I started a review on here http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cree-q5-240-lumen-led-front-light.98516/ Cheap and pretty bright for unlit roads.
Front Light for Unlit Road
- Thread starter Boopop
- Start date
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srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
Does it work (ie not dazzle) as a road bike light?
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Glenn
Veteran
- Location
- Newport, shropshire
I have one of these http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ssc-p7-900lm-3-mode-white-led-bicycle-bike-light-4-x-18650-104288 it took 2 - 3 weeks to arrive.
Monsieur Remings
Guru
- Location
- Yatton UK
I have a Magicshine which is excellent but the whole affair is quite heavy, what with the battery pack etc but it depends if this is important to you? Being a roadie and using it on my training bike, for me, it isn't. The MJ872 is the one I have.
I also had a Cree XML T6 which was nearly as good but much cheaper. Sadly, I made the mistake of buying from Asia on Ebay where the adaptor sent was incorrect and I couldn't charge the damn thing. In the interim, thinking the correct adaptor which the seller sent me would take the same time as the rest - 6 weeks - I bought a Magicshine. The adaptor came about a week later and so I sold it to someone on this forum. Can't imagine there were any problems or he would have gotten back to me.
I think you could find a European seller for this light and not have any issue with the adaptor.
I also had a Cree XML T6 which was nearly as good but much cheaper. Sadly, I made the mistake of buying from Asia on Ebay where the adaptor sent was incorrect and I couldn't charge the damn thing. In the interim, thinking the correct adaptor which the seller sent me would take the same time as the rest - 6 weeks - I bought a Magicshine. The adaptor came about a week later and so I sold it to someone on this forum. Can't imagine there were any problems or he would have gotten back to me.
I think you could find a European seller for this light and not have any issue with the adaptor.
Holdsworth
Guru
- Location
- Crewe, Cheshire
I have no trouble in recommending the MagicShine MJ-808 for riding on unlit roads. The build is solid and of good quality, there is no sign of any short comings in the manufacturing despite the low price of the unit for DX. I bought the the model with the sealed battery and the two-pin plug, with which I use a shaver plug adapter and I have had no issues with charging.
The light given out on full is more than enough to illuminate dark lanes, despite the "flood" pattern it can be tilted down and dimmed to make it acceptable for oncoming traffic which is a must.
The light given out on full is more than enough to illuminate dark lanes, despite the "flood" pattern it can be tilted down and dimmed to make it acceptable for oncoming traffic which is a must.
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
It's the beam shape of the Magicshine MJ-808 and MJ-816 that's the problem. It's fine for off-road, but far too floody for the roads. It doesn't project far enough down the road for fast riding, but does waste a lot of light upwards and to the sides where you don't need it. It's also unpleasantly dazzling to oncoming traffic, even when angled down: I can tell who's using a Magicshine by the way I'm dazzled when I waymark on the FNRttC.
I use a Magicshine MJ-838B which is lighter, cheaper and has a narrower beam. It's certainly good enough for speeds of up to 30 mph. Magicshine's build quality has improved by leaps and bounds but I'd still recommend you use a second light as backup - we all forget to charge the battery sometimes. Something like the Smart Lunar 35 excels in this and is almost good enough on its own. I think CRC still have it for £22 in a sale?
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Agree with McW - Smart Lunar 35 is excellent as a backup light, not quite good enough for unrestricted spped on dark country lanes, but not half bad for the price/weight and it runs on 2x AA
