Author Topic: Fenix BC21R light (Read 2913 times)

Bianchi Boy · « **on:** 16 October, 2016, 06:27:38 pm »

I am looking for a new bike light and have come across the Fenix BC21R. This has many features I am looking for. Small, light, replaceable battery and powerful enough to ride roads at night.

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Fenix-Torches/Bike-Lights/13272-Fenix-BC21R-Bike-Light.html

Before I splash the cash I would appreciate if anyone has some experience of this light good or bad. There appears to be many lights with sealed batteries that are pants for multi-day riding and I have gone down the AA route and bought Lithium batteries when I done a multi day ride before.

Thanks in advance.
BB

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 October, 2016, 07:01:20 pm »

I've had one for about a year. It's very good. Powerful beam, sensible flash mode, easy to operate button, charges in situ with phone cable, decent run time (providing you have a quality 18650). Easy to remove light unit without removing mount.

One critiscism. Unless you attach the mount super tight with the rubber strap it does ride up on the bars a bit. There might be a way to bodge a qr mount onto the mount, or just attach the band tighter than you'd expect.

jamesld8 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 October, 2016, 08:00:57 pm »

You might want consider Fluxient lights too eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Latest-Fluxient-U2-Mini-1100-Lumen-rated-Cree-XM-L-U2-led-2-x-3400mAh-battery-/302094797811?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

I have one of these and it`s very good, stable when mounted, particularly if mounted under bars, good light, good flash mode and £20 less than Fenix

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 October, 2016, 08:24:10 pm »

Fenix is £46 on aliexpress (direct from Fenix)

James, are you on the November Tewkesbury ride? We could compare them. I wouldn't mind another single cell light.

Bledlow · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 October, 2016, 08:42:25 pm »

Quote from: Flatus on 16 October, 2016, 07:01:20 pm

I've had one for about a year. It's very good. Powerful beam, sensible flash mode, easy to operate button, charges in situ with phone cable, decent run time (providing you have a quality 18650). Easy to remove light unit without removing mount.

One critiscism. Unless you attach the mount super tight with the rubber strap it does ride up on the bars a bit. There might be a way to bodge a qr mount onto the mount, or just attach the band tighter than you'd expect.

Charges in situ while running? That might let you effectively run it off a USB powerpack. Can you do that?

I have one of the older BT10s. First one failed not long before the guarantee ran out. Replaced with no fuss, & the replacement has so far lasted longer. Seems solid. Like yours, easy to operate button. Remembers setting it's on when you switch it off & starts on the same one, even if not connected to a battery in between. Nominally 350 lumens emitted (not generated), but an external test measured it at a little over, & I find it bright enough for almost everything. I think Fenix brightness ratings can be relied on.

Given my experience with the BT10 I'd definitely consider another Fenix.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 October, 2016, 09:04:09 pm »

Not sure why you'd want to charge it off a USB pack when you can just put in another 18650 cell

Bledlow · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 October, 2016, 10:01:52 pm »

The question is whether you can avoid having to stop, take out a cell, & put in another one. Say, if you're doing an overnight ride & the light's unlikely to make it through the night, you just plug in the powerpack. I try to avoid fiddling around with opening up lights & changing internal batteries on the road, as far as possible.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 October, 2016, 10:06:29 pm »

Understood. But it is a pretty straightforward operation on this light, unlike something like the Ixon which is like reloading a Webley revolver made of shit plastic.

Bledlow · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 October, 2016, 10:26:08 pm »

That's reassuring.

It sounds as if you've not tried charging it in situ while it's running.

andyoxon · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 October, 2016, 10:30:34 pm »

From t'interweb...

Quote

Last observation: when plugged into a microUSB charger, you can use it, but the only settings are “high” and “low” and “off”. Not sure how high or low those are compared to battery-only operation. Also, it works when plugged into USB w/o the battery, but makes an annoying high pitched sound and there’s only one mode (well, 2 – on and off).

https://www.bikelightdatabase.com/ seems quite good for beam info...

Bledlow · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 October, 2016, 11:38:16 pm »

Ta. Good find.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 October, 2016, 08:13:36 am »

Quote from: Bledlow on 16 October, 2016, 10:26:08 pm

That's reassuring.

It sounds as if you've not tried charging it in situ while it's running.

No I haven't, for reasons outlined above. By 'in situ' I meant that the charging port is accessible whilst light is on the bike.

Bianchi Boy · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 October, 2016, 09:21:47 pm »

Am now in possession of o E and will be trying it tomorrow for the first time. Will report back on how I find it.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

Bianchi Boy · « **Reply #13 on:** 03 November, 2016, 07:30:53 pm »

I am really impressed. The light options are from low to really high and cover all the options for cruising on country roads. Down hill is covered by the high setting. Impressed and pleased. Recommended.

BB

Morat · « **Reply #14 on:** 04 November, 2016, 08:51:01 am »

That looks very tempting. Is the beam pattern round or more traffic friendly?

andrew_s · « **Reply #15 on:** 04 November, 2016, 10:03:52 am »

Not as good as a Cyo type beam, but better than a standard round torch beam.

It's the same as other Fenix bike lights - there's a fresnel type prism that folds the top edge of the beam down, which means you can aim it further up the road without dazzling oncoming traffic. The downside is that the area just in front of the bike is more brightly lit than need be, which means your eyes don't adapt to the relatively dimmer distant beam so well.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #16 on:** 04 November, 2016, 11:08:10 am »

I disagree. The cyo/lumix/ IQ x beam pattern doesn't work going round a corner on a descent

andrew_s · « **Reply #17 on:** 04 November, 2016, 02:41:56 pm »

Depends on your riding and point of view.
A Cyo beam will, when in a corner, change from a horizontal cut off -- to an angled cut off ∕, with the low part of the cut off on the inside of the bend. That's because the whole bike is leant over.
The only way round that is to send light in an upwards direction, where it dazzles oncoming traffic when the bike isn't leaning over. Alternatively, you could ride a tricycle.

It's only become a noticeable problem with the much wider beams on the latest lights. Before that, the beam was narrow enough that the beam only lit the hedge on the opposite side of the road, and there wasn't any light in the wider area that gets angled downwards.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #18 on:** 04 November, 2016, 03:30:35 pm »

I have all 4 of these lights and the light just disappears when descending round a corner downhill using the B&m lights. It's quite scary. I have the fenix on to compensate

I can honestly say I will never ride a tricycle, nor a recumbent.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #19 on:** 04 November, 2016, 03:38:57 pm »

Never say never. I mean, you're not even 50 yet!

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #20 on:** 04 November, 2016, 05:03:29 pm »

I don't think age is the primary factor

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #21 on:** 04 November, 2016, 05:53:59 pm »

The only trike riders I know are in their late 50s and early 60s. The elder one said he started because "I wanted to try it before I die and now it might be what I die of." He currently has two trikes and is contemplating a tandem trike, but there seems to be a lack of willing stokers...

recumbentim · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 November, 2016, 09:08:20 am »

I have an Olight baton S2 18650 , not rechargeable on the torch , running it at the 500 lumens for my commute. Looking at the Fenix against the Lezyne super drive XL 700l as an upgrade . The Fenix seens to have better run times but the actual lumens is lower than the constant lumens on the Lezyne , cant decide ?

JamieD · « **Reply #23 on:** 05 November, 2016, 12:32:22 pm »

Quote from: Flatus on 04 November, 2016, 03:30:35 pm

I have all 4 of these lights and the light just disappears when descending round a corner downhill using the B&m lights. It's quite scary. I have the fenix on to compensate

I found this and my solution is to have a helmet mounted light to shine where I'm looking along with a lezyne on the bars in race mode so I can flick it quickly between normal and bright.

Kim · « **Reply #24 on:** 05 November, 2016, 04:34:09 pm »

I find the IQ-X is a vast improvement over the other B&M lights for this, as the beam is that much wider. That said, I've been off the bike since September with an injury and haven't really had an opportunity to descend at speed with it^[1]. I suspect that the auxiliary head torch will remain useful at sharper lean angles, though the extra width means I don't need anything else to see round corners (even on a recumbent) at a sociable pace.

_{[1] Two proper night rides so far: One flat, one too foggy / craply surfaced to let it go.}