Best optic/reflector for XR-E bike light?

bikeny

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
1
Hi there! I am new to the forum ,and this is my first post, although I have been lurking for while and have learned ALOT! A little background: I am a mountain biker and have been making my own lights for about 5 years now, starting with an overvolted halogen to an HID to an LED helmet light. I am currently using an HID on the bar and a single Luxeeon V helmet light. Both lights work OK, but I am now looking to make 2 new lights with Cree XR-Es. I am planning a single LED helmet light driven at 1000ma, and a triple handlebar light driven at 700ma. The only piece of the puzzle that I have not figured out to my satisfaction is the optics/reflectors.

I already have several of the LEDs that I have been playing with. I also got the Cree optics with the LEDs, and I ordered a Khatod KEPL 3506 optic. The Cree optics gives a nice beam, but I think it is too much of a spot form me. The Khatod looks terrible! I think it was designed for the orignal XR, because with the XR-E I just gat a very crappy looking square spot.

SO, here is what I am looking for: For the helmet light, a single optic/reflector with something around a 10-12 degree spot. This is mostly used for looking around corners and such on technical trails. And for the bar mounted light, something around a 15-20 degree beam. Again, these lights will be used for technical mountain biking, and a long throw is not important. Size requirements are also pretty generous. The can for my helmet light originally fit and MR11 bulb (which is why I ordered the 35mm Khatod optic), and I can machine any kind of adaptor needed. For the bar light, I have CAD drawings, but nothing has been machined yet, so I am open to anything less that 30mm.

Thanks for all the great info here, and I look forward to your responses.

Mark
 
Top