Knock off bike lights

[prof student]

Has anyone ordered a Nite-Eyes https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0183RPQ0K/?tag=cpf0b6-20 knock off light from AliExpress?

I am looking for a USB end one that can run off your typical cell phone power bank.

I can't find any on Amazon that have a USB power end. So, I am thinking of ordering one from there.

If so, how reliable are the lights?
How often do they lie about the LED in there?
Any quality issues?

 

[usdiver]

For the money you are much better off getting a genuine product. Any of your counterfeits are subject to safety and reliability issues. It is also the counterfeit products that usually blow up when being charged. Not saying this one will do that but why chance it?

 

[turbodog]

Used to race 24 hr mtn bike races so I will respond.

To directly answer your question, I have not ordered that light nor anything similar recently.

That said... it you are looking for a cheap bar light... find an 18650 based cheap flashlight and a twofish lock block bar mount. Rugged, cheap, bright, safe, and easily removable for theft. As a bonus, you also get a flashlight.

The twofish lock block will be great unless you are actually off roading at a race pace. I used to run dual light and motion HID lights ($300+ each) for night riding, and now I run a zebralight 602(?) instead.

 

[prof student]

For the money you are much better off getting a genuine product. Any of your counterfeits are subject to safety and reliability issues. It is also the counterfeit products that usually blow up when being charged. Not saying this one will do that but why chance it?

Well, that is why I said I am looking for a light that has a USB cable end. Its for my nieces & nephew. They know how to handle your typical cell phone power bank. They use those when the battery on their tablets start to run out. They know how to plug them in & recharge. They use name brand ones (Samsung). Its easy-peasy to do for little kids.

I want to put a link as an example as to what I found on AliExpress, but they are loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong links, lol.

Wait, found a USB light on Amazon. I like this one except, 1) its over $30.....2) it has a screw underneath, which screws into the mount; mounts breaks & you're screwed....3) they don't sell just the light itself...… [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MG7677G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2HCNSD0JCOH1W&psc=1[/FONT]

 

[prof student]

Used to race 24 hr mtn bike races so I will respond.

To directly answer your question, I have not ordered that light nor anything similar recently.

That said... it you are looking for a cheap bar light... find an 18650 based cheap flashlight and a twofish lock block bar mount. Rugged, cheap, bright, safe, and easily removable for theft. As a bonus, you also get a flashlight.

The twofish lock block will be great unless you are actually off roading at a race pace. I used to run dual light and motion HID lights ($300+ each) for night riding, and now I run a zebralight 602(?) instead.

1) looking for a cheap bar light to put on my nieces & nephew's bike. They use Samsung cell phone power banks on their tablets when the tablet battery runs low. The cell phone power banks are as plug-n-play as you get.

2) b/c they are little kids, I was looking for a bar light that runs off a 5 volt, cell phone power bank

3) as for MY light source, I am looking to get a pair of Convoy S2+ with the SST40 LED in their, with the stripe lens to spread out the hotspot. On my bike, I currently use my Fenix TK09 2016, typically on medium @ 450 lumens. I want a 2nd light, that way I have to on each side of the bar. I could get myself another one, but I can get 2 S2+ AND some rechargeables for the price of another Fenix (thought I really like me TK09, lol)

4) as I've been reading more about lights on bikes, I have come across a few people addressing "cut off". The riding will be on neighborhood bike trails, nothing off road mountain biking. Do you use an adapter or anything to create a cut off so you don't blind anyone coming your way?

5) I came across this light, that is made specifically for bikes, with a cut-off: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FDK43X7/?tag=cpf0b6-20[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif] BUT, that's ~$35 a light; $70 if I get 2! [/FONT] I am on a budget buying the light for myself & my nieces & nephew.

 

[turbodog]

I think the cutoff is either 1) bad for the rider, limiting down range illumination or 2) moot... as approaching a high output light in pitch dark will be very bright cutoff or not.

I'd stay away from the usb cables... one good wreck and it's all toast. Surely you can find a decent output usb charge flashlight you can strap to the handlebars. Output does not have to be that great... even a couple hundred lumens is fine.

 

[prof student]

I think the cutoff is either 1) bad for the rider, limiting down range illumination or 2) moot... as approaching a high output light in pitch dark will be very bright cutoff or not.

​

Well, if your mountain biking, I would think you usually don't come across traffic going in the opposite direction, right?

Yeah, even a 150 lumen in total darkness may be bright regardless



​

I'd stay away from the usb cables... one good wreck and it's all toast. Surely you can find a decent output usb charge flashlight you can strap to the handlebars. Output does not have to be that great... even a couple hundred lumens is fine.

Oh, there's not going to be any good wrecks. The kids are 10 & younger......riding on asphalt paved roads along the waterbeds/bayous, and 2 flat (some turns) trails maybe 5 minutes each created in-between bushes & trees.

Yes, I have found some USB charged lights, but 1) they generally aren't all that cheap, 2) they include cheap, potentially dangerous Chinese batteries.

They already have USB cell phone power banks, so the battery/power source is already covered.
I bought 1 of each to try out:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077YGK2F1/?tag=cpf0b6-20

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072J5886T/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Just received them the other day. Haven't had time to take them out for a test run, so looking for other, easy lights that can run off of USB power source that little kids can handle just in case.

What do you currently use?
What did you use when you were racing?

 

[znomit]

For kids on tracks get these 300lm swift lights from Nightrider (a reputable brand). Bright enough to ride with and not too annoying to others on the trails. Mounts easily to the bars with no hassles of what to do with the USB battery packs.
https://www.niterider.com/products/6786-swift-300

 

[turbodog]

I don't race at night anymore, but when I did it was a dual light and motion hid setup. I current use a zebralight 602 with a twofish mounting block on flash mode for daytime visibility. It's bright enough to ride well at night also.

 

[duppencf]

I have a knock off that is extremely similar and it's pretty "ok".

You probably want a diffuser if you are running that for a bar light, but maybe the kids don't care? This light will be too much of a spot (but perfect for a helmet light). Here's the diffuser I use that fits that light: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RKP6GZG/?tag=cpf0b6-20

 

[prof student]

I have a knock off that is extremely similar and it's pretty "ok".

You probably want a diffuser if you are running that for a bar light, but maybe the kids don't care? This light will be too much of a spot (but perfect for a helmet light). Here's the diffuser I use that fits that light: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RKP6GZG/?tag=cpf0b6-20

They doubled their price for Amazon Prime Day & haven't gone down yet...… Go figure, lol.