Which Fenix torch?

[theclaud]

Apologies if this has been done to death. I remember Fenix torches being recommended on several occasions, but there's a bewildering variety of models. Which should I choose? The L2D has a lot of fans, I see, but it seems very long at 15cm - is this annoying when mounted on a bike?

Thanks!

 

[Aperitif]

<Waits for MacBludgeon to offer advice...>

 

[yello]

is this annoying when mounted on a bike?

I haven't found it so, no.

But I wouldn't recommend you get the Fenix bike mount, it's big and clumsy and rattles like something that rattles a lot. The 'twofish lockblock' seems to be the preferred mount (not that I've gotten around to getting one myself), or you can make a mount yourself... I seem to recall someone posted a link (or was it on yacf??) for a home made mount.

 

[andrew_s]

The L2D takes 2xAA.
That makes it cheap to run on simple rechargeable AAs.
The L1D takes 1xAA and in considerably smaller, but the 1xAA goesn't give enough power to run at full brightness.

The P2D uses a CR123 and is small
The P3D uses 2xCR123 and is about 3/4 the length of the L2D.
The trouble with these is that CR123 batteries are expensive if you buy them on the high street. They are about £1 each over the internet. There are rechargeable versions, but they only last half as long as the disposables.

Note that the L1D, L2D and P2D all have the same lighting head, and a body (battery holder) to convert one to the other is about £12-£15 (the photon shop).

The TK versions are substantially heavier

The difference between 180 lumen and 220 lumen isn't really noticeable unless you compare carefully

 

[D4VOW]

I use the TK10 but that's because being a bike light isn't its primary use. For purely bike use I would recommend the P2D.

 

[Randochap]

How about some bicycle lights?

 

[Sittingduck]

I got a L2D Q5-Fenix L2D CE PREMIUM Q5, for the May FNRttC and was mighty impressed with it Lit up the road like a lighthouse, so it did!

I went for this model because of the standard AA batteries. I have the Lockblocks mount and it does the job well

SD

 

[Ademort]

I have two fenix torches and they work fine, but if you want real power then try this
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623 it blows the fenix out of the water. If you buy two batteries, they only use one so you have a spare for back up and buy the charger you get free delivery and it,s no more expensive than the fenix. This is a serious light, 900 Lumens compared to the fenix 220 Lumens. It,s easily my best light, far brighter than both my fenix lights together.
Ademort

 

[andrew_s]

if you want real power then try this
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623 it blows the fenix out of the water. This is a serious light, 900 Lumens compared to the fenix 220 Lumens. It,s easily my best light, far brighter than both my fenix lights together.

900 lumens is the maximum possible output of the emitter, and assumes that there are no losses whatsoever in the lens & reflector, that the temperature of the chip is kept low, and that the driving circuit drives it to maximum capacity. None of these are the case, so the lumens you get out of the front of the light will be more like 6-700.
Compare the quoted 700 lumen figures for the Lupine Tesla, which uses the same LED and probably represents the limit of what is possible.

Still, the most bang for the buck, provided you are happy with the run time, which I believe is of the order of 45 minutes.

And how do these compare with the Tesco LED torches?

I estimate that the Tesco torch gives about 100 lumen. I got one to compare with the L2D I'd already got.
The centre of the beam is about the same brightness as the L2D, but the L2D has a somewhat wider beam, and brighter peripheral light.

 

[MacB]

<Waits for MacBludgeon to offer advice...>

you rang Teef me old son..........

I'm with SD on this, have the L2D with the Twofish Lockblock fitting and have been very happy. Bought 4 rechargeable AA's and that does my commute at full power. I note the link from Ademort, that's impressive, but I'd rather not have to change batteries during my commute. I have about 15 miles of unlit road and the L2D gives me enough light to see both sides of the road and ride as fast as I want. Probably not the best light to be seen by so I also run a small LED on flash at the front.

I don't find it a problem on the bars sizewise and it hasn't come loose in the mount as yet. I do fancy a Schmidt dynohub and fancy LED light but will wait and see if I'm commuting next Winter.

 

[cheadle hulme]

2 x Fenix L2d I thought offered adequate light (2 x 210 lumens on full power), however, having seen those 900 lumens monsters posted by Ademort, I am tempted by an upgrade.

Specially designed bike lights are always miles behind flashlights when it comes to power.

 

[D4VOW]

How about some bicycle lights?

Bicycle lights are poorly made and provide far less light for your money in comparison to a torch.

 

[Piemaster]

I've got a P2D (1xCR123) and a couple of rechargables. The P2D was a special offer pack at the time and came with a spare body for 1xAA (L1D?) and a dinky little holder for it. I use it as a backup for the P2D.
I like this as there is no warning that the P2D rechargable is going flat (in common with LEDs) it just goes off. Might get a few minutes more if its turned back on again but the L1D body is a quick swap and the AA are easy to find.
The place I got mine from, Glowgadgets, has now stopped selling Fenix purely beacause he didn't like the odd sized batteries they use.
If buying now I'd go L2D, same power, more sensible power source than the P2D. Think the new version is now called the LD20 BTW.

 

[MichaelM]

.... Think the new version is now called the LD20 BTW.

The LD20 is very similar to the L2D, but has a narrower (not as narrow as the Tesco) whiter beam with a longer throw.

The Photon Shop quotes both as being 180 lumens, and I found the run times to be a bit shorter than quoted on full (about 1 hour 40').

I also like the look of this

 

[Bodhbh]

Bicycle lights are poorly made and provide far less light for your money in comparison to a torch.

I still think you basically get what you pay for. I bought 2 Fenix L2Ds, the output was okay - but the battery duration was pants for anythign but 1 way on the commute (30-40mins). If you've not already got rechargables then also factor that into the Fenix cost so that's another 10 quid, making it, what 40x2 for the lights, a tenner for the mounts, so 100-ish ballpark total. (one of the Fenix also stopped working pretty pretty soon but perhaps I was just unlucky).

Pair of Aye-Ups runs 6hrs off one rechargable battery, mounts for 2 bikes iirc included in the kit, much less cumbersome design, so no bobbing about off-road or if mounted on bar extenders, great for bombing around country lanes and far more light than you'd need around town - 150 quid. I'd say with the battery life and design Aye-Ups are far more bang for you're buck than the Fenix.