Best £/ per Lumen setup – cheapskate edition

What the topic says. Bit like the other thread but I AM interested in cheap. I don’t really have much time to ride at night but it’d be nice to when I do have the time. I’m not in the market for 300 quid of lights for trail riding, I’d rather get a cheap road bike and stick my commuting lights on it for the same price.

So… torches, self build, what to do.

Make a lamp using a Philips masterline halogen bulb and hook it up to a pair of 7.2v NiMh radio controlled car batteries run in series to give 14.4v to overvolt the bulb.
Or buy one of these and use the battery as described above.
Very cheap, simple technology. Best lumens/£ I reckon.
Lumen figures are listed on that ebay listing I linked to.
I’ve been using one of those lamps with a 20w bulb (910 lumens) and it’s plenty bright enough and puts more expensive set-ups in the shade.

You might want to have a word with Lumicycle Simon, they seem to think a 20w bulb overvolted @ 14.4v puts out 650 lumens, not 910.

Philips MR16 Masterline bulbs are more efficient and put out more light than Lumi MR11 bulbs for the same wattage.

have both bulbs and neither is anything as bright as my 750 lumen cutter kit – who knows how either works this out but Simon is correct as to light v price (and phillips are brighter) unless you get a torch.
think the bulb can be set inside plastic waste pipe available from local DIY store etc so cost will be batteries + charger + a few quid

Well, the lumen figures could be right or wrong who knows?
Lumens aren’t the whole story, reflectors and lenses make a difference.
But IMO for cheap, bright, simple lights halogen is still the way to go.

MTB Britian P7 (2mode) review can’t beaten for the price IMO.
Though there is now a 5 Mode version which I believe is a better buy as the 3 Lo/Mid/Hi beam settings are very useful (same torch otherwise).
I though am trying Cree MC-E Which off hand, has a bigger central spot than the P7

The P7 is good for an hour on the High setting (the batteries come in pairs though – so your good for 2hr high beam), no idea wbout the MC-E yet though.