Light up my life!

calistro

Looking for recommendation for a set of lights for dark night forest spins. I bought a set from Aldi last year (Cree something or other) and so far so good but I'd like something similar and can't wait until Aldi decide to stock them again. Have been looking on AliExpress also, what would be the equivalent? Also if anyone is selling on a set I might be interested also.
I see on the main cycling forum where people ask for recommendations for lights that a lot are for MTB use and not really designed for road use due to blinding effect on mototrists, is there such a thing as a dual light, that can be switched between road & off-road?
Just to add I'm looking at max 2hr lighting on full power.

Thanks!

steamsey

Check out this guy.

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

He's a wealth of info. Bought a light based on his review about 5 years ago. Had to replace battery last year (I let the battery cover go to crap so it ruined the battery) but otherwise very happy with it.

Tenzor07

Anyone considering night rides should invest in a set of Hope lights:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/hope-r4-vision-led-front-light/rp-prod140455

Wanderer78

i got a solar storm from ebay a couple of years ago, even though ive only used it a couple of times for night time riding, its still going strong, some of those Chinese lights are the job, and far cheaper than big brand names

Lemming

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Anyone considering night rides should invest in a set of Hope lights:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/hope-r4-vision-led-front-light/rp-prod140455

I have one of those and it's awesome. Battery lasts a while too depending on what settings you run obviously but when it gets low, it'll drop the light to lowest settings to save power and get you home. Also has a strobe setting. I mount mine to my helmet (light comes with a few mount options) and carry the battery in my pack so wherever I look, it's lit up like a football pitch at night. The connector points are all very much weather-proof as well, and the battery pack is wrapped in a rubberised non-slip 'cage' if you will. The battery also has an LED power status indicator on it. Full-recharge time is about 3 hours if I recall last I used it.

Awesome light. Hope also have a really good rep for re-wiring lights at little or no cost, save postage, when lights start to fail according to comments I've read elsewhere online over the years.

Edit: picture from 4th Jan 2017 cycling home from work. The phone camera does a disservice to just how far the illumination carries into the surrounding area. Light was handlebar-mounted at the time.

emeraldmtb

I’ve been looking around for lights as well over the last couple of weeks.
I used some cheap chinese lights last winter, however the power is variable and the battery life is poor. Then i read this, which includs all the batteries that came with my chinese lights: http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/18650-batteries-chargers.html to say I am reluctant to use the again would be an understatement.

There is so much choice in bike lights for mountain biking, and the price range varies immensely. I would love a pair of Hope or Exposure lights, but spending €300 plus on bike lights is hard to justify.

Torchy, mentioned above, and mtbbatteries.co.uk do improved or decent quality chinese lights.

https://www.brightbikelights.com do the Ituo Wiz range which gets good recommendations on forums.

I’m considering the Lezyne Super Drive 1500XXL for the handlebars as i like the all in one style, but am undecided on a helmet mounted light.

Tenzor07

emeraldmtb wrote: »

I would love a pair of Hope or Exposure lights, but spending €300 plus on bike lights is hard to justify.

All down to your requirements of course, if you're doing a couple of night spins a week or fairly regular throughout the winter, then the Hope's won't let you down, and they are so well made that they will last for years..
I've had mine for around 3 years now and they still look and are as bright as when I bought them...
Dark nights last a long time in Ireland so well worth the investment..

saccades

Exposure do factory defects for way cheaper than normal, also sell ex-rentals too (my reflex was £200 instead of silly money).

Excellent warranty and back up, I snapped a 10 year old bracket and it was replaced foc at a race they were supporting. Also serviced my 10+ old race maxx that although underpowered compared to today's lights still works perfectly.

Cable free is amazing.

Icyseanfitz

i was using a lezyne 800XL and chinese light mounted to the bar last year, also had a cateye on my helmet. This year im going to get rid of the chinese light completely and replace it with a lezyne, maybe another 800XL (great light btw) or better.

JJJJNR

yeah hope lights are amazing and last years, but I've been using the cree led based Chinese lights for 4 years and they are just as good, I've replaced the battery pack on one of them which was 30 euro, all the lads I go out with are using the "cheap Chinese lights" and no one complains and we are out for 3 sometimes 4 hours a session. In torrential rain and the likes, they're a great bunch of lads.

emeraldmtb

saccades wrote: »

Exposure do factory defects for way cheaper than normal, also sell ex-rentals too (my reflex was £200 instead of silly money).

Now that is something I like the sound of. Do they list those on their site?

Alkers

JJJJNR wrote:

yeah hope lights are amazing and last years, but I've been using the cree led based Chinese lights for 4 years and they are just as good, I've replaced the battery pack on one of them which was 30 euro, all the lads I go out with are using the "cheap Chinese lights" and no one complains and we are out for 3 sometimes 4 hours a session. In torrential rain and the likes, they're a great bunch of lads.

Got a link?

CramCycle

calistro wrote: »

I bought a set from Aldi last year (Cree something or other) and so far so good but I'd like something similar and can't wait until Aldi decide to stock them again.

This Sunday 17.99

JJJJNR

Simona1986 wrote: »

Got a link?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BYBO-Waterproof-Rechargeable-Headlight-Bicycling/dp/B0758C215T/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1538039164&sr=8-7&keywords=cree+led

JJJJNR

I use this as the helmet light, I had to retro fit it using a couple of cable ties and a bit of velcro to hold the battery pack.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076V66JSV/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B076V66JSV&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=8e5be0e3-b258-4b06-8b6e-695b24f935a4&pf_rd_r=MFFVHTMNZVP2BKVRY226&pd_rd_wg=wx6A0&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=Toap5&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=9a498eed-c234-11e8-9093-2d78f1b59bcc

muckwarrior

Half the lads on our night spins have these http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/bike-lights.html/

saccades

emeraldmtb wrote: »

Now that is something I like the sound of. Do they list those on their site?

Outlet page on their site.

Alkers

JJJJNR wrote:

I use this as the helmet light, I had to retro fit it using a couple of cable ties and a bit of velcro to hold the battery pack.

Those prices are fantastic, how do they hold up to vibrations from rocky terrain etc? What sort of battery life are you getting?

Big Nasty

€15-€20 cheapo Chinese sets here. I for the bars, one for the lid.

JazzyJ

Are the connectors fairly standard on lights - they look to be?

I've a couple of fluxient lights for almost 5 years! One of the chargers has stopped working, so would be looking to replace it.

dense

JJJJNR wrote: »

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BYBO-Waterproof-Rechargeable-Headlight-Bicycling/dp/B0758C215T/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1538039164&sr=8-7&keywords=cree+led

Theres absolutely fantastic light out of these for the money.

Three different light settings and flash.


These are lights that allow you to see as opposed to the lights that just allow you just to be seen.



That said, I've just had to resolder one of the connections to the BMS in the battery pack, it was working but was discharging quickly.


Now I'll be back to the couple of hours + that it was originally.



There's a couple of YouTube videos that help if batteries cause issues.


I had been looking at the Aldi light this weekend, not going to bother now having repaired this one.


They're certainly worth a punt.

JJJJNR

I use the aldi light to climb to the trail head and then turn the big lights on when descending, the head light lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours constant use, the bar light lasts 3 - 4, but much longer if you spread it out.

JJJJNR

Going out this evening for the first night spin since before Xmas last year. It'll be interesting to see how the batteries are holding up after a few months of non usage. I'll bring a few back up candles just in case.

Alkers

JJJJNR wrote:

yeah hope lights are amazing and last years, but I've been using the cree led based Chinese lights for 4 years and they are just as good, I've replaced the battery pack on one of them which was 30 euro, all the lads I go out with are using the "cheap Chinese lights" and no one complains and we are out for 3 sometimes 4 hours a session. In torrential rain and the likes, they're a great bunch of lads.

I got that set you linked for 20e as a sticking filler and they are literally fantastic value for money. Seem really well put together and the light is amazing!

Alkers

Simona1986 wrote:

I got that set you linked for 20e as a sticking filler and they are literally fantastic value for money. Seem really well put together and the light is amazing!

Had these out for a spin there the other night, wasn't sure how the battery would hold up so was conserving them best I could. 2hr spin and they were still displaying full battery, got home and turned them on again and they stayed on full power for another two hours at least before I turned them off as was going to bed. Bargain of the year!

prunudo

Simona1986 wrote: »

Had these out for a spin there the other night, wasn't sure how the battery would hold up so was conserving them best I could. 2hr spin and they were still displaying full battery, got home and turned them on again and they stayed on full power for another two hours at least before I turned them off as was going to bed. Bargain of the year!

Good to hear, may make a purchase myself.

Biopace

I've had many years of the cheap Cree type lights, the lights themselves are grand, good power, rarely as powerful as they claim but they do the job well, but its the batteries, what a lotto! sometimes they can last for years, sometimes literally one ride, and always when they fail, its without warning which can be scary as fook! eventually would end up riding with 2 sets, (head and bars) and a couple of spare batteries. The long and short is they are great to have if you are new to night biking or do it very rarely, but if you are out 2-3 times a week, best to invest in something with proven reliability.

Currently running a Hope R4+ on the head and the new Hope R2i on the bars, lots of money, but well, well worth it.

Lemming

Biopace wrote: »

Currently running a Hope R4+ on the head and the new Hope R2i on the bars, lots of money, but well, well worth it.

How's the R2i working out for you? I like the idea of it since the battery is integrated so no having to find somewhere 'safe' to strap a battery pack in the hope that neither it nor its wires start flapping about the place. Does the R2i use the same handlebar mount as the R4+ ? I use an R4+ on the helmet and it's amazeballs; used to have it on the handlebars hence the questions.

Biopace

Lemming wrote: »

How's the R2i working out for you? I like the idea of it since the battery is integrated so no having to find somewhere 'safe' to strap a battery pack in the hope that neither it nor its wires start flapping about the place. Does the R2i use the same handlebar mount as the R4+ ? I use an R4+ on the helmet and it's amazeballs; used to have it on the handlebars hence the questions.

It's great, very similar output and battery life to the R4+ and same number of settings, yes it uses the same mounts too, the only thing is it's a bit heavy for helmet mounting.

dense

Biopace wrote: »

I've had many years of the cheap Cree type lights, the lights themselves are grand, good power, rarely as powerful as they claim but they do the job well, but its the batteries, what a lotto! sometimes they can last for years, sometimes literally one ride, and always when they fail, its without warning which can be scary as fook! eventually would end up riding with 2 sets, (head and bars) and a couple of spare batteries. The long and short is they are great to have if you are new to night biking or do it very rarely, but if you are out 2-3 times a week, best to invest in something with proven reliability.

It can often be just down to bad soldering and can be repaired easily.
It is a pain but yes it's the gamble you take.

Wanderer78

dense wrote:

It can often be just down to bad soldering and can be repaired easily. It is a pain but yes it's the gamble you take.

I bought a cheap cree couple of years, worked for a few minutes then died, still have it and suspect all it needs is bit of solder, seller promptly replaced it though

dense

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I bought a cheap cree couple of years, worked for a few minutes then died, still have it and suspect all it needs is bit of solder, seller promptly replaced it though

Was it from China, just wondering if you had to pay return postage and how much if you did

Wanderer78

dense wrote:

Was it from China, just wondering if you had to pay return postage and how much if you did

It original was of course, I bought it a couple of years ago, so memory is a little hazy, got it on ebay, think seller was from the UK, replaced it promptly, and allowed me to keep original, I.e. no return postage required. The replacement is still working well, but hasn't been used much on the bike.