Just about to buy a new light but have noticed the large price difference between some UK firms and the ones available on e-bay even those that claim to be from UK. Is it worth paying extra for a UK firm or at least seller or just go for the cheapest? Will I get better quality by sticking to UK firms?
Bike Forum
Any advantage in UK lights over E-bay specials?
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Posted 3 months ago #
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Not sure on the quality front as they all seem to be made in China anyway - thats why they are cheap.
Buying from a UK eBay supplier will mean you can get things sorted quicker than sending stuff back to HK or China tho.
If you want to get a bit more quality light then try buying off Smudge off here. Top bloke & will sort out any problems pronto.
Snap with TJ
Posted 3 months ago # -
Of the group I regularly ride with, all those (4 or 5people) with cheap hong kong lights have had problems with either waterproofness or the chargers. Not sure the quality control, you pays your monies you takes your chances.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I have been getting increasingly confused staring at the various e-bay options, some sellers seem to sell identical lights for different prices. There seem to be wildly different prices between different sellers. Some sellers charge varying rates for postage on what look like identical packages. Aaaargh!!! I do notice smudge claims his lights are not compatible with DX or Magicshine but they look v.v.similar ,what's the difference? Why are his better?
Posted 3 months ago # -
I think the compatibility issues will be if you bought just a battery for a current light. It's the connections. But if that was a problem he could probably sort something!
I've used a smudge lights for years, excellent value and service.Posted 3 months ago # -
Any advantage in UK lights over E-bay specials?
Just got my abused 2008 Hope 4s repaired free of charge and sent back to me within a week. Buy cheap....
Posted 3 months ago # -
Neninja on here has a great looking light coming out soon, I'll be looking to buy one of those I think - very lupine piko-esque
Posted 3 months ago # -
The shop at Pedalabikeaway here in the FoD is selling something that I assume is a chinese light (via Raleigh?) at about 69 quid. I guess other do as well. You can take their back and bang on the counter if thats what you need.
Posted 3 months ago # -
some people i know spend lots on cheap lights. other people spend lots less often. don't think there is much in it in reality.
my exposure enduro needs to go back for a new battery - been used almost daily for 3+ years. ebay job would mean replacement.
Posted 3 months ago # -
My Exposure charger was dodgy as hell (says made in china on the back!), and the cost of battery replacement alone will get you a magicshine.
Ay-ups do look very good, for an aussie twist.
Posted 3 months ago # -
If you're looking at the quality end of the cheap lights market- MJ-872s and the like- then try Torchy the Battery Boy- F_D_D or similiar on Ebay. Decent prices and fast delivery, can't vouch for warranty support as I've never needed it.
thomthumb - Member
my exposure enduro needs to go back for a new battery - been used almost daily for 3+ years. ebay job would mean replacement.
Er, what? The Magicshine battery packs cost less to replace than Exposure charge to change a battery, and you don't need to send them away either. Much easier with the cheap option than the "quality" one.
Posted 3 months ago # -
As someone who recently got into the Bike Light market, I can confirm that there is a lot of sh*t spouted by salesmen. With regards to the MagicShine light, there is no such thing as an "official uk seller" and putting this on a listing does nothing more than tell the buyer that you're based in the UK and not in China. All sellers are getting their stock from the same supplier and yes I have had one or two dodgy ones, but I give them a quick once over before popping in the post.
As stated above all UK transactions will be covered by the DSR, so if you get dicked about you have some rights to get the light fixed and/or your money back.
I have been one of the cheap sellers on Ebay in the past for the reason that I just wanted to plug a gap with my mates and offer a service to people in NI - you'd be surprised how many of the so-called "UK" brands claim Northern Ireland is not part of the UK and then stiff us with shipping costs - and so only added on enough to cover my costs and to cover any breakages. So I am making a profit, just not as much as some other firms. I'm not going to trample on anyone but all I can say is if you're willing to pay ~£140 for an MJ-872 you're not only mad in the head, but you'd be better going for one of the big brands instead.
If money wasn't an issue I would go for an Ayup because it is a neat setup and you don't have to worry about wires etc. There was also a post on here last week of a guy prototyping a match-boxed sized light that was putting a ridiculous amount of lumens. Would be interested to know how much it would be to buy as it sounded fantastic.
Oh and http://www.MagicShineNI.com
A.
Posted 3 months ago # -
There has been a post on here very recently about people who bought a cheap chinese light through a UK seller and got 1 years guarantee. The lights then went faulty just after the 1 year warranty...
They could have bought them direct from China for half the price they paid for them in the UK, but obviously they thought paying x 2 the price was worth it for 1 year warranty.
For cheap lights I would just head to DealExtreme where you can buy a good number of lumens for £35, it might last a year, it might last 5 but quality wont be great, but you will get big lumens per pound.
The next best option to that is probably Smudges lights which, every one says that Smudge gives very good customer service.
I kind of went for a half way house and bought a build it yourself kit off Troutie last year, had fun building it, and have a light with 1800 lumens that last as long as I want on full power (just switch 18650 batteries) for about £140!
If money was no object to me I would be buying one of Trouties Spyder eye lights, which look awsome.... not sure how much they cost ?
Posted 3 months ago # -
If you mean are there any advantages to exposure, hope, troutie etc over deal extreme....I wrestled with this idea two years back when I was deciding on a new light. Although I could ill afford to spend big bucks on a light I decided to go for exposure for several reasons. I knew the product would be of high quality and I respect craftsmanship and design, I knew it was made locally, I knew I was contributing (however small) to my local economy and keeping people like me in jobs and I knew if I had any issues with it I would be speaking to someone who spoke my language (and hopefully would sort me out).
Two years of hard use in sh*tty weather and whilst magic shine/dx lights die around me my exposure keeps on trucking, satisfying, nevermind the fact that it's a superior design in every way I just admire the quality of the thing, it's so much more pleasing to work with than some scatty rubber and plastic tat from taiwan. Even the fact that chinese lights are blatantly just ripping off lupine irks me - they are taking something that is brilliantly made and engineered and diluting down to shit. And in a wider sense I still consider the German/European economy to be more local to me and not something I want to see destroyed.
That all might make me sound a bit like a snob, but I am anything but, I just appreciate quality, if someone else doesn't that's fine. Just don't try and convince me that your chinese iphone/ipad/oakleys/lights are anything but a cheap knock off.
If you mean should you buy a chinese light from china or from an someone's garage in the UK, well, at least you know the chinese will still be there when your light goes bang. Mr garage operator will probably be long gone selling knock off DVDs or stolen bikes down the market or something.
Posted 3 months ago # -
http://four4th.co.uk/products/lights/
I can recommend Four4th lights, they are a great mid price light, I have one of their helmet lights at £195.00 and it has been brilliant. One of the magazines this months states that it had the best spread of light of any on the test. The gent that builds is very approachable also.
Posted 3 months ago # -
uberbike light
Anyone any experience of these ? Just that bit brighter, for a decent price, and look solid.....Posted 3 months ago #
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