Spark ST6-500CW headlamp as a bike light

I picked up a Spark ST6-500CW headlamp yesterday with visions of using it as a self-contained bike light (no wires, no remote battery pack). The headlamp uses a Cree XML and is powered by a single 18650 battery.

Quick specs:

LED: Cree CW XM-L T6
5 modes
Super: 500lm 1.4hours (Only triggered by quick double click)
Max: 320lm 2.5hours
Med1: 150lm 8hours
Med: 50lm 28hours
Low: 8lm 8days

I thought about how I might mount the light to my helmet, rummaged around through my parts box and found my Magicshine helmet mount from geoman. Spent about 10 minutes cutting and shaping the mount with a dremel so that the Spark sits nice and snug. Drilled 4 holes in the mount, threaded through 2 zip ties to hold down the Spark and was all done!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebakerz/5573417326/

Turned out much better than I thought it would.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebakerz/5572827409/

Took it out for a spin. Worked very nicely. To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at how effective the 320 lumens really is. The difference in the 500 lumen "super" mode is barely perceptible to my eyes.

Total weight with light, battery, and helmet mount is only 142 grams. With the light mounted to the top of my helmet, it feels nicely balanced. I won't say it is unnoticeable, but I could ride for a long time with this light on my helmet.

I can easily change batteries while the light is still mounted to the helmet.

I think this would make a great endurance light and a great commuter light. I plan to use this light in conjunction with my Supernova E3 Triple.

The only thing that bums me out: the "super" mode will drop back down to max after 5 minutes. A crude attempt at thermal management and probably unnecessary when used on a moving bike.

wow!! bbaker22 ，Great job:twothumbs.Tell me your feeling use this light when you ride

My wife and I have been using the similar (single 18650, Cree emitter) Zebralight H60 as helmet lights. We mounted ours right at the front of our helmets rather than on top like yours. I can't see any huge pros or cons to either place, but I think our front location might be easier to hit the button, and to adjust the up/down aiming.

Any comments? Mr. Baker, do you like the top o' the helmet mount, in any way that wouldn't be so great if mounted in front?

I'm seriously considering getting an ST6-500CW, for the extra brightness and just to have another excellent helmet light, because I rely on my Zebralight so much that I shudder to think what life would be like without it! OK I exaggerate a bit... But I do wonder what I'd do if I lost it or broke it. I think the H60 is not made anymore, it appears to have been discontinued.

After investing in 18650 batteries and charger, I naturally want to stick with that format.

Retracted.

I'm considering this light for the same reasons. And it £100 cheaper than exposures joystick running an xpg with 3 hours run time on max. How are you getting on with it?

Will running it higher up your helmet help spread the weight compare to attaching it diectly to the front?

I like those specs (lumens/runtime) for a helmet light. I'm a fan of having lights both on the handlebar and helmet, but it's the helmet light that makes the biggest difference in versatility (pointing the light where you need it and when you need it there).

Just brought on off eBay. I put an offer in and got it even cheaper. £ 58 with free postage. This is one torch I'm excited about.

Well done, great idea, easy to do... Thanks for share

Not to intrude too much on the Spark ST6-500CW topic, but I've done something very similar with the ZebraLight SC600 flashlight, which is a kind of interesting way of turning a flashlight into a form of headlamp.

This setup uses something very similar to a TwoFish Bikeblock to attach the light to the helmet. It's actually a mount sold via DealExtreme that they refer to as a Universal Mount for Flashlights and Lasers. This would not work for one of the Spark headlamps because of their shape, but is great for a standard flashlight of reasonable diameter.

Interestingly, the weight of the SC600, AW 18650 battery, and mount is 144 grams, almost the same as you got with your Spark plus mount setup at 142 grams.

It looks like you and I are using the same Bell Variant helmet, too.

I've frequently used this mount for other flashlights, but only recently with something that puts out as much light as the SC600. The mount attaches to a single bridge on the helmet and holds very securely, with one velcro strap holding the light and another holding the mount to the helmet.



Some specs on the SC600 (very favorable combinations of output/runtimes). Specs are from the ZL website using a 2900 mAH 18650 battery)

High: H1 500Lm with 750Lm turbo in the first 5 min (2hrs) or H2 200Lm (5.9hrs) / 330Lm (3hrs) / 500Lm (2.1hrs)
Medium: M1 65Lm (18hrs) or M2 21Lm (50hrs)
Low: L1 2.8Lm (280hrs) or L2 0.1Lm (80days)

I've been doing that with solarforce light for a few years now.

varuscelli said:

This setup uses something very similar to a TwoFish Bikeblock to attach the light to the helmet. It's actually a mount sold via DealExtreme that they refer to as a Universal Mount for Flashlights and Lasers.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that - looks like a good mount. FWIW the link is: DX SKU 12000

Has anyone found a decent flashlight WITH a rear red LED? Something equivalent to the Exposure Joystick with RedEye Micro fitted.

I'd rather not run double flashlights, if possible.

DX Link replaced with SKU - Norm

Are the Spark ST6-500CW selling on e-bay legit ? Seller is in Hong Kong ?

joot said:

Are the Spark ST6-500CW selling on e-bay legit ? Seller is in Hong Kong ?

Click to expand...

I donno about the seller, but I'll bet you'll have to wait a month to see your lamp!!!
Use SB flashlight and use a code. You'll pay less and you'll get the lamp within 5 days!!!!!!!!!!

bbaker22 said:

Took it out for a spin. Worked very nicely. To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at how effective the 320 lumens really is. The difference in the 500 lumen "super" mode is barely perceptible to my eyes.

Click to expand...

This is because our sensory systems don't work on a linear scale, but rather a logarithmic or power curve, depending on the stimulus. For light the exponent is about 1/3, meaning for a perceived doubling of brightness, you need to triple the object intensity of the light. So at 350 lumens, to see a increase that is twice as bright, you'd need an increase to at least 1000 lumens. Because of this, I personally don't see the need for the "super" setting. I have an ST5-190nw and it is a nice light, but unless I run a 14500 in it, I don't notice much difference between the high and super settings either.

bulgie said:

My wife and I have been using the similar (single 18650, Cree emitter) Zebralight H60 as helmet lights. We mounted ours right at the front of our helmets rather than on top like yours. I can't see any huge pros or cons to either place, but I think our front location might be easier to hit the button, and to adjust the up/down aiming.

Any comments? Mr. Baker, do you like the top o' the helmet mount, in any way that wouldn't be so great if mounted in front?

Click to expand...

I do this with my H51w; I took one of the spare ZL brackets I have, and trimmed it a bit with some scissors and strapped it under my visor with an old velcro pump strap I had laying around. It works great. I have DC fix on it and use it as my off-bike light. I have a separate, much throwier light, on the top of my helmet for downrange viewing while riding.

varuscelli said:

This setup uses something very similar to a TwoFish Bikeblock to attach the light to the helmet. It's actually a mount sold via DealExtreme that they refer to as a Universal Mount for Flashlights and Lasers. This would not work for one of the Spark headlamps because of their shape, but is great for a standard flashlight of reasonable diameter.

Click to expand...

I do exactly this same thing with my Jetbeam Jet III Pro ST, which is a 1x18650 or 2xCR123 light. My Jet 3 is a neutral though, and only does about 240 lumens on max for about 90 min. But for my needs, that's fine. Away from the city it's more than enough light; I usually set it to medium at those times and I get much longer run times as a result... not as efficient as the Spark of course, but I still get a good 6 hours out of it at about 50 lumens, which is plenty of light for the back country roads I occasionally ride on at night where I live.

I do want to get an ST6-460nw though, to use instead of my Jet III Pro, and I was considering doing a front mount above the visor, because I occasionally bang my light into low hanging stuff because it adds a couple of inches to the top of my helmet, but I'm worried that might make my helmet too front heavy. I'll just have to wait until I get one and experiment with it. (My helmet is a Bell Metro btw, and it's several years old now, so I think it's time to consider a new one. Have to make sure it's got venting in it that will allow the use of a two-fish block though!)