Looking for suggestions on an incan light for mountain-biking

[RGB_LED]

Moderator, I thought about putting this thread in the Bike Light section but thought that this more a general question about incan lights that fit the purpose of biking. If this belongs in the Bike Lights section, then please move.

These days with all the buzz in LED's, I've been reading more about those types of lights so please excuse my ignorance... I've thought a lot about my night-time mountain-biking rides and from personally seeing LED's, Halogens and HID's in action, I would like to try and combine an incan with my LED lights.

So, I've been reading a lot of the threads about incan lights, especially the ROP mods and they sound intriguing and some appear to be quite easy to do (I have an old 2xC mag that I'll likely mod), but, I'm not sure if they will suit my needs.

What I am looking for is an fairly portable, incan light as a back-up or secondary light for night-time mountain-biking.

- Size: should be in the 2xCR123 / 1x18650 / 4AA size if possible
- Output: in the vicinity of 100-150 lumens
- Runtime: most important aspect is that I'm looking for approximately 2-2.5 hours of runtime - the more, the better.

This light doesn't have to be a thrower, just have decent output (regulated hopefully) and long runtimes. I would like to handle-bar mount this as a secondary light to my primary 3xSSC P4 LED helmet-mounted bike light. I figure that if the light meets this first requirement, then it will also be better than LED's for cutting through fog, smoke, when camping, etc.

So... does a beast like this exist? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Should I just bite the bullet and just make it easy by buying a production incan bike light? I know that the ROP mods can give some astounding lumen levels and I'll likely build one just to check it out but I'm really looknig for a decent output and longer runtimes. I've read about AW's regulated incan modules and also some regulated AA battery holders but don't know enough about them. So, I'm hoping that some of the incan experts can help me with some suggestions! Thanks and please be gentle... :wave:

A couple of notes: I'm looking for ideas about mods and also any production incan lights. I also own a SF E2e and thought about the Lumens Factory after-market incan drop-ins but they only offer approx. 45-90 min of runtime (depending upon module and battery type) which is not enough.

 

[yellow]

the best light I own (output-wise), in the size requirement You mention, is a Streamlight Scorpion 18650.
Outshines my 6P and all its clones (may them be 2 CR123 or 18650).
Runs for about 50 min.
But my 6P 18650 Cree "P4" blows it away, is multilevel-able and runs for 2.5 hours on high.

imho dont mix up powerful incans like ROP and such, with lights just up to 10 W in power - these are no longer a match to Led-lights
A Fenix L2D/P3D will make a wonderful "backup", quite a bunch of ppl use it as single light. When You think of modding an existing light, You will end up more expensive and (possibly) not this nice.
f.e.: dont ask what my "6P 18650, Cree P4, Flupic, McR 19 mm, klicky tailcap"-mod costed in the end.
if it were not for the programmable Flupic, the lower low, the 18650, ..., I would have gotten a Fenix.

when just having used Led light, switching to an incan will make You feel like the batts are already dead.

 

[generic808]

I just have 2 G2's w/Q5's handlebar mounted. One aimed foward and the other aimed down in front. Works more than enough for me and I get way better runtime than with incans.

 

[generic808]

.

 

[RGB_LED]

the best light I own (output-wise), in the size requirement You mention, is a Streamlight Scorpion 18650.
Outshines my 6P and all its clones (may them be 2 CR123 or 18650).
Runs for about 50 min.
But my 6P 18650 Cree "P4" blows it away, is multilevel-able and runs for 2.5 hours on high.

imho dont mix up powerful incans like ROP and such, with lights just up to 10 W in power - these are no longer a match to Led-lights
A Fenix L2D/P3D will make a wonderful "backup", quite a bunch of ppl use it as single light. When You think of modding an existing light, You will end up more expensive and (possibly) not this nice.
f.e.: dont ask what my "6P 18650, Cree P4, Flupic, McR 19 mm, klicky tailcap"-mod costed in the end.
if it were not for the programmable Flupic, the lower low, the 18650, ..., I would have gotten a Fenix.

when just having used Led light, switching to an incan will make You feel like the batts are already dead.

yellow, thanks for your insight. I was wondering if incan lights have the same regulated times and I guess they don't quite work in the same manner. I just found that my friends' old-school halogens looked great on the trails so I thought that I would try combining an incan with my LED to see how they work as I find the LED's are great for output but lacking in detail definition ie. lack of contrast and depth.

I have both a Fenix P2D and P3D as back-ups which I already carry with me on my rides. Btw, your 6P sounds like a pretty amazing mod.

 

[blinder switch]

What I am looking for is an fairly portable, incan light as a back-up or secondary light for night-time mountain-biking.

- Size: should be in the 2xCR123 / 1x18650 / 4AA size if possible
- Output: in the vicinity of 100-150 lumens
- Runtime: most important aspect is that I'm looking for approximately 2-2.5 hours of runtime - the more, the better.

This light doesn't have to be a thrower, just have decent output (regulated hopefully) and long runtimes. I would like to handle-bar mount this as a secondary light to my primary 3xSSC P4 LED helmet-mounted bike light. I figure that if the light meets this first requirement, then it will also be better than LED's for cutting through fog, smoke, when camping, etc.

So, I'm hoping that some of the incan experts can help me with some suggestions! .

First off, I'm no expert, but I have had several years of training with lights Incan / LED's, Military IR, Military Night vision sights/stuff and thermal imaging sights/equipment and the like, but there are far more people here that could enlighten you to better information on this than me.

Here is my opinion, for what it's worth -

I look at your proposed three requirments and for some reason it seems IMO that a half way decent LED light should be good for your last two if not all three of your needs. I'm pretty much basing this on my experience with SureFire Incans and LED lights that I have been using. IMO, the SF L5 LumaMax (LED /$189) with 5 hours of 100 lumens using two 123 lithium batteries, might be better suited to your request, but you seem to prefer an incan type of light, so that makes it more of a challenge for me to suggest something. If you are wanting a decent incan, there are a few SF models that might get your interest. If money is no biggie, then you have a multitude of choices from SF and many other flashlight companies.
The SureFire C3 Centurion, G3 Nitrolon and 9P Original are all three battery models that power 105 lumens for 60 minutes with the supplied P90 incan bulb ($25). If you want more light for those models, which range in price from $59 to $139, you can buy the higher output P91 bulb ($27), which will give you roughly 205 lumens for only 20 minutes. I do own one G3 w/ the P91 bulb in and it has worked excellent. That G3 w/ my SC1 bulb/battery carrier is my main night carry light. I also have two each 9P's w/ ~170 lumen LED cree Q4 drop ins, and they work good enough to be mounted on my two $2400 AR -15 carbines.

The examples and info I have given you is not by any means scratching the surface of choices for ya. Hopefully some of the guys here who know their poop will maybe help you out with much more help and information.

I still feel that LED's are going to give you more for your money, LED lights are far more durable, no filament to break, also the hours of usage with the LED's outlast the incans big-time. Yet I understand that you want to get what you feel that you need for your set-up.

Good luck with project.

 

[turbodog]

In an incan light, your requirements won't work. There's not enough energy density in the batteries to generate 100 lumens for that amount of time, unless you custom build something. Even then, it will be tough and expensive.

As noted, several handheld lights generate 100+ lumens, but only run for an hour. The simplest thing would be to carry a spare battery for that light.

Most flashlights don't have a beam pattern that's optimal for biking. FYI.

Surefire bulb costs will eat you alive, as will primary cell costs.

I do a lot of night riding, most of it on 24 hr endurance races. I've messed around with about every light combination out there. If you mix led and incan the incan will usually wash out the led. Also, the drastically different color temps do funny thing to your eyes as you move your focus from one light to the other.

You can pick up a used set of turbocats on ebay for pretty cheap. They are exceptionally great lights. Check mtbr.com's reviews.

If I didn't use them I would get something from light and motion that was li-ion powered.

Just for fun, check out my turbocat upgrade thread.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173334

 

[knightrider]

I use a Leef body that holds 2x18500. Which is the length of 3 batteries. I have a Lumens Factory Long-run 9V that puts out 150 Lumens for 85 minutes. Not regulated of course. This and the SF M2 bezel for shock-adsorption. This is my favorite bike light. It doesn't run quite as long as I'd like, but the incandescent beam is great for biking. My leds get washed out in the city.

 

[mdocod]

I would run a MR-8 narrow spot 12V 20W 2000 hour with a pack something like this:
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2103

It would give some decent overdrive, with enough bulb life to be "safe." Total output would be over 500 torch lumens, and the runtime should be in the neighborhood of about 4-5 hours give or take.

could wire up a pair of them and have each on their own switch, so you can go "turbo" with both on, dropping runtime to around 2.5 hours when needed, this would also serve as backup for when a bulb burns out