding on the road bike at night.
Check out www.lightmalls.com for loads more of the same .

[SA Chris]

my bar one doesnt like a lot of water, not 100% sealed i dont think.

Not waterproof, but I tend to be a fair weather cyclist anyway.

[jfw]

these are amazing for the price

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iaMOutdoor-Lumen-Rechargeable-Waterproof-Torch/dp/B006RHB41Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358451443&sr=8-1

just sandwich bag and duct tape the battery pack for extra waterproofness (light unit itself is fine)

[SA Chris]

Looks identical to the ones dolly probes and I have. Better price than I paid. Not sure about waterproof claim though?

[underground]

There's either one 'proper' version and a load of knock offs, or they're all the same light... £25.80 is a bargain though. I'm definitely a fair weather cyclist so can't comment on waterproof or not!

[SA Chris]

I found out last week that these CREE lights don't fade when battery power goes - they go straight from hero to zero.

Navigating back roads around us by light from a mobile phone doesn't do wonders for your PB. Take a spare hadtorch just in case, or keep it well charged.

[Dolly]

Got  a CREE headtorch with rechargeable batteries and charger for 16 quid. Cant remember the fuck all exchange rate ATM, but it cant be many
Great for navigating around boulders at night - just a little too bulky to climb in (although I did) but would be great on a bike I think.
Cant find the ebay link but was easy enough to find


 

[lagerstarfish]

how much was it?

where did you get it?

did it cost much for the batteries?

[slackline]

Got  a CREE headtorch with rechargeable batteries and charger for 16 quid. Cant remember the fuck all exchange rate ATM, but it cant be many
Great for navigating around boulders at night - just a little too bulky to climb in (although I did) but would be great on a bike I think.
Cant find the ebay link but was easy enough to find

There will surely be a link in the email you received when purchasing from eBay, non?

Anyway, here are some options.

I need a decent bright light for my bike so might try one of those.

[SA Chris]

how much was it?

where did you get it?

did it cost much for the batteries?

There's loads of Amazon sellers. You get the light, battery, charger, headstrap and rubber bands for mounting on handlebars in the kit.