Hi All,
I've got an ageing Lumicycle HID lamp (from my road riding days), which I'll stick on the bars (until it dies) but am thinking of supplementing this with a helmet mounted light. I don't fancy the idea of cables for a helmet light and am drawn to the Exposure Joystick (with the Mk 7 version quoted at 400 lumens). To be honest the main appeal is that it looks as though I could also use it to charge my phone when travelling and for taking the dog out in the dark. But is it any good as a helmet mounted light for off road use. I'll be riding on my own (if that's relevant) in properly dark Scottish forests.
Cheers,
Andy
Is that a tumbleweed I see rolling past.
A bit more searching suggests that the SPT+ socket won't charge an iPhone (even with the boost cable). So, I guess the joystick is no better (for me) than any other small, light, bright torch with a helmet mount.
Cheers
Andy
I love my joystick (not sure which model)...however on it's own it's not enough for riding. The beam is very long / narrow - exactly what you need from a headtorch. On the bars, it would be grim as it's a headtorch. It lasts well, can switch between bright and non-bright with gloves on and it's easy to get on / off. Not sure what else to add.....
Like all the joysticks, it's an expensive, pretty, crippled torch. Their brackets are ace though- I got an older Joystick bracket from a friend and fitted a cheapo Dealextreme torch to it, and it's not just brighter than a Joystick, it's also got easily changed batteries. Not as small though.
Expensive but I love my M7 joystick - fine for off-road rides on the helmet on its own until it gets properly dark (on a clear night). Mount is great. I use it as a commuter light on the bars too.
Lasts a long time if you switch between modes, easily rechargeable with USB.
Buy cheap...
EDIT after my petzl backup headtorch corroded after less than a year I think I might just get a headband for my joystick to use off the bike...
Just bought a mk7 and use it along with a magicshine light on the bars. Joystick is almost as bright (ms 'claims' 1600 lumens) but a much narrower beam. Great combo, but need my bar mount for the spread of beam it gives.
Thanks.
Those that bought them seem to like the, I guess that's the case with most things, but still useful feedback and they are sort of British, which is worth a fair bit to me. Pity it can't charge my iphone/ipad. That would have been cool, even if I wouldn't use the feature much in practice. Still, I'll probably give one a try.
Cheers,
Andy
I have a 300 one - mk5 I think. Great wee helmet light and I use a maxx d on the bars. Joystick also good as a bar light on road bike.
I'm the same as iainc above, the joystick is very good and in a small spot, brighter than the 900 maxx d on my bars. I wouldn't just have the joystick, but works ace in combo
Joystick Helmet
MaxXD bars
Near perfect combo IMHO...
Only a Diablo on te helmet would improve the set up..
Surely it should be a Reflex on the bars. Ten percent more lumens innit.
Diablo is brighter than joystick, but bigger, heavier and half the burn time, so not sure that's a trade off I'd be happy with.
Thanks for all the feedback though.
Cheers,
Andy
I added a piggyback battery to mine (zip-tied to helmet), barely any increase in weight but double burn-time so able to leave it on full power all the time.