modern lights?

[development_cycle]

This is a topic of which I know nothing, so looking for buying advice.

Going to get back to commuting but as 50% is offroad I need a decent front light, looking for quality, value for money, and bright enough to see, for under £100, pref nearer the £80 mark. No objections to buying last years model etc but if I google without knowing what I'm looking for it's a bloody minefield and I could be buying any old sh**e

 

[iveto1983]

I've had one of these for 18 months and it's been faultless. The battery lasts a little longer that the suggested run time too. It's come down in price since I bought mine, but is still not the cheapest option.

 

[development_cycle]

Re:

thanks will take a look at that

 

[FluffyChicken]

If you don't mind a separate battery pack then the multitude of ebay lights are good, to excellent. for less than £20 and then buy

I've just bought another twin light this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201214756190 as it has a spread light and a spot light, most just come as spots at this price.
The first battery (I test them on low for time) lasted just under 2hrs, which is far less than it should. Sent the data back to them with time point etc and they send a new battery out very quickly and that now last just under 3.5hr to 4 hrs an low (spread, commuting position for me, I can get exact time buy will vary)/
Nothing wrong with the first battery, just one I pulled the shrink wrap off it was the lower capacity cells. So do always check the times against that quoted.

My old single light (akak 'rose' from a few years back) is chugging away nicely still.

I then fit a Hope Universal bracket, at £8 from CRC, it's bumps the price up but I do like the brackets to the elastic bands as I switch between bikes and the slight wobbling does annoy me.

Double that up with say a SAMRT 60Lux (less than £10 at On-One depending on offer time) for backup or in traffic and
http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/accessories/lights
I intend to buy the smart rear light at some point, it was out of stock when I got my front.

 

[hamster]

The better Chinese ones work well, however their beam is a flood and sends lots upwards dazzling everyone else - fine offroad but not so good in traffic. The ones from Torchythebatteryboy on ebay are some of the better-constructed products with chargers that are safe.

Cateye and the German ones have decent shaped beams which make a huge difference. I've recently bought an eBay lens for my Magicshine 808 which is a big improvement. It also wastes less light by throwing it into the focus spot instead of illuminating owls' feet.

Avoid the cheap Chinese stuff: they cut corners on the quality of switches (which become unreliable very fast) and the chargers, many of which are not compliant and downright dangerous.

 

[development_cycle]

Re:

Thanks guys, I def want something that charges from a USB and I will take it off the bike at least a couple of times a week to charge it, worth looking into the hope bracket

 

[kaiser]

Re:

Current hot light is the Nitefigter BT40 for the bars and BT21 for your lid. Gearbest are recommended as the retailer. I'm awaiting a BT21 to try as a new helmet light so can't comment at the moment but a riding buddy has the BT40 on the bars and its nice a floody, also very well made.

http://www.gearbest.com/bicycling-gear/pp_180805.html

You'll find the BT21 in the links below. MTBR has a decnt thread on the Nitefighter stuff.

 

[sancho]

I'm happy with the Cateye nano shot as a commuter light. I prefer helmet mounted lights with more lumens for the trails (using a Gloworm X1 for that), but for commuting the nano shot is a great value.

 

[02gf74]

Re:

Ebay chinese lights as said are cheap but they do the job extremely well. £20 for 4 led emitter is plenty of light. The difference is day and night if compared to the ever readies we used to use, if you are old enough to remember.

If you get one, get the 3 pin uk charger, the 2 pin ones are suspect, i had one explode!

 

[mattr]

Only problem with USB is anything decent takes an age to charge. Unless you get a higher power plug in USB charger.