Hope 1 front light

[iacula]

Hope 1 front light, seems brill...literally. Even on low beam was enough for dark country lane this morning. Lovely quality and made in UK which gives a warm glow too.

I can also complement UKbikestore for getting me it so fast, the day after I ordered it!

 

[fossyant]

They are a 'popular' light on here. Get yourself some hybrid rechargeable batteries for it, and a spare set. I have two Hope 1's and a spare set of batteries I use in rotation.

That reminds me, it's time to charge them up (all my lights that is) ............

 

[DrSquirrel]

What is the point in "ready to use" batteries if they are only going to last you a day or so? If months then sure, but a day or so the losses over a day aren't worth the lower capacities.

Get some higher 2800~ capacity NiMH rather than the eneloop 2100 ish.

If you really want some ready to use ones, Lidl are selling them next week £3 for 4x AA (and other batches). Sanyo Eneloop will cost you around £7.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/offerdate.htm?offerdate=15070

 

[iacula]

Never heard of Hybrid, but did a search, they look good thanks

 

[eldudino]

Get yourself some hybrid rechargeable batteries for it, and a spare set.

What are recommended? I use Energizer Lithium in mine and find they last ages but rechargeables would be good. What's the run time like too?

 

[iacula]

What is the point in "ready to use" batteries if they are only going to last you a day or so? If months then sure, but a day or so the losses over a day aren't worth the lower capacities.

Get some higher 2800~ capacity NiMH rather than the eneloop 2100 ish.

If you really want some ready to use ones, Lidl are selling them next week £3 for 4x AA (and other batches). Sanyo Eneloop will cost you around £7.

http://www.lidl.co.u...offerdate=15070

Wow! yes they look cheap, there's a LIdl close to me, so I'll have a look

 

[Jezston]

I recently got myself a Hope 1 and it is fairly bright, although not as bright as I had hoped! Maybe I should have got that magicshine

Is there any way to 'widen' it's beam at all? I find it a little too focused on a small spot - anthing I can bodge onto it to spread it out a bit?

 

[DrSquirrel]

You could change the reflector but you'd need to ask someone that has it and has tried as to which will fit in it. The spot is caused by the depth of hte reflector, the spill around the spot is the light directly from the LED (without being reflected). You could give it a try without the reflector in at all.

Wow! yes they look cheap, there's a LIdl close to me, so I'll have a look

If you've never heard of "Hybrid" they are also called "ready to use" Sanyo = Eneloop and Uniross = Hybrio.

Whereas a regular NiMH might loose 50% sitting idle in 1 month, a Hybrid will loose only 95%. Downside is the top capacities are (rated) 2100mAh where as regular NiMH are up to around 2800 (some are rated 3000 but not seen any yet tested near that).

If you had a rear light that lasted months on batteries, then maybe they will suit you. But if your front light is lasting 2 days on a charge (or even a week) it shouldn't matter... you'd do better with the higher capacity.

The REAL capacity of these Lidl ones we don't know yet, it could be over rated by miles...

 

[fossyant]

The reason to use hybrid batteries is that the charge lasts longer, very useful in the lighter months when you may only be using the lights in poor weather, so go over a month on one charge. TBH I have not noticed much run time difference between 2600's and 2100 hybrids.

 

[magnatom]

The reason to use hybrid batteries is that the charge lasts longer, very useful in the lighter months when you may only be using the lights in poor weather, so go over a month on one charge. TBH I have not noticed much run time difference between 2600's and 2100 hybrids.

Also, last years batteries will still work this year. I generally find normal rechargables don't like being left over the summer, but the hybrids cope fine with this.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Suggesting that a battery that isn't used tends to just... die? What about when its packed and stored before its sold to yourself?

I have some years and years and years old and are still working strong :/

The reason to use hybrid batteries is that the charge lasts longer, very useful in the lighter months when you may only be using the lights in poor weather, so go over a month on one charge. TBH I have not noticed much run time difference between 2600's and 2100 hybrids.

Of course I agree with you over a period of a month (hence why I was harking on about the rear etc, which I specifically said month).

Saying "the charge lasts longer" in respect to capacity is wrong as 2100 vs 2800 is exactly that (assuming they are actually close to what they are rated).

 

[magnatom]

Suggesting that a battery that isn't used tends to just... die? What about when its packed and stored before its sold to yourself?

I have some years and years and years old and are still working strong :/

I'm just telling what has happened to me in my experience. I've had normal rechargables that when I've tried to use them the following winter have failed. I've not had that yet with hybrids.

 

[fossyant]

Ive had more standard rechargeable batteries fail. No hybrids so far have failed with 3 years use in some cases. I have them in my camera also, as I got sick of it being flat if I hadn't charged the batteries in a month.

 

[Davidc]

You must have very poor batteries DrSqirrel - decent standard NiMH cells should have no less than 70% of full charge after 6 weeks according to manufacturers data, and my experience agrees.

The hybrids are really worth while for the spares you keep in the tool bag, and for anything where the normal battery takes more than 8 weeks or so to go flat, or anything which only gets used occasionally. For the future I'm only buying hybrids but I expect my present sets of standard ones to last at least another 5 years so no quick changeover planned here!

On the bikes I recharge all lights every week in winter (or more if I use them enough) so the standard NiMH with higher capacity have an advantage there.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I'm not talking about mine, I was just going on the usual numbers and obviously the "lowest" numbers came into my head.

btw I do have both types and im not slating them - just for a front light that is being used I don't see the point.