How about making a dedicated helmet light out of just 2 or maybe 3 of the leds. Would this make the unit light enough for head use? I cant see that being any heavier than the hope2.

How about making a dedicated helmet light out of just 2 or maybe 3 of the leds. Would this make the unit light enough for head use? I cant see that being any heavier than the hope2.

Oops, bloomin hotel internet connections! made me post it twice.

Can I upgrade my Liberator with 6 of those 🙂 bigger battery needed me thinks

I’d be happy with modes 2, 3 & 4..

5 looks great but probably more than I’d need really, plus I can’t be doing with more than three modes to go cycling through…

burn time, low weight, useable light levels and sensible pricing… got to be the winning formula.

All these new emitters seem to be bringing lighting nirvana closer and closer… happy days.

I’ll be honest. Its crap, no one will buy it. Send it to me and I’ll do a 5 year test on it with my push bike and moped for free. If it breaks I’ll send it back. I can’t see it being a big seller.

is that a blooper there?

Aaaah! So that was you playing with the lights then?

Yodagoat, bird misbehaving?

having ridden with 3600 lumen on (LL and Luminous 601), I’d say it’s far too much light.
No real benefit from just one of the lights, and that was DH at Innerleithen.
I think about 2k lumens is the max that most people will want.
Better to have smaller units and battery, or longer battery life.
Improved optics is the way to go, along with colour temperature to pick out more detail.

I reckon the ideal would be one of these with a very tight beam for distance and a second with a floody beam to fill in the gaps.

I’ll happily test it for you….

good work… Level 5 is insane…!

a compact 2 LED system would be the best i reckon.. just under 2000 lumens in a teeny package.. perfect! though it does rather depend on the optics..

something more akin to the Van light beam pattern keeping the light on the trail and less in the canopy (where its a bit wasted IMO and blins other people/cars) would be amazing.. but i cant see them producing that specific an optic/reflector for an LED..

Hmmm, 2LED helmet mount would pair up with the Liberator nicely for my new hobby of “Down Cliffing”. 😀

Chris I agree with you on too much light but have to say it is nicer than 2 liberators on full on the eyes in the flesh .

And I have got to do at least one insane light each year 😈

I cant see them going into production but will happily make one if someone wants one .

here is are shots from just one XML on high

and compared to a Bastid

Will probably take you up soon on that offer of the test when I get some decent optics . 😉

Spacehopper
Oval optics are available for most leds but they dont throw very well
so yes agree it would be worth a try as a spot and oval combi when/if they arrive .

Just wait till daytime – the sun is just as bright but dosent need batteries or charging up or fitting to your bike/helmet.

But I do like your lights. Not sure how bright Id want them before I loose the feeling of night riding though.

that shot of the Bastid makes it look better than it is – all the snow reflecting the light back to the camera

have been fiddling with an oval optic and a few others for my triple XPG build..

agree with the lack of throw with it but then i find all of the optics to be a bit lacking when compared to reflectors..

even the oval doesnt seem to have the distinct cut off of car lights though i guess that could be more to do with the fact car lights are both a large relector and a lens on the front? which would be tricky to build in a robust enough way for a tiny bike light LED package… and they probably wouldnt sell enough to justify the costs etc..

i wonder if a better oval beam pattern could be produced by squashing a regina slightly.. something for me to try tonight! i forsee cracking and delaminating reflectors… 😆

I don’t ride at night because I enjoy the challenge.
I work shifts and the most direct route is along the river bank.
I want all the light I can get.

I cant see them going into production but will happily make one if someone wants one .

I’m interested.
Can you give a bit more detail about size, weight, burn time, helmet & handlebar mounts and cost please.

With lights like that, singletrack in the trees rides slower in daylight because those pesky branches get in the way of the sun.

Chris – I’d certainly be interested in a nice compact 2 LED helmet version if you get around to making them – especially if it’ll run off a nice small battery pack

What optics are you using at the moment Troutie? The Regina reflectors?

Yes slightly modified Reginas in the monster light

just experimenting with optics I have in

Looks good – I’d have one in a flash when my Hope HID finaly dies (it appears to be slowly losing the will to light)

I`d be interested in a Single or double….. be more than enough for me

I currently ride with an Airbike P7 and I have 2 LUU P7s but not ridden with them yet.

How does the reflector size compare with the P7 type lights ?
Smaller or Larger ?

As an aside……would you happen to have a spare maxflex driver for a 7up ?

How many lumens/watt are these compared to the XPGs?

Once you get to a certain brightness, any increase becomes (arguably) irrelevant.
But, if you can achieve that level of brightness (whatever it may be) in a smaller package, using a lighter battery or increasing run time then that would be of interest.

For me, a helmet/bar combo is ideal. And I’d want the main bulk of the power on my bars with the helmet giving directional fill.

I went out last night with my Spokeshirts light (new DX style) on helmet and one LED converted Lumi can running the XPG triple board and BCT’s 670mA driver.
That is plenty of light. The Spokeshirts light will do 3hrs on full (9 on low) and the Lumicycle will go for 12hrs plus (I tested two cans on high and they went for 7hrs 20 mins. A friend of mine tried a single can on high to check he had enough juice for the D2D and gave up after 12hrs).

To be honest, the battery for the Lumi is too big, but was purchased for the days of 20/12w halogen. I am currently waiting for the bits to arrive to convert the second Lumi can to LEDs with the XPG triple board and BCTs new 830mA driver. Even running both of these, the battery should still give 6hrs or so with both on high. I’m almost be tempted to get the battery off to Lumi and ask them to split it into two separate smaller batteries.

The Spokeshirts light is great for the money, but I’d prefer it to not have a separate battery for helmet duties and it does sit quite high on my bonce.
With the advances in LED technology like you’ve demonstrated my ideal helmet light would be a similar output/run time to the spokeshirts but with an all contained more compact unit……

Hi Trout 🙂

I think that for an XPG at 700ma, you’re getting around 280 lumens and for an XML you’re getting 300 lumens ?.

I think the main advantage of this LED will be that it has a slightly lower Vf and can take higher currents.

Mine haven’t arrived yet. Shall I cancel my subscription….Oops, wrong thread.
😆

I made up a tiny triple XPG (about 1100 lumens) helmet light as a prototype and found two things:
1. I don’t need that much light.
2. I could only use it when the ambient temperature was less than 5 degrees – cooling was an ‘issue’

Gone back to our Tiddler – 400 lumens with a tight beam is perfect for the helmet IMHO.

Mr trout are you involved with DStar LED ? Its just that they are using one of you pictures, or they have taken it at the same location?

Lipseal
No not involved with Dstar , But did help him on the design and testing of the first Lights with a few beamshots also , so there is no skulldugggery going on , But thanks for pointing it out .
That beam shot is 3 MCE `s .
Steve also did some machining work for me in 2009

CR500dom
Yes got a few Maxflex`s available if you want one but they do have a custom firmware and would possibly need a bit of reconfiguring

Would it be possible to make a complete unit, like an exposure joystick ( and the same size as a joystick)
with just one of those led that last three hours on a 1000 lumen setting. That would be brilliant.

Amazing power off one led….any idea of the lumens you could get off a 3w dynamo with these?

+1 dyls

Chris, I’d too love an integrated single led + battery helmet jobbie to go with my 2009 liberator I’ve got on the bars.

Yes got a few Maxflex`s available if you want one but they do have a custom firmware and would possibly need a bit of reconfiguring

Think that will be above my skill level TBH. 😳

Finally got it on the bike ready for a spin tonight

+1 for dyls suggestion!

and also a 2 led one for the bars with a 4+ hour burn time and I am shopping!

Please…..

+ 1 for a helmet version.

The light off my Lib-3 now swamps my DoubleShot Pro helmet light which has/had a useful Spot beam!

…though do like the look of that on the bike Chris!

Jon Taylor – Member

That’s silly troutie, noone will want that, but if you need someone to test one, I have friends who needs their retinas burning.

Night ride in Spain this year Jon?

Short video of the thing in action on the road
sorry about the wheezing as full of cold 😥