IA – How long have you had the light? Bar or helmet mount? Are you happy with it off-road?

Thanks

I’ve just taken the plunge via MTBBatteries site and will report back on due course

Just had it 2 days! So not tried it in anger yet.

I have been off-roading at night since 2003 though, and I can tell you already it’s far brighter than anything I’ve used previously (and that includes for 24hr races etc). I can’t see me being unhappy with it.

I’ll probably go with helmet mount at first, though with a light on the bars too, as I find just a lid-light “flattens” the trail as it doesn’t cast shadows you can see on bumps etc. So as it’s brighter than anything else I have, for this reason it may end up on the bars.

Though where you put most of your light depends where you ride. I mostly night ride in open hills (pentlands) at the moment, where a bar light is no issue. But when it was twisty-woody singletrack (Ashton Court) then a head light makes a lot more sense.

z1ppy – Member
Stevewhyte: no experience of the seller but off-hand these are seemingly the cheapest

Cheers, will report back on how i get on.

I’m close to ordering from mtbbatteries for a bar mount light and might go for torch like this to mount on helmet WF-501B

Anyone else using this set up? Is there a way to attach a torch to a helmet?

Ta

I just use cable ties – I ride with a Hex helmet and the vents are positioned well enough to make a secure fix. Cheap and cheerful.

but I have a bar mount (cheap) for another ‘torch’ and that works fine for me…..

the site below has bar and helmet fixing and is where I got my lights from previously.

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/lockblock.html

Ncfenwick, I used a similar one for several years, as per GDRS link, I used a 2fish lockblock, suplimented with zip-ties to provide extra support & stability. The are available from loads (DealExtreme/Decathlon) of place either inline or crossed, so will fit most helmets one way or another. The ‘problem’ with these torches is that they aren’t exactly heavy but you can definitely feel them on your head, and will tend to wobble a bit. As a cheap helmet light solution they are brilliant though.
Can I suggest you look at the 5 mode units too, as the high can be too high for bibbling and the low tend to be next to useless IME – once you learn the button cycle it easy to by-pass the strobe modes. Also you have the option of buy the more powerful XM-L LED in the same package if you wanted, for not a lot more money & I believe will be better suited as a helmet light due to their inherent hot spot.

One of several 5 mode P7 torches available from the UK warehouse. Here are a couple of XM-L options.

Cheers z1ppy sounds ideal do you know where I can get an ‘inline’ lockblock from a uk seller? Like this universal nylon mount?

TBH I bought mine 2nd hand, and have ordered others from DealExtreme since, as I wasn’t in a rush. I know I’ve seen them in Decathlon once, but haven’t searched for them since, so can’t help you much with other UK suppliers. I did do a quick search of the DX Uk warehouse and seemingly they don’t stock em.

Off-hand try a WTD post, as lots of ppl have moved onto the magicshine bike light with remote battery packs, so there should be a glut of spares available.

You can get 1300 lumen Cree torches for £19.99 (including batteries and charger) delivered off ebay. A couple of my mates have them and for the money they are awesome!

I think they come with mounts as well.

Z1ppy – agree about the weight…..but as a low tech solution / anyone intrested in a taster of night riding in the woods I think it’s fine.

The other thing I think it’s worth saying if people are looking at mounting options for torch style lights, is that if you have any switchbacks / tight corners to negotitate at night a head mount is great as you can look ‘around’ the corners (I find bar mount only set ups are a bit limiting in the tight and twisty).

I have just got my 1600 claimed lumen MJ 872’s today, going for a trial tonight, but so far, they look like a great wee light, very floody rather than spotty.. 🙂

Decided to go for one of the following but not sure which one! Can anyone advise for/against either of them? Has anyone any experience of the lumenjunkies light?

http://www.lumenjunkies.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=111

http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/4.html

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/products/Magicshine-bike-light-set-MJ-808LSET

Cheers

The magicshine is the old P7 led so Smudges XMLT6 or the LJ one is much better. I can’t advise on which is the better battery pack but they seem the same with the exception that LJ’s has a higher voltage which may last less time [am I right in saying that] in comparison with Smudges but then that’s also quite a saving over the latter too

I think I’m going for one of Smudge’s…. anyone else got one and rate it highly? Is there any other lights that I should contemplate before diving in?

I have one and do like it but then I use it in conjunction with another torch (one on bars and one on helmet), so any issues there are with the central hotspot is bypassed.

Now I have one, I think they only other light I’d consider as an alternative is one of these though I’ve yet to see one in action (m8 has one on order). That and it wasn’t available so cheaply & in the UK when I ordered my XM-L, though it’s still £30 more than Smudges unit.

Another vote of support for the smudge light at mtbbatteries.co.uk

Used mine for the 1st time last night on a 2.5hr ride on a mixture of trails from green lanes, woodland singletrack, tracks etc. Worked brilliantly on my helmet in conjunction with a floody light in the bars.

It has a very bright hot spot but also lots of spill to light up nearer. I found it’s hot spot perfect as it throws so well you can look really far up the trail. I ran it on medium or low for much of the ride it’s so effective.

It’s hugely brighter than my previous P7 light with lots more spill and throw. Because you can run it on lower settings for a similar result the battery life is much improved too.

I bought a light from MTBBatteries too, I’ve found the centre hot spot too bright to use as a bar mounted light, so it’s going on my lid and I’ve bought a MJ-872 for the bars. Carpark testing last night showed the 872 to have a much broader beam spread. Both are excellent lights, way exceeding my old L&M ARC.

I was looking at the Exposure Six-Pack yesterday at the show but can’t justify £400+ on a light.

Does anyone know of anything close to the spec of this but for less £££’s?

Another +1 for Smudge. Bought an XML for Erlestoke earlier this year, it was fantastic – and an absolute bargain. Smudge was a pleasure to deal with too.

Tried my new MJ-872 for the first time last night,it’s bloody bright alright !As others have already stated,the beam is a flood rather than spot beam,so would be best used as a bar mount with a spot on your lid.Didn’t use it on the highest setting very much & kept it on the 50 or 75% setting(500-900 lumens)most the time,which were fine.It wasn’t too bright on the highest setting,I just didn’t need it that bright & it increases the burn time quite a bit too.For the price it is very good value for money & would recommend it to anybody.My helmet light is a Stella 300 which is only 300 lumens but it has a nice beam to it & decent burn times…

Wisepranker, depend what you actually want tbh, if you really want that much light in a single enclosed package then your mainly limited to the larger manufacturers and there pricing (actually is it just exposure who do this type? I stopped looking at the main light manufacturers kit a few years back).

Trout was playing with making one IIRC, and Luminous seemingly flogs one only slightly less powerful.
Luminous’s looks rather lovely actually, though it isn’t chinese torch cheap – though it never will be when it a one man band creating quality products (click on piccy to get to his site):

If you want cheaper then you going to need to use a light with an external battery pack, from china … lots and lots of advice above

Sorry just to add quickly, I’ve no idea if Exposures or Luminous figures are actual measured output, or theoretical outputs (as per the DX/Magicshine stuff).
I suspect Luminous’s figures will be real, but can’t say that for the exposure ones…

Oh and a quick glance at the What MTB light review suggest only Exposure make high output all-in-one jobbies (though there may be others), lots of other ppl doing smaller ones 500 or less lumens (that DX did so well 3 years ago with the p7 torches)

Those Luminous lights look nicely made – if the internals are as well specified as the connector they’ve used then the prices are very good value.

Just ordered a MJ-872 off flee bay.

£89, which seems pretty decent price for a quality light.

Cant wait to do my first forest night ride.

just ordered a NiteRider MiNewt 600 Cordless Front Light from merlin for 98 quid. should be perfect for the commute as I shouldnt need to run it on full power.

10% VIP discount (errr thats just for having an account) + 10% off with niterider10 promo code.

MJ-872 look really good. I am planning to get one, do others use a head light with them if so which one?

regards

Tell you what the MJ-872 is a great bit of kit.

Not been on the bke with it but am amazed at the intensity and spread of light.

The quality seems to be spot on both the light unit and battery.

I consider it pretty good value for money, altho it is still not cheap at £90

Have you got a link to it for £90 Steve? Cheers

quite a few different variants from here

I used these guys

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAGICSHINE-MJ-872-LED-LIGHT-1600-LUMEN-BIKE-LIGHT-TORCH-/270822550692?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item3f0e482ca4

I just got the MJ 872 light from Ebay, £89 🙂

wee write up here; http://coastkid.blogspot.com/2011/10/magicshine-mj-872-1600-lumens-light.html

Thanks

Any advance on those suggestions? Sold out. Best I’ve found so far is £100 without helmet mount.

Try again,just ordered some but not getting delivered till end of month,keep trying as i did,too good to miss, good luck Brycey !
Still £89 🙂

Cheers. They just emailed me to say they were going live again.

I’ve got a Hope Vision 2 LED for sale. £45 posted if you’re interested.

<img src=”http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6223714778_e694436ce9.jpg&#8221; width=”500″ height=”392″ alt=”P1010174″>" alt="" title="" class="bbcode-image" />

<img src=”http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6223714778_e694436ce9.jpg&#8221; width=”500″ height=”392″ alt=”P1010174″>

P1010174 by eddkh, on Flickr

<img src=”http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6223714778_e694436ce9.jpg&#8221; width=”500″ height=”392″ alt=”P1010174″>

edd

I’ll have that Hope vision 2 for £45 posted,cheers

Reign_Man – YGM

Edd
If Reign_Man doesn’t take the Hope I’m interested in it too.