Plant Bike Blaze 2W (yes, not a typo)

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Zero_Enigma

Enlightened
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Nov 22, 2006
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Location
Toronto, Canada
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692895&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442630545

Called up MEC Toronto today and nothing is in stock. I actually surprised the bike dept. CSR when I asked about it. I thought it was a mistake on the page as the Blaze 2W is black and says uses 2xAA. I own the 1/2W Blaze for those that remember my review back then. They are good backup lights but the brighter ones are always better. :thumbsup:

I can't find any info on Planet Bik's website then again I did a quick skim so I wcould be wrong that it is there but hidden on some other page. Can't find any reviews on it. Google seems to show MEC mostly as the one with the 2W model. Anyone with insider insight to share?

BTW MEC does not offer trade ups on thier lighting. Only unsatisfied returns. :sigh: It would be a good idea if they did that light trade up thing as it will keep customers coming back and they can sell off the older lighting cheaply and/or reduce cost sale or free to needy families or say the Africa bike program. Tho... I think probably better closer to home first as too many ninja riders.
 
Interesting find! I love MEC - I just wish it wasn't so expensive to ship to the USA. We have REI, but MEC has nicer stuff IMHO.

Anyways, I have the Blaze 1 Watt, and wish they would redesign the casing before they made the 2W. It's unnecessarily bulky, and will turn off if I go over bumps every now and again. :eek:

Thanks for sharing your find! :twothumbs

:thumbsup: john
 
Yes, there is a typo: the title should be "Planet Bike...", not "Plant Bike..." :whistle:
 
Back in the spring I emailed Planet Bike about the 2 watt, after I saw it listed on Cyclone Bicycle Parts catalog (a wholesale only supplier).

I received a reply that it would be available around October, but have read nothing since.

Perhaps it will be shown at Interbike this week and be in stores in October.

FYI - if you want a nicer mounting bracket for bars or fork crown for the Blaze, I've found that the Busch & Mueller IXON light bracket works very well.

I ordered the fork crown unit from SJS Cycles in the UK, about $12. Took about 10 days to get in the mail, $5 shipping.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/currency...adlamp-Bracket-for-Front-Fork-BMD40-15642.htm

I wish PB would wise up and offer a fork crown mount, too. Having the light lower gives better light contrast on dark pavement, making it easier to see potholes, debris, etc.

The bar mount on the Planet Bike bracket sometimes flips open on rough roads. I've read of others with similar problems. I got an O-ring at the hardware store to slip over the cam lever - keeps it from popping open - and fits over the rectangular light mount base tight enough to not slip off when bar mount is not on the bike.
 
All: I too am interested in MEC's 2W Planet Bike Blaze---I have been using a 1/2 Watt Blaze as a helmet-mounted winkie light in daylight, and as half of a spring-fall light with a Nite Hawk LED light....my caution is that the 2W Planet Bike Blaze freezes up---maybe high demand by circuitry on batteries, at -10C. Older, weaker Planet Bike white winkies seem fine right down to -40C, so let me know if the new ones have fixed the cold weather issues! And yes, I run a much bigger MR-11 helmet light off of a belt battery pack inside my clothes for -40C, but I still like to have a PB front white winkie...

enlightenment!
 
Damn you guys are fast! ;)

Good news for you guys, I'm doing reviews for Planet Bike. So guess what showed up on my door today? :sssh:

I didn't know what or when I would be reviewing, just that I would review future PB lighting products. This will be my first official PB review, the PBSF stealth review was before I was given the opportunity.

Anyhow, the Blaze 2W looks amazing. I'll start the review asap and will try my best to get it done asap. Please be patient though, I know it's hard.
:caution: Before that I have to finish a long overdue LumaForce LF1 MC-E review. So yeah... :poke:

Thanks guys!


PS: The secret about PB and their leds finally revealed! Unless you guys already know and I never got the memo lol :)
 
The suspense is killing me! From what I know, the 1 watt used a P3 Cree, I'm going to daydream/hope this guy will use the XP-G.
 
Cemoi said:
Yes, there is a typo: the title should be "Planet Bike...", not "Plant Bike..." :whistle:
Click to expand...

CGD08 Re: Plant Bike Blaze 2W (yes, not a typo)
"Plant Bike Blaze 2W (yes, not a typo)"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cemoi
Yes, there is a typo: the title should be "Planet Bike...", not "Plant Bike..." :whistle:

fail lol :crackup:
It's all good zero just change the title in your next reply.
Click to expand...

Gah :ohgeez:I was fast typing at that time. I try to avoid spelling mistakes as much as possible. Just wanted to get that out on the air and get feedback quick. Thanks for the point out. lovecpf

Not sure how to change the topic spelling so it'll have to light the plants for now. :rolleyes:
 
CGD08 said:
Damn you guys are fast! ;)

Good news for you guys, I'm doing reviews for Planet Bike. So guess what showed up on my door today? :sssh:

I didn't know what or when I would be reviewing, just that I would review future PB lighting products. This will be my first official PB review, the PBSF stealth review was before I was given the opportunity.

Anyhow, the Blaze 2W looks amazing. I'll start the review asap and will try my best to get it done asap. Please be patient though, I know it's hard.
:caution: Before that I have to finish a long overdue LumaForce LF1 MC-E review. So yeah... :poke:

Thanks guys!


PS: The secret about PB and their leds finally revealed! Unless you guys already know and I never got the memo lol :)
Click to expand...

Crank that freezer as LOW AS POSSIBLE and stick a thermometer in there and get a read back for us how low that temp is before you do your testing. Give it like 24hrs to ripen up to as low a temp as possible. Then while you do your review charge up your cells before you do this. Stick the PB 2W into the freezer with fresh charged batteries (~1.42-1.46v) on blink mode and record 1hr results and 3hr results. Then use fresh charged cells and repeat with 1hr steady mode and 3hr steady mode.

This is useful info to me and others that are planning on winter riding or are 4 season hardcore riders. If it's raining outside and you don't want to ride then point that PB2W upwards and run it again on a 1hr & 3hr steady and flash times. The point up will simulate to a degree rain hitting it at riding speed. If the neighbors ask, tell them you work for NASA research calling for ET. :candle:;)

Also I want curb jumping results as well. Either bunny hopping or rolling off many curbs or if you're really hardcore camera mount and I want to see pothole riding handling results.
 
CDG...

Any news on the Blaze 2W review? I currently have the 1W, and wondering if the 2W will be a good upgrade, or should I go for the Magicshine, or custom 3 LED build. Thanks!
 
:bump: So what's the word on these? I just lost the light I've been using on my bike and I'm really interested in these.
 
Funny how the search with XR-E and not XP-G, works much better. :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330390302519

XR-E is listed in description. No bin spec. Probably listed the box notes.

The 1 watt was an XR-E P bin. Could they simply have upped the current, increased the heatsink and changed the body color? If the LED is a warmer white, its effectiveness will be higher for many riders than what lumens might suggest.

Strikes me as an acceptable minimum light for well lit streets. I can recommend it to a less than brilliant brother-in-law.

It has flash modes, and the side marking of this light is very good. So it might be an acceptable to-see-with backup/flash mode/side marker light especially in combo with a non-flashing main light for those of us riding dark roads.
 
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