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I, like many STW riders with kids and jobs vying for time end up doing a lot of my riding after dark - and over time have yearned for the dark nights.
As a result I have owned a lot of lights over the years* - a few years ago I went HID but soon battery and LED developments meant the new breed of lights had the upper hand. So after seeing the growing band of followers on STW I bought one of Trouties Liberator 3 lights and what a revelation - huge amounts of light when you need it and hours and hours (and hours) of light available on Low and Medium settings (which I use 90% of the time). I also use a Cateye DoubleShot Pro on my head which has a spot beam which can just about poke through the long and wide array of the Liberator.
When Chris (Troutie) offered me test rides of the Spider Eyes and the(name tbc) bar mounted light I jumped at the chance.
The new bar mounted Troute Light offers 2300 lumens on full power, about 30% more than my Liberator - it is brighter but to my untrained eye, not massively so – more of an evolution than a revolution? Performing very well – controllable and “as much light as you could need” and where you want it: compact with a small, light battery, solid connectors and with an appearance that is more conventional than my Liberator.
Now – as a potential replacement for my head-light - I love the radical looks of the Troute SpiderEyes (see photos) - easy to fit on the helmet, controllable and with a fantastic throw of light with a surprising, large square 'spot' of intensity.
I rode with this helmet light on it's own and also combined with each of the bar mounted lights.
Even on the lower settings the lights are pretty dramatic, the combined head and bar lights on full settings really allowed fast progress through our local singletrack. In effect with a total of 4000 lumens, with SpiderEyes providing a spot beam waaay down the track I was really impressed ... to the point where I got used to my own tunnel of daylight (it sounds daft but after a while I got a bit of a shock when I saw the pitch black night out of my peripheral vision!!).
Some riders consider the cheap dx imports as a disposable product and that's where in my opinion they miss the point - with limited support and limited reliability and nil or low residual value. All of my lights to date have been resold with very high residuals (even making a profit on one after a year of use). I am proud to support Troutie with my Liberator and will be buying a SpiderEyes when they’re on the market. To me, and others on STW Troute Lights represents British cottage industry at it's best.
Spider eyes : Two Cree XML U2 LEDs and two and Cree XPG R2 LEDs : output approx 2300 lumens (Settings L M H and Flashing modes)
New Bar Mounted light (name tbc) : Three Cree XML leds U2 output 2800 lumens approx .
(Settings L M H and Flashing modes)
* Moved from Cateye ABS lights in the early days – to BlackBurn X6 and X8; to Cateye TripleShot / Double Shot Pro; Niteriders of various guises and then bought a small pair of TrailTechs MR11 then a monster MR16 HID light which was great (pumping out 1700/1800 lumens, but hampered by lack of controllability and heavy batteries).
Have you any images of the spider lights?
I've had a messabout with a Trout Mini, which I thought awesome, and I've had email contact with Trout himself (top bloke), and I've followed his threads with interest in the past to see what his new creations are.
What baffles me though is how anyone needs that many Lumens! I know when I got my first P7 I thought it was the danglies, and now you can comfortably get better, but how many Lumens can you actually appreciate? The Spider Eyes looks awesome, but 2300 Lumens in one light... Too much?
EDIT: is your profile pic of the bike taken on the Malverns? If so, you local? And can I come and have a play with the Spider Eyes! 😛
by the gods,i have the power 😯 😀 (me,when i finally save the money for a set of his lights)
Do you have any ideas pm when the spider eyes maybe available and price?
Great write up GrtKad
The spider eyes has gone on the back burner at the moment due to my machinist mate being busy on the (TBC) light .
pics of the ugly devil looks like it was chewed from a billet by the dog
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I am quite happy for it to go out there for you lot to have a play with
so will get a battery and charger sorted and send it to the first person to drop me a mail with their- name / address / stw login name.
the only proviso being that they forward it to the next person to have a go with .
I dont know how waterproof it is as it was only a test bed so would appreciate it if it was not used under water. 😳
and the main lenses are glass and vunerable so if you crash tuck your head and roll .
me me me, pick me???? off on the Southdowns way for a bivi this weekend so can give it a good test run??? Ive emailed you
Bigface your email got in 17 seconds
before Rocketdogs
so You win and can post it to Rocketdog after a play
No problem what so ever, Wicked I cant wait...
I love the spider eyes. It's bonkers! But really effective.
It makes my DoubleShot Pro look like a candle.
mboy, yes the lights had been incinerating moths around Malvern for a few weeks! There is a simple rule for me, more lights = more speed.
(yes, I did used to do a lot of stage rallying) with the Troute set up you bring your own daylight!
...i'll attempt to link to Photobox tonight for some shots I took.
Trout- Any ideas when they might be available and price?
Trout - only a related note do you have a link to beam shots of the Trout Mini? Can't seem to find more info.
Double post :0
I guess it's a good way of making sure you always ride at the front on group rides 🙂
Seriously, though does the disparity in light output between something like an Hope HId (500 lumens) and one of the above not cause people problems when on group rides?
Certainly does upset a few low lumen riders but thats good for progress
In the (inch) Lumen war a (ryvita) Trout Light helps you win 😉
WackOak
I must have some somewhere will try and root some out tonight.
Trouties video below may help but he is going bloody slow!
For those out there who worry about too much light my simple rule is Low Setting for low speed and climbing, Medium when your cracking on a bit. And Full Power when you want to be a bit of a hooligan - very fast or techy sections.
I even found the test lights to be beneficial through wooded areas in twilight as the level of power available helps pick out tricky, rooty bits that my old eyes would have missed.
Trouties video below may help but he is going bloody slow!
Cheeky sod I was multitasking Walking the dog / controlling the video/ switching the lights / and trying to ride the bike not into the water . along with 6 batteries a video camera and assorted lights on the bike / helmet that was fast I can tell you 😳
😆
Nice work Chris, Id like to see waht youre working on at the mo 😆
i'm picking up a cutie from the post office tomorrow 😀
Cheers Stoney
sort of in a flux state at the moment wondering what to do next
I want to progress the spidereyes on a bit but have a niggling doubt that it may be too powerful and with it having a square beam too .
it is so different to any bike light that it may put folks off a bit
GrtKad did a good job trialling it and it has arrived with Bigface0_0 today so I await his response too .
and then there is the Cutie which Rocketdog will be collecting tomorrow
a version of that is with my Machine shop mate being tidied up ready for a small production run as I know that is an awesome light .
I also have a couple of lights being trialed by a search and rescue dog handler for the Wharfedale Fell rescue but he said he needed a narrower beam to spot the dog at great distances So have made him another one to test on the spidereyes type just waiting for Andy to come and collect it .
And finally wondering if I will do some more self build kits as folks seem to enjoy those .
all the while wondering if the world domination by DX bastids will cock the whole job up .
how much do you charge for the self build kits been blinded by a friends diablo to often would love to get payback
These look awesome, I'd love to see a chest-cam of them in use on some 'proper' trails!
It may be time to start saving the pennies...
Edit: Chewed by the dog?! I think it looks awesome! Anyway, it's for use in the dark 😆
Chris, mailed you regarding spidereyes test.
Iain
IMO a light can`t be TOO powerfull 😉 That Spider Eyes does look mental though.
Can you give any info/details of the cutie ❓
Only the other night we were saying that you can`t have too much light, and you know the type of terrain we ride in. The only thing is when you have more light you go faster....... 😆
I wouldnt mind a demo later on in the year when its proper dark....not like the "pretend dark" it is at the moment after 8.30!!!!! 😉
EDIT
re. the search n rescue lights???? can you give ant more info on those as well. It`s just that i know a few of the Mountain Rescue team here and if it works out they might be interested???????
Just a thought really.
early screen grab of the cutie but it may alter a bit yet
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More on the rescue when I have spoke to the man and had his feedback
look what just turned up
first impressions in daylight, very very light weight, turned it on and chuff me it's bright...then i turned it up to boost 😯
[url= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6061800726_eec72b80cb_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/6061800726/ ]Cutie[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr
on charge now for first night trial tonight 🙂
appologies for dirty nails, just been fettling bikes ready for a ride this aftenoon and was too excited to open the box before washing hands
Just watched the video - might there be some benefit in having the beams on the Spider pointing at different angles in the vertical plane to elongate the bright patch?
I say this with no real experience of riding in the dark on the mountain bike but I've always had to slow down a good bit in the dark on the motorcycle - and this is getting worse with age (funny that).
might there be some benefit in having the beams on the Spider pointing at different angles in the vertical plane to elongate the bright patch
That's one of the advantages of Ay Ups. You can do a sort of simulated combined dip & main beam effect by staggering the two individual lights.
[i]As far as I know[/i], not that I've really done any research, all other multiple LED set ups have all the LEDs/optics parallel.
ready for action
[url= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6062670786_1011f7d3e0_b.jp g" target="_blank">
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[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr
Are you going out for a ride tonight Rocketdog 😀
It looks massive on there even though I know what real size it is
Would it sling under the bars
Just got back, too many cables for under the bars, full report and pics tomorrow 🙂
Cutie looks great, hows that going to fit in price wise?
Chris please could I test the spider eyes?
bit of a write up here http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/riding-trouts-cutie