There are loads of threads suggesting torches and lights but a bit of real life experience from those who have shelled out and charges up and used these would be appreciated.

I am running the magicshine P7 on the bars and wanting to get back in to the night riding with a bit of directional light.

I too run a magicshine light on my bars, and just took delivery of one of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-1600-Lumens-LED-Bicycle-Lamp-Bike-Light-HeadLamp-Headlight-New-/220874901171?pt=AU_Sport_Cycling_Accessories&hash=item336d2b86b3#ht_5517wt_922

For £31.75 inc p&p I can’t complain. Fitted to my helmet it gives a good pencil spotlight which is a good addition to the light on my bars that gives a flood of light. Delivery from Hong Kong only took 9 working days too.

thinking more of a torch/all built in so no wires.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ebay-cree-xml-20-torch-out-of-the-box-pics-review

If you wear a camelbak, there’s not much drawback to having a helmet light that’s wired in… And the head units are much lighter than a torch.

Ditto what Northwind says. I’ve got a similar light to the one linked above by grupper and it’s fantastic. So much so the 2 folks who i’ve been out riding with since getting it have both bought their own.

I’ve got a torch on my helmet at the moment – Ultrafire WF502B and I’m just swapping over my XML-T6 [spot] from the bars to my lid as a trial [so single light set up]. The torch is really good when riding on your own but when riding with another who has two P7s I’m noticing a difference in light quality and speed of riding [as in I’m slow if not on his wheel]. The torch just isn’t bright enough for the decents when you’re getting some speed in. You may be OK with your P7 as it is [presuming here] more of a flood but my bar mounted XML doesn’t shed enough light over the trails when you’re starting to look around the corners.

In terms of the light itself it has a very good spot from an R5 led and powered by some Senybor 2800mAh batteries. Getting over an hour from the battery – done 1hr20 and it’s not run out although been toggling max and medium although had at least 45mins on max. It’s a good little torch but I only paid £12 in the UK but a week later I found a deal on ebay with an XML-T6 led for not much more so I would recommend that one in terms of a better performance.

If you wear a camelbak, there’s not much drawback to having a helmet light that’s wired in… And the head units are much lighter than a torch.

Fully agree, also with the longer length of the toch it does tend to make your helmet bob unless you do up with helmet-loc reasonably tight which tends to give me a headache.

Agree with Northwind that the lamp on lid and battery in camelbak is lighter than a torch = it is noticeable. I’m running an XML bastid (£30) on my lid and it works a treat with a Trouted Hope2 on the bars.

And on a point of value for your £30 you get a lamp with mountings for bars or lid, lead, 4 cell battery and charger which is cheaper or about the same as you’d pay for a torch, battery, charger and mount.

Double post

Ultrafire P10 from DX and a bracket fashioned out of various Hope and Cateye brackets. Excellent.

I’m just upgrading my lights at the moment, all I have for now are these 😯

Makes for some sketchy riding when it’s dark 😀