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

[toontra]

It's worth noting that Busch & Müller offer a 5-year warranty on the Ixon IQ.  I had mine replaced without question after 2 1/2 years use because of the catch problem (haven't had any issues with the replacement).

[Karla]

Yebbut I'd prefer not to have a light break than to send it back to Germany and have it fixed.  When mine broke, I was due to ride York-Cambridge-York while it was away, so I bought a Fenix and funded that by selling the replacement Ixon when it arrived.  I've never looked back.

[Hot Flatus]

I've never looked back.

Don't let Wendy hear you say that

[mattc]

I've never looked back.

Don't let Wendy hear you say that

[Canardly]

Ultrafire less than a tenner and delivered in three days. It is bright. Lens focusing is rather good. Speed of flashing mode is so quick persistence of vision kicks in. We will see. Running on triple A's atm awaiting 16850s to arrive. Aluminium casing with usual caveat about using vaseline. Build quality of main lamp seems good. Rear lamp a spare really. For the price a bargain.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7w-Cree-Q5-LED-Mountain-Bike-Bicycle-Cycle-Zoomable-Lights-7-LED-Rear-Light-/250916422034

So far cant fault this. Have now received 16850's (additional cost + new charger additional cost) and is quite amazing really. Battery life on full power don't know as yet. Have fitted to a fenix AF02? bracket which overall is a bit heavy/clunky although very secure (the 360 rotating one). Can only restate that for the cash is very very good. ps 16850s need 2 or 3 recharge cycles to meet max capacity but they make a hell of a difference. Do your research on the batteries. Some are better than others. I have the Yezl jobs which are supposed to be better than Panasonic. Two of these on the bars would be pretty incredible. Whats not to like? If i get the opportunity to take a photo that means something will post.

[Tenbears10]

Anything by Lupine but the wilma is their most popular. A lupine Wilma 5 fits all of your specifications in the first post. It is the best light in every review I have seen. The only complaints are from people who have not recharged the battery as recommended or left the battery for several months only to find it has totally discharged which is not good for them. If you look after the battery they last years and lupines service is first class. I had a broken clip on the battery case and they sent a whole new case first class post from germany free of charge.

I know the initial cost is high but if you commute any distance then you would spend that on fuel in 2 or 3 months.

Just seen you already bought a light oops.

[wooliferkins]

Supernova Airstream.  All the pluses of the Ixon but with a metal case.  Price a bit of a downer

[Hot Flatus]

£180 for a 370 lumen light? Not worth it IMO. I'm pretty underwhelmed by my E3Triple and won't be taking a punt on any of their other products. There are so many other quality lights out there for way less.

[wooliferkins]

I'd prefer not to have a light break than to send it back to Germany and have it fixed.

You don't.  You sort it out with your retailer.  B&M are very good with warranty so we confirm the problem give the customer a new light and sort the warranty out from there.

[Karla]

I'd prefer not to have a light break than to send it back to Germany and have it fixed.

You don't.  You sort it out with your retailer.  B&M are very good with warranty so we confirm the problem give the customer a new light and sort the warranty out from there.

I've been through this experience.  The point remains, I'd prefer to not have the light break in the first place.

[Gandalf]

I'm totally delighted with my Ayups. 

I only have to charge them up twice a week to get me through my commute and I'm pretty confident that they will outlast the plastic Chinese confections.

[Hot Flatus]

In a fit of trigger-happiness I now have a Magicshine 868 1000 lumen (pinch of salt) lamp on it's way. Bit pricy at £90 but wtf. Also a 3800 lumen (yeah right) xm-l t6 torch coming and a really cheap Magicshine copy headlamp.

[frankly frankie]

I've been through this experience.  The point remains, I'd prefer to not have the light break in the first place.

Absolutely.  What use is a warranty when what you need is a light?

See also: bicycle frames with 'lifetime guarantee'.

[Panoramix]

Yebbut I'd prefer not to have a light break than to send it back to Germany and have it fixed.  When mine broke, I was due to ride York-Cambridge-York while it was away, so I bought a Fenix and funded that by selling the replacement Ixon when it arrived.  I've never looked back.

My fenix has under its belt a LEL, a MC, 2 years of commuting, is bright enough, lasts a night on a pair of batteries and am wondering why people still bother with unreliable bike lights...

Touching wood that it doesn't let me down tomorrow....

If I were to upgrade it would be for a dynamo light to avoid the faff of chnaging / recharging batteries.

[Bledlow]

In a fit of trigger-happiness I now have a Magicshine 868 1000 lumen (pinch of salt) lamp on it's way. Bit pricy at £90 but wtf. Also a 3800 lumen (yeah right) xm-l t6 torch coming and a really cheap Magicshine copy headlamp.

Looks quite goo, but the battery is expensive. Will you let us know what the light's like?

[Hot Flatus]

Of course I will 

 It really was an impulse buy. I'm hoping it will have more of a throw than the 872 XML 4 led version. I'm most curious to know what the cheapo Magicshine clone from Manafont and the stupidly bright torch are like.

[TimO]

Maybe it's time to have another light test.

I've actually got a light meter now, which I bought last time we started talking about this.

I can offer up the following for testing:

Front

• Exposure Race Maxx (not sure exactly which generation, but not terribly new)
• Exposure Joystick (of the same era, so also not terribly new)
• Exposure Flash (on rechargeables)
• Dinotte 200L (rechargeable battery)

Rear

• Exposure Flare (on rechargeables)
• Dinotte 140R (rechargeable battery)
• Cateye TL-LD-1100
• Random Chinese Laser Rear Light!
• L&M Vis 180

I don't really have anywhere big enough to do this however.  Does someone have a suitably large garage or similar we could use? (preferably in London, unless there's a deluge of light owners from some other part of the country).

[Hot Flatus]

You can buy a lux meter for about £20

[TimO]

You can buy a lux meter for about £20

Yep, that's what I did.

[Somnolent]

Maybe it's time to have another light test.

I've actually got a light meter now, which I bought last time we started talking about this.

I can offer up the following for testing:

Front

• Exposure Race Maxx (not sure exactly which generation, but not terribly new)
• Exposure Joystick (of the same era, so also not terribly new)
• Exposure Flash (on rechargeables)
• Dinotte 140L (rechargeable battery)

Rear

• Exposure Flare (on rechargeables)
• Dinotte 140R (rechargeable battery)
• Cateye TL-LD-1100
• Random Chinese Laser Rear Light!
• L&M Vis 180

I don't really have anywhere big enough to do this however.  Does someone have a suitably large garage or similar we could use? (preferably in London, unless there's a deluge of light owners from some other part of the country).

I can addd

Front
Hope V1
Smart 35 Lux
Philips Saferide Dynamo

Rear
Smart Superflash 1/2Watt 
both the kidney shaped "polaris" one
and the vertical "lunar" one.

Plenty of notice of event would enable to me get cheapo train ticket to that London

[frankly frankie]

In a fit of trigger-happiness I now have a Magicshine 868 1000 lumen (pinch of salt) lamp on it's way. ...

Looks quite good, but the battery is expensive. Will you let us know what the light's like?

Since the switching is on the light head, and they do supply heads separately, you could buy a Magicshine light head only and make your own battery or use any 3rd-party one - it's 7.2V so very standard, 6x NiMH would be nice and cheap, you do have to check for the correct polarity before connecting up!

[Hot Flatus]

Their batteries use 18650 cells, which are quite pricey. I'm very curious to see if they've improved the quality from their first offerings a few years back. It does put into perspective some of the crazy prices charged by companies like Lupine (although I know the quality is different)

[TimO]

The MagicShine MJ-856 with a 17.4 Ah bottle battery is interesting.  On most days of the year, you could do an entire FNRttC with it on 100% (not that I think this would be advisable!)

How well it works depends a lot on what the beam pattern looks like, so I'd be very interested to see that.

[TimC]

As mentioned upthread, I bought my wife a Magicshine 870 with the OpenLight 4.5ah single-cell battery. It has a broad spread of light, and is quite suitable for off-road or rural night riding even on the lowest setting unless you ride very fast! The only independent review of it I've seen is here, but I have to say we're very pleased.

Edit: That test in greater detail: Clicky.

[Nonsteeler]

As mentioned upthread, I bought my wife a Magicshine 870 with the OpenLight 4.5ah single-cell battery. It has a broad spread of light, and is quite suitable for off-road or rural night riding even on the lowest setting unless you ride very fast! The only independent review of it I've seen is here, but I have to say we're very pleased.

Edit: That test in greater detail: Clicky.

Here is a guy with a more critical view on Magicshine's offerings, although nothing particular on the 870 and 868 http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/magicshine.html

Top Magicshine Tip - When charging, use an extension socket and enclose the charger and battery in a metal box, an old biscuit tin is ideal (Thanks to Ewan from Glasgow for that one).

TBH, I am not sure what to make of that site.