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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. 🙄