Front Lamp Recommendation

colossus-x

Hi

Could anyone recommend a very good front light for night time cycling. I had a very good 30 Lux power one from lidl but it didnt' last a month before the on/off switch broke. It had a dimming function which I quite liked as some drivers seem to get very annoyed by it even when it's pointing to the ground at an angle. It would also swivel left and right as well as up and down. I do want one with these new cree light bulbs. I will be cycling in the country with absolutely no street lighting of any kind and I find the brightness of the cree bulbs reassuring ! I'm happy to take recommendations from online sources like amazon/ebay or in-store like halfords etc..as long as its. good ! Actually i'd appreciate any comments even if not necessarily a recommendation.

Ta.

Inquitus

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/exposure-joystick-with-helmet-mount-lanyard-front-light/

I like this helmet mounted light myself, I couple it with front and rear commuter lights. It has 3 settings, the brightest being good enough for MTBing up at 3 rock in the dark. Max power gets you 3 hours, low power up to 24, and is good enough for country road riding. As its helmet mounted you can flick it up to advise oncoming cars of your presence but it doesn't blind motorists in normal operation.

jimm

These are good http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Fenix-Torches/TK-Series.html

and can be fixed to your bars with one of these http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Accessories/Bike-Mounts.html

Invincible

I have one similar to this, sufficeint light for unlit country roads on first setting,flash setting is quite good for the onset of dusk.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TrustFire-TR008-Silver-3-Cree-XML-T6-MTB-Mountain-4000LM-Bike-Head-Light-Bicycle-/141126665083?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item20dbce037b

Lumen

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

Dotsie~tmp

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/SolarStorm-5000Lm-2x-CREE-XM-L-U2-LED-Front-Bicycle-Bike-Light-Headlamp-Torches-/191176160644?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item2c82fcb584




Make sure you dip it downward at the road. Cars will flash you to dim your lights !

iwillhtfu

Dotsie~tmp wrote: »

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/SolarStorm-5000Lm-2x-CREE-XM-L-U2-LED-Front-Bicycle-Bike-Light-Headlamp-Torches-/191176160644?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item2c82fcb584



Make sure you dip it downward at the road. Cars will flash you to dim your lights !

Are the batteries built into the light or is there an external battery pack? It's not clear what that cable coming out of the light is.

Kaisr Sose

5000 lumen on the road? You gotta be kidding!

Inquitus

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

5000 lumen on the road? You gotta be kidding!

They don't put out 5000 lumen, it's just ebay lies, around 800-900 each one.

Inquitus

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Are the batteries built into the light or is there an external battery pack? It's not clear what that cable coming out of the light is.

And yes they have a big enough battery pack.

This pic shows in scale

Kaisr Sose

Inquitus wrote: »

They don't put out 5000 lumen, it's just ebay lies, around 800-900 each one.

Is that 800/900 per bulb ?

If so that's still a lot of light for road use...with as you say, no way to dip it for oncoming traffic.

markkelly2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moon-X-Power-500-Front-Light/dp/B005QXAJNO

colossus-x

jimm wrote: »

These are good http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Fenix-Torches/TK-Series.html

and can be fixed to your bars with one of these http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Accessories/Bike-Mounts.html

Okay guys thanks for all the suggestions. I had no idea you could get a mount for a regular torch. I already have a very bright 50 LUX hand torch that I don't really use so I'm just going to use that with a mount , like the one @Jimm kindly linked too. I just bought a rapid battery charger for AAA's the other day so I can bring a replaceable battery pack with me. You can't really do that with those usb charged yokes so you'd have to bring another torch with you to be on the safe side is case something happened. I'll only be traveling about 13 K but really don't want to be stuck in the pitch dark for any reason , so not taking any chances !

t5pwr

Dotsie~tmp wrote: »

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/SolarStorm-5000Lm-2x-CREE-XM-L-U2-LED-Front-Bicycle-Bike-Light-Headlamp-Torches-/191176160644?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item2c82fcb584




Make sure you dip it downward at the road. Cars will flash you to dim your lights !

This light is seriously bright. I used mine before the summer on country roads and will be using it again soon. It has 3 dim settings, all quite bright and a flashing one. You will need to point it down.

Edit: You can also get one with a water resistant battery case http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SolarStorm-New-2nd-X2-Bicycle-Bike-Light-Cree-XM-L2-5000LM-T6-LED-Energy-Saving-/131056252467?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

t5pwr

t5pwr wrote: »

This light is seriously bright. I used mine before the summer on country roads and will be using it again soon. It has 3 dim settings, all quite bright and a flashing one. You will need to point it down.

Edit: You can also get one with a water resistant battery case http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SolarStorm-New-2nd-X2-Bicycle-Bike-Light-Cree-XM-L2-5000LM-T6-LED-Energy-Saving-/131056252467?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

Hey guys, just an update on this. Although the light is very bright, now that we are back using lights again my battery is totally knackered. From reading online, people are recommending that you get the light and a different battery. So many people have had trouble with batteries. I only bought it last April and didn't use it all summer. Had a few problems charging it at first and now the battery only lasts less than 40 mins on flashing mode. So in all, good light, crap battery

Ryath

t5pwr wrote: »

Hey guys, just an update on this. Although the light is very bright, now that we are back using lights again my battery is totally knackered. From reading online, people are recommending that you get the light and a different battery. So many people have had trouble with batteries. I only bought it last April and didn't use it all summer. Had a few problems charging it at first and now the battery only lasts less than 40 mins on flashing mode. So in all, good light, crap battery

They mightn't be great batteries but any lithium battery that's not used for several months will lose capacity. They need to be charged regularly. A battery left fully discharged will be junk in a few weeks.

I still use mine a fair bit over the summer as I work night shifts and cycling home after the midweek club league races it is often dark.

ford2600

Ryath wrote: »

They mightn't be great batteries but any lithium battery that's not used for several months will lose capacity. They need to be charged regularly. A battery left fully discharged will be junk in a few weeks.

I still use mine a fair bit over the summer as I work night shifts and cycling home after the midweek club league races it is often dark.

http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk

I've bought from this guy 2 years ago, really good quality products at a price but not crazy either.

Cable frayed at connection point with lamp, after 2 years use. He fixed it for free. Small range of products but excellent to deal with

He also sells batteries compatabile with OP now defunct light, but probably dearer than total cost of original purchase

t5pwr

ford2600 wrote: »

http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk

I've bought from this guy 2 years ago, really good quality products at a price but not crazy either.

Cable frayed at connection point with lamp, after 2 years use. He fixed it for free. Small range of products but excellent to deal with

He also sells batteries compatabile with OP now defunct light, but probably dearer than total cost of original purchase

Thanks ford2600. I think saw a link to these guys before. I see they do batteries for the light I have. Will get onto them, nice to get a recommendation.

t5pwr

Ryath wrote: »

They mightn't be great batteries but any lithium battery that's not used for several months will lose capacity. They need to be charged regularly. A battery left fully discharged will be junk in a few weeks.

I still use mine a fair bit over the summer as I work night shifts and cycling home after the midweek club league races it is often dark.

Good to know, never realised these batteries could be wrecked so easily

Chipbutty

Got myself the Cateye Volt 700 (www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL470RC/) last week. Tried it out last night for the first time on dark country roads very impressed with it, has five different settings and you can switch from the brightest setting to a lower and back quite easily. Battery life on full light is 2 hours, bought a battery pack to charge it during a spin but the unit does not work when charging, so back to the drawing board, will probably have to buy a spare battery. Not a cheap light but very effective.

Hauki

Where can you buy 18650-cells for lights in Ireland? Or is better just to go to amazon/ebay/dx and are there any customs restrictions when ordering from abroad?