The Nitefighter BT40 looks like it might be a good ‘un, same format as the MJ872s I’ve been using for ages… Most of these XML x2 lights are obsessed with power and often have pretty poor beam patterns ime, the solarstorms and the like were such a step back. I don’t know if the XML just naturally lends itself to spotlights better or what but that seems to be what people do with them, and we’re way past the point where that made any sense imo.

Might pick up a BT70 though just to try, every year I buy a couple of new lights then sell them or bin them as they’re not as good as the old 872s, maybe this year…

can someone please tell me the best universal charger for a solarstorm?

I know there’s been threads on this but just need a link or just point me in the right direction.

I bought it last year so it might be a v2 or something, if that makes any difference.

many thanks in advance.

See my post on page 3 to a fluxient charger from torchey.

The Nitefighter BT40 looks like it might be a good ‘un, same format as the MJ872s I’ve been using for ages…

My mj872 got nicked last year and I got a BT40 from gearbest this autumn to replace it.

They are certainly in the same ballpark light wise (and the new turbo is WAY brighter). Heat path / paste etc are better. Only caveats are:

A: bars only as its floody
B: once you decided which diffuser you want to use then you may want to use a dab of sealant around the glass to waterproof it a bit better.

Like all Chineses lights imo – its not perfect – but bonkers value for < £20 delivered(head unit).

Ordered my BT21 from Gearbest less than ten days ago, received today.

Charged it up and giving it a battery test……..

So outside on the patio table I placed:

5 year old generic 1000 lumen – battery died after 30 minutes on High
3 year old Luminator – set on level 2 of 3 – 140 minutes
1 year old X2 – set on level 2 of 3 – 110 minutes

Straight out the box BT21 – set on level 3 of 4 – 165 minutes (2 hours 45 minutes) and still going…… pretty chuffed with that!

Quite happy to replace lights every year and recycle the bad ones through friends. Hopefully the battery will remain solid.

I’ve just switched it off…… don’t want it frying itself…… 3 hours 15 minutes and was still going.

masher – Member

A: bars only as its floody

I’ve used one on head, one on bars for a long time, including a night downhill race Yep it’s floody but it’s powerful enough to give a decent cast, and the flood gives it a more “natural” beam so fills in peripheral vision better and helps your eyes adapt, not to mention removing hotspots etc. IMO of course but at this level I’d sooner have 2 floods than a flood and a spot.

The BT40 neutral full package with battery (which people report as being true to specs) has been reduced to £33 on GearBest. That’s the current full package winner for me at the moment.

That’s a great price. If I didn’t already have a BT70 on the way I would snap it up.

One BT40s neutral full package on it’s way. Thanks for heads up.
Is the connection the same as Solarstorm X2, but without the screw bit?
Got separate cells in an 4 cell case thats works perfectly with Solarstorm connections.

Another BT40s full package ordered, probably not strictly necessary but seems like a no brainer at that price.

BT70 ordered. Will report in when it arrives.

I cant believe they have dropped a fiver since i ordered one just 10 days a go! Still waiting for mine but it looks like its going to be next week so i reckon a fortnight turnaround.

Edit: website has them at 40 quid which is 2 quid more than i paid….

Edit 2: 33 quid is for the s version which is reported as having 200 lumen less and a different led.

My bt21 has arrived and on first impression it looks pretty good, i guess time will tell.
Are people using the orings to attach to bar/helmet or is there an alternative?

First post on here for ages… Just wondering, does anyone still make their own lights these days or is the Chinese stuff so cheap that it isn’t worth it these days?

Years back I sold a lot of LED drivers after someone on here did a DIY conversion post for the Lumicycle lights. However, I’ve recently pulled the listings as I’ve not sold any drivers for months and very few over the last couple of years. I’m wondering if the market is still there and I’m just not finding it, or is it just no longer worth tinkering?

As a tinker who built about 10 lights I can only comment that it has not been worth it since solarstorm X2 and the like came out. DIY battery packs are IMO still worth it.

I’ve heard of a few people swapping drivers in Chinese lights for better ones recently, but nothing beyond that.

I’ve got a home workshop complete with lathe and milling machine and have built a lot of lights over the years for myself and friends. I still use a couple of them but have just ordered a NiteFighter BT21 as a result of reading this thread. I guess that tells you something!

I don’t think I could buy the components to make a light like that for the cost the Chinese are doing let alone fabricate the body and put everything together. The fact that high-profile fabricators like Troutie have moved on as well tells you that the DIY scene is practically dead now.

Having said that, I am currently working on a unique road light that as far as I am aware, isn’t commercially available anywhere. Before you ask, it’s for personal use only as the amount of time and effort it takes for me to make these things by hand, it just wouldn’t be commercially viable to try and sell them.

As good as Troutie’s lights are, I doubt very much if he made much out of them once all things were taken into account.

Bump thread, just got 4 18650 efest 2600mah and nitecore charger, waiting for battery pack from gearbest. As i currently have a solarstorm x2 with 6400 and the run time is not that great. Should improve, hopefully.

BlackCatTech – Member

First post on here for ages… Just wondering, does anyone still make their own lights these days or is the Chinese stuff so cheap that it isn’t worth it these days?

Years back I sold a lot of LED drivers after someone on here did a DIY conversion post for the Lumicycle lights. However, I’ve recently pulled the listings as I’ve not sold any drivers for months and very few over the last couple of years. I’m wondering if the market is still there and I’m just not finding it, or is it just no longer worth tinkering?

I’d love to still have a play around with my own lights, but the cost of the parts just means that it is hard to justify when compared with the light sets coming out of China nowadays.

I had 4 (or maybe 6) of your drivers a couple of years ago; I tried the 670mA ones and then the more powerful ones (were they 840?) in my Lumicycle cans. The higher current ones were too much for the housing & they overheated, which I think you warned me might be a real possibility.
But the 670’s are still running fine.

Where were you listing the drivers? ebay? I looked there occasionally for your drivers, when I realised that I should probably look at doing a new version of my original conversion, but could never find them.

To be honest, I looked at refreshing some battery packs I’ve got recently with new batteries as mine are getting quite tired. But, even that looks like it will be more expensive than just buying whole new packs and chucking the originals in the bin. The batteries from a reputable source look like they’d cost more than just buying a ready made set.

I rarely post my videos on forums other than MTBR but I’m going to coyly post this one. It covers how to buy cheap Chinese lights. Personally I would spend more and go for the Fenix or Magicshine, they offer great quality per £££

https://youtu.be/jgT0eJQk51A

Shameless plug, here’s all of my light reviews in one place. TBC Light reviews

I have helmet mounted my bt21 and although i have used the small rubber oring i would like it to be more sturdy as it seems the rubber on the bottom of the light isn’t that grippy when on the mount. Its ok and should be alright but i think there is a chance it might just start slipping, any idea?

One day I’ll get around to fitting a GoPro mount to my helmet and then screw a bit onto the bottom of my light to fit.

There’s a link to a US guy who makes them, but also you could modify a cheap mount from GearBest/DX/etc.

I also saw stem-cap replacements with a GoPro mount on top. Seemed like a good idea to me.

Im on the look out for some lights for my commute, never done a winter commute before so need front and rear.

Any reccomendations? USB rechargeable for both and something to light up an unlit cycle path for about 10-15 minutes.

Thanks. 🙂

Watching with interest.

Im on the look out for some lights for my commute, never done a winter commute before so need front and rear.

Any reccomendations? USB rechargeable for both and something to light up an unlit cycle path for about 10-15 minutes.

Thanks.

This thing rocks

– my go to commute light and I carry it as backup for mtb .. it’s bright enough on high to use for mtb as a main more or less anywhere. All in one design too, it’s great value.

Just got a solarstorm xt40 and 2 18650 battery boxes from gearbest. Fast turn around. Got 8 efest 2600mah 18650 batteries and nitecore intellicharger i4 v2 off torchy from ebay. See how they go, got a old solarstorm x2 might have a look for a helmet mount?

Thread bump

BT70 ordered from Gearbest on 5th September arrived yesterday.
Initial thoughts. Woah! That’s bright!
Not used it in anger yet.

NiteFighter BT21 arrived a few days ago from Gearbest. Everything suggests quality. The beam has a very wide throw with no hot spot

This thing rocks

– my go to commute light and I carry it as backup for mtb .. it’s bright enough on high to use for mtb as a main more or less anywhere. All in one design too, it’s great value.

Thanks for that! Awesome light fair play. Bought that and a Moon Shield rear light for 55 quid. Well happy with that.

Welcome 🙂 – I’m just off to buy a BT21, don’t need one but all this raving 😀

Does the gearbest website render like a 5 year old coded it for everyone, or is it just me?

Stumpy – They were listed on eBay up until a couple of months ago when I pulled the listings. It seemed that paying to have them listed and getting no sales was counter-productive. I might try again – might as well do something to try and shift the stock as the components are bought and paid for so even if I just cover costs that is better than writing it off.

First ride last night with the BT70 and it’s good!

Didn’t bother with a helmet light as I knew I’d get 3/4 of the ride done in daylight/twilight but the last descent with just the BT70 on the bars was more than fine. Turbo is bright 😀

Much brighter than the MTB Batteries light I’ve used on the bars for the last year or so.

Seems very well made too, a step-up from the other Chinese lights I’ve bought and used. Carry case with all of the accessories etc. is a nice touch as well.

My Hunk Lee battery just arrived.
Looks good – I also bought a reliable-looking charger at the same time as it was cheap. Nice thick wire, but haven’t seen the wire on the BT70 to compare.

Will be using it tonight.
I went for this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321320198129

a) because it has panasonic cells
b) because according to reports, higher capacity cells are great individually, but often discharge unevenly, so that 2S2P packs can often perform under-spec.

What is the difference between the ‘full package’ and the ‘simple set’ on the nitefighter bt70? ta

Simple set is just the light unit and mounts. Full package means you get that plus battery pack, charger etc.

Gearbest now doing alu GoPro mounts for the BT21/40s/70 for a quid, that seals the deal so a BT40s package and some mounting stuff all on their way.

Just received a Yinding light set from Gearbest, never had a proper bikelight before just used some Cree flashlights like the old fenix ones.

So far very impressed the light even on the low setting is good enough for riding at a normal pace off road and on trickier sections med was fine most of the time.

The light seems pretty well constructed and most reviews seem to rate the battery pack that comes with them as being fine for the money.
Definitely a highly rated budget light unit.

The fact that high-profile fabricators like Troutie have moved on as well tells you that the DIY scene is practically dead now.

Yes but his lights are still the best out there.
I’m the proud owner of his LL and his baby trout for my bonce.They are still going strong and can’t be beaten….
You can keep your chinese rubbish… 😆
Once you have held one of his creations you will understand.Quality will always win in anything you buy.

Just started using one of these bought for £42 on Ebay and am very pleased with it.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/review-one23-ex-bright-1000-front-light-12-46582/