Just wondering if anyone’s tried the latest Exposure Joystick back to back with the new Axis which seems to have the same footprint, but is a little brighter on paper. Specifically I’m wondering if the Axis has a similarly spotty beam as the Joystick or it it’s more of a scaled-down Diablo, which I already have.

I’m really looking to replace a slightly tired Joystick rather than have something that does what the Diablo does but with a lower output – I have a couple of back-up batteries so burn time doesn’t really matter, what I really want is a spot-beamed helmet light that will also cope with road riding use.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Can I ask why you don’t use the Diablo for road riding?

Can I ask why you don’t use the Diablo for road riding?

Because the beam is too fat and floody, it dazzles the hell out of oncoming drivers ime, so you spend half your ride pivoting it forward, though it’s fine when there’s no other traffic. I’ve just bought a Philips Saferide specifically for road riding for that reason, plan is to combine it with a Joystick for quieter roads.

The Joystick’s a more concentrated, spottier beam which actually works better on the road ime – I used one coming down Holme Moss the other night and despite being an old model with, I think, 240 lumens, it was just about enough, so I’m thinking a new 400-lumen one with a similarly tight beam pattern makes sense.

The Joystick’s the obvious call, but I don’t know what the beam on the Axis is like and there seems to be precious little info out there, so I’m wondering if it’s like a Diablo or a Joystick in beam terms.

Fair enough.
Thanks for explaining 🙂

You’re welcome. I do think the Diablo’s a brilliant off-road light, either on the bars or helmet btw, just not on the road for me.

Axis is a flood, whereas joystick is a spot. There were beam shots on website but I couldn’t get them last time I looked

Is it me or is Axis not a terribly appropriate name for a flood light? 😕

I was considering one a few months ago and phoned exposure and they put me onto the beam patterns. The guy said on phone that axis much more of a flood and the beam shots confirmed.

Based on me running a Joystick and my riding buddy using an Axis (so hardly a scientific review!), it’s definitely spotty like a Joystick, though it has a less obvious bright spot IIRC.

I don’t really know why they felt the need to introduce the Axis as a separate light rather than just updating the Joystick again.

Thanks Iain, appreciated. If anyone is looking for the beam comparison shots they’re at:

http://www.use1.com/exposure-lights/lights-comparison

Confirms that the Joystick is much more of a spot – at least based on their beam shots – and also maybe explains what I was saying about road use above.

and also maybe explains what I was saying about road use above.

Considering that the Strada – their road light – has a broader beam pattern than the Diablo, maybe not 🙂

Considering that the Strada – their road light – has a broader beam pattern than the Diablo, maybe not

I was thinking more of the Axis v Joystick tbh. I’m pretty unconvinced either by the Strada or the Lumi ‘road’ lights, which is why I bought the Saferide. With off-road lights used on the road you’ve always got loads of light spread above bonnet level unless you point them so far down you can only see 20m ahead.

I can’t believe no-one makes a high-powered road riding light with a proper wide beam pattern and a sharp cut-off to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic.

Anyway… Joystick it is 🙂