Flashing flashlight - not SOS. Is there such a thing?

[stu_m]

I currently use Fenix L2D Q5 lights (4x bar mounted; 2 helmet mounted) for see/be seen urban commuting ranging from city where there is lots of ambient lighting to suburban poorly lit roads.

Commute is 2x1 hr each day. On other (go out for a ride for fun) occasions I may exceed this.

So the Fenix are fine, except I wish they had a flash mode (as well as strobe). I believe flash would be enough at nightime to remain visible (read more visible than constant mode) and would save on battery life. Strobe is too much at night a lot of the time but I do find that a useful option for daylight.


Extract to a manufacturer below, trying to source such a product (which I cannot find as everyone offers strobe and SOS not flash) summarise my wish list. Output should equal or exceed what I have.

Many thanks for any suggestions.

PS: Not necessarily opposed to DIY, but I have know electronics knowledge so would need step by step instructions on what to buy/ how to build it (I don't even own a soldering iron).

If I had unlimited money I would buy a pair of Dinotte lights (say 400 and 800 lumen) which have funky flash modes (though they flash at maximum intensity and I'd prefer to be able to select the output level)... (Nite Rider have a couple lights out that can be configured via software (output, flash pattern), but even these flash at full power.

Stuart

"2. Do you have any lights with flash suitable for bike (where strobe may be overkill and SOS dangerous becuase you are unlit for too long... don't know what the beacon mode you advertise is exactly, but I think it suffers from the same problem as SOS from the point of view of a cyclist). More on my "ideal" light below.

Do you know of any AA (preferably) or 18650 lights that have modes suitable for cycling?

i.e. the following modes available:

around a 100 lumen setting, 150+ lumen setting, strobe, flash

There are plenty of lights that fit the bill but none that I can see that include a flash (where strobe may be overkill at night). The idea being that flash is (arguably) more visible whilst conserving battery light. So my preferred light would have the following modes:

1. 100 lumen
2. 140 lumen
3. 190 lumen
4. flash (available at all output levels)
5. strobe (available at all output levels or just high if this means too many modes)"

 

[gswitter]

The non-tactical Quark lights (see 4sevens.com) are similar to the LD20 but add S.O.S. and beacon modes, but the beacon probably doesn't flash at a high enough rate for your use.

The LiteFlux LF3XT has an available 2AA tube, and it has strobe, beacon and S.O.S. modes, all of which can be set at any brightness level you prefer.

There are a few lights with strobe modes that allow you to adjust the rate of the strobe, but I can't remember what they are off the top of my head.

 

[herulach]

If I had unlimited money I would buy a pair of Dinotte lights (say 400 and 800 lumen) which have funky flash modes (though they flash at maximum intensity and I'd prefer to be able to select the output level)... (Nite Rider have a couple lights out that can be configured via software (output, flash pattern), but even these flash at full power.

Stuart

Doesn't help you find a flashlight, but nite rider's iBlaast has 3 different flash patterns at high & low output levels.

The issue you're going to have (unless you are using during the day?) is that powerful flashing lights hit the ground and are incredibly annoying. Anything too bright (or dimmer and throwy) will reflect off signs, roads, catseyes and annoy the hell out of you.

 

[DimeRazorback]

The jetbeam IBS.

Set a flash rate at your own desire

Find some way to get a red filter on one, and you have a good tail light

 

[stu_m]

Doesn't help you find a flashlight, but nite rider's iBlaast has 3 different flash patterns at high & low output levels.

The issue you're going to have (unless you are using during the day?) is that powerful flashing lights hit the ground and are incredibly annoying. Anything too bright (or dimmer and throwy) will reflect off signs, roads, catseyes and annoy the hell out of you.

Have you got a reference for the iblasst low/high flash? Didn't notice that when I was looking at the site.

Re annoying reflections -- maybe that's mitigated somewhat with Dinotte which I think pulses medium to high -- lower dynamic range (all things being equal) than something that switched on off. Yeah, the annoyance factor to myself and others is the main reason I don't use strobe at night.

 

[herulach]

Have you got a reference for the iblasst low/high flash? Didn't notice that when I was looking at the site.

Re annoying reflections -- maybe that's mitigated somewhat with Dinotte which I think pulses medium to high -- lower dynamic range (all things being equal) than something that switched on off. Yeah, the annoyance factor to myself and others is the main reason I don't use strobe at night.

Don't know where it is on their website, but I have one. does kind of:
Flash Flash Flash Flaaaaaaaaaash
SOS
Strobe
on the high and low mode (high is programmable if it's two high, I have mine at 1.2A)

It certainly doesn't do the kind of thing a dinotte light does from a flashy point of view, but as much as that might be less annoying, it'll probably not be as visible though.