I'm looking for a light with these characteristics:
* <$75, ideally <$50
* 1 x 18650 or 21700, removable
* Very long throw, minimal spill
* 1000+ lumens sustained for 1.5 hours
* <6000K
Bonus points for being compact, even more for having some way (even a mod) to reduce upward spill on the beam.
The light is intended for a road bike that I frequently use on a shared path. I find myself outpacing my existing light, which is a Cygolite Metro that sustains about 600 lumens. The problem with the Metro is that the beam pattern is too wide by half. I really only care things 30 feet or more in front of the bike; ideally the spot wouldn't be more than 5 feet wide at that distance.
My other 'serious' light (an Ituo XP3; ~2200 lumens) would be bright enough, but would also blind everyone for two hundred yards with spill. The beam on my HC65 headlamp (~1200 lumens) is also too wide. I'm looking at the Astrolux C8, but the step-down from the 'turbo' mode means it's essentially just an 800 lumen light to me; maybe not enough.
If this seems like a sensible use for this product category (as opposed to dedicated bike lights, few of which seem to do narrow beams or allow me to use my own batteries), what light would you guys suggest?
* <$75, ideally <$50
* 1 x 18650 or 21700, removable
* Very long throw, minimal spill
* 1000+ lumens sustained for 1.5 hours
* <6000K
Bonus points for being compact, even more for having some way (even a mod) to reduce upward spill on the beam.
The light is intended for a road bike that I frequently use on a shared path. I find myself outpacing my existing light, which is a Cygolite Metro that sustains about 600 lumens. The problem with the Metro is that the beam pattern is too wide by half. I really only care things 30 feet or more in front of the bike; ideally the spot wouldn't be more than 5 feet wide at that distance.
My other 'serious' light (an Ituo XP3; ~2200 lumens) would be bright enough, but would also blind everyone for two hundred yards with spill. The beam on my HC65 headlamp (~1200 lumens) is also too wide. I'm looking at the Astrolux C8, but the step-down from the 'turbo' mode means it's essentially just an 800 lumen light to me; maybe not enough.
If this seems like a sensible use for this product category (as opposed to dedicated bike lights, few of which seem to do narrow beams or allow me to use my own batteries), what light would you guys suggest?
