LED"s are dimmed by pulsing. That's how they go dimmer. They turn on and off very fast. Or slower.
oh as opposed to current limiting, I did not realise they used PWM ( pulse width modulating ) drivers. Are all LEDS dimmed using pwm drivers???
mind what the hell did I expect for £50 there was bound to be a issue somewhere,
Main beam is brill though
The cheaper led drivers use PWM for the dimming the better ones are a constant current driver , they both dim the leds just the CC drivers dont strobe.
so if you are an epileptic dont buy the DX light
Ta for that troutie
btw hope your spelling is correct I darn't try for the ridicule 😳
Recieved my bastid on thursday this week. Only got about half an hour to try it 'cos an almighty thunder and lightening storm kicked off that night when I got to the woods 😕
First impressions are really good - the mounting screw is about 5mm long and I don't notice any flash/strobe on the low setting at all (though my ageing eyes/brain might not be as sensitive as yours saladdodger 😉 Also when I opened it up there was absolutely no swarf inside at all, and all the solder joins looked OK. The charger seems to work at a perfectly normal temperature as well, I wonder if some-one is following this thread and tightening up the QC- maybe I've got a mk2 bastid!
The light does have a slight blue/green tint, I know it would be hard to capture in a pic but it doesn't seem as green as trouts photo (possibly down to my old eyes aswell!). TBH I didn't even notice the tint at all until I switched on my fenix, now relegated to my crash helmet, and that is definitely whiter.
All in all I'm very impressed, it'll certainly do 'til I can afford a proper light like troutie makes (i'll be in touch with you for one nearer christmas bonus time Mr. Trout!)
For anyone thats ordered and received one, how long from ordering to delivery?
I think mine was a week, possibly a little more. Not that long really.
though my ageing eyes/brain might not be as sensitive as yours saladdodger
Na yer daft bugger me eyes are alot tired nowadays, it was the strobe effect made the front wheel look liked it was stationry
still happpy though
Mines been fine the couple of times I've tried it, yes to me it's quite green (it's my light that Trout tested), but my main bugbear so far is still the use on road, you just can't use it in flashing or low mode as the beam is so wide that unless you point it straight down the residual light still illuminates signs 10' high 100' away.
It's mental compared to my old Lumi setup 🙂
Oh mine took about ten days to come.
Cheers.
Just got in from a proper try out with it. Fantastic light. Stays solid on the bars and plenty bright enough for full speed riding round the woods. When the fenix and the bastid are on at the same time I really cant see much difference in their tints at all.
8 days order to delivery on mine.
I've got the P7 torch is it worth swapping for the bastid. I should imagine if I sold it with the charger + batteries I'd nearly cover my costs
One thing I like about the P7 is I can just whack it on without carrying a battery pack etc..
without carrying a battery pack etc..
The battery pack is tiny...
Hi,
2unfit2ride. What Lumi setup did you have and how does the Bastid light compare in terms of beam etc.
I have a 20w halogen and a 1w cree LED (very wide beam) at the moment which is mainly used for commutting. I think my battery is on the way out so I am thinking about this light as an alternative.
How would the Bastid light compare to a 20w halogen light in terms of the beam. Is it the same or better?
Thanks
Hi spangelsaregreat,
TBH I don't use lights enough to really make a fair comparison, the Lumi I used was just a 12w spot, and it was always fine for me, I bought the bastid light as it weighs a lot less. I have tried to compare it to a 20w flood by shining it at a tree then turning on the bastid, the bastid light won by quite a margin.
Hopefully someone more qualified will be alone soon...
It would seem that the Bastid makers do read the forums and have improved their QC a little
Billy your a hero
Err..I think a bit of clarification might be in order re pwm/constant current drive.
Just had a look at the luxeon faqs, they recommend pwm for dimming, although they also give specs for fwd current vs flux (as do Seoul Semi re the P7) - something like a 5:1 range, and current vs flux is roughly linear (ie halving current halves light output).
Now, both types run at about 3.5v, so your driver circuit is almost certainly going to be a switching converter of some sort to allow a very different - or a range of - battery pack voltage to be used. Once you're using a switching converter there isn't a huge jump to having pwm available on it (as quite a few seem to do).
I'm not sure cheaper=pwm and better=constant current, I'd be curious as to what's being referred to. Also if the constant current controllers aren't switching, they're probably less efficient than a switching/pwm controller - not to mention having a poorer supply range capability. IMO I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to use pwm...
Re epilepsy - just had a quick search, seems to be 2-30 Hz is the range that might set it off - fluorescent lights by comparison have a flicker rate 100Hz. I'd suspect any switching converter/pwm used with high power leds is gonna be running well into the kHz so shouldn't be a problem - unless it runs at a rear-light stylee slow rate flash mode, of course !
I'd recently been thinking about a lumi backup (more for commuting really) - not to mention upgrading them for better efficiency..I'm quite tempted for 50 quid!
(And apologies for being a slightly anal electronics engineer 😉 )
Bastid light does not appear to be on sale on DX anymore!
Hi,
Received my lights today after nine days. Yeah!!
They don't work. Boooo!
Request with DX for replacement.
Back to Lumis meantime.
BTW is everyone else's a EU/US charger or is that just me?
how many did you buy spangles as you say lights?
It would be unusual or very bad building if both don't work
have you put the batteries on charge first
Ian, mine is US, a converter costs a quid you cheapskate 😉
Why did you buy some anyway? I don't think they're as bright as your HID.
Smudge,
Just bought the one.
It initally worked when I tried it out of the box. I then stuck the battery on charge. After I had charged the battery the lights didn't work anymore. Not sure why.
Regards
I'm going to give these a try, ordered them, but fancy the Trout service too. I'll keep an eye on Trouties own brand, looks good for helmet mounting.
It sounds as if they all need the Trout super service before you try them, can't go wrong for a tenner!
If mine prove reliable then it's money very well spent 🙂
Trout.
You have my sympathies. I've been made redundant and am now unemployed due to [i]people[/i] buying chinese/Indian made.
Hacks me right off to read idiots here raving about the cost. All they're doing is employing Chinese workers.
Wait until their managers out source their job to the East...Globalisation, if they'd had told us then that what it really stood for was "the race to the bottom". Then I'd have told them to shove globalisation up the arse.
Now, this race to the bottom is all about who can make it the cheapest. Quality/longevity seems to be only a minor distraction. And as we all know, a China-mans wage demand is a fraction of that made by his English counterpart (house prices/council tax, etc).
Anyway, I'm building a light at the moment, its along the lines of your 6 LED light, but I'm using the switches and connectors I recommended to you with converted torch bodies.
Although I can use a Lathe and a Mill, I haven't either at my disposal. Just a dril, a hack saw and needle files.
Trout, Smudge, remember, there will always be a market for what you guys provide. I have and always intend to buy my batts/chargers from Smudge. Its just your work/efforts will be dwafted by the mass demand from those who chase the cheapest deal in obeyance to globalisation. Keep up your good work, if it pleases you.
Solo.
Solo.
That's a good point that you are making regarding cheap Chinese labour.
Do you use only British parts in your light, or are they produced in a different country?
Ahem, I think you'll find that no one owes anything to Trout or Smudge other than thanks or beer money, yes they are both obviously really nice chaps, & I personally owe Trout a beer or two for sorting out my light, but really I had never heard of either before this thread. So to insinuate that I am somehow doing them out of a living & contributing to the downfall of the British empire by buying a light from china I find more than a little demeaning.
However I do see your point, I just think you need to get over yourself & express your point in a more eloquent manor. I don't ever expect niche light makers & battery experts to make a living by charging more than the competition, but if they do then I would be the first to congratulate them.
Have a nice evening.
Thanks for the kind comments guys and i'm sure troutie feels the same. I guess were both mtbers and putting our bit back into the sport and making it affordable to go nightriding. I get alot of satisfaction from an email or post afterwards thanking me and recommending me for my work. Most of my builds are now referals so that must say something.
Spangel if you have no joy with dealextreme i'm sure you could post it to troutie to look at or myself if the problem lies in the battery. Do you have access to a voltmeter? if so does it give a battery reading once its off the charger. If you prefer to email me direct please do so
Whoa I have not looked on here for a couple of weeks due to being struck down with the dreaded swine flu and I am still alive though not 100% yet And this thread is still going even in the summer .
Yep I echo Smudges post and I do what I do as a geeky hobby when I am not working/riding/walking the dog . just cos I like making things and if a few quid comes in then it gets spent on better tools .
Where as I am no electronic expert I will be happy to help out any one with a problem as Smudge suggests.
I do hate the DX light with a passion But it is not too bad for the price
and should be replaceable ( with a bit of hastle ) I would hope if it fails too soon.
Smudge,
Not had a chance to check it with a volt meter. However, I think it is the battery. As I said in my earlier post I gave it a quick check out of the box and the light worked fine. I then stuck the battery on charge but after charging it did not work.
I also noticed when I initially attached the battery to the charger (before plugging the charger into the wall socket) the chargers light came on. However when I do that now the light does not come on until I plug it into the wall.
My request for a return code to DX is still processing. Will keep you all updated on their return service (good or bad).
Thanks for the offer for the repair, may take you up on that if DX don't help.
Regards
dx will sort it. point to note - all comms are handled through their website. i waited some time for a mail from them which never came, and only when i went back to re-log a return did i pick up their response. 🙂
Mine seems to have survived tonights deluge, so thanks to Trout I have some confidence in it now, maybe one day I'll leave the back up frogs at home.
Now can anyone do an extension for the battery lead?
I need to put this thing on my bonce.
Cheers.
Mine doesn't work either. Though i haven't got round to checking if it's the battery, charger or light unit at fault.
It seems the failure rate, even from new is high, last nights confidence is dwindling 🙁
Hi,
DX have now replied and I am shipping it back to them today. They are also refunding the return postage (as long as it is less than 30% of original cost).
Regards
Hi Ian,
Same again if you have no joy with dealextreme please either post it to myself or troutie to look at.
2unfit i could probably do an extension lead, do you know what type of connector it is? if not mail me a pic and i will try to make one from that for you. email in my profile
Hi,
Email from DX today to say replacement light has been shipped.
Hopefully this one will work.
Regards
could anyone answer the question from lanesra - is it worth replacing a P7 with the bastid?
I am pondering over whether to get a bastid or a P7 (possibly 2 P7's for same price as 1 Bastid) (got 2 Fenix L2D's to accompany them).
Do fancy one of your lights Troutie, but need something right now.
I'm sure he has a few already made up ready for posting.. email Mr T to find out 🙂
After 3 weeks of use, and a couple of charges, my bastid has had no issues whatever. I'm very pleased with it, seems to be well worth the money they're asking for it. Hope your replacement unit works OK spangels, I reckon you won't be disappointed when you get the bastid going. Good to see DX seem to have treated you fairly and been prompt with a replacement I was a bit wary as to how good their customer service would be.
I agree with Solo's comments re. dirt cheap chinese imports being impossible to compete with, from what I've seen (on STW and his website -never seen a real life one!) Trout's lights are fantastic. When I can afford it I will get one, (I like the look of the 3 LED "mk2" 😉 )and a battery pack off Smudge. But theres the thing, at the moment I couldn't afford it. When my aging -and cr@p- cateye halogens with their giant lead battery finally died I had to get new lights and the bastid was in my budget.
Its much the same as I would dearly love to own a handcrafted Ti hardtail, I can't afford it so I ride a steel frame that was made in Taiwan.
I don't own a P7 torch so couldn't compare the bastid to it, when I had a ride with someone who had a P7 in a fenix mount on his bars he had problems with it slipping. The bastid is solid on its O ring mount (both sizes of O ring with mine were black BTW) I've done some very steep and rocky stuff with mine on and it doesnt rattle or slip at all-even stayed put during a few minor, and one major, crash- bloody thing is so bright it eggs you on too fast in the woods at night!.
Can't really see the point in [i]replacing[/i] a properly mounted P7 torch with a bastid, maybe better run times, but then I would carry a spare cell or get a battery pack off smudge and wire that to the torch if that's an issue. A good torch is obviously more useful than a dedicated bike light. If you've already got a decent torch and you say you've got 2(?) L2D's Singletracksurfer then I would go for the bastid. It's mightily impressive.
It hopefully should be here this week sometime.
On a slightly related note, I just replaced my now dead Cateye 4 LED rear light with a Blackburn Mars 4. Very bright!!
Regards
Hi,
Arrived today and seems to be working okay after its first charge.
Has a slight issue with it cutting out on mainbeam after about ten seconds though. It works again if you uplug the battery pack and plug it back in again. Weird. This does not happen ever time though.
Will give it a proper try out tomorrow night and try some direct comparisons with my 20w Lumi halogen.
Regards.
Hi,
Did a wee test tonight with the Bastid and my Lumi 20w Halogen.
It was like night and day!! Well dusk/dawn (with the Lumi) and day (with the Bastid).
The Bastid's beam is by far much better than the Lumi (which I always thought was alright). Certainly for commuting on dark country lanes (where I do most of my night riding) it is more than enough Lumens. I felt perfectly comfortable descending at 30mph with it on the road. I would say the light was as good as the dip beams on my car (was impressed by Trout's 6 LED beam shots but having now used the Bastid I reckon it would be serious overkill for commuting, not to mention blinding for other road users ;-)).
The toggle switch for the High/Low/flashing works well. It will be interesting to see if I get flashed by drivers on the high setting. If so the quick click to the low mode might come in handy. Unfortunately you have to cycle through flashing and off to get back to high beam.
The battery pack fits nicely under my handlebar stem and overall look of the light is neat. I have taken the original mount off and replaced it with my Lumi one for ease of taking it on and off the bike.
So overall I am pleased with the Bastid as a replacement for my Lumis. It is brighter, will give longer run times and is lighter. Will now have to wait and see how it lasts over time.
Regards
thanks Billy.
I need a light asap and was hoping to get a Troutie light, but it doesn't look like I'm getting paid any time soon, so I may have to get a Bastid in the meantime.
Can you buy an extra battery pack for these?
Also, how is the light mounted to the bars?
bump
Top Dog,
If you look at Trout's photos on the first page you will see the light has a mount fixed to it which sits on top of the bars. It is attached by hooking a rubber o ring (it comes with two for normal and oversize bars) which you hook over the attachments on the mount.
Personally I replaced this fitting with a Lumicycle cam style one.
I think the Smudge fellow could sort you out with a suitable battery. Not seen any packs for sale separately.
Regards
The bastid is like mounted with O-ring type thing I believe - simple, easy, neat, effective (and cheap).
not sure about extra battery pack from DX - search/e-mail the site or ask smudge.
I'm working on it at the minute 8)
just waiting for some info from mr trout
BB.
Good post, you make some fair points, imo.
Unfortunately a lot of items for sale in the U.K. are made in China/Tiawan or India. Resulting in the situation that you couldn't buy British, even if you wanted to.
So its good that we still have the opportunity to do so when it comes to treating ourselves to some high end bike lights, such as the Trout light and Smudges Batts.
Anyway, if you do get round to owning a Trout-Smudge set-up, I hope you'll be pleased.
🙂
Solo
Out of interest, have Smudge & Trout pushed themselves enough on this thread?
I think they should put some prices up for comparable gear, I know I would of thought long & hard before purchasing the bastid light IF i had seen this thread before I bought it, seeing how this thread has developed, I probably would have never of bought one (its my light Trout reviewed) if it had of been current at the time.
So, pay a tenner to get a Trout service before you use it, or pay a bit more & get quality, come on boys push your innovations harder & make a few quid.
Cheers, & good luck chaps.
I just wanna give this thread a bump as its becoming more relevant with each fading day of summer and say hell yeah, I totally agree with 2unfit2ride - if trout and smudge can put together a 3 mode (low/mid/high) bike light with similar runtime and similar cost I'd certainly buy one and would trust its quality a great deal more than the DX one.
I would also like to know about projected prices for a trout/smudge light for this winter
I would be very interested in getting one too. I like the look of the new Lumicycle system led 4 but is very expensive,hoping it will come down in price. 🙄
Talk about frustration .
I have an inbox full of enquiries for lights and prices .
some hear the estimated price and never reply and about 30% get back still interested .
I have no housings left and the guy who CNC machined them last time seems too busy to do some more for me despite the fact they were £32 each and the last run was 43 units
also I am still waiting for the new XPG leds to be released as I dont want to use the older stuff .
Here is the breakdown so you can see what goes into a light.
The big boys will get it all a lot cheaper and will be getting their lights made in asia though Hope do their own stuff as we all know.
As I have to buy most of the bits in $ last season it had a huge impact on costs .
this is what is inside a Troutlight MK1 and what it costs me to build at todays exchange rates and prices
6 XPE leds @ £3.55 ----------------£21.30
optics @ .80 ----------------------£ 4.80
led driver - Maxflex --------------£22.00
waterproof switch ----------------£ 5.00
housing ---------------------------£32.00
anodising -------------------------£5
other bits like 4 M3 bolts
wire
thermal adhesive
silicon
strain relief for cable
cable ( found 100 mtrs in a skip )
lexan face plate
estimate for these ----------------£10/12
total cost ---------£ 103.00
the total cost last season was about £115
I sold the kits to DIY for £135 plus postage
and for those who did not want to diy £165 .00 plus postage
What you got for the money was a Light with on paper lumens of 1200 with a beam that was taylored to suit either helmet or bars and for those who bought one a light that was as good or better than any of the big players lights
OK no fancy box , an email with instructions on . no fancy mounting brackets though it could be bought ready drilled and tapped to take a Lumicycle bar mount and the user had to find a velcro strap to helmet mount it or in my case 2 zipties
Now for the New stuff
I cant give prices yet as we dont know the cost of the new XPG leds but all the others things stay the same .
If I can get some more housings done then there will be 2 lights maybe 3
but first up will be the 6 led Troutlight redesigned to be even better.
the on paper lumen count will go up to 2070 lumens at full power
again with a beam pattern as good as the pics you have all seen.
then a 4 led version I am hoping to do . smaller lighter and with a slighlty better lumen count of 1380 Lumens.
again both with a tuneable beam to suit the user.
So you can see what it costs me to do a light and the huge profits I make .
I do it because I enjoy it
Yes costs could be brought down a little .
a cheap driver with no hi low or thermal protection could be used but then the lights would start to come back broken due to users letting them overheat , not something I want to be repairing lights for free.
I could go to China and have a shedload made but have no money to risk on that route, then I just become a reseller in it just for the money .
There you go folks my cards are on the table with no bullshit in there
I could easily buy a reel of P7 leds and knock up a light for the £50 but no way include the battery/charger it would be nearer to £100 or more .
but that is not what I want to do an average light
I want to do a great light.
And on Batteries / chargers
that is Smudges domain and he helps me out loads so get your replacement packs from him . they are top quality cells
trout, nice summary. Your open approach is very refreshing. It also shows the ridiculous profits made by the likes of Lupine.
I still plan to get one of the new lights from you later in the year.
trout
just posted on here to express public support
will be emailing you today to outline exactly what I need
cheers 🙂
Trout, having seen the pictures and vids of your previous work, isn't 2000 Lumens just pointlessly bright?
If I was after a compromise between brightness and runtime what's the right thing in your stable? Something that I could get around 3 hours out of a single pack and "bright enough" (whatever that is? 600 L?) for night racing / riding.
A switch would be nice to drop the output as a "get you home" mode as well.
Cheers.
Crell
well it depends on how the 2000 lumens are used and I think they are used pretty well .
I could say why have a car capable of 140 mph when 70 is the max limit.
the car has a throttle
so does the Troutlight .
you can have 2.5 hours of runtime from a 2600 mah pack at full power
but if you use the modes well then it will run all night at useable light levels
one other thing is the extra lumens from the new leds are not just at the expense of using more battery power
they are using the power better IE more light and less heat so it is a win win situation .
Trout.
Thanks for the info, much appreciated 😀
Crickey !, after reading your cost break-down I think thats a very slim margin for you on your lights. Must hardly cover your initial R&D.
Anyway, ran my light today while on a ride, it kept switching down to the L2 setting due to temping-out. I've now set the cut-in to 80 degrees. Running during a sunny day will mean higher ambient, but I like to test my efforts at the higher end of what I expect the operational conditions to be. Belt-n-braces, and all that.
Crell.
Thats the beauty of a light such as the Trout light, you can configure it to a level of light-output that you think is sufficient, assuming that the Max is too much. You can lessen the max-output setting to suit your [i]taste[/i], and stretch out your run time, Bonus !.
Cheers 😉
Solo.
I apologise Mr Trout if I have caused you any grief from the time wasters, it was obviously not my intention.
For what its worth, I wouldn't bother buying a light that was overkill for my needs 99% of the time, you need to come up with a reliable alternative to the bastid at around the £100 mark if you wish to compete with the masses.
So, how much would it cost to 'mod' an existing light such as the DX to make it better & more reliable, given your CNC cost alone are close to the price of said fatherless light??
Most seem to think the flashing mode is not worth the effort, so a simple & reliable 2/3 stage switch/board is in order. A decent charger for the battery wouldn't go a miss, add that on, maybe team up with smudge?
AFAIK, only a very small number of people want, & are willing to pay for, the best. So you make your choice as to which way you want to run on the basis of small & niche (like Jones bikes), or more turnover with lesser margin (like most manufacturers).
What you really need to work out is if this is to be a hobby for pin money, or a business, only you know that answer, & TBH it's none of my business anyway.
I have only posted this as my opinion, you have every right to tell me to FO, but it was meant as a pointer, not an order or request, best of luck in all that you do. 🙂
Is the 3 XPE/XPG light with built in battery a no go then Trout??
I would like to see some research/surveys into what people want
i recon half the light of some of your lights could be sufficient.
2.5hrs and 2000 lumens is fairly useless for me, sure i know you can dim them and get better battery life
duration, beam pattern, easy of dimming (for road sections), excellent qr clamp & weight is way more important to me
secondary would be water proofness, changeable battery, wireless perhaps.. and some ****ing accurate battery life times (this is not a dig at yours)
where are the electronics for hope lights made? not by hope.
I want the best Brightest light for the money as you can always turn it down. This will then match the bike I have that I can't ride.
Keep up this great work Trout, we need more guys like you.
This is really good thread and hoping these new XPG's come out soon as I'm very tempted with 2000 lumens if only to arrive on the night ride and fry the Lupine boys.
S
My opinion is that this thread must have been good for Trout and Smudge.
Although I have got a DX bastid, it was in my budget as I've said before, (still no problems with it BTW).
Trouts honest and unbiased review and both their answers to queries on the Bastid are a credit to them. I am under no illusion that my light is anywhere near the quality of Trouts lights and Smudges battery packs. Then there is the assurance of that quality, although spangles DX lights where replaced as they where DOA I'm sure they wouldnt treat my used and mud-spattered one as sympathetically if it packs up on me-not to mention the hassle of returning it to them anyway.
I don't think Trout and Smudge will "lose" any customers to the DX really anyway. I am a goldsmith by trade and couldn't hope to try to compete price-wise with Argos jewellery for example, but the people who come to me (usually) know that. They are a different client base who know that quality and guarantee are worth an extra cost.
+1 with blastit and billyboulders. I really, [i]really[/i] want one of Trouties planet scourer lights, and I'll find a way to pay for one, but, in the meantime my fatherless light is giving me adequate service for not a lot of money. I can justify paying Trout what he asks for his light, I can see exactly where every penny goes, whereas there is no way I could justify paying what Hope, Exposure, and [i]especially[/i] Lupine ask for their lights. I genuinely think Trout does better R&D than most of the big boys, redesigning the front of the light to put more light just in front of the front wheel being a case in point. It's all down to value for money: the DX lights are good VFM, Trouts lights, good VFM. Lupine? What do YOU think?
Solo
Good stuff And thanks for your support
2unfit
No apologies needed and a sensible post it is just done for fun and to keep my brain working as fitting floors is not too brain taxing.
and if it makes a little cash on the side then it is a bonus .
be nice to make a living out of it but the bastid puts that idea out the window
Kinda666
The batteries included is on a back burner and lent to a guy racing in America
Dobo
Yes sure would be a good idea and there is good feedback on to what suits some folks on here .
and most of the things you say apply to my stuff
Topdog
probably China
Blastit
Billy
Count
Thanks all good points and it is good to see some folks who want the best but not at any cost
I am not going to even try and do cheap and cheerfull except to offload my old stock , ( which is still better than most mainstream leds )
and do kits and some built up kick ass lights and bespoke insane ones too
I get quite a few requests for strange one off lights which is a whole load more fun than churning out the same thing all the time.
I think I need one of these Badly Drawn Fish light/battery combos.
Smudge..Trout...Geddit?
Have emailed.
Oops 😳
"[i][b]Anyway, ran my light today while on a ride, it kept switching down to the L2 setting due to temping-out[/b]. I've now set the cut-in to 80 degrees. Running during a sunny day will mean higher ambient, but I like to test my efforts at the higher end of what I expect the operational conditions to be. Belt-n-braces, and all that.[/i]"
I must point out that I am referring to one of my own lights and a light from Trout. Just in case anyone was thinking that.
Solo
Aarrgh !. That should read:
"[i]I must point out that I am referring to one of my own lights and [b]NOT[/b] a light from Trout. Just in case anyone was thinking that[/i]"
I'm going to go have a rest 😳
Solo.
Thanks for this thread - just ordered the Bike light - already have a P7 - but two are better than one. I'm almost excited about the dark nights now !
Hello all, sorry if it's bad protocol to resurrect this old thread but I thought it was the best place to post a "long term" report.
My bastid is over 6 months old now and has had alot of use and many charge cycles and has still given me no trouble whatsoever. I have seen the reports re. dodgy chargers (dangerously dodgy in some cases) I always charge it at work-they've got fire extinguishers handy!-and always keep an eye on it but to date the charger has never got any warmer than the one on my daughters Nintendo DS (for example). The light unit itself still works as brightly as day one and the battery pack holds its charge as well as ever. The only mods I've done were to unscrew the bezel and put a spot of grease on the threads to water proof things a bit more, I did the same with the mounting screw underneath. I've also put the battery pack inside a placcy bag as I can see how water may seep into the heat wrap on it. Both the light and battery have been absolutely soaked on some rides and have suffered no ill effects.
If you can run to it definitely get a Trout/Smudge combo......but (based solely on my own experience) I can't rate the bastid highly enough for those on a budget. It should have won STW's product of the year IMO!