Spec me a bike light.

[doginabag]

I currently have front and rear lenzee 'to be seen' lights, but this morning being quite foggy I nearly got wiped out by a car pulling out of a junction who didn't see me. And with winter on the way its about time to get a brighter light.

So I need something bright, small (I ride a folder and don't want to have to take it off every time I fold it up) and of course cheap.

Does anyone have any experience of these multi-cree lights on ebay?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-CREE-X...rtGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item4ad74f7e62


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7200Lm-5x...K_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item5d4bf2b449


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Gener...rtGoods_CyclAcces_RL&var=&hash=item2591f84f0b

 

[winjim]

Please don't put five T6s on the front of a road going bike. That's an insane amount of light and will not make you more visible, only dazzle people. Even two T6s is pushing it. I bought a single U2 (precursor to T6) Fluxient light from Torchy the Battery Boy on ebay and even that I switch to the lowest mode and angle it right down in traffic. Good light though and I'm very happy with it.

 

[doginabag]

There are some single cree variants. Maybe one of those? My aim for these is to aim it to light up the road up to around 5m ahead, plenty of potholes and broken road surfaces round this way, and thought that a BRIGHT! option aimed in that way would have enough residual light to also make me more visible without dazzling.

But that's my assumptions that I am not sure on, hence asking in here first.

 

[potsy]

I have one of those Solarstorms (1st link) they are very bright and would recommend they are pointed down when using them on road.
I do like the look of those next generation ones, a 'hood' to stop the light going up too far and different lenses 1 for distance 1 for near, really don't need any more lights but if I can find one of those from a UK seller and just the unit I could be tempted

 

[Rooster1]

I love these little Moon Meteors, powerful enough to light up a pitch black lane on a ride home, small, USB rechargeable. I have a second light on strobe at the front.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moon-meteor-front-light/

 

[doginabag]

The Moon meteor looks good, but unfortunately I think it will be too long and will get in the way or knocked about when folding the bike down.

I think I will give the third one I linked to a go. Noted about not needing many of those leds and with that one having two, for long and short range, and being able to choose which are used then it sounds ideal.

 

[Rooster1]

The Moon meteor is TINY and can be mounted on a helmet if you prefer, its no bigger than a matchbox!

Look at this picture, next to a 50 p and a PC mouse....

 

[doginabag]

Ahh ok, looking at the proportions I expected it to be longer. I shall certainly consider it then!

 

[ushills]

I have one of these

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/bikehead-lights/cabs-01---cree-xml-t6-led.html

and it has been superb.

Rechargeable lipo battery and fits to the folding bar of my Dahon folder.

 

[MrGrumpy]

cheap chinese Crees are a gamble, do the job well. I currently have two T6 torches on medium or low on te road bike but really looking to buy something of better quality which does not light up the Sky

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Cree T6 XML as bought off eBay - cheap, convenient and very effective. 3 Brightness level, strobe function and battery charge indicator. What's not to like? (apart from the stories of them burning your house down when the charger ignites!)

 

[mrandmrspoves]

.......I charge mine in my garage which is detached from the house so not too worried about spontaneous combustion stories.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XM-L...K_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item3386a50c1a

 

[doginabag]

I went for the Chinese two cree led light in the end, I thought at that price it had to be worth a go.
It turned up last week so thought it would be good to come back and give you my thoughts on it.

Firth thought is it in very compact, I was pleasantly surprised at how discrete it is on the bars.
I have only had it out in the dark once so far and even then it wasn't fully night, but it seems to give off a fair amount of light, plenty for my needs.

There is a fair difference with the wide and narrow beams, however they are both aimed at the same point. I would have thought that the narrow beam would have projected further forward, but saying that I haven't ridden into anything so it doing it's job!

Someone mentioned earlier concerns about charging the battery. The battery pack is merely 4 AA batteries with a dc adapter to charge them. From what I can tell its a dumb charger, no cut of or trickle charge when the batteries are fully charged so it may be a valid concern.
I think I may make a new battery back for it, something a bit more streamlined with the batteries individually removable so that I can recharge them using a proper smart charger. That would be safer and hopefully make the batteries last longer.

For the money, I have no complaints.

 

[MrGrumpy]

it will not be a battery pack with 4 x AA, that just would not have the grunt. More like the normal 18650 lithium batteries ( laptop battery ). That is why you have take a bit more care, not that I ever did but if the headlight doesn`t shake to bits the battery pack will fail unless fully waterproofed.