Hi all, a few months ago I posted this thread

4×18650 MTB front light recommendations

I took on some suggestions and bought a 4×18650 battery pack and a big 12 odd Cree LED front light.

The problem is, the beam quite poor for a bike light (too spotty, waste of 4x18650s), and the modes are bad too (High kills battery in 2hrs, strobe is retina destroying for oncoming traffic).

For city riding, I would like to make use of my 18650 cells, and possibly battery pack! I’d like a front light with a decent flood, but more importantly, better flashing mode (not ridiculous disco strobe). One that pulses every half-second would be brilliant if anyone knows of one. I’d be happy if the light accepted 2x18650s and was self contained. Thank you STW!

Don’t know of a light that checks all three

1. Takes rechargeable 18650
2. Cutoff beam
3. Pulse rather than flash

Fenix BC30 does 1, 2
Ravemen PR series does 2,3

I use a Ravemen PR900 and like it a lot. High (emergency) mode will still onlŷ last 1.5hrs but I never need it except for the very worst unlit potholed descending sections. May upgrade to the 1200 at some point to improve MTB/gravel-use.

For urban, road and most gravel use am happy with the 900 using mostly medium/low and pulse modes. Pulse mode is great for town use, I find. I never bothered with strobe/flash modes on other lights.

Have never tried the Fenix but remember shortlisting it. The extra cost of decent batteries + charger put me off iirc.

Moon use removable cells in their lights but they come with them. They are reliable and not too expensive. I’d also get a back up light, I use a knog flasher.
Keep the big light for off road.

I’ve got a Ravemen PR1600 here & the pulsing mode is good; it’s a permanently on mode (low intensity) with a bright flash approximately every second.
It uses the ‘cut-off’ road lens so shouldn’t dazzle drivers.

If this is solely for road riding, then they also do a range of lights with just one lens which also has their ‘cut-off’ lens design. This range has the same flashing mode.

I’ve just bought one of these Moon ones. Compact, cheap @ £19 and the battery lasts for ages on pulse.
https://www.merlincycles.com/moon-meteor-c2-titanium-rechargeable-front-bike-light-2019-157557.html

I really rate my Cateye Volt 400 thing. It’s all self-contained and uses its own battery. Has a pulsey mode which is what I use 99% of the time. Battery seems to last ages (at least 6 hours on that setting which is my week of commuting, I’ve never run it fully flat). It’s not bright enough for off road of course (or even road riding in the pitch black) but for commuting it’s ideal IMO.

Oh, except that I hate Micro USB. Wish it had a better charger connector. But that’s about the only downside.

+another for Raveman. Well built, good battery life and the pulsing mode is excellent and the high beam modes blind at a couple of miles should you ever need a bit of real punch. Excellent thing it is.

If push comes to shove as well you can use it as a power bank to charge your phone, bike computer or whatever also.

High kills battery in 2hrs

That’s pretty good innit?

For city riding

4 18650s in a battery pack for city riding? I don’t understand. You just need a bike light. Get a See.sense

Screw you and your annoying bloody pulsing shit light. I wish they were banned.

Very pleased with my Cateye Volt 800 too. Just works. Not expensive. High quality. Well made by an established manufacturer who know how to make stuff thats sealed etc. About £50. Mine’s the earlier rounder one.

https://road.cc/content/review/251430-cateye-volt-800-front-light

If this is solely for road riding, then they (Ravemen) also do a range of lights with just one lens which also has their ‘cut-off’ lens design. This range has the same flashing mode.

Good point. Just seen that Ravemen also have some newer models in that (CR) range featuring a ‘T-shaped’ beam. So not all beam-patterns are equal.

CR are smaller units than a PR, and with shorter runtimes/smaller batteries.

Some CR models will accept a battery-pack/powerbank for extended runtime. ie

With T-shaped beam:
http://www.ravemen.com/product/CR800.html

With ‘DuaLens’ anti-glare cut-off low-beam wotnot:
http://www.ravemen.com/product/CR700.html

There’s also STVZO lights to consider, but being in the UK we don’t tend to have much truck with those mad Germans who will insist that road-light beam-patterns should be designed/optimised for road-use. Insane. What’s wrong with 1. blinding people or 2. just pointing your round unfocused beam at your front tyre?

On road I point my beam a bit to the left. What I’m aiming for is to catch the eyeball of a motorist sat a junction waiting to turn right. That “sorry mate didn’t see you” that puts you on the bonnet/ into his wheel with no warning when your riding past and not expecting the pull out. Hands ready on the brakes and discs to stop quicker…cant always stop it. People will still see you and pull out coz they think they can make it before killing you. You’re expendable and in the way on a bike. Road ridng its only a matter of time before you get hit even with flashing lights and high viz. Old folk genuinely can’t see and stressed mothers in a rush late for school drop off at 9/3 see you but will still kill you. They’re the two worst drivers in my commuting experience.