Time for a new "what light" thread...

[tonycollinet]

"need" you are probably right.

"want" of course extends right up to "vapourise the huge 1 ton chunks of metal coming towards you on the opposite side of the road"

Or as a certain RK said - "it's time to stop when the emitted photon flux requires you to pedal harder" 

[tonycollinet]

This is interesting too: http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/4.html - Cree XML LED so apparently 1000 lm, with a decent battery and charger for £67.

Looks identical to:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-900182510

which is significanlty cheaper (less than half), but ships from HK.

Also the disclaimer:

ATTENTION:

mtbbatteries assumes no liability for damage caused to property or persons while using this product

Suggests that they have no more faith in the batteries than I have in the deal extreme versions.

[Andrew Br]

TGL's Ixon was rendered hors de combat when it fell from its perch at high speed.  Functionally fine, but tiny plastic catch broken.  No reasonable bodge available for us (YM(and resources)MV)

If you've still got the light, get in touch with B&M and ask for a new clip.
I know of at least 3 other people who have done this (it really is a weak spot) and B&M sent replacement clips free and very quickly. They wouldn't accept any payment from me.

(Slightly OT, I did my IQ a lot of damage when it fell off the bracket and wedged under the back wheel; they repaired it for free and, when I had a dodgy lead on one of my IQ Speeds, they sent an FOC replacement. On both occasions I offered to pay them but they wouldn't have it. Can't fault their customer back-up  ).

[Bledlow]

The clue's in the name - the XML light on mtbbatteries = XML LED = 1000 lm.  It's not the same LED that's in the MJ-808E, which is a SSC P7 LED = 900 lm.  I don't doubt that the head unit is the same as the Magicshine.

I think you're mixing up the MJ-808 (SSC P7 - 900 lm) & MJ-808E (Cree XM-L = 1000 lm).

[Chris N]

Ah, yes. Thanks.

[Blodwyn Pig]

Another one here for the ixon IQ. Bought mine from Bike 24 in germany, with plug in dedicated charger, and baterries, was well cheaper than uk. so dont need to keep opening it up, dont even take it off the bike. Would have liked a flash mode. but hey ho. and not had any probs with spring catch or springs, but then I never open it up.  With the Hope I didn't like the fact you couldnt just plug in a charger, and there is no quick relaese for the lamp. Thats why I plumped for the B+M. Std beam is very good, full beam only realy necessary for downhill blatting. On thing I found anoying was the glare from the top of the light when out of the saddle, due to the lens sloping away towards the top. So a bit of fettling was in order.




This works a treat I must say and well recommemded. Take the red platic top from a smallish tin of WD40, cut off the closed end, so its a tube, cut a small V notch for access to the charger lead plug, push it over the light unit, its quite snug, then with a sharp stanley blade , starting at the bottom, cut the tube flush with the lense, leaving a nice 'HOOD' at the top. I thought about leaving the sleeve without shaping, but thought it might collect water. Works a treat.

[Biggsy]

6000 Fetlling points to Yo Stumpy!

I might look for a black cap though.  #aesthetics 

[Blodwyn Pig]

6000 Fetlling points to Yo Stumpy!

I might look for a black cap though.  #aesthetics 

Ahh! my bike is red!!!!!!!!!1  ( well actually thats the only cap i had that fit)

[Chris N]

   I did the same on my Ixon IQ, but built up the hood from a piece of flexible plastic sheet and black insulating tape.  I also lined the inner edge of the hood above the lens with a piece of self adhesive 3M reflective material to try to bounce a bit more light down on to the road.

[Bledlow]

Line the top half of the hood with something shiny & reflective (maximising light on road) for perfection.

[Biggsy]

Line the top half of the hood with something shiny & reflective (maximising light on road) for perfection.

Is there much light to bounce back, considering the IQ's cut-off at the top?  Every little helps though.  Even white tape would do something.

[hubner]

Perhaps red is not the best colour for that.

[Hot Flatus]

I think we are at an interesting point in the development of bike lights. I'm not sure there is much further to go in terms of light output as for one, there doesn't need to be, but secondly there are emerging issues with heat dissipation.

There are new lithium batteries on the way that have a higher capacity and are cheaper to manufacture and I'm thinking we might be on the way to tiny single led lights with internal batteries that can run all night. I'm still staggered that Cateye seem to have totally taken their eye off the ball over the past few years.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I think tiny would be counterproductive, you need a sizeable lens area to spread light and be noticeable.

Cateye used to be really smart, they seem to have lost their position at least five years ago.

[Hot Flatus]

I think tiny would be counterproductive, you need a sizeable lens area to spread light and be noticeable.

Not so, I think. No lens at all would do it. You need a lens if you want a spot.

[Blodwyn Pig]

I have noticed one thing, We are all greedy for light. 15 years ago what was there? everyready night rider? remember thinking they were good. then that cateye halogen...cutting edge. we were all chuffed with the latest offerings. I used to got mtb'ing at night ..in the winter . so rigged up my own awesome set. c.1993.  2 cut down everready nightriders, bolted to their modified clamps, wired up with a spiral bound cable (sort of phone lead stuff) to ....7no 1.2v D cell 4 ah batteries, ( filched from fire exit emergency signs,( defunked of course)) wired in series, and stuffed into a drinks bottle. fitted a plug twixt lead and bottle and similar plug to batterry charger, and hey presto, awesome lights. I fitted the brightest reflectolite 6v bulbs there was available. These would be piffleing little lights now, but then wow!  On my road bike I have a solidlight, not cutting edge anymore by a long chalk, but still a very good lamp. You wait in 5 years time someone will bring out a 'Super bright ultra gamma ray laser light' that'll knock the socks off everything else, there will be a mad rush to buy one before x-mas, and the rubbish bins of the world will be full of discarded Hope, and B+M's.... sorry i'll go now.

[Biggsy]

The advances in technology is not just about having more light.  It's more about making them more efficient to reduce size and weight of the whole package (including the battery) or to increase run time, or both.  The quality of the beams produced by LED lights could do with further progress too, particularly at the low end of the market.

I am convinced that we are STILL in the infancy of post incandescent-bulb bicycle lighting.

[Kim]

  I did the same on my Ixon IQ, but built up the hood from a piece of flexible plastic sheet and black insulating tape.

Is this a drop bar thing?  I've never really had a problem of upward glare from my Ixon on my flat/butterfly barred bikes.  Which is probably what B&M were using when the designed the optics, I suppose.

WD40 lid is the sheddi solution, though.   

I also lined the inner edge of the hood above the lens with a piece of self adhesive 3M reflective material to try to bounce a bit more light down on to the road.

Being a retroreflector, that will bounce the light straight back towards the LED.  White insulating tape, or some sort of adhesive foil would be better.  Not a bad idea, though - it could do with more nearfield beam.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I never thought Never ready Night Riders were good!  They were '*fing awful. *Bright for 30min after you put in 2 batteries the size of cannon shells, flew out of the brackets if you hit a pothole the size of a teaspoon. Switches failed and the battery contact springs flattened under the weight of the huge batteries. They came with spare bulbs because any weather wetter than the sahara shorted and burnt out the bulb.

Compare that to my fenix torch. Waterproof down to 3m (and yes I've used it underwater). Runs for 3 hours on two tiny teeny batteries. Bright enough to blind a cyclops at 50m.


* 'bright' meaning that elderly glowworms laughed at them.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I think tiny would be counterproductive, you need a sizeable lens area to spread light and be noticeable.

Not so, I think. No lens at all would do it. You need a lens if you want a spot.

You may be right about the optics*, but whether a light has a lens to focus the beam or just a cover to keep rain out, the size of that wotzit is what other people see, and bigger is more noticeable.

*hic!

You wait in 5 years time someone will bring out a 'Super bright ultra gamma ray laser light' that'll knock the socks off everything else, there will be a mad rush to buy one before x-mas, and the rubbish bins of the world will be full of discarded Hope, and B+M's....

Yes. Probably not that long and not necessarily at Christmas...

[Kim]

The advances in technology is not just about having more light.  It's more about making them more efficient to reduce size and weight of the whole package (including the battery) or to increase run time, or both.

Agreed.  Technology's now at a point that you can have really good lighting from a nominal 3W dynamo.  Battery lights will get lighter.  And clever features will get added.

I expect functionality like the programmable regulator in the Petzl CORE will be making an appearance in bike lights (and everyone else's torches) soon, for example.  Dippable beams is another obvious one.  Or how about lights that detect when you're riding in a close group with compatible lights and automagically ramp back the output for everyone except those at the front and rear.

And random off-the-wall ideas like the Fibre Flare.  Sometimes they're actually useful.  Surface area is more important than brightness for visibility, so I expect more clever things like this aimed at the commuter market.

The quality of the beams produced by LED lights could do with further progress too, particularly at the low end of the market.

Quite.  Far too many naff conical reflectors that give a simple hot spot.  B&M's IQ optics (and derivatives) are excellent, but they're hardly low end.  How hard can it be to design a similar reflector?  Or at least make the beam a bit more oval/rectangular.  Most of the high end stuff has decently even illumination, though MTB-oriented circular beamshapes dominate, for obvious reasons.

[Kim]

I never thought Never ready Night Riders were good!  They were '*fing awful.

They were, but the rear one did at least have a lovely big lens.  For the ten minutes they actually worked, it was probably more visible than the average cheap LED rear (on static).

[Manotea]

I have noticed one thing, We are all greedy for light. 15 years ago what was there?

The advances in technology is not just about having more light.  It's more about making them more efficient to reduce size and weight of the whole package (including the battery) or to increase run time, or both.  The quality of the beams produced by LED lights could do with further progress too, particularly at the low end of the market.

I am convinced that we are STILL in the ilnfancy of post incandescent-bulb bicycle lighting.

Anybody fancy swapping their mobile phone for the bleeding edge device they bought 10/5/2 years ago?

I remember lusting after a Thinkpad T20 when they came out and acquired a used a couple of years later. It was my main work machine for several  years then it trickled down to Mrs Manotea who basically uses Word and a Browser. She refuses to use it nowadays because its too slow. You cannot go back...

[Chris N]

Is this a drop bar thing?

I think so.  Or maybe just a climbing position thing - I've only used my Ixon IQ on a drop bar fixed wheel bike, so spend a lot of time out of the saddle.

Being a retroreflector, that will bounce the light straight back towards the LED.  White insulating tape, or some sort of adhesive foil would be better.  Not a bad idea, though - it could do with more nearfield beam.

That would explain why it made very little difference.

[Kim]

Anybody fancy swapping their mobile phone for the bleeding edge device they bought 10/5/2 years ago?

It'd be a fair deal for a Nokia 6310i in decent condition, I reckon.   

Semi-serious point - sometimes the base technology stops improving and manufacturers start adding bling or orthogonal features (which somehow become essential) to remain competitive.  Buggy bluetooth stack aside, the 6310i was the last really good "just a phone" phone.  Smartphones are fantastic, but lose out massively on reliability.  The basic models designed for the developing world are sturdy and have good battery life, but (I suspect deliberately) lack things like a decent address book.

The patent for a portable device with an actually good keyboard (and arguably, operating system) died with Psion.  Imagine a modern Psion 5.

You can't go back, but the march of progress isn't always in the direction we want it to go.  Why are bar-end shifters only available at Dura-Ace spec (and for how-long)?  Why do touring bikes nearly always involve bastard hybrid road/MTB groupsets?  Why are people still riding those silly safety bicycle things? 

I don't know what that means in lighting terms.  Probably the death of AA batteries or something, with everything becoming the lighting equivalent of a Garmin Edge.  Fine for the vast majority of users who can just recharge from the nearest USB port every n days, but the tourists and randonneurs will have to arse around with battery packs or gravitate to dynamos (which will go the way of thumb shifters, because cheap, powerful lights with internal batteries will dominate the market to the point they stop becoming a legal requirement in the countries where they currently are).  I can see that happening.