Best value for money lights

eoin9288

Howya all,
I do next to no night riding anymore and so am out of the loop a little on lights and their quality etc but have had an enquiry from a mate who lives in Galway and commutes every day. See below.

I am looking for a lightweight, rechargeable, bright light for road use (or whatever you call our road); I've gone through about 4 middle-of-the-road (not that cheap: €80-120) lights in the last 3 years or so. The main problem is the batteries and/ or the connection giving up the ghost after what I see as short times. I don't know if the weather (rain) here is an issue, not much I can do about it. Anyway, I have to buy a new one again and I would like to have a better chance this time around.

Would be great to get some suggestions from the vast pool of Boards knowledge.
Thanks
Eoin

Seweryn

eoin9288 wrote: »

I am looking for a lightweight, rechargeable, bright light for road use (or whatever you call our road); I've gone through about 4 middle-of-the-road (not that cheap: €80-120) lights in the last 3 years or so. The main problem is the batteries and/ or the connection giving up the ghost after what I see as short times. I don't know if the weather (rain) here is an issue, not much I can do about it. Anyway, I have to buy a new one again and I would like to have a better chance this time around.

Would be great to get some suggestions from the vast pool of Boards knowledge.
Thanks
Eoin

I can recommend the Moon X Power light. There are two models - 300 and the 500, which I used to have, but sent it back for a warranty claim (a small problem during heavier rain - the light just died). I got a refund and I am considering buying the cheaper 300 model, as the 500 will not be in until February (sold out). I would strongly recommend this light, as it represents probably the best value for money on the market at the moment. It is also well made and well designed in terms of light output and beam distribution.

okane1

Best valve for money has to be these,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cree-ssc-p7-c-sxo-5-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-4-18650-included-30864

G rock

i know i harp on a lot about it but i'm very impressed with the philips LED bike light (on rosebikes.de or bike24)
Less than 100, get it within about four or five days, very impressive.

i have a fenix tk11 as well, but the light pattern on the philips is far better

kennyb3

Hi eoin,

Would recommend a hope vision 1 but make sure to get the required high quality batteries (cant remember the exact model code sorry) and a good charger your sorted. I get about 3 hours out of mine and carry a spare set of batteries in a case in the back pocket.

And one of these for the back.

Seweryn

okane1 wrote: »

Best valve for money has to be these,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cree-ssc-p7-c-sxo-5-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-4-18650-included-30864

Is it designed for road use? I am not sure...

ianopino

I use the Hope Vision 1 too for a daily 60k commute. You do need high quality 2500mAh rechargeable batteries but at least you never get caught without power if you have a spare pack (unlike a USB or plug-in charger system)

It has been bullet proof for me (using it 6 months now), highly recommend

Seweryn

kennyb3 wrote: »

And one of these for the back.

I use http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moon-shield-60-rechargeable-rear-light/ as rear light. It is excellent.

Mycroft H

okane1 wrote: »

Best valve for money has to be these,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cree-ssc-p7-c-sxo-5-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-4-18650-included-30864

Seweryn wrote: »

Is it designed for road use? I am not sure...

Lol if someone blinds me with a 900 lumen monster, they will get stick in the wheels of the bike....


Totally unnecessary for the street lamp lit road

Hmmzis

But absolutely vital for survival in traffic even in daylight these days. Flick on the blinking mode and there is a chance a car driver might actually notice you and reconsider making an unindicated and sudden maneuver right in front of you.
Anything less just doesn't seem to register with the death box handlers.

okane1

BX 19 wrote: »

Lol if someone blinds me with a 900 lumen monster, they will get stick in the wheels of the bike....


Totally unnecessary for the street lamp lit road

If you’re on a lit road, use the low or flashing mode. The move visual you are, you are increasing your odds of a car seeing you.
On our night club spins, five of us have these and they are awesome. On full power, cars will dip. We use the medium/low when cycling through the town.

The OP wants the best bang for buck, these are it.

manwithaplan

Hmmzis wrote: »

But absolutely vital for survival in traffic even in daylight these days. Flick on the blinking mode and there is a chance a car driver might actually notice you and reconsider making an unindicated and sudden maneuver right in front of you.
Anything less just doesn't seem to register with the death box handlers.

I've been cycling accident free all these years and I never knew how dangerous it was. I thought that good awareness, learning from my mistakes and a zen approach to the occasional bit of odd behaviour encountered was enough to see me through. Thanks for putting me right. I'm off to ring Motley Crue's road crew to see if they have a spare light or two.

OP - I have a Fenix TK11 for my regular after dark spins on unlit roads. It does the trick and seems very well made but is possibly a touch underpowered.

Lumen

Bright flashing lights are distracting, irritating and unnecessary.

Ciaran500

okane1 wrote: »

Best valve for money has to be these,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cree-ssc-p7-c-sxo-5-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-4-18650-included-30864

There's a new generation of LEDs out that are brighter, more efficient and cheaper.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-assault-crown-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82508

Even if you want a light that isn't as bright you're better off looking for something with a lower rated xml-t6 in it.

07Lapierre

I better cancel my Order so!

part time punk

Slightly off topic but is it a bike light faux pax to have a red light at the front .... whatever way it has happened I have ended up with various rear ones and only broken front ones. It's only a short daily commute from city centre to Drimnagh

Lumen

part time punk wrote: »

Slightly off topic but is it a bike light faux pax to have a red light at the front

It's OK as long as you ride backwards.

Similarly for white lights at the back.

doozerie

okane1 wrote: »

Best valve for money has to be these,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cree-ssc-p7-c-sxo-5-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-4-18650-included-30864

I had the same type (different brand) a year or two ago. It was certainly bright but I found it a pain having to deal with the external battery. The quality of the connection between head and battery was always a bit dodgy too, one of the many risks of cheaper lights, and over time it got worse to the point where it would turn itself off mid ride.

I then bought two of these, with the intention of putting one on my helmet. I was hit with quality issues there too as one of them tends to switch itself off as well (starting happening after I'd unscrewed the cover on the bulb end to have a look). I've been using the reliable one for most of the year and find it quite good. The mount for the handlebars is just a simple rubber block though so not entirely reliable in the wet as it starts to rotate downwards on the bars. I rarely use it on full strength, mostly just on the half-power mode. Even in that mode it gives a better quality of, and stronger, light than my more expensive Cateye HL-EL530.

okane1

doozerie wrote: »

I had the same type (different brand) a year or two ago. It was certainly bright but I found it a pain having to deal with the external battery. The quality of the connection between head and battery was always a bit dodgy too, one of the many risks of cheaper lights, and over time it got worse to the point where it would turn itself off mid ride.

I understand these lights have been revised taking all the previous issues into account and going on my one, the connection is now of better quality. Yes the external battery can be a pain but with the wattage these lights put out, its probably the only option.

doozerie

@okane1, When I bought my older one I knew someone else who bought the very same one. His has been fine, as far as I know, throughout the problems with mine. It just seemed like a matter of luck as to whether you ended up with a good one or a dodgy one. My experiences with my newer torch (linked in my previous post) have been the same.

My newer one, in regular torch format with an internal battery claims the same output as your (and my older) one at 900 lumen. I've no idea whether either it or my older one ever reached that claimed figure but it is certainly as bright as I'd ever need for road use. I've read of people measuring such generic and cheap lights and finding that their actual output falls quite a bit short of what they claim, but even if that is the case with mine it doesn't matter because it really is blindingly bright on full power and doesn't need any more power. My newer torch does not have any flashing modes but that's fine with me 'cos I think it is too bright to have on flashing mode even on its lower power output - my older one was a potential danger when it hit flashing mode as I cycled through the modes to reach half-power mode.

About the only possible disadvantage of my newer torch over my older one is that it has shorter run times (claimed at about 1 hr on full power I think, though I think mine has done a bit better than that when I tested it - on half-power I've gotten 3 hrs out of it across several days of commuting with no sign of it dying). But on the plus side it takes a single 16850 li-ion battery so you can carry a spare with you and easily swap it in if necessary.

CramCycle

eoin9288 wrote: »

Howya all,
I do next to no night riding anymore and so am out of the loop a little on lights and their quality etc but have had an enquiry from a mate who lives in Galway and commutes every day. See below.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LISMRT35FR/smart_lunar_35_lux_front_light

and

2 of these: http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LISM12W/smart_1_2_watt_rear_light

If its for commuting, these are ample and then some. Under 50 euro and you can spend the rest on batteries, which will keep him going along while or even buy a battery recharger from Philips, which will keep him going for longer.

Seaswimmer

Ciaran500 wrote: »

There's a new generation of LEDs out that are brighter, more efficient and cheaper.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-assault-crown-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82508

Even if you want a light that isn't as bright you're better off looking for something with a lower rated xml-t6 in it.

Where do you generally attach the battery pack for these lights???

n900guy

eoin9288 wrote: »

Howya all,

I am looking for a lightweight, rechargeable, bright light for road use (or whatever you call our road); I've gone through about 4 middle-of-the-road (not that cheap: €80-120) lights in the last 3 years or so. The main problem is the batteries and/ or the connection giving up the ghost after what I see as short times.

I did the same thing and then decided to solve the replacement by recently getting a Exposure Maxx-D IV 2012 with a RedEye Mk2. Together they cost around €400 but the ability to cycle in pitch black night with the whole path or road lit up properly is worth it. Battery life is 10 hrs on the medium setting and it will fully charge overnight; it does 3hrs on max (1285 lumens), but TBH, that causes distraction to oncoming bikes and mopes (in NL). The Maxx D is selfcontained so no extra battery pack. The only cable is to power the RedEye but you can also get this as a separate self-contained unit.

I had a look at the Lezyne lights which seems quite good for the money but it's still around €100 for the SuperDrive. The lumens are okay - 400 - and it can easily take cheapish extra batteries that are €15 or so each, but crucially, only 90 mins at 450 L (the max output). That is simply too short if you are doing a bit of evening or weekend touring.

joeduke

Hope R4, it lights the road up like day time, 3 hour battery, small and very neat. Not cheap but buy cheap buy twice.. there around €300 but worth it.

doozerie

Seaswimmer wrote:

Where do you generally attach the battery pack for these lights???

I used to attach mine to the top tube or to the stem, depending on which bike I was using. Neither was very convenient, particularly as I'd remove the light when I got to the work end of my commute so a neat solution that was easy to repeat was a bit of a challenge to come up with. If I wasn't constantly removing and re-installing the light I'd probably have found a less annoying location for the battery but as it was I found the whole process fiddly and tedious for my circumstances.

mp31

Another slightly off topic question:

I want to upgrade my current rear light to something more visible. Is it better to have a powerful rear light such as quoted by a previous poster like this:


or is there better visibility in something like this


'Better visiblity' can mean different things to different people but does a 1/2 watt light with 7 reasonably bright LEDs make it easier to be seen than a 1/2 watt light with one really bright LED?

CramCycle

mp31 wrote: »

Another slightly off topic question:

'Better visiblity' can mean different things to different people but does a 1/2 watt light with 7 reasonably bright LEDs make it easier to be seen than a 1/2 watt light with one really bright LED?

I have the top one and the cateye version of the second one. Both are equally bright but the cateye 610 is more visible IMO (bigger surface area) and I always use it when going out to the country at night (I use two, one on either side so approaching traffic should definitely see me regardless of their angle of approach). I use two of the top ones for the city at night, to be honest they would be ample for the country as well.

My front light for my country bike though can be seen from the ISS:

mp31

CramCycle wrote: »

I have the top one and the cateye version of the second one. Both are equally bright but the cateye 610 is more visible IMO (bigger surface area) and I always use it when going out to the country at night (I use two, one on either side so approaching traffic should definitely see me regardless of their angle of approach). I use two of the top ones for the city at night, to be honest they would be ample for the country as well.

Where do you locate the two rear lights - on the seat post or the frame?

I was thinking of using a central rear light of the 1/2 watt variety on the seat post just above the seat post clamp and two 7 LED things mounted either side of the rear wheel (at axle level) using brackets to clamp onto the mudguard mounts - all on constant beam for night time and flashing beam during the day.

On the front I have a Hope vision 1 on all the time whenever I ride (flashing during the day) and I'm thinking of using this helmet mounted thing as well:-

cdaly_

I use a Reelight axle level in flashing mode along with a smart 1/2 watt in flashing mode on the back of the carrier or seatpost. The smart has an eye-catching strobe-flash effect on the 1/2 watt led and a standard flash on the other two smaller leds.

That said, I lose rear lights on a very regular basis. They seem to hop off their mounts either silently (though I might hear something slight) to never be seen again or obviously followed by smashing to smithereens on the road beside me...


Oh, and it's astonishing how many things lying in the opposite gutter look, when peered at in the dark, just like a fallen light might be expected to look...

CramCycle

mp31 wrote: »

Where do you locate the two rear lights - on the seat post or the frame?

For the country bike I have them one on either seat stay and I'd often take one of the SMART ones and clip it on my helmet.

For my commuter, one on the seat post and the other on my bag, it clips nicely on to one of the rungs so it is slightly pointing out to my right, gives cars the impression I am wider than I am and they tend to give me more space.

I was thinking of using a central rear light of the 1/2 watt variety on the seat post just above the seat post clamp and two 7 LED things mounted either side of the rear wheel (at axle level) using brackets to clamp onto the mudguard mounts - all on constant beam for night time and flashing beam during the day.

Mine are constant at night, off during the day, only turned to flashing during the day if visibility is low (eg rain, fog etc.)

On the front I have a Hope vision 1 on all the time whenever I ride (flashing during the day) and I'm thinking of using this helmet mounted thing as well:-

I mounted a knog frog (10euro from fitzcycles) on my helmet by stretching the clip on it to the max. Great for reading instructions, also I have found that when I do a lifesaver, cars notice me more, probably because they pick up indicative head movements. The only thing that might top that are the lights on gloves that tomasrojo uses, very stylish and effective, have done it myself but then I lost my gloves.

2 Wheels Good

Saw these in the edge in Cork, look the job as an extra light.

CramCycle

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Saw these in the edge in Cork, look the job as an extra light.

Indicators, brilliant. Must resist wasting money.

tomasrojo

CramCycle wrote: »

The only thing that might top that are the lights on gloves that tomasrojo uses, very stylish and effective, have done it myself but then I lost my gloves.

I'm glad to hear that you found them effective for the time you had them. Stylish is not a term that is generally applied to my efforts!!

A friend of mine was looking to have a pair, so I'm going to have a shot at making them from more commonly available materials than I used the first time. If I have good results and anyone is interested I'll post the instructions here.

Crow92

Anyone used the cateye el530? I found two work and they scan in around 45 euro, so I can get them for about 38 squid, (they're about 60-70 online)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el530-led-front-light/

Would it suffice for unlit roads?

Seweryn

Crow92 wrote: »

Anyone used the cateye el530? I found two work and they scan in around 45 euro, so I can get them for about 38 squid, (they're about 60-70 online)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el530-led-front-light/

Would it suffice for unlit roads?

Before the mega sale, I bought this set and I think it is unbeatable as light value for money:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moon-x-power-300-front-and-shield-rear-light-set/

Crow92

Seweryn wrote: »

Before the mega sale, I bought this set and I think it is unbeatable as light value for money:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moon-x-power-300-front-and-shield-rear-light-set/

Out of stock till jan =/ and don't need another rear light. Thanks for the suggestion so.

Seweryn

Crow92 wrote: »

Out of stock till jan =/ and don't need another rear light. Thanks for the suggestion so.

Sorry, I did not see the out of stock notification. These sell very well and I used to have the 500 model before, but due to a fault I could not get a replacement, as the main distributor in UK is out of stock until February.

Regarding the unnnecessary rear light - this set is cheaper than the same front Moon X-Power 300 alone from the same supplier. But if out of stock, then no point in discussing.

You can check how some lights perform in the test (link below). There is a similar Cateye HL-EL610 model shown out there. And also on a budget I would check the Lezyne lights. These are surprisingly good.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sc/lighting

doozerie

Crow92 wrote: »

Anyone used the cateye el530? I found two work and they scan in around 45 euro, so I can get them for about 38 squid, (they're about 60-70 online)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el530-led-front-light/

Would it suffice for unlit roads?

I've been using an EL530 for a few years, as has my wife. The light output from it is not bad at all - it does light the road a bit but it's mainly a light to be seen by than to see by. A few years back I was quite pleased with it, but by the standards of lights available today I consider it average at best.

There are much brighter lights available these days for less money, but brightness aside the EL530 is a bit of a pain for a couple of reasons in particular: it takes 4 AA batteries so it is relatively bulky and heavy (it shares this with some other modern lights, of course, and weight aside there are certainly advantages of being able to use standard batteries so whether this is a pro or a con will vary from person to person); the quality of the plastic is dubious as both my wife and myself have had the plastic of the light body break off at the mount point over time and short of some creative DIY this leaves the light useless. Having said that it does have a long run time, and other than a recent drop with seems to have broken the light transmitter on mine they are reasonably robust when it comes to being dropped.

If I were replacing mine today, I'd choose something else. I'd consider the DealExtreme torch that I posted a link to in another post, which is much brighter and cheaper than the Cateye (though the means of attaching to the bike is rudimentary and fiddly); or one of the new Lezynes lights such as the Super Drive, which I expect to be brighter, is lighter and more compact, but is a bit more expensive; or a Philips LED light which is similar size to the Cateye and heavier, but which is far brighter and also more expensive.

tomasrojo

I use the EL530 and it's a good light, but using it on unlit roads means you can only go at a moderate pace, as you really only get one bright spot of light, and it's a feat of concentration to remember what you've already seen in the spot of light.

If you want a self-enclosed light that takes standard AAs, the EL540 is twice as bright and illuminates a larger area, apparently. I haven't seen one yet, but it's got some good reviews.

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

A friend of mine was looking to have a pair, so I'm going to have a shot at making them from more commonly available materials than I used the first time. If I have good results and anyone is interested I'll post the instructions here.

Well, it took me a year to get around to it, and about half an hour to do it once I started.

I started by buying a pair of wrist sweatbands (the hardest bit to find; I had to get them off Amazon in the end), and some elasticated material (for sale in Tesco for not very much).

I've been using the Cateye LD150 myself, so I used them again as the basis for the new wrist lights.

First I compared the Cateye mounting clip with the sweatband:


Then sewed in some strips of elasticated material, about as wide as the clip, and making sure that the elastic is somewhat taut at the end (no need to neat tailoring here):


Then slide the clip into place:


Then you have an arrangement where you can slide the light into place when you want it:


So an unattractive but relatively practical arrangement.

I'll give them to my friend next week and see how they work out in practice. They seem to be much the same as the ones I've been using to my great satisfaction for a few years.

NamelessPhil

^^^^

Will the weight of the light not make them rotate around your wrist while in use?

Many years back I used to have a pair of lightweight but crappy battery-powered yellow clip-on lights that I could just shove onto the elasticated ends of the sleeves of my cycling jacket and they would stay put.

If you were stuck for wristband material, most fleece type fabric will work quite well and is readily available from fabric shops (or a repurposed piece of clothing).

I hope they work out for you/your mate.

tomasrojo

NamelessPhil wrote: »

^^^^

Will the weight of the light not make them rotate around your wrist while in use?

Good question. Initially, no, if you've chosen sweatbands of the right size, but as the elastic in the sweatband ages they do start to rotate with the weight.

You can just about see in this image of an older sweatband that I've wrapped a hair elastic around the wrist to prevent the rotation.

I guess when they get to this stage, it might be better just to make new ones.

Some lights with less mass would be better again, really, but those Cateye ones are very visible, and the ability to easily clip them on and off is very handy. But if I saw a LED with a clip that took, say, one AAA, I'd probably eventually switch to that.

jimzy

I've seen a couple of similar ones posted above, but have to say this light is pretty amazing for the price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iaMOutdoor-Lumen-Rechargeable-Waterproof-Torch/dp/B006RHB41Y/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1354204905&sr=8-6

I tried out a few other road lights last winter and none compare in terms of price and quality. I've spent a lot more on some other lights, close to two or three times more in some cases and visibility of the other lights I have does not even come close.

I was a bit hesitant on the external battery issue too (thought I wanted something neater) but once its installed just behind the stem its not even noticeable. I've been using the one linked above for the past few months and no problems with it at all.

The light beam floods the road ahead, no issue seeing the road at speed, it's not far off a car headlight to be honest. Will buy another straight away if this ever dies on me!

tomasrojo

NamelessPhil wrote: »

I hope they work out for you/your mate.

Good feedback from my friend after a week of use. The wrist lights "have had a noticeable effect on calming motorists".

Run_to_da_hills

Led Lenser M7 without a doubt for front lamp.

Went through several cheap lamps and ended up with the M7. Tactical military grade, as powerful as many motorcycle lamps and comes with strobe function.

Bike mount is extra.

seanin4711

Ciaran500 wrote: »

There's a new generation of LEDs out that are brighter, more efficient and cheaper.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-assault-crown-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82508

Even if you want a light that isn't as bright you're better off looking for something with a lower rated xml-t6 in it.

If you dont mind waiting 2-3months to get it delivered.
DX are a joke !
I used to used them for cables etc and then bought some bike gear and they eventually admitted to it being lost over 40 business days later.
Grand if your not in a hurry but by the time you get lights of them we will be getting the hour back in easter!

brasshead

Ciaran500 wrote: »

There's a new generation of LEDs out that are brighter, more efficient and cheaper.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-assault-crown-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82508

Even if you want a light that isn't as bright you're better off looking for something with a lower rated xml-t6 in it.

I ordered this and it arrived recently (after about 5 weeks). It is very bright and does the trick on unlit roads.

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

This looks familiar!

Indic8or is the brainchild of a London cabbie, who after a close-call with an unseen cyclist on the road, developed a patented signal indication system to help motorists see and avoid cyclists: Indic8or’s LED lights flash automatically when the cyclist raises their arm to indicate!

A brilliantly simple concept, but painstakingly designed, Indic8or is worn like a watch and dramatically increases a user’s visibility to other road users as you prepare to turn or change lane.

http://gadgets.guardianoffers.co.uk/p-982-Indic8or-LED-Bicycle-Safety-Lights.html?INTCMP=mic_231557#prettyPhoto

CramCycle

tomasrojo wrote: »

This looks familiar!

Did you contact the patent office yet?

tomasrojo

CramCycle wrote: »

Did you contact the patent office yet?

His has four LEDs. Just different enough ...

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

[...] if I saw a LED with a clip that took, say, one AAA, I'd probably eventually switch to that.

I switched to white Moon Crescents, once I could afford them. There's a belt clip that can be bought separately. They are great so far. Light, smaller and brighter. Actually didn't really want them to be this bright.