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Light recommendations
I'm looking to buy a decent set of lights so I can start doing some trail work in the dark evenings. Anyone recommend anything decent? Budget around $250-$300 ish?
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There are quite a few discussions on this that are all reasonably current, here's the latest - http://nobmob.com/node/35785 and is probably a good place to start.
Are you talking about lights for your bike or lights to build trails with?
The sort to mount on the bike so I can ride the trail!
I just got one of these.
http://magicshineledlights.com.au/index.php?rout...
Only been out a couple of times but I'm impressed so far.
Tony
I just bought one of these. Awsome light, good value.
http://www.glowormlites.co.nz/index.php?route=pr...
Check the reviews on MTBR
Latest Mountain Biking Aust has a side by side test of about half a dozen lights. Go read that. Although once you see the light with 3000 lumens you'll want to spend $1,000 to get that. You wouldn't want to ride through dry leaf litter with it, you'd start a fire!
Absolutely THE best light i have ever used: http://www.klite.com.au/
They're handmade in Aus and they are really great people!
I have had a couple of ebay lights, a nite lite and a cygo light... and this one's by far the best,
(i use light on my helmet)
better build, better leds, better spread... i could go on. And another great feature is that they are so small... no neck whiplash on low tree branches
Saves all that tedious benching by hand, or having to operate a digger and then replace tungsten cutting teeth when you hit granite.
Just turn 'em on and ... zap! There's a trail. Never mind the smoke, that'll blow away soon enough. Might be a bit hard to get that smooth flow as it weaves up and down across the slope. Straight lines get a bit boring.
Has to be an improvement on my now-ancient Ay-Ups
Bored, drink or drugs brings on this sort of thinking. Mind you a laterally mounted pendulum attached to the lights along with a gyroscopic cage for stability should do the trick....
Philosophical speaking though, that would make it all too easy, they'd be trails everywhere & no reverence to a masterpiece at all.
Bored with wine
K-lite lazer beam of death. Blaze the trail as you ride.
LOL @ Flynny
Just dealt with Leonard at Magicshine, and best customer service i've received in Australia...
Quick to answer questions/emails and next day postage thrown in (litteraly ordered them lunchtime from VIC and delivered to Perth lunchtime next day!), all at a competive price!
Thankgod someone (in Australian business) has finally got it, such a refreshing change.
http://magicshineledlights.com.au/index.php?rout...
one of many ebay options.
I have 2 of these one 900L one 1200L. Work great.
I'd doubt the reality of their output, howeever, i can see where i am going just fine.
I did have to go and buy an adapter to charge the battery though ($20 from Dick Smith)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicy...
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CREE-T6-LED-1800Lm-He...
I have seen these and when people are spending big $$ for lights, I wondered if they would be any good and the verdict is... ok, decent, good,crap? any down sides yet other than charger issue?
they work great. Had em for nearly 6 months. Had maybe 20 hours worth of use and they still work. They hold about 3 hours worth of charge, however the 2nd half of that 3 is not quite as bright, but still work fine.
I can't fault them, Turn em on and the shine bright. Mounting system is simple and easy, they are lite and easy to use. Even if i had $300 to spend on lights i would still buy these.
If they gave up the ghost today, i would'nt be stressed. I could by 6 of these for the price of an ayup
Might be a bit heavy on thehelmet, though.
I too have the Magicshine lights. We purchased six as a group back in November 2009. I had a few issues initially with one of my lights, but since then they have worked fine. The only real issue is the cheapish battery packs and I'm on my third one now. At $28 they are reasonable to replace every year or two. http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4400mah-external-ba...
Here's the Magicshine light I just purchased for mate. It has a nice rubber boot sealing the battery and the charger we received uses the standard IEC-C7 power lead (it was supplied with a US lead), so I swapped it out with a spare lead I had here. The beam was okay and similar to what I have been riding with for the last few years.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mj-808e-ha-iii-cree...
I find a broad beam on the bars and a spot for the helmet works best for me. If you only get one light, then put it on the helmet for single track.
Also, if you are going to ride with 2000 or 3000 lumens, please just save your money and ride during the day.
Which ever lights you get, I think the best combo is one on the bars and one on your helmet. This means you can see where the bike is pointed and where you are looking.
I use the moon shine (they can be branded under different names). At 900 lumens they are awesome value, at about $100 (I think) so you can afford 2. TBE has these lights atm.
I was actually recommended by a friend to try out Ultrafire flashlights fitted onto Twofish lock block (or similar) mounts.
Those flashlights are supposed to go up to 1000 lumens, and are fairly cheap at about $20~30 each.
Only down side is that they don't run on traditional AA/AAA batteries.
Ordered one through Dealextreme, you can get them on ebay too.
Personally I feel that bike lights are wayyyy too overpriced.