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Big-ass light

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  • 26-11-2015 6:42pm
    #1
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,405 ✭✭✭✭


    My Light & Motion ARC NiMH finally died so I'm looking for recommendations for a big-ass light.

    I like to do night riding so I'm looking for something with similar firepower, though preferably a little cheaper than the €300 that one cost me (though at €33/year it was a good investment).

    Has the LED tech caught up to halogen at this point? What's available?

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    #2
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    If the ARC is 675 lumens then yes, many battery-powered LEDs have caught up (and passed this) in terms of raw output.

    Even dynamo lights are over 300 lumens now (and there are diminishing returns from more output due to the "design" of the eye).

    This thread is old but good, maybe read it backwards until you lose the will to live.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055705708

    For road use pick something with a sharp cutoff or else you'll be wasting light and blinding oncoming traffic.


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    #3
    Borderfox
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Borderfox


    I have a cateye volt 700, 2 hours on maximum output. Approx 100 euros


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    #4
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,405 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Hmm. Read through a lot of those posts. The hub thing sounds really interesting, I'll look out for that when next changing wheels.

    For the moment I'm looking for a front light I can use on unlit, bumpy country roads, including descents. I think I need at least 500L, and 2.5 hours run time or can replace batteries while out (I have a local loop that takes me 2h25m).

    Is there anything in the €100 range you guys would recommend?

    Edit: looking at NiteRider Lumina 750 and Moon X-Power 780 EAGLE 600 Magicshine

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



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    #5
    detones
    Registered Users Posts: 963 ✭✭✭detones


    Trojan wrote: »
    Hmm. Read through a lot of those posts. The hub thing sounds really interesting, I'll look out for that when next changing wheels.

    For the moment I'm looking for a front light I can use on unlit, bumpy country roads, including descents. I think I need at least 500L, and 2.5 hours run time or can replace batteries while out (I have a local loop that takes me 2h25m).

    Is there anything in the €100 range you guys would recommend?

    Edit: looking at NiteRider Lumina 750 and Moon X-Power 780 EAGLE 600 Magicshine

    Xmoon power 780. Great light. Got mine for around 100 with Merlin last year.


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    #6
    PowerToWait
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭PowerToWait


    The Cateye 700 is more like 800 lumens and cheap, handy and easily recharged via usb.

    There's the magicshine 858, it's 1k lumen and about 100 quid, both great, the cateye more versatile I think.


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    #7
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,405 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    PowerToWait wrote: »
    The Cateye 700 is more like 800 lumens and cheap, handy and easily recharged via usb.

    There's the magicshine 858, it's 1k lumen and about 100 quid, both great, the cateye more versatile I think.

    I like the battery options available for the 858, there's a 2.2Ah, 4.4Ah and 6.4Ah. The 4.4 is standard online in some places and gives 3.5 hours on full power, plenty for me.

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    #8
    uphillonly
    Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭uphillonly


    I have the new Cateye Volt 800 (800 lumens). Now 111 euros from Wiggle.

    http://www.wiggle.com/cateye-volt-800-rc-front-light/

    Used it tonight for repeats up unlit Cruagh Lane in Dublin. Plenty of light in fact I dimmed down whenever cars approached. Easy enough to do going through modes with taps on the well placed top button.

    The true power of 800 lumens is shown when you take it off the bike & use it as a torch. Very impressive scanning the woods to look for deer.

    USB rechargeable & the battery pack is interchangeable with the other Cateye Volts. Same mount has now been used by Cateye for a few years on lots of different models which is handy. I use the Cateye Volt 400 as my commuting light.


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    #9
    Leroy42
    Registered Users Posts: 15,515 ✭✭✭✭Leroy42


    Cheers uphillonly. I was looking at that exact same light for use on that exact same hill and was wondering if it would do the trick. Can't get a more personalised review that that!


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    #10
    The Sidewards Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭The Sidewards Man


    Aldi have a one million candle power light at the moment for €20, couple of cable ties make an economical solution. Rechargeable too.


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    #11
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,405 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Cheers for the help folks! Decision made, I've ordered a 2015 MagicShine 858 (with the 4.4Ah battery by default). The 3.5 hour life at 1000 lumens sealed it.

    £59.99 plus €3.50 ParcelMotel = ~€88. Will let you know how it compares with the L&M ARC.

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



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    #12
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Trojan wrote: »
    Cheers for the help folks! Decision made, I've ordered a 2015 MagicShine 858 (with the 4.4Ah battery by default). The 3.5 hour life at 1000 lumens sealed it.
    That's an off road light. MagicShine don't claim it is safe for road use.


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    #13
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    <snip>
    Do you ever stop to wonder if what you're about to post might be completely inane before firing it on up?

    Seriously. What's your deal?!?


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    #14
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,549 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    PowerToWait wrote: »
    The Cateye 700 is more like 800 lumens and cheap, handy and easily recharged via usb.
    .

    Cateye are good for these type of lights as the reading for 700 is taken at the point the battery warning light comes on, unlike other similar style lights that take the reading at the highest point.

    In light tests, they are consistently above their stated output. So my 300 is only close to 300 at the moment the low battery light comes on and is above it before that happens.


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    #15
    buffalo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,059 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Big ass-light.


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    #16
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,619 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    Jeepers, the definition of what a "Big ass light" is seems to be quite low here...

    I think my NR Lumina 800 is just about adequate for the roads.. Off-road it's a backup light...


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    #17
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    buffalo wrote: »
    Big ass-light.
    http://www.bumm.de/ would be a good place to start.


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    #18
    wanderer 22
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭wanderer 22


    buffalo wrote: »
    Big ass-light[/URL].

    Slightly disappointing that googling big-ass light give results (mainly) SFW


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    #19
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Tenzor07 wrote: »
    Jeepers, the definition of what a "Big ass light" is seems to be quite low here...

    I think my NR Lumina 800 is just about adequate for the roads.. Off-road it's a backup light...
    One of the most powerful trail lights is the Exposure Six Pack, which has a claimed output of 4000 lumens (and Exposure is a very well regarded manufacturer, so I believe them).

    http://www.ultimatesportsengineering.com/exposure-lights/cycle-lights-2016/six-pack-mk6

    Its illumination has been measured as 4,710 lux @ 1m:

    http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/bike-light-database.html

    This gives an equivalent viewangle of about 60 degrees according to this calculator:

    http://www.ledrise.com/shop_content.php?coID=19

    ...assuming constant illumination across the beam pattern, and (mathematically) 47 lux @ 10m.

    The most powerful (presumably SVTO-compliant) dynamo light from B&M, the IQ-X, has a claimed illumination of 100 lux @ 10m (and I don't disbelieve it).

    So the "big ass" 4000 lumen off-road light may produce only half the effective illumination of the pothole you're trying to avoid compared to the "small ass" few-hundred-lumen roadie light.

    This is why Strada produce road-specific lights, which have the mutual benefits of both putting the light where you need it on the road and not blinding oncoming traffic. You'd get a much worse view of the trees though.

    Using powerful off-road lights on the road is both dangerous and cunterproductive.

    edit: the centre-spot illumination of the NR Lumina 750 was measured by road.cc at 782 lux @ 2m, which is about 31 lux @ 10m, so assuming the 800 is a bit better it's not that far off the illumination of the Exposure Six Pack albeit with a much narrower beam.


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    #20
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,619 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    If I had my way i'd have the Lumina 800 and the older 750 on the bars, which had a strobe blinking mode, great for getting noticed by cars...!


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    #21
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Tenzor07 wrote: »
    If I had my way i'd have the Lumina 800 and the older 750 on the bars, which had a strobe blinking mode, great for getting noticed by cars...!
    I find a cheap flasher is a good companion to a decent continuous light. Any old crap will do, even the coin-battery operated ones, whereas flashing high-intensity lights decrease safety.


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    #22
    AstraMonti
    Registered Users Posts: 5,718 ✭✭✭AstraMonti


    I got a couple of years back a really big-ass light. It would be mental to use it on the streets, it would blind anyone and everyone around. For off-road it's fun because it illuminates the whole forest giving you creepy shadows all around the place.


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    #23
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,549 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Lumen wrote: »
    Using powerful off-road lights on the road is both dangerous and cunterproductive.

    +1 its like the people who fit HID lights themselves on their cars, who think they are great, they are not, they are never aligned, blinding and overall create an incredible danger to other road users.


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    #24
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    CramCycle wrote: »
    +1 its like the people who fit HID lights themselves on their cars, who think they are great, they are not, they are never aligned, blinding and overall create an incredible danger to other road users.
    I assume this is illegal since factory-fitted HIDs have to be self-levelling.


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    #25
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,619 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    Lumen wrote: »
    I find a cheap flasher is a good companion to a decent continuous light. Any old crap will do, even the coin-battery operated ones, whereas flashing high-intensity lights decrease safety.

    That's a matter of opinion for sure!


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    #26
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,268 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Blinding oncoming traffic increases the risk of an accident


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    #27
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Jep Gambardella wrote: »
    Blinding oncoming traffic increases the risk of an accident

    Sales page for the "Blackhawk Gladius".

    High-intensity crimefighting with next-generation strobe lights
    http://www.policeone.com/police-products/duty-gear/flashlights/articles/1353541-High-intensity-crimefighting-with-next-generation-strobe-lights/
    The latest technology is strobing lights. If you haven’t seen them, we’re talking about variations of small high-intensity lights that have strobing capability. Sounds cool of course, but the obvious question is: what benefits does strobing provide?

    Here are some of the claims made:
    1. Causes disorientation and blinding
    2. Causes peripheral vision disabling
    3. Limits the ability to get accurate fire on you
    4. Induces fear and/or indecision

    ...we’re all familiar with the blinding effect of 60 or more lumens in the eyes of a suspect


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    #28
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,619 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    Great, no more road rage:
    Better yet, do so unexpectedly while they are trying to perform a moderately complex task—like attacking you. They will likely stop in their tracks


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    #29
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Tenzor07 wrote: »
    Great, no more road rage:
    No, just different road rage!


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    #30
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    It all depends what you want from a light. You'll want a different kind of light if you need to illuminate the road ahead, as with the old bullet-shaped bike lights with their visor to direct part of the beam downwards; or if you want oncoming drivers to see you among the other lights in traffic.


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    #31
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,405 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Lumen wrote: »
    That's an off road light. MagicShine don't claim it is safe for road use.

    I'm ok with that. Technically I'll be using it on roads, but ... well what else would you use here?
    buffalo wrote: »
    Big ass-light.

    There's an xkcd for everything :)

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