Best 3 or 5W LED for a bike? -260 lumen LED torch on ebay!

I am looking for the best value 3 or 5W LED for my bike, front and rear lights. I would be able to make a bracket myself so it could be a torch or even components if not too hard to build. I am in europe so online postage can be pricey.

I found this alleged 260lumen torch on ebay. What do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/260-LUMEN-Brightest-Flashlight-128-LED-6-AA-Torch-118_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35625QQihZ012QQitemZ220052270941QQtcZphoto

If you enter his details in www.toolhaus.org you can see people complaining about the brightness of some of his products.
the 260lumens sounds high but he says 5 hrs from 6AAs.

Those type of flashlights have been posted alot on here. Don't expect good quality construction or great throw, just a dull flood infront of you.

Muhahaaaaa,
better get a Fenix L2T for Your bike
(or even better, wait for the 1st Fenix L2D CE with the Cree Led)

both will give more light than this joke at a distance of 10+ Meters, are QUITE smaller and lighter but also more expensive
(and You will need a 2nd set of batts for the 5 hours runtime)

The Shower head flashlight, very bright with lots of spill, be prepared to spend lots
on batteries, these lights just eat them

260 lumens is complete bull. They are pretty darn bright, though. Rechargeables will help keep operating costs down if you plan to use it a lot.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/141234

This might sound odd but could the head of this light be chopped off and used as a bike light with an external battery pack? The flood would be awesome for singletrack.

After removing the resistor from my cheapo 100LED light, I'd say it's close to 125 lumens, maybe more...

here's a Surefire P91 lamp rated at 200 lumens... I'm running it on 17670 cells, and this is fresh off the charger... so this is probably closer to 250 real lumens.


Here's a 100LED "showerhead" light... runs on 4xAA batteries.... Remember... this is AFTER removing the resistor and running it on NIMH cells, (which deliver high current better)..


More important than how bright it is, is how well built it is, and that, it is definetally NOT... This light is so poorly built that I can not trust it when I need it, I only grab it if I know I have another light handy because usually a connection comes loose inside and requires repairs after a short amount of use. Maybe the 128LED version is built better (looks better based on the picts I saw over at fifthunit.com.)

Take a look at Litemania's Lux V bike light. Solid construction, looks like I could replace the LED when something better comes along (or the short Lifetime of the Lux V is exceeded), very good brightness (at least it compares very favourably under worst case conditions, i.e. rainy night on a paved road, with my current dynamo setup of 3 Lux III @ ~500 mA). I wouldn't use it for a rear light, though ;-)


Bye
Markus

Milkyspit's M90 illuminator would make a good low-beam headlight.

I would stay away from the junk lights and get something of better construction. 260 lumens?

Since the Cree XR-E is becoming available, it is the LED to use for bike lighting. Very bright, very efficient and has a ton of "spill" light around the hotspot. My frame light will be a Quad XRE 8AA Mag with four McR19 reflectors with each LED receiving 500mA. A true 480 lumens from 6.5 watts of power. My MillerMods 1.7 watt UWAJ (Fenix L1P) helmet light will be updated with a Cree and McR17 XR reflector.

It costs $$$ to get LED lighting right on a bike, a light that can handle the pounding and not leave you in the dark. My hope is Fenix will roll out a L1T/L2T with XRE (1AA and 2AA lights) 70 lumens for the 1AA and 100+ lumens for the 2AA?

Thanks for all the advice. I knew the 260lumens was the usual ebay exaggeration. I got one of them here, was going even cheaper, couldnt resist! If it is not great on the bike I will just use it in work and get them to pay for it. Then I might go for one of the good quality ones recommended.

http://cgi.ebay.com/128-LED-POLICE-TORCH-FLASHLIGHT-LAMP-Ultra-Bright-Light_W0QQitemZ150061728281QQihZ005QQcategoryZ106987QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have a cateye el500 so it will be interesting to see how it compares (when I find the damn thing)

The seller is also selling alleged 3W luxeon, no doubt fake bulbs, and probably 1W
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Watt-LUXEON-LED-Flashlight-Torch-100-times-Bright_W0QQitemZ150061728791QQihZ005QQcategoryZ16037QQcmdZViewItem

If you insist on going the flashlight method then go get a Maglight LED 3 Watt flashlight (2AA or 3AA) and some twofish bikeblocks instead. Much better quality and better light.

http://www.lighthound.com/sales/twofish_bicycle_flashlight_holders.htm

I have an 4 light setup plus taillight on the titanium frame hardtail I ride for commuting and urban use, all Luxeon LED. A pair of Brinkman 3w 3AAA, one on each bar end permanently attached with stainless aircraft clamps. They weigh just 129 grams each plus the mount and are humble enough to leave on all the time. In the center of the handlebars I use a pair of Dinotte's original Luxeon V units, which are very bright and provide a good flood to complement the throw of the Brinkman torches.
All together I'd estimate output exceeds 300 lumens, with a very low weight penalty. Having 4 lights spread the width of the bars end to end gives the added advantage of making you appear like a larger object on the street than you would with a single beam, with better depth perception by drivers assisting the estimation of your speed. The Brinkman torches were $30 each at Target, the Dinotte lights $150 each on ebay.
For a taillight I use the Cateye 1000.
The Dinotte is a quality light but I must say it has "issues". The 9 volt snap connector provided is a cheesy setup, I replaced them on both with more durable 2 conductor trailer plugs, the same on the battery holders. Run times they advertise are greatly inflated. 4AA's do not provide the current the Lux V's require on "high" for more than a minute or so, so the light goes into low power mode.
I know this is not the setup you seek but thought I'd share what I use. Given my desire for high output, over the counter batteries, and foolproof reliability I'm happy but would consider other options besides the Dinotte, though others may have the same problems.

Try these guys:

http://www.nightlightning.co.nz/endurenz details.htm

If I was going to do it again they seem like great bang for the buck. If Elektrolumens gets around to doing a K2x4 quadstar-type bike light I'm on it though.

It's reviewed at the LED museum

http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm (I can't work out how to link the page but just search for (Ctrl + f) 128xLED 6xAA FLASHLIGHT)

It's actually pretty good for the money. If you're looking for a cheap LED floodlight then go for it, you don't have much to lose. Not the best size for a bikelight though. 260lm is probably BS and 5 hrs runtime probably just means that it dims quickly and most of the 5 hours is at low output. Even so, I think you can't complain for the price and rechargeable AAs will give you a more constant output.

Varroa said:

If you insist on going the flashlight method then go get a Maglight LED 3 Watt flashlight (2AA or 3AA) and some twofish bikeblocks instead. Much better quality and better light.

http://www.lighthound.com/sales/twofish_bicycle_flashlight_holders.htm

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or a Fenix L2T with a custom handlebar mount

I have a special challenge mounting a light on this bike:



Handlebar mounting would mostly illuminate the back of the fairing.

I'm using a helmet mount now, but I'd like something I can mount on the bike.

I have a Cateye double and triple shot, they are both very sturdy, good battery life and I was also able to easily modify them with better binned LEDs. I love them, especially together (helmet, handlebar mount). They are not too pricey.

AndyTiedye said:

I have a special challenge mounting a light on this bike:

...
Handlebar mounting would mostly illuminate the back of the fairing.

I'm using a helmet mount now, but I'd like something I can mount on the bike.

Click to expand...

No big choice: cut the fairing or mount it on the fairing. I did the latter with a high beam light (old Cateye 6V/10W) directly above one of my fairing's support struts, worked quite reasonably.
Although possible, I wouldn't recommend to mount the light(s) on the front axle - too low and too close to the dirt.

Bye
Markus

I have a special challenge mounting a light on this bike.

Click to expand...

Man, this bike lacks a spike in the front,
Have You never looked at those roman or viking ships featured in those 1960-70s movies?
You can mount any light at the spike then.

(maybe get a rear view mirror extending this windshield and mount the light there)

batvette said:

For a taillight I use the Cateye 1000.

http://www.nightlightning.co.nz/endurenz%20details.htm
.

Click to expand...

I have the cateye ld1000 for the tail too. The new 1100 is out, and ok deal here
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=&ProdID=5360025771&UberCat=0http://www.wiggle.co.uk/

The nightlightning site looks good. I would love to have a strip of AA's running along inside the handle bar, or beefier batteries stuck down the frame where the seatpost goes.