[Closed] Is it too soon for a lights thread?

Is the hope mount necessary for the bt21 or is this just a preffered option to the oring mounts (i am not a fan of the rubber rings)?

Alexsimon how long from point of ordering to receiving was it?
Posted 1 hour ago # Report-Post

Thats pretty quick, i guess you dropped lucky with the shipping schedule. Looks like i could be in for a bit of a wait, no rush though.

Video review of BT70

BT21 and BT40

Just had to start using lights on my after work rides starting around 6.30-7
Currently using a nukeproof reactor on the bars and lezyne on the helmet its a good setup but my nukeproof seems to get flooded by my friends £18 ss x3 when he's behind me
Can't believe how bright it is
My nuke is nocking on 4 years old now and not had an issue, my lezyne is used daily for commuting aswell so lots of charging almost daily with no issues

The Winter Lights Arms Race is on!!

Nitefighter BT70 just ordered 🙂

I ordered a BT21 from GearBest on 21st August and it arrived today (1st Sept).

People who have ordered from gearbest can you keep me in the loop with how your orders are progressing? I reckon people who ordered around 22nd august got theres delivered quickly due to shipping calendar but after that it seems to have slowed down. I ordered on 25th august and my order in still in the processing stage, its not even a week old so i am not going to hassle them about it. If it all goes well and somebody can confirm they will work with magicshine battery connection then i may order an extra head unit.

EDIT: my order has now changed to shipped so i will let you know when it arrives so you might be able to guage your own orders

All the pictures I've seen show they have the older round connection and not the newer magicshine rectangular connection.

Thats just what i wanted to hear muggomagic as my magic shine is a few years old and has a round connection. I will see what my bt21 is like first.

I ordered a BT21 from Gearbest around the 21st and got it within a week.

Took it out for a first ride last night. I'm running it paired up with four good quality protected XTAR cells in a battery box. It survived getting rained on, and is plenty bright enough. I only used the overdrive mode on fast descents and suspect it won't do much intelligent stuff to mitigate the heat buildup over time. It does get hot fast, so we'll see if the driver burns out in the next few months (a similarly built one sold as the Jexree Owl seemed fine at first, but has got noticeably dimmer over the year to the point it's useless now - whereas I've had years of use out of P60 based XM-L2 and P7 flashlights).

One of the things I liked the look of with the BT21 was the heatsink giving a decent mounting area at the side of the light. I hate the rubber band light mounts these all come with, so bought a Gloworm quick release mount off the classifieds here, and adapted the light with a bolt, a range of drills from 2.5 to 5mm, and an M3 tap:

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

The messy looking spacer is there for now because I only had long M3 machine screws to hand. The first fin has a 5mm hole to accommodate the inner facing part of the mount, the thread goes all the way through the rest.

[img] [/img]

Gloworm mounts are the best I've seen: machined aluminium, low footprint, can raise the light up a little to help fire it over cables, and let you position the light body directly over the stem (which is more an OCD thing for me than anything, but does take up less room on the bars).

Nice mod.

I like the look of these that a user on the mtbr forum has made. They're made out of Aluminium and he's extended the fins to help with the heat dissipation. Not sure if he'd ship to the UK or how much it'd be.

[url] http://www.pacifier.com/~kevinb/Additional_adapters.html [/url]

Not sure if he'd ship to the UK or how much it'd be.

[b]nach[/b] - nice work.
How did you find the beam pattern?

Cheap Cree ebay jobby is still doing me well a year later and hasn't yet burned my house down

Nach - liking the look of that. I'm using a Hope handlebar mount from CRC for my C&BSeen but looking at other options for mounting a light to the o/h's bike.

What are other people using?

Also, any neat solutions for mounting the battery packs or is everyone using Velcro straps like me?

Cheers,

Si

I just use Velcro for the battery. Works really well on my square stem.

can someone please tell me the best universal charger for a solarstorm?

I know there's been threads on this but just need a link or just point me in the right direction.

I bought it last year so it might be a v2 or something, if that makes any difference.

many thanks in advance.

If you can get a magicshine charger with the round connector, that would be a good reasonably-priced bet.
You'd have to check on the connector, but I think this:
http://www.bikelightsuk.com/accessories/uk_mains_magicshine_charger_P580.html

Otherwise http://mtbbatteries.co.uk/ are a safe and quality but pricier option.

has anyone bothered dropping new LEDs into Trouties Lumen Liberator? Mine is coming up for it's 6th year of use this month and whilst it's been brilliantly reliable and pushes out a proper dose of light, Im sure there is new LED tech that should be able to drop in on the same driver. Anyone?

I put my battery in a tiny topeak bag (not a saddle bag but a small square bag that just about fits the battery) this way its an extra layer of protection plus its quick release so no faffing with velcro. I mount it on underneath the top tube close to the headset.

AlexSimon - Member
nach - nice work.
How did you find the beam pattern?

Ta. I found the beam fine, but I do ride with a XM-L2 torch on my lid that throws a spot quite a long way, and tend to use bar lights for flooding the trail closer by. I'll let you know if I find anything rubbish about it in the next week or two.

Overall, with all of this stuff I'm finding about 1/3 of cheap lights are a pain in the arse. Still works out cheaper than brands, but it's very much for fettlers.

Quick update on my order. Day 9 since ordering and my parcel left hong kong on sept 2nd, it seems to have been on a journey just to get there so not sure where next destination is.

Anyone recently got theres and had a chance to test yet?

Rode with the BT21 last night.

Loved it.

Brighter than my Solarstorm X2

The neutral colour of the beam really does work better. Much easier to see things and just more pleasant.

Cycling through the modes confused me a bit, sometimes seemed to have 3 levels, sometimes 4. I'll have to investigate - perhaps it remembers last mode at switch-off.

Beam pattern is very nice. No visible hotspots. Quite floody.

I put my X2 on the helmet, but it seemed very spotty and blue in comparison. Might need to think about a second Nitefighter product. I'm also getting tempted by a Hunk Lee battery.

AlexSimon - Member
perhaps it remembers last mode at switch-off.

It does.

Second ride with mine last night, and like you I found the light on my helmet was noticeably bluer. The BT21 throws a wider beam than I feel I need that close to the bike, but even so the output is more than adequate.

I seem to remember somebody on here mentioned about buying another neutral white light as it will likely clash with non neutral white lights. Thats the reason i was asking about the connection as i might by another bt21 head unit only and attach to my current magicshine battery.

The Nitefighter BT40 looks like it might be a good 'un, same format as the MJ872s I've been using for ages... Most of these XML x2 lights are obsessed with power and often have pretty poor beam patterns ime, the solarstorms and the like were such a step back. I don't know if the XML just naturally lends itself to spotlights better or what but that seems to be what people do with them, and we're way past the point where that made any sense imo.

Might pick up a BT70 though just to try, every year I buy a couple of new lights then sell them or bin them as they're not as good as the old 872s, maybe this year...

can someone please tell me the best universal charger for a solarstorm?

I know there's been threads on this but just need a link or just point me in the right direction.

I bought it last year so it might be a v2 or something, if that makes any difference.

many thanks in advance.

See my post on page 3 to a fluxient charger from torchey.

The Nitefighter BT40 looks like it might be a good 'un, same format as the MJ872s I've been using for ages...

My mj872 got nicked last year and I got a BT40 from gearbest this autumn to replace it.

They are certainly in the same ballpark light wise (and the new turbo is WAY brighter). Heat path / paste etc are better. Only caveats are:

A: bars only as its floody
B: once you decided which diffuser you want to use then you may want to use a dab of sealant around the glass to waterproof it a bit better.

Like all Chineses lights imo - its not perfect - but bonkers value for < £20 delivered(head unit).

Ordered my BT21 from Gearbest less than ten days ago, received today.

Charged it up and giving it a battery test........

So outside on the patio table I placed:

5 year old generic 1000 lumen - battery died after 30 minutes on High
3 year old Luminator - set on level 2 of 3 - 140 minutes
1 year old X2 - set on level 2 of 3 - 110 minutes

Straight out the box BT21 - set on level 3 of 4 - 165 minutes (2 hours 45 minutes) and still going...... pretty chuffed with that!

Quite happy to replace lights every year and recycle the bad ones through friends. Hopefully the battery will remain solid.

I've just switched it off...... don't want it frying itself...... 3 hours 15 minutes and was still going.

masher - Member

A: bars only as its floody

I've used one on head, one on bars for a long time, including a night downhill race Yep it's floody but it's powerful enough to give a decent cast, and the flood gives it a more "natural" beam so fills in peripheral vision better and helps your eyes adapt, not to mention removing hotspots etc. IMO of course but at this level I'd sooner have 2 floods than a flood and a spot.

The BT40 neutral full package with battery (which people report as being true to specs) has been reduced to £33 on GearBest. That's the current full package winner for me at the moment.

That's a great price. If I didn't already have a BT70 on the way I would snap it up.

One BT40s neutral full package on it's way. Thanks for heads up.
Is the connection the same as Solarstorm X2, but without the screw bit?
Got separate cells in an 4 cell case thats works perfectly with Solarstorm connections.

Another BT40s full package ordered, probably not strictly necessary but seems like a no brainer at that price.

BT70 ordered. Will report in when it arrives.

I cant believe they have dropped a fiver since i ordered one just 10 days a go! Still waiting for mine but it looks like its going to be next week so i reckon a fortnight turnaround.

Edit: website has them at 40 quid which is 2 quid more than i paid....

Edit 2: 33 quid is for the s version which is reported as having 200 lumen less and a different led.

My bt21 has arrived and on first impression it looks pretty good, i guess time will tell.
Are people using the orings to attach to bar/helmet or is there an alternative?

First post on here for ages... Just wondering, does anyone still make their own lights these days or is the Chinese stuff so cheap that it isn't worth it these days?

Years back I sold a lot of LED drivers after someone on here did a DIY conversion post for the Lumicycle lights. However, I've recently pulled the listings as I've not sold any drivers for months and very few over the last couple of years. I'm wondering if the market is still there and I'm just not finding it, or is it just no longer worth tinkering?

As a tinker who built about 10 lights I can only comment that it has not been worth it since solarstorm X2 and the like came out. DIY battery packs are IMO still worth it.

I've heard of a few people swapping drivers in Chinese lights for better ones recently, but nothing beyond that.

I've got a home workshop complete with lathe and milling machine and have built a lot of lights over the years for myself and friends. I still use a couple of them but have just ordered a NiteFighter BT21 as a result of reading this thread. I guess that tells you something!

I don't think I could buy the components to make a light like that for the cost the Chinese are doing let alone fabricate the body and put everything together. The fact that high-profile fabricators like Troutie have moved on as well tells you that the DIY scene is practically dead now.

Having said that, I am currently working on a unique road light that as far as I am aware, isn't commercially available anywhere. Before you ask, it's for personal use only as the amount of time and effort it takes for me to make these things by hand, it just wouldn't be commercially viable to try and sell them.

As good as Troutie's lights are, I doubt very much if he made much out of them once all things were taken into account.

Bump thread, just got 4 18650 efest 2600mah and nitecore charger, waiting for battery pack from gearbest. As i currently have a solarstorm x2 with 6400 and the run time is not that great. Should improve, hopefully.

BlackCatTech - Member

First post on here for ages... Just wondering, does anyone still make their own lights these days or is the Chinese stuff so cheap that it isn't worth it these days?

Years back I sold a lot of LED drivers after someone on here did a DIY conversion post for the Lumicycle lights. However, I've recently pulled the listings as I've not sold any drivers for months and very few over the last couple of years. I'm wondering if the market is still there and I'm just not finding it, or is it just no longer worth tinkering?

I'd love to still have a play around with my own lights, but the cost of the parts just means that it is hard to justify when compared with the light sets coming out of China nowadays.

I had 4 (or maybe 6) of your drivers a couple of years ago; I tried the 670mA ones and then the more powerful ones (were they 840?) in my Lumicycle cans. The higher current ones were too much for the housing & they overheated, which I think you warned me might be a real possibility.
But the 670's are still running fine.

Where were you listing the drivers? ebay? I looked there occasionally for your drivers, when I realised that I should probably look at doing a new version of my original conversion, but could never find them.

To be honest, I looked at refreshing some battery packs I've got recently with new batteries as mine are getting quite tired. But, even that looks like it will be more expensive than just buying whole new packs and chucking the originals in the bin. The batteries from a reputable source look like they'd cost more than just buying a ready made set.

I rarely post my videos on forums other than MTBR but I'm going to coyly post this one. It covers how to buy cheap Chinese lights. Personally I would spend more and go for the Fenix or Magicshine, they offer great quality per £££

[url=

Shameless plug, here's all of my light reviews in one place. [url=

Light reviews[/url]