Review of my new front light setup

Super Freak · 12-10-2009 10:57pm #1

Just a quick review of my new front lights.

I'm very happy with my new setup and thought I would share my experience as there is a few threads going around about front lights.

My requirements were for something that was......

·Easy to transfer from bike to bike,
·Small and light enough to be hardly noticeable,
·Strong enough as to not fall apart after a few uses,
·Enough power to last at least two hours,
·Enough light to use off road,
·Enough control as to not dazzle oncoming traffic on road,
·Good handlebar mount,
·Rechargeable batteries

After reading all the comments on here and elsewhere I got two, Hope Vision one LEDs. I got two as I wanted to have a backup in case the batteries died, or if one unit completely failed. Redundancy is a good thing.

Expect to pay around €80 Each.

CRC
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24391
Wiggle
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Hope_Vision_1_LED_Front_Light_2009/5360035056/

Blue was the only colour available when I got mine. Typical just as I finish writing this review I see that even the blues are out of stock too. All colours are due to be back in stock mid October.

This should give an idea of the size of the units,

One of the reasons I chose these units is because of the battery setup. AA Rechargeables are recommended and give over 3 hours at full power and over 10 hours at 50% I have some of these for my camera flash and will be stocking up on some more. Disposables are used here.
4 batteries for each unit (budget for these if not at hand, about €20 for a really high capacity rechargeables )

I'm impressed with the handlebar mount, adaptors are provided for std, and oversize bars (and a helmet mountnot pictured). The brackets are made from nylon with brass inserts and brass screws. The quality is very good I.M.O.

Ok these things are hard to photograph in use. I set up the camera on a tripod at dusk this evening, the distance from the bike to the back wall is about 25 Meters. The flash on my camera can only reach to about 5 meters as can be seen.

To get an idea of what your eyes can actually see (kind of like calibrating the camera aperture to your eye) I setup the camera for an 8 second exposure at F4.0. NO flash. You can see the sky, grass, back wall etc. This is very close to what I could see at the time.

The lights have five settings, I find that on the road I use setting two 50% on both lights and that is more than enough light for normal road use. 40Km/hr on unlit back roads without problem The beams are spots but are more than wide enough for what's needed. No problems dazzling cars either.

Off road I have tried both units at 100% and they provide more light than I will ever need. OK if you are a downhill speed-freak or are seriously off-road then more light might be needed.

I only photographed the 100% setting.

Same settings on the camera for both shots (8Sec at F4.0) and again this is a very close representation of what my eyes could actually see at the time.

Overall...Very happy:D.

Hope this helps some of you......Ride safe

Kieran

Dr_Colossus · 12-10-2009 11:32pm

Great comprehensive review, nice work. Like the way you have them mounted under the handlebars and the two provide a nice symmetrical look.
Just curious what are the two mounts on top of the bars, looks like a cat eye speedometer and is it a polar hrm?
Thanks for putting the review together.

sy · 12-10-2009 11:34pm

Great post and thanks Super Freak

Super Freak · 12-10-2009 11:39pm

Just curious what are the two mounts on top of the bars, looks like a cat eye speedometer and is it a polar hrm?

Correct on both counts.

Can't find my handlebar mount for the hrm so I just have some foam stuffed in under it

Kieran

CheGuedara · 12-10-2009 11:47pm

Great review Super Freak - sweet looking lights, serious lighting power there!!

rochefan · 14-10-2009 10:48am

Thanks for the review. Is there any indication that the battery is getting low? What happens when they do go low, do they the slowly die and give you 20 minutes to get home or do they just quickly shut off?
One of your requirements for the lights was for usage off road, has anyone ever gone mountain biking through a woods in the dark? Sounds cool

Home:Ballyhoura · 14-10-2009 11:38am

Thanks man...that was a great review! I set up my LED Lenser P6 lastnight and did a quick test on an unlit backroad and performance was only so so...waaay better than most lights but I still wasn't comfortable at speeds over 30km/h. Does anyone who has the "popular amongst boardsie cyclists" Fenix TK11 know how it would compare to Super Freak's Hope Vision Ones LEDs? I know he has two of him on his setup but one against the other how would they compare...I think they are around the same price range. At least that way I could get a really high performance handlebar light and stick my current one on the helmet mount which it would be ideal for and more than what I need! Haha, sure let me know...cheers!

Lumen · 14-10-2009 12:37pm

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

Does anyone who has the "popular amongst boardsie cyclists" Fenix TK11 know how it would compare to Super Freak's Hope Vision Ones LEDs?

The Hopes claim 240 lumen output, which is about the same as the TK11 R2.

You'd really need them side to side to compare beam patterns, but beamshots of the TK11 are easily found on the web.

I'm not really a fan of the tail mounted clicky design used by the TK11 and other torches, as it depends on spring tension to maintain the electrical connection, and can cut out on bumpy roads. This is however less of an issue with the TK11 than some others because the mode is adjusted separately (using the bezel I think), so you won't hit a bump and go into super strobe mode or whatever.

brianthebard · 14-10-2009 12:54pm

Very nice review OP, well done and congrats on a good purchase. Would love to see some more reviews like that from others here!

Turbulent Bill · 14-10-2009 2:35pm

Lumen wrote: »

I'm not really a fan of the tail mounted clicky design used by the TK11 and other torches, as it depends on spring tension to maintain the electrical connection, and can cut out on bumpy roads. This is however less of an issue with the TK11 than some others because the mode is adjusted separately (using the bezel I think), so you won't hit a bump and go into super strobe mode or whatever.

My cheap Ultrafire has exactly this problem, switching modes (or just cutting out) when going over bumps or even rough road surfaces. This is a major PITA, and I'm hoping the Fenix LD20 I ordered doesn't suffer the same problem.

CheGuedara · 14-10-2009 2:51pm

brianthebard wrote: »

Very nice review OP, well done and congrats on a good purchase. Would love to see some more reviews like that from others here!

Yeah it's actually very cool to get a real review from real users - magazines are ok, but you can never be sure they havent bias from industry freebies etc.

Would there be warrant for a separate Kit Reviews sub-section in the future to keep reviews all together in one place?

Lumen · 14-10-2009 3:12pm

However detailed and obsessive you are, there's always someone more so. :pac:

Cones and distance markers.

edit: actually those pics are from a magazine, apparently.

And here is a nice explanation of units of measurement for lights.

andrew_s wrote:

Basically, Lumens is power, Candlepower is beam brightness, and Lux is how brightly something is lit. Lux is lumens per square metre, and candlepower is lumens per steradian (solid angle), and they are equivalent if you are taking your lux measurements 1m from the light source. If you measure the lux 10m from the light, then candlepower = lux x 100.

For calibration, bright moonlight is about 0.25 lux, and round here the street lights are set to turn themselves off once the daylight reaches 70 lux.

Both candlepower and lux are point measurements, and say nothing about whether the lit area is of a useful size - if you want a lot of candlepower from not very much power, you use a laser.

Lux measurements are normally those from German bike light approval tests. The light will be measured at 10m, and have to light a useful area. 10m means that the 40lux of the IQ equates to 4000 candlepower.

If candlepower measurements are used, you'll frequently find that the beam is a very narrow one so a Big Number can be quoted in the advertising.

Super Freak · 14-10-2009 6:25pm

Thanks for the review. Is there any indication that the battery is getting low? What happens when they do go low, do they the slowly die and give you 20 minutes to get home or do they just quickly shut off?
One of your requirements for the lights was for usage off road, has anyone ever gone mountain biking through a woods in the dark? Sounds cool

No indication that the batterys are running low on these. In fairness there is a big warning in the instructions and another warning sticker on the packaging. I was aware of this before I purchased.

The power to the LEDs is regulated which means that it will not go dim. Bam, lights out without warning when the batteries go below a certian level. My experience has been that that you can turn on the lights again and thew will last a few minutes on the lowest setting.

This is one of the reasons I have two lights, and carry a spare set of 4*AA

Kieran

chakattack · 14-10-2009 11:19pm

Thanks Supafreak.

Have you tried cycling unlit roads with only one turned on?

I think I'm sold by your review but would prefer to spend 80-100 if I can get away it.

How confident were you at 40km/hr?

chakattack · 14-10-2009 11:57pm

Read some more reviews and ended up hitting the order now button on Wiggle

The wiggle link on google was displaying a market beating price of 72 stg but it was 76 when I ordered? Weird....anyone else encounter this sneaky wiggle tactic before?

Chain Reaction were cheaper but out of stock...and I want it yesterday

Ryaner · 15-10-2009 11:56am

Wiggles sterling price was lower than CRC. You need to deselect priority dispatch during the order to drop the price again.

Ordered mine yesterday. if they hadn't come into stock, would of ended up with a 2Led version

chakattack · 15-10-2009 12:11pm

Priority dispatch wasn't selected.

They are £76 now on wiggle but advertised as £72. Not a big issue...just seems sneaky!

rottenhat · 15-10-2009 12:43pm

chakattack wrote: »

They are £76 now on wiggle but advertised as £72. Not a big issue...just seems sneaky!

Difference in VAT rate, possibly?

Super Freak · 15-10-2009 9:50pm

Have you tried cycling unlit roads with only one turned on?

I think I'm sold by your review but would prefer to spend 80-100 if I can get away it.

How confident were you at 40km/hr?

Yes I've tried one on it's own. Definately bright enough for unlit roads at it's max setting.

40Km/Hr with both lights at the second setting with full confidence. I was actually out with another rider tonight and gave him one. We did some fairly harmless off road/single track/trails with one light each. Speeds were low but no problem with one light. I would recommend a helmet lamp to go with a single light offroad.

I hope you are happy with yours......Pressure is on me;)

Kieran

chakattack · 15-10-2009 10:03pm

I'll let you know once it arrives...thanks for the heads up!

dnme · 15-10-2009 10:20pm

Kieran

Fantastic review, you put a lot of work into that for the greater good

I am put off by the sudden "bam" now you see em now you dont way they deal with power running down. Are there any similar units out there that fade down gracefully ?

Super Freak · 15-10-2009 11:29pm

No problem, I've returned to cycling this year and I have learned a lot from this forum. I've gotten lots of help, Just giving a little back.

I'm not sure if there are other similar units that dim gradually. A lot of them use regulated power systems, some of them have warning lights to warn of impending darkness. Not the Hope 1 though.

Kieran

ogre357 · 16-10-2009 7:29pm

anyone used these off road down a single track?

chakattack · 19-10-2009 8:18pm

This arrived today and I'm well impressed.

It's well built and feels solid on the handlebars. Not having a ugly looking battery pack hanging off your frame is great.

35 kph happily on a really crappy dark road I don't usually cycle. Looking forward to my first commute in the dark tomorrow morning.

A second one would be brilliant but you can get away with one.

Thanks again Superfreak

Super Freak · 19-10-2009 9:15pm

Glad you're happy Chakattack. Pressure is off. Mine are still going strong and rechargeables work great.

Don't get caught out with flat batteries

Ryaner · 19-10-2009 9:32pm

Got mine as well. Been out of stock for quite a while. Have it mounted along side my Cateye to test the batteries first. They have changed the program too so there is now 4 light settings and it starts on the low setting first.

ED E · 19-10-2009 9:39pm

There's no way you wont be seen with them on.

langdang · 23-09-2010 9:20am

Have two of this myself - well 1 of the normal ones (blue also) and one of the Adventure versions - comes with more mounts and the lens and led is separate from the battery pack - ideal as a head torch for hill running etc or as a helmet mounted light.
Very good quality lights, the only negative being the sudden cut off. Hopes way of explaining this is that it is a trade off between versatility versus function - these lights will accept any AA sized battery, but will work with some better than others, it would be too complicated/expensive to allow for warnings for all the possible variations.

Still, could they not switch down to the lowest power mode rather than "BAM- gone!" If you wait a few seconds you'll be able to manually restart in a low power mode and get another while out of them. My head torch went off just at the end of a MTB spin the other night, but still had the bar mounted light to get me to the car.

Lights that are tied to a particular battery pack would generally have some warning of low battery, and maybe auto switching to a lower power mode.

I'd recommend 2700mAh NiMh rechargeables from a good brand.
I have a sneaking suspicion that you are better of using them in the second most powerful mode, but need to check it out - I had them in the highest power mode the last night and was surprised when one of them cut out.
To me the highest power mode doesn't offer much more light than the second most powerful mode, but it does decrease the run time by more than the extra light would suggest it should.

snollup · 18-11-2010 10:24pm

First off thanks for the great review.

Was out last night for the first time in the dark and realised that the old cateye's just aren't up to the job! Am hoping to pick up a decent light over the weekend. Budget is 100 - 120.

Am considering the Hope Vision 1 but was wondering if any bike shops in Dublin stock them? Are there any other light that I should consider? The Cycle Super Store sell the Light & Motion Stella 120. Reviews I've read are fairly good but may be best suited as a helmet mounted light.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks.

cyco · 19-11-2010 1:02am

i use a magic shine 900 lumen light i got on ebay for about 60 euro. Comes with a li-ion battery and charger. Battery lasts long enough that I sometimes forget to charge it between spins but has still never died on me. Hit over 60kph descending with it from johnny foxes towards dundrum without any worries. Unless I'm up the mountains I only use it on half beam cause it just pisses people off in cars or on bikes.
Only problem, if it's even a problem, is that even on half beam if you ride behind someone using proper lights in a group they can't see the road because they're cycling in their own shadow.

langdang · 19-11-2010 9:07am

I have the magic shine and the hopes.
Magic shine is very powerful. The Hopes are picky about batteries, I'll check what sets are working well in mine, I know one brand in particular is fine but I have others that are not up to the current draw.

Review of my new front light setup

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