Stick with me on this, I want something specific.
For several years I've been looking for a long range light with a remote either on/off or "dip" switch so that I can turn the light off or down without having to move my hands from the bars.
Main use will be after-dark rides on the tracks around home for which battery life won't be a problem and the FNRsttC when it will be. For the latter, I intend to continue using my trusty pair of Ixon IQ Speeds, maybe upgrading to a "Premium" version. The Ixons give a nice wide oncoming traffic* friendly beam plus they'll last 10+hours on high and 50+ hours on low.
I've tried a Raveman 1600 (I think) that looked good on paper but the beam didn't project far enough, battery life was too short- shorter than advertised in my tests- and the remote switch cycled through all the settings. The run time could be extended with an external battery pack but it plugged in through a USB port; I wouldn't fancy that being up to working through, say, the 2019 Manchester-Blackpool FNRttC.......
I know the Exposure Strada will do something similar to what I want but battery life is too short; several that I've seen on FNRsttC haven't lasted all night. I believe that the Strada can run with an external battery but not in conjunction with the remote switch which seems a strange design flaw.
The best alternative that I can come up with is the Fenix TK32 torch:-
https://www.torchdirect.co.uk/fenix-professional-torches/fenix-tk32-2016-edition-led-torch.htmlwith the AER-03 "tactical" switch:-
https://www.torchdirect.co.uk/torch-pressure-switches/fenix-aer-03-tactical-remote-pressure-switch.htmlRun-time isn't great but that doesn't matter too much; I can easily change the battery en-route and I'll only be using it for high speeds. For me that means downhills ............
The Exposure and the Raveman lights have built-in batteries so it's not possible to swap them; recharging in a cafe is the only option.
Any thoughts on my choices ?
Any other "bike" lights you can think of that will do what I want ? That assumes I've explained clearly enough what I'm after
.
Ideally a bike light would use a "bayonet connector" type external battery pack; I have a several of those.
If I do go down the torch route, any recommendations for stable, secure mounts ? The Fenix mount
(
https://www.torchdirect.co.uk/torch-cycle-mounts/fenix-quick-release-bike-mount.html ) looks very industrial and clumsy but I bet it works. My experience with the TwoFish Lockblock is that it vibrates and moves around too much.
*vehicles/cycles/pedestrians/horses