Think I’ve found my dream front light + mount combo, the ROCKBROS AKA OFFBONDAGE D3-1000 mounted under a K-edge Garmin mount with a quarter turn quick release – sleek and quick!

The lens has an excellent beam cutoff making it comparable to STVZO lights – one review stated its cutoff is better than that of the Ravenmen CR1000!

Otherwise it has USB-C, 2.5 hour runtime at 1000 lumen, weighs 150 grams, measures 11.5x3x3 cm and cost 17 pounds incl shipping from aliexpress (I could only find the OFFBONDAGE version). Also found the metal gopro mount there.

If that runs at a genuine 1000lm for 2.5hrs for £17, then bless you my child, I’m just off back home to the Vatican.

My money is on about 500 for an hour or so.

It’s definitely around 1000 lumen, extremely strong.

Now I haven’t done a battery rundown test, but Rockbros is a legit brand and I’ve been very happy with their rear lights in the past esp the Q5, both with regards to output and battery life.

A review for a different rockbros 1000lm light stated:
“Awesome design and functionality! Love the power level indicator function in the power button. Very light weight and the 1000 lumens is very comparable to my expensive 1500 lumen headlight.

The stated 1.8 hours of runtime at full power is not achievable. I have only gotten a max of about an hour to and hour and 15 minutes, which is typically not long enough for my night rides.”

So judging by this one should be able to get up to 70% of the stated runtime, or 1.75 hours.

it says Bondage on it…. LoLzzZZZzzzZZzzz!!!!111!!one.

good stuff tho. Sounds like a good bit of kit for the price.

5 modes? How many are epilepsy inducing strobes and how many are useful?

5 modes? How many are epilepsy inducing strobes and how many are useful?

It cycles through 3 modes high med low off just clicking it, to get to the strobe party you need to long-click, hence you never enter it by mistake.

In that case I might give it a look.

One negative, it only charges via USB A to USB C, in other words plugging it into a usb c charger with a usb c cable won’t work due to it not being able to tell the charger what voltage it needs.

It only works with 5V (USB A spec). I’ve found this with several “USB-C” lights. An ok workaround is to use a USB A to C adapter and get a longer USB A to C cable that can then charge all your USB C devices (at 5V).

one review stated its cutoff is better than that of the Ravenmen CR1000!

Ravemen lights have a terrible cutoff, and are nothing like StVZO.

This light looks good.

The lens has an excellent beam cutoff making it comparable to STVZO lights – one review stated its cutoff is better than that of the Ravenmen CR1000!

Not surprising, the ravemen isn’t a cut-off, more like a wide elliptical beam, with a narrower one aimed at the top portion of it.

Gives the benefit to the rider of an STVZO beam, in that the road is evenly illuminated into the distance rather than having a hot spot, but doesn’t have a cut off above it.

n.b. STVZO bans strobe functions, which is probably why it doesn’t have that.

It’s definitely around 1000 lumen, extremely strong.

STVZO lights look bright because the light is where you want it, not out the sides or in the sky. Even if it’s made up lumens, it probably ‘looks like’ 1000lumens even if it’s only ~200. Which is a good thing because the other 800 in a round beam is just wasted battery weight and irritating to other road users.

Link?

I have the same light, but by Newboler. You’ve got a choice of mounts for these, standard bar mount (that’s alloy), Garmin mount, and also a reversible mount.

I’ve got two. So far so good – had them about 6 weeks. Charged once a day for a 90-100 minute round commute (45-50 mins each way). The cut off is great for shared paths. Battery performance has been fine, as has waterproofness – got soaked on a few occasions.

Low. medium and high. Long press off. Double press to enter flash mode, which you have strobe or normal flash. Double press to get back to steady.

Link?

https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004731646004.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.9e2e7f15iLXGO2&algo_pvid=91f54a17-aa2b-407f-bec6-3fd53cfb1ce1&algo_exp_id=91f54a17-aa2b-407f-bec6-3fd53cfb1ce1-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000030836511518%22%7D&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21PLN%21166.74%21108.37%21%21%21%21%21%400b0a050b16693027774477886e3a98%2112000030836511518%21sea&curPageLogUid=YNNMUnZ948RM

@thisisnotaspoon makes sense.

@fossy Good to hear, not much point paying more, but wonder if more expensive lights have proper USB C and charge faster (plus displays with detailed charge indicators).

My Ravemen PR1600 has USB-C and charges relatively fast – it looks like the lower brightness models have micro-usb though.

The Ravemen cut-off is not a precise line, but is markedly better than any of the other lights I have from a perspective of dazzling others on the road.
My Lumicycles, Moon Sport 1600 & old Spokeshirts light (the silver can that was popular a few years back) all have conical reflectors that light up the trees & everything else ahead.
The Ravemen only lights the road & a bit of spill onto the hedges. It is a noticeably smaller light envelope that is iluminated by the beam & I have never been flashed while riding with it on the road – I’ve had it for the last 2 winters, I think.

I did some tests facing the light mounted on the bike to assess the difference between the main beam & the ‘dipped’ beam & it is quite pronounced.
Not STVZO standard, but a good attempt to prevent dazzling other road users, I think.
Build quality is rock solid too.

Does anyone know the difference between the D3-1000 and the RHL-1000? Specs look pretty similar, but not sure about beam pattern, etc and looking at one of these for the road.

Actually, having checked I’m not convinced there are any D3-1000 left at the moment.

The RHL has an adjustable rail style mount, bit larger body and a slightly smaller battery. Otherwise I think they’re nearly identical. But look for the OFFBONDAGE 1000 (see my link) it’s the same as the D3-1000 if you want that kind of mount (makes it a bit sleeker) for “reverse” mounting.

That’s great, thanks.

Well my offbondage arrived yesterday, didn’t get a chance to charge it before my (very cold) night ride

It’s small and quite light, great for helmet, but hopefully batteries last a while

Quick comparison between my Halfords 1000lumen and the offbondage one below

I’d say there’s not much in it hopefully get a ride in next week to see how it fares on the trails

I would say you may need a secondary light on trails with these, unless you angle it up more due to the cut off. My commute is off road, and on a descent I can’t see as far forward as I’d like as the beam is only at waist height – it’s OK for the speed. Perfect for road, and less technical trails.

I always run one on the bars & one on the helmet, I find with just one or the other the shadows can be deceptive, especially on descents.

But I think 2 of the offbondage ones would be great, (run time depending)

This thread made me buy one as well which has just arrived. I naively thought that the mount came with it due to it being shown in one of the pictures. But disappointed I now have to buy a mount to suit.

What would everyone recommend? I want something that makes it easy to remove when I lock the bike up but don’t see myself ever having a Garmin with it as it is just for daily commuting. Wish I’d ordered one at the same time from Ali express.

Brickhill car park looks a bit dicey.