Help Me Spend $$ on bike lights!

Help me spend some $$ on new flashlights please!

These are going on my commuter bicycle. Maybe this should go into Bike lights section, but I'm after a hi-power flashlight with specific qualities – figured the request would get more exposure here.

For reference, I'm currently using Fenix P3D's and really like the beam pattern. Maybe a touch more spill. But I want it 2-3 times brighter! :naughty:

So here's what I'm after:

• 2 identical flashlights (2=more respect from cars)
• Latest tech (p7 or competitor)
• 1x18650 batteries each
• Only 2 modes necessary:
• Hi: Regulated, constant output 80-90+ minutes
• Med or Low: 50-70% of Hi with longer runtime
• More of a "throw" than a "flood" – I ride road at decent speed, I like to have a nice throw ahead of me with enough spill to keep me aware
• Good quality: no less than Fenix
• Keep it under $100 each

Any suggestions? I know the longish runtime on Hi, and the need for a strong Low, will limit choices. So far the only suggestion I've had for a good quality, longer-runtime light is this Trustfire from Kaidomain:

http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=5374

A bike forum member says it got 90+ minutes, and it has a very strong Lo.

Ultimate lumens is not very important, I'd rather have 10-20 more minutes runtime.

I understand most p7 lights are rather floody, generally have 60 minutes on Hi, and have much dimmer Med or Lo power.

Any input is appreciated! Thanks all:twothumbs

nuthin??

The Seoul P7 and Cree MC-E aren't new technology. Each one is essentially 4 of their smaller cousins(P4 for Seoul and XR-E for Cree) in one package.

It is almost guaranteed that lights from Dealextreme, Kaidomain, and other lower priced places will have lower quality then Fenix.

A good P7 or MC-E light will cost more then $100.

Do you want it 2-3 times brighter by eye or 2-3 times brighter by number? It takes a lot more light for 2-3x brighter by eye.

If you have any Maglites then check here. A mod with the things you want might cost under $100 each.

Gunner12 said:

The Seoul P7 and Cree MC-E aren't new technology. Each one is essentially 4 of their smaller cousins(P4 for Seoul and XR-E for Cree) in one package.

It is almost guaranteed that lights from Dealextreme, Kaidomain, and other lower priced places will have lower quality then Fenix.

A good P7 or MC-E light will cost more then $100.

Do you want it 2-3 times brighter by eye or 2-3 times brighter by number? It takes a lot more light for 2-3x brighter by eye.

If you have any Maglites then check here. A mod with the things you want might cost under $100 each.

Click to expand...

thanks for the feedback - I was afraid that, like you say, the quality will be iffy at this price range.

Can you recommend a couple good P7 or MC-E lights? I'm after 2-3 times the lumens (i.e. around 400+ per light is fine) not 2-3x by eye.

if $100 won't cut it for good quality, what am I looking at? there seems to be a huge gap between the $35 DX specials and the $200 lights. Any good $100-150 lights out there?

I don't have any maglights, not interested in c or d cell lights, they get too big & bulky

Thanks

The Jetbeam M1X seems to be around $150.

For a bike light, the cheaper lights might work, there are a few people here who use them and I don't remember reading a thread on them breaking due to shock from normal riding yet. You might be able to get 2 so if one breaks there will still be a functional one. Though it might be cheaper to buy high quality in the long run.

I wouldnt really trust bike lights to KD/DX lights. Sometimes they're not the most reliable lights out there, and if you are biking, that makes it that when the light fails, you wont just be in the dark, but you might be staring at a speeding car. Many MCE/P7 lights are not that developed yet. Whats your time frame?

you don't want quad-die lights for biking. check out the new EagleTac T10LC2 at apprx 300 lumens (emitter). two of those won't be too shabby.

Your making this far more complicated than it is. You don't need P7's.

If you really need to use 18650 batteries than the Solarforce L2 host that takes the 18650 battery, the Malkoff M30 drop in, 235 lumens each over 1 hour probably 1.5 hour run time each. Standard 1 inch tube body. If you want half power you turn one off.


With both on that is a real 460 plus lumen output that works real good on the street.

*Edited*

Bike riding at night. That's all about spill. Thrower is cool, but you will find it almost useless at bike riding. Floody light with lots of side spill is the way to go if you want to ride with it at night for your own safety.

seaside said:

*Edited*

Bike riding at night. That's all about spill. Thrower is cool, but you will find it almost useless at bike riding. Floody light with lots of side spill is the way to go if you want to ride with it at night for your own safety.

Click to expand...

I concur mon frere.
the Malkoff M30 with the 8 degree optic has a very good combination of throw to smooth even spill off to the side. I use the M60's with higher voltages and 2X17500 batteries for much longer run times but the beam pattern is the same as the M30 and its very useful. I have the M30 as well and made a direct comparison.

The L2 host is only $25.00 by the way and the Malkoff M30 is $55.00 so that comes in at only $80 per light, well within the OP's budget, and you can't get more reliable than a Malkoff.

Thanks for the recommendations

I currently have 2 Fenix P3d's, on Turbo they run about 75 min with rcr123a's, 430ish lumens. It but it looks like the Malkoff solution would end up pretty close in light output & functionality to what I've got.

As far as what's best for bike riding, I prefer a good throw with a bit of spill, I consider the P3d beam pattern perfect for what I do. It's a matter of preference. Back in my diy halogen days, I tried a 20degree 24 watt solution - lots of spill but I like that nice oblong hot spot out in front of me

Need as much warning as possible to avoid those pesky 'dillos in the road, ya know?

Based on research & the feedback here it's looking like I'm best off sticking with what I've got till the MCE/P7 lights are more developed

seaside said:

*Edited*

Bike riding at night. That's all about spill. Thrower is cool, but you will find it almost useless at bike riding. Floody light with lots of side spill is the way to go if you want to ride with it at night for your own safety.

Click to expand...

The only time you want throw for cycling is when the light is mounted on your helmet. For me, it's because you are able to direct the light by turning your head and the light is mounted much higher this way so blinding everyone in your periphery is a very real possibility. By having a thrower here you are reducing the possibility of blinding everyone and the light is pointed where your head is anyway so a lot of spill isn't really needed to see where you are going. You have to be much more aware of where your head is pointing when you are riding with a helmet-mounted light, though. I try to avoid blinding drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists when I ride with a light on my helmet. Looking back to see if you are clear to make a left turn is a case in point: without a light on my helmet I just turn my head, look, and go. With a helmet mounted light I roll my head to the left, keeping the beam pointed at the ground, and use the corner of my eye to see if I'm clear. I also cover my light when facing into traffic. I will say that the helmet mounted light has saved my life at least once because I was able to point it into the face of an impatient SUV driver that was trying to make a right turn right into me despite the back of my bike being lit up like a Christmas tree!

Gunner12 said:

For a bike light, the cheaper lights might work, there are a few people here who use them and I don't remember reading a thread on them breaking due to shock from normal riding yet. You might be able to get 2 so if one breaks there will still be a functional one. Though it might be cheaper to buy high quality in the long run.

Click to expand...

rockz4532 said:

I wouldnt really trust bike lights to KD/DX lights. Sometimes they're not the most reliable lights out there, and if you are biking, that makes it that when the light fails, you wont just be in the dark, but you might be staring at a speeding car.

Click to expand...

I know a LOT of guys running P7's on another forum. Only 1 problem- one light has no "low" mode. Running 2 will give a backup if 1 fails. Accroy, IMO, they are the best commercially available lights for mountain biking, the fact that they're insanely cheap is just a bonus. Review here

crab: Have you ever ridden with a quad die LED? They're the best thing to happen to mountain bike lights, ever. They give a much more useful beam pattern and run much more efficiently than an overdriven single die LED.

I agree with seaside. And the only lights that give really good spill with enough ooomph behind them to be useful are quad die LEDs....

Interesting story, PCC. I'm not a fan of throwers for riding- I think they were a necessary evil back in the days when it was impossible to make enough light to have both throw and flood, but it's very unnatural for our eyes to follow round a blob of light- they were designed/evolved around the biggest floodlight ever (the sun), so using a small patch of light is tricky at times. However, the use of a head light is unarguable, both for city riding and off roading.

thanks Jarl, the p7's have gathered quite a reputation for mtb'ing based on their floody powerful output. I will def use them on the trails (usually go mtb every week or so) if I get a couple. My urrent solution for offroad use is one P3D on the bars, one on the helmet, both on HI (not Turbo) and it works OK, but more flood would be nice!

Other bikers have recommended a quad-die flood AND a single-die thrower for the road, for both the flood and the leading patch. Sounds like a nice solution as well.

Jarl said:

crab: Have you ever ridden with a quad die LED? They're the best thing to happen to mountain bike lights, ever. They give a much more useful beam pattern and run much more efficiently than an overdriven single die LED.

Click to expand...

but we're not asking about mountain biking lights, we're talking about commuting lights. for commuting, there is generally more ambient light so a focused spill and hotspot will be preferable. also, there is the need to see further away when commuting due to traffic and higher speeds. i agree with you re: flood for mtb. cheers.