Was thinking about getting a decent front light, preferably without cables & battery packs, mainly for commuting, but one that will be adequate if I want to do a bit of night offroad riding.

Will the Exposure MaXx-D be far too much overkill for commuting? or is there no such thing as not enough light? Would I be better going for the Toro or Strada?

I use my MaXx-D for commuting and think it's great – cable free design is really nice. I wouldn't have bought it just for commuting though.

I mostly run it on minimum output power admittedly, but I have a few dark cyclepaths where I'm glad of it.

And in busy traffic I leave it on high power (angled so as not to dazzle of course) – no excuses about me not being visible.

Will the Exposure MaXx-D be far too much overkill for commuting?
not at all

Exposure MaXx-D too bright

Wash your mouth out!

are they as bright and a cars?
especially new cars
and even more especially all the German ones with all of the Nasty Glary
Xeon jobies and horridly dazzling Audi LED look at ME! allways! on lights

Nope, get 'em I'd say

I use my MTB lights on the road all the time

Any experiences of how it compares to the Light & Vision Stellas, either the 150/200 of 300 set up, obviously not as bright, but any advantages?

I am thinking the new "toro" may be the one for me http://www.exposurelights.com/newsite/ as its essentially the old enduro, or should I just go the extra and get the maxx-d?

If you feel its too much, you can always run it on a lower setting.

I'd get the Strada version personally if I was just using it on a road bike, especially commuting where you're probably not doing 20mph+ on unlit roads. The Maxx-D has a fairly floody beam pattern which is good off-road but can dazzle on-coming traffic (you'll care if it causes the car to swerve into you :p ).

especially commuting where you're probably not doing 20mph+ on unlit roads.

depends on your commute 🙂 the majority of mine is exactly that – between 16 and 25 mph on unlit country roads and the Maxx-D is spot on. There are a couple of 40mph+ downhills on one route and it gives you enough light to do these with confidence that you're not going to be confronted with a deer looming out of the darkness. Admittedly it is at 4am so there's not a great deal of traffic and you can spot cars far enough ahead to flick the light down a setting if you're worried about dazzling someone. TBH the brightness does make people slow down to work out exactly what it is coming towards them – if you mount it on next to your right hand and angle it across your stem to the kerb you'll be lessening the chances of angling it into drivers eyes too.

I can't say I run it on anything but low in London though. You don't need higher than that to be seen and there are enough street lights and cars to make seeing the road and traffic easy enough…

Now i am confused. Cant justify a cummting ligh for the roadbike and a set for the MTB. Whats best compromise?

Does the beam have enough spread? For commuting in urban areas you need aas wide a bea#m as possible to be seen from as wide a range of angles IMO – so a spot beam type of light is not the best – unless you fit it with a diffuser of some sort

I use mine both on and off road, had a few cars flash me to dip! but otherwise it's excellent especially good if your going fairly fast on the road! They think it's a motorbike coming

'Technically' I believe that anything over 3W is too bright for commuting (think there's some hidden rules somewhere) and the light needs to have side light to it as well.

Does the beam have enough spread?

I'd say the Maxx-D is better for this than the Enduro (or it's new replacement) which is sold as more of a spot – I find there is enough flood that you're pretty visible from the rear and side due to the amount of light thrown from it, especially if you've got it aimed reasonably low. It illuminates the width of the road even on low.

Most front lights don't seem to have a diffuser or that much side visibility, I walked to the station this morning and nearly stepped out into the path of a cyclist who had a tiny flashing led light on the front – unless you were standing pretty much directly infront of him you couldn't see the thing.

I bought an Exposure MaXx-D last night and used it on my commute this morning. I have a mixture of urban, coutry lane and offroad and it was perfect. As has been said above, its easy to dim the light for urban stuff.

great light

I was just about to ask the same question. Thank heavens for the search.

I have a Joystick which comes with the switch you can mount on the bars (to dip lights). I presume the MaXx-D has the same?

car headlights have a specially designed beam though, not the simple conical lens on most bike lights.

I have a Joystick which comes with the switch you can mount on the bars (to dip lights). I presume the MaXx-D has the same?

Yup – small button on the back. You can also get a bar mounted switch that plugs into the smartport.

OH ****-IT!!! Ill get a MAXX-D, its only money!!! now wheres the best deal?

Rutland Cycling I think. I have one, they are great.

Yep, if you can afford a Maxx-D, do it! As someone said, if you think it's too bright on the road, then you can just run it at a lower setting, but if you got a cheaper one and it's not bright enough for you on unlit sections or offroad, then, well, its a bit of a bummer. Brilliant lights, and get the redeye rear light as well. You'll actually be more visible than most cars…

after tonights escapades id say no its just right ….

riding along with an el350 on flash – a dinotte 200l on the bars on constant and a joystick on my head.

twice on the way home i had cars try to pull out on me at round abouts – quickly flashed them in the eyes with the joystick and they stopped in their tracks !

Bright as possible and bugger the oncomers.
Bear in mind that you can be "done" for silly bright. Me? blind the buggers.

Yes….As long as you don't ride the Bristol Bath Railway path (or any other similar heavily used narrow traffic free path)

I run an Enduro, it's great on the road, the 'strobe' mode actually pulses between 'dim and ultra bright' ran than on and off and is so good I use it during day light.

But.. I often commute on the Bristol Bath Railway path, the spread makes it a great off road light but it's too wide in specific situations like mine when you blind cyclists coming toward you.Even on the lowest setting, pointed down at the path I get complaints from people coming toward me.

I'm going to get a Strada which has a narrower beam and keep the Enduro for off-road use.