Front light with remote: Magicshine MJ-902? Helmet light too?

[mrmacmusic]

I'm looking to invest in a 'high beam' light for my unlit rural commute to complement my dynamo setup, but I'd like something with a remote switch that lets me switch on/off without reaching for the headlight itself and without looping through all the different modes... It looks to me like the Magicshine MJ-902 (or brighter 906) would fit the bill as from what I can tell, a long (ish) press on the remote will switch on/off and remember the mode – can anyone confirm if that's the case and if the MS lights are worth the money over cheap'n'cheerful high power lights which in my experience don't last 2 winters without problems...?

I am also considering a helmet mounted light to help illuminate where I turn my head as there are a few blind corners on my commute and would welcome any recommendations there... I don't fancy a trailing wire down my back to a battery pack and can't afford an Exposure Equinox mk2 (which admittedly would probably fulfil both head-light and helmet-light roles in one)... I figure with my dynamo headlight and a supplementary high-beam, any 'directional' helmet light wouldn't need to be particularly powerful...

Thoughts?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I do a very dark rural commute and I do very well with a dynamo light and a head mounted light. I use the Aye-Up light set on the Aye-Up elasticated head harness. The battery is on the same harness, so that I have no wires doing down my back. The Aye-Up lights can be had in spot or flood configuration and in addition, can be mounted on the handlebar too.

I have more than adequate light with that combination. I don't think you need a dynamo light, a bar light and a head light. Have a look at the Aye-Up sets, they're very versatile. I have one of the sets with two lights, bar and helmet mounts as well as elasticated headband mounts.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I do a very dark rural commute and I do very well with a dynamo light and a head mounted light... have a look at the Aye-Up sets, they're very versatile.

Thanks YS, I'll check them out... I agree that I don't really need dynamo, handlebar and helmet-mounted lights, but do feel I need a 'high-beam' (or rather a more spotty and non-cut-off beam light) to complement my dynamo headlight (Schmidt Edelux II) – it does a great job of lighting the road and not blinding oncoming traffic, but misses stray overhanging branches (ouch!) and doesn't give advance warning of dog walkers dressed in black (woah!) when I divert via the cycle-paths......

 

[mjr]

,,,my dynamo headlight (Schmidt Edelux II) – it does a great job of lighting the road and not blinding oncoming traffic, but misses stray overhanging branches (ouch!) and doesn't give advance warning of dog walkers dressed in black (woah!) when I divert via the cycle-paths......

Are you sure it's aimed right, got a clean lens and the wiring is still good? My Axa Pico 30 (30 lux) easily picks out walkers wearing black and the Schmidt Edelux II seems to be a 90 lux headlight!

Helmet/headband lights are the work of the devil. Please don't dazzle oncoming road users with one. I don't often shout abuse at other road users, but I make an exception for those.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Are you sure it's aimed right, got a clean lens and the wiring is still good? My Axa Pico 30 (30 lux) easily picks out walkers wearing black and the Schmidt Edelux II seems to be a 90 lux headlight!

Yes, I'm sure it's aimed correctly However the mirror design and beam pattern cut-off on the Edelux II means that there are precious few stray photons above the horizon and yes, with 90lux it's nice and bright and gives good distance illumination (when aimed correctly) without dazzling oncoming traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. Perfect for the majority of my rural commute on back roads.

However, there are tree-lined cycle-path sections which are completely black – even when the moon is full – and it's there where I've been unexpectedly smacked in the face by low hanging branches and on more than one occasion found walkers wearing black can be next to invisible (especially when walking away from you) until you're almost beside them... I've never had a collision as I'm cycling at an appropriate speed, but it's just not comfortable. Not afraid of the dark, just don't like surprises!

Helmet/headband lights are the work of the devil. Please don't dazzle oncoming road users with one. I don't often shout abuse at other road users, but I make an exception for those.

I do agree which is why I'm looking for an auxiliary head light with a remote switch, so that I can put my "high beam" on when I feel I need it, but easily turn it off when there's a chance it would dazzle...

 

[dim]

Garmin Varia ...

 

[Mugshot]

Garmin Varia ...

Considering that advert was supposed to be for lights it was rather shoot.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Thanks – the Garmin certainly looks interesting, but I don't think it'd be a smart purchase for me...

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Garmin Varia ...

Please please please god, not another gratuitously "connected" device.

 

[mjr]

However, there are tree-lined cycle-path sections which are completely black – even when the moon is full – and it's there where I've been unexpectedly smacked in the face by low hanging branches and on more than one occasion found walkers wearing black can be next to invisible (especially when walking away from you) until you're almost beside them... I've never had a collision as I'm cycling at an appropriate speed, but it's just not comfortable. Not afraid of the dark, just don't like surprises!

Sorry but I'm still thinking there's a fault on that Edelux. It's meant to have enough above-the-horizon spill to be seen by oncoming drivers which should also be enough to illuminate all but the thinnest branches (which bounce off my beanie or cap anyway).

Oh, and report dangly branches so they get cut off eventually, before they smack a less wary rider or walker.

I do agree which is why I'm looking for an auxiliary head light with a remote switch, so that I can put my "high beam" on when I feel I need it, but easily turn it off when there's a chance it would dazzle...

If I really wanted a high-beam, I'd probably wire a torch-type light in parallel with the normal headlight and use a motorcycle high/dip/off light switch on the handlebar to select between them. The normal light would go onto parking light when the torch was on, but that should be OK as long as I switch back to "dip" far enough from a stop-start to recharge the parking light.

 

[dim]

Please please please god, not another gratuitously "connected" device.

...you are correct.... it's part of the complete system, so you need a Garmin Edge to get the lights to work. It adjusts the brighness and beam direction according to how fast you ride.

These look really good as I commute 5 nights a week on very dark cyclepaths.... I have an Edge 1000 and like the way it integrates.

I've just bought the Garmin Varia Radar light aswell as the remote switch to flick between pages on the Edge 1000. There are a few more gadgets that link to some of the Edge series, such as the garmin varia vision in-sight display.... amazing gadget that connects to your sunglasses:

I will most probably get the lights for my winter bike and also get the varia vision if I can demo one beforehand .... I'm a sucker for gadgets

but saying that, it does everything that the OP asked for .... they get very good reviews ... those lights look really good