eBay Cree XML £20 Torch – out of the box, pics & review

UK seller:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-Torch-Light-Holder-Grip-handle-bars-mount-/170691220050?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item27bdfd5252

Everyone else:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=2&_nkw=torch%20handlebar%20mount&_fln=1&_npmv=3&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283

Im using this mount. working well
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-Torch-Light-Holder-Grip-handle-bars-mount-/170691220050?

EDIT – same as zippy has linked to.

Its stable, grips well. no wobble.

offhand he’s the only uk based seller (quick delivery) going by a quick search, I only looked as I’ve been meaning to get one for an old torch, though as I’m in no rush I’m trying this guy:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320726783760?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

How long did you charge batteries for? Did light colour change. Obviously no instructions in box. Thanks

My 18650 battery charger, no idea if its the same as the one supplied, goes from red to green when charged.

yep, red to green. takes a while as they are not amazing chargers. prob v low Amperage.

Thanks- ordered 🙂

I bought one of these torches. It’s brilliant. Thanks for the heads up.

Can someone do me a favour and give me the dimensions of the batteries that accompany this particular torch please.

I bought one of these torches. It’s brilliant. Thanks for the heads up.

+1

Dimensions

Danke

Silly question . I just got one of of these today . Took it apart , as you do , and looking at the way the pill and reflector sit i think the heat transfer could be better .
There appears to be a gap of .5mm from the side of the pill / reflector ass’y . Surely if this was in contact with the torch body , between the O ring and the ridged section more heat would transfer?
At the moment , as only the base is in good contact there is room for improvement.
Amazingly bright little torch , and ridiculous value .
Might try some cooking foil in there to take up the space between the reflector and the body

There’s this one as well, much slimmer design:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-v6-t60-xm-lt6-5-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-100162

Not a good image, but best I could find.

First use of my torch in anger tonight (as a head torch). The brightness is impressive and worked well as a partner to my bar mounted J836 Magicshine.

I got about 1 hour of a battery that was out of the packet. When it went, the light went out completely. I was worried that the torch was broken but I changed the battery and it worked again straight away.

I don’t trust the charger though and I would like better burn times from the batteries, so I have bitten the bullet and gone for some Senybor 2800’s and an Ultrafire charger (both from torchythebatteryboy on ebay).

Maybe a needless expense (about £25 worth) but at least I should be able to trust the charger and less time between battery swaps on the trail and it still works out way chaaper than a Joystick and it is much brighter 😉

I’ve bought one of these from ebay and a couple of mounts, including the 360 degree rotational one, I might borrow a volt meter and test the charger just to be sure!

Pleasant surprise on these – mine doesn’t work at all, dropped them a mail, they’ve said they’ll replace it, no hassle at all.

Got one of these for commuting and it’s ace.

As a PSA if you didn’t know, the 5 modes can be cycled through by just a short depression of the on/off switch – not enough to switch it off, just a short press.

can you try repeatedly hitting it off a wall hard to see if you can make it change mode like the old P7 torches do when barmounted if you ride proper rough trails/jumps or drops ?

they also change mode if the battery rattles inside so to try and reduce that I wrap mine are in gaffer tape so they’re only just loose enough to get back out the torch.

Hmmm, mine was changing mode this evening when I was rattling along local green lanes on my rigid bike (with 1.5 Nimbus slicks). Annoying, though it dosen’t do that when I’d riding on the road or with front suspension. I checked the battery and it’s pretty tight in the casing. 🙁

As a PSA if you didn’t know, the 5 modes can be cycled through by just a short depression of the on/off switch – not enough to switch it off, just a short press.

Also discovered this earlier this evening 🙂

Yeah, great torch and all – light and cheap and a big enough beam to see most of what I need to for how fast I can actually go. Thanks for the heads-up.

Probably just me as it’s the sort of thing that comes my way but I tried the mount (the mic holder type) over some rough stuff the other night and the torch managed to wobble out depsite me tightening the screw to the point where it distorted the shape of the hole. I fixed this by rolling one of the little rubber grip thingies that came with the torch into the rear groove thereby giving me a lockring of sorts.

Just a quick tip should you experience this bit of bad luck.

Sorry for the thread revival.

Hmmm, mine was changing mode this evening when I was rattling along local green lanes on my rigid bike (with 1.5 Nimbus slicks). Annoying, though it dosen’t do that when I’d riding on the road or with front suspension. I checked the battery and it’s pretty tight in the casing.

I tried mine out last night and it did the same…

Has anyone managed a fix when it does this?

There’s a silver ring in the tail cap of the torch, the ring has two small holes in it, get a couple of pencils or screws poke them in the small holes and turn to tighten. Works usually.

There’s a Youtube video with tops on how to fix various problems with ultrafire type torches.

Cheers Hammerite, I’ll give it a go tonight mate! It was a bit disconcerting when I was riding through the woods and the strobe light kicked in. 🙂

I gave that fix a try and it seems to have done the trick, i found that a small pair of nail scissors fitted in the two holes nicely. It too a few goes but now the light only changes when I press the button. Cheers once again!

Bought one of the Aldi ones yesterday and it’s bloody ace for £10.99

Use something similiar from deal extreme one on the bars one on the helmet.

Use these handlebar brackets
Bracket

Use one of these on the bars and some pipe lagging/cable ties on the helmet

Do you realise that a laptop power pack normally comprises of the 18650 batteries?!?! Take an old laptop battery break it up and carefuly seperate the batteries and use your normal charger!

I bought 2 of the Aldi ones. For the price they are brilliant!

hammerite – Member
There’s a silver ring in the tail cap of the torch, the ring has two small holes in it, get a couple of pencils or screws poke them in the small holes and turn to tighten. Works usually.

That’s fixed mine, nice one. I thought it was DOA.

anyone tried this one?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-1000-Lumens-Flashlight-Torch-501-2-x-18650-2-Slots-Charger-/120816852198?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c213edce6

Ive got one of those cruz.

Pretty good torch to be honest but i am taking the 1000 lumens with a pinch of salt!

Excellent spare incase my main light goes down but the charger zapped itself so i am looking for a better one.

Just got one of these and the charger has been going for about five hours and is still on red, is this normal?

takes a long time with the shite chargers, yes – and i would not recommend leaving it unattended personally.

Thanks, now charged but doesn’t work. Tried tightening the ring thing to no avail. Any other suggestions?

Update – working now!

worth saying in here, that Ive been using mine a fair amount over these last few months since the OP, and it’s been faultless.

Very chuffed with it.

Mines is a nice quality torch, sometimes when I switch it off! I need to remove the battery and put it back in to get it back on.

But all in all a great pice of kit for the money1

I’ve been using one of these lights since October time. Great light for £20, both on and off-road. I had to use a torch style mount, as the one that comes with it is rubbish. Also on my second charger, as first one packed in after couple of uses. Battery life is around an hour, so it’s handy it comes with two batteries. Well impressed though, especially for the money.