Thanks. What's the pricing info for those ituos? Couldn't find anything on the website
Recommend me a good bike light
- Thread starter eric strt6
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Thanks. What's the pricing info for those ituos? Couldn't find anything on the website
Nvm found a different site. Google also pointed me to an empty beer thread. These guys seem like they're a new company no? Hesitant to go with someone new because I've read stories of cheap Chinese lights having the battery catch fire during charging (one guys house caught fire). Granted they are at a price point I'd expect for something of higher quality. Plus the battery is Panasonic, so there's that.
I suggest that you consider a kerosene lantern.
Do you have any for sale? Or are yours all still whale oil?
I think the largest recall of lithium batteries ever was Sony.
The cheapest insurance is to get a $5 flower pot and put the battery inside vs RC LiPo charging bags (much more likely to fail while charging because of chemistry).
I have two light n motion 800 and two lumina 750. They're both good lights, one on bar, one in helmet and I can pretty much ride normal speed on any of my local spots.
solarstorm x2's are the shit in regards to bang for the buck lights. $20 a set - get 2 minimum (bar & lid), or add a second to the bar if you're feeling flush. been running these for a couple years without a glitch. of course build quality isn't the same as multi 100 dollar units, but they put out solid lumens, and at the price you can have a spare on hand if anything craps out.
http://www.lightmalls.com/solarstorm-x2-2000-lumen-dual-head-bicycle-light-with-2xcree-xm-l-u2-led-4-modes-4-18650-battery
http://www.lightmalls.com/solarstorm-x2-2000-lumen-dual-head-bicycle-light-with-2xcree-xm-l-u2-led-4-modes-4-18650-battery
solarstorm x2's are the shit in regards to bang for the buck lights. $20 a set - get 2 minimum (bar & lid), or add a second to the bar if you're feeling flush. been running these for a couple years without a glitch. of course build quality isn't the same as multi 100 dollar units, but they put out solid lumens, and at the price you can have a spare on hand if anything craps out.
http://www.lightmalls.com/solarstorm-x2-2000-lumen-dual-head-bicycle-light-with-2xcree-xm-l-u2-led-4-modes-4-18650-battery
NOPE
http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-interviews/a-cheap-chinese-bike-light-nearly-burned-down-this-riders-house/
Users familiar with light systems on mtbr rarely ever use the cheap bundled battery packs. I have an X3 in two color temps (one was light head only) - I have never used the bundled battery pack or charger. Most of the lights use the same connectors and voltage so this is a non-issue to anyone familiar with LED light systems.
If this is true then might as well start out by not buying crap.
/me has bought and used crap before as well as nice lights, and hasn't burnt down any houses yet
If the light head performs well, a cheap battery pack that's bundled doesn't change that fact. Just like getting a factory bike that has some components you don't like - you don't have to use what is stock if it's a great deal regardless.
Yea and I'm not an electrical engineer and I don't peruse the depths of empty beer, that's why I'm posting in a thread on recommendations for lights. Not a thread on how to hack together three light systems with parts from eBay and radioshack
My preference is for a steady state gravity controlled fusion reaction source. Good broad spectrum and shadows. Good for an average 12 hour burn time each day. Has an equivalently long recharge time but comes with a few billion year warranty.
You are a poet. Unfortunately, I can mostly only ride during the recharge time periods so a primitive portable photon emitter is a must.
So you have a hard time telling the difference between dollar store AAs and Energizer or Duracell too? The connector is exactly the same on almost all the led lights (and the majority of light systems - from the $40 to the $400 are ALL made in China regardless). You don't need any special knowledge other than the fact that bargain direct Chinese lights include shitty batteries - it's not rocket science. And as was mentioned lithium batteries on expensive products like laptops, mp3 players, cellphones from Korean and Japanese cell manufacturers have failed too.
Also if it makes JK happy, Eric bought from the most infamous bargain light brand that nobody in the thread or mtbr recommends anymore. See: http://www.livescience.com/35628-lithium-ion-batteries-recalled-by-geomangear.html
you guys are making this way harder than it should be.
WAs pretty fun watching my kid shred the dual slalom track at snowshoe in the dark this weekend, he was using my luminas (one on bars, one on head) and we were drinking beers heckling him, if he wasn't only a kid we might have even thrown rocks at him.
No seriously, just grab 2 lights in the 600-800lumen range and go have fun, my lights easily last 2 hours
WAs pretty fun watching my kid shred the dual slalom track at snowshoe in the dark this weekend, he was using my luminas (one on bars, one on head) and we were drinking beers heckling him, if he wasn't only a kid we might have even thrown rocks at him.
No seriously, just grab 2 lights in the 600-800lumen range and go have fun, my lights easily last 2 hours
Oh c'mon, it's not fair to bring that debacle up 5 years later. Geoman gear made good and replaced all those battery packs (I have 2 I'm still running). I can't say for sure if magicshine has improved, but it's still 5 year old info...
I think your point still stands that the danger of burning your house down comes from the battery pack. You can use a cheap knock off light just fine with a good reputable battery pack. The biggest danger there is the light conking out in the middle of a ride. That would be shitty but not disastrous.
Jk , I still think the best bang for buck solution is ituo lights. For evidence, I will point to the fact @Toshi bought them. If ever there was a rational human being to emulate, I'd look no further.
You can burn down your house grilling hot dogs. A little to much lighter fluid and oops there goes the vinyl siding. What are you going to do. Stop using lighter fluid? Stop eating hotdogs? Its like benzene. Sure it is a known carcinogen. But if you accidentally get epoxy paint on your testicles. Then your going to thank your lucky stars you didn't just dump all that contaminated benzene into the storm sewer at the end of your neighbors driveway,
If by mistake you didn't read the MSDS sheet were a breathing apparatus was required while applying a epoxy paint then you deserve that headache. And subsequent ball cancer...
I'm not concerned, it's your goddamn Samsung Note that's going to burn up and bring down an airliner.
i regularly undergo ball cancer screening. You should too... Both voluntarily and involuntary. I even have a fake cough that is quite convincing.....What if not reading the MSDS wasn't an accident?
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I miss Radio Shack. I needed a $.05 250K resistor a few months and had to mail order the fucking thing because all the 'Shacks were closed. Cost me $12.00 because I could only get a pack of a bazillion.
i'm willing to spend some money for something that's not crap, and so that i don't have components i'm never gonna use sitting around (i already have enough useless stuff that i'm trying to purge, not looking to add more).
@slyfink - do you have any experience with the ituo lights?
@Toshi can you give a summary on your thoughts of the light you have? as well as the model
Just get some Cygolites and call it a day.
I'm on ride number probably 35-45ish with mine and they have given me absolutely zero issues. They been used in the snow, freezing temps, hot temps, dust, sweat, rain storms etc etc. The batteries are small, but come in two sizes. I have the bigger battery on my bar mounted light and that thing will go for hours on full power. Even longer on a lower setting. I use the smaller light/battery combo on my helmet and it will last for 1.5-2 hours on full blast. It has an extra long cable too, so the battery sits at the bottom of my hydration pack with no issues or tugging.
I'm on ride number probably 35-45ish with mine and they have given me absolutely zero issues. They been used in the snow, freezing temps, hot temps, dust, sweat, rain storms etc etc. The batteries are small, but come in two sizes. I have the bigger battery on my bar mounted light and that thing will go for hours on full power. Even longer on a lower setting. I use the smaller light/battery combo on my helmet and it will last for 1.5-2 hours on full blast. It has an extra long cable too, so the battery sits at the bottom of my hydration pack with no issues or tugging.
what model(s) do you have?
I preordered mine while it was out of stock for a discounted price. Should arrive today and will report back once I get some hands on time with it.
The one I got was this one: https://www.ituolights.com/collections/mtb-light-kits/products/ituo-wiz-xp3-led-mountain-bike-light-kit-2200-lumens-w-6400mah-panasonic-battery-pack
Preorder price was $190. Now it's up to $200, marked down from $210. Not cheap but I recall paying $400? or so for a Cateye Stadium 3 back in the day... and that was claimed 1200 lumens, not 2200!
looking at them i'd be between the xp2 and xp3. price points seem really good for what you're getting. keep me posted.
I've got the same light setup as Toshi. I've had it for three rides now. it's well made, the thermal management is noticeably better that my Gemini, and it's not excessively expensive. Light output is terrific.
As I mentioned before, I would go XP2 on bar with a flood pattern, and XP3 on head with spot pattern. (that's essentially what I have now). If you feel like saving some dough, go XP2 bar/XP2 helmet. But for the $40 you'd be saving, I think a 2bar, 3helmet is the better option. and yes, get two. Not just for redundancy, but also for contrast.
As I mentioned before, I would go XP2 on bar with a flood pattern, and XP3 on head with spot pattern. (that's essentially what I have now). If you feel like saving some dough, go XP2 bar/XP2 helmet. But for the $40 you'd be saving, I think a 2bar, 3helmet is the better option. and yes, get two. Not just for redundancy, but also for contrast.
for the time being i'd probably go with a single light setup just to see if it's worth my while before investing in a second.
i do have an old blackburn light. its decent for road / cx riding on the local rail trails at night, but not up to the challenge as a primary light for mtb / trail. i could likely get by with it as an auxiliary light for the time being.
We so far I am impressed on my battery run times and how well the light can toggle through all the brightness settings and beam selections. I'm happy with the purchase. Bite me if you don't like it
This is how I feel about my light n motion (800) and lumina night riders (750)
Both have integrated batteries, no cords to mess with, less than $100 each (right around $75-80 each). Light n Motion comes with a go pro mount, both come with bar mounts. I bought a $15 helmet mount for the lumina night rider.
I've used them mainly in the fall/winter 2 hours on full seems to be about the limit, but i run mine on medium or low most of the time and get plenty of run time.
https://www.niterider.com/product/lumina-750/
http://www.lightandmotion.com/urban-800-anchor-steam
Choosing between the two, I would lean towards the niterider
I unpacked the Ituolights XP3 last night, charged the battery overnight (resting the battery on my Land Cruiser's hood so that it'd total only the car if it caught on fire 
), and played around with it for a few minutes this morning.
Thoughts:
- much smaller than I had anticipated, again noting I had a huge-ass Cateye Stadium 3 in the past before a string of cheap Chinese lights (as opposed to this expensive Chinese light)
- bright even in daytime
- GoPro mount is nice, as my Giro Montaro has an integrated GoPro mount
Question for you all: with the light on my helmet, uh, where is the battery supposed to live? Do I get a cable extension and put it on the bike? Strap it to my arm? The back of my helmet? It seems like it'd reach down my back but not much farther.
), and played around with it for a few minutes this morning.Thoughts:
- much smaller than I had anticipated, again noting I had a huge-ass Cateye Stadium 3 in the past before a string of cheap Chinese lights (as opposed to this expensive Chinese light)
- bright even in daytime
- GoPro mount is nice, as my Giro Montaro has an integrated GoPro mount
Question for you all: with the light on my helmet, uh, where is the battery supposed to live? Do I get a cable extension and put it on the bike? Strap it to my arm? The back of my helmet? It seems like it'd reach down my back but not much farther.
generally in a camelbak
also question - about how long is the battery cord that came with it?