Lights...

Order 2x with a wide beam pattern and 2x with a tighter pattern the reaches further and you'll have the perfect set-up. For $80 you'll have more light than we could have had 3 years ago with 3x HID's.

for real? more than 3 hid's?! i have got to see these things in action.

More on torches.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=632987

Beamshots.
http://fonarevka.ru/indexen.html

For scene choose road dry, it has the most lights to compared to (Cateye, Cygolites, Princeton Tec, to P7 led and MCE led based).

A Cygolite Tridenx ($350+ @ MEC).

A Spiderfire SSC P7($40 from DX)

FYI, don't get the Spiderfire, it's already outdated.

FYI, don't get the Spiderfire, it's already outdated.

What should we get instead then?

Well, it's begun! I've been wanting a light for awhile but this site got me researching lights, as well as DIY options. I just ordered the materials to build a helmet mount light that should be nice and tiny, with lots of power, and great runtime! I'm interested to see how it all comes together (:

For anyone into the DIY lights, 2x Cree XP-G with Regina reflectors. b2flex driver (capable of 1500mA, temp sensing/cutoff, and voltage sensing/cutoff, 5 current settings). In a Hammond case, powered by a self-built 3s2p li-ion battery pack. Should be close to a true 1000lumens, with great lighting characteristics (: The beam shots I've seen of similar lights are fantastic, and I'll have an extra 500mA to bump up the power!

/nerd speak

I'll try to post it up here when it all comes together in the next few weeks or so! Then I'll be riding allll winter.

I remember the days of riding with a couple 6volt/5w halogens and a 7 lb lead acid battery. Added just enough light that you could find your way and not get lost. Wasnt any less fun.

Mounted in one of those Union headlamp housings w/the 3.5 or 4" lense.

Had one of those mounted on the bars wired to like an 8ah battery zapped to a Brodie h20 bottle battery mount w/one strapped to the helmet w/4ah source in my Camelback.

But I've improved!
Got a BLT 15watt halogen lamp (mid '90's?), mounted to the same Bell Mrk 1 helmet. :D
Like to find a lighter source than the 5ah lead/acid that drives it though……..

What's the best non magicshine option available for 200 to 300 bucks locally without going mail order? any ideas, Mec? LBS?

Well, it's begun! I've been wanting a light for awhile but this site got me researching lights, as well as DIY options. I just ordered the materials to build a helmet mount light that should be nice and tiny, with lots of power, and great runtime! I'm interested to see how it all comes together (:

For anyone into the DIY lights, 2x Cree XP-G with Regina reflectors. b2flex driver (capable of 1500mA, temp sensing/cutoff, and voltage sensing/cutoff, 5 current settings). In a Hammond case, powered by a self-built 3s2p li-ion battery pack. Should be close to a true 1000lumens, with great lighting characteristics (: The beam shots I've seen of similar lights are fantastic, and I'll have an extra 500mA to bump up the power!

/nerd speak

I'll try to post it up here when it all comes together in the next few weeks or so! Then I'll be riding allll winter.

What were the costs and the places you ordered from?

What were the costs and the places you ordered from?

Total was around $150 for what should be a compact ~950 lumen light with 4-5 hour runtime. (that runtime would be using lower current/lumen settings sometimes)

I'll edit in specs/suppliers/costs when I have a sec.

For those of you that own a Magicshine MJ-808 or have seen this review from MTBR… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qGaPCZxToM you may be aware of some of the light's 'issues'… not including the battery. Well there's a guy running an ebay store called Nova Bike Lights that seemed to have addressed these issues…

http://stores.ebay.ca/Nova-Bike-Lights

Apparently Magicshine has switched their battery supplier too and they are now being built using better quality cells and packed in a waterproof, silicone cover. Priced at $40.

I ordered three sets so we'll see. Pretty excited about the new modes though.

Des

My low-end L[HTML_REMOVED]M got a comment while commuting tonight… "you look like a train."

Total was around $150 for what should be a compact ~950 lumen light with 4-5 hour runtime. (that runtime would be using lower current/lumen settings sometimes)

I'll edit in specs/suppliers/costs when I have a sec.

Part list:

Supplier - Digikey
Cree XP-G LED (2 [email protected]) - $22.46
Regina Reflector (2 [email protected]) - $2.64
Backlit Momentary Switch - $9.83
Hammond Aluminum Box - $14.78
Shipping - $8.00
Total (incl. HST) $64.64

Supplier - DealExtreme
5.4mm Extension Cable(100cm) $3.14
Y-Cable(for light head and battery power connections) $3.13
Li-Ion 18650 Battery Charger $7.52
TrustFire Protected 18650 2400mAh (2-Pack)([email protected]) - $28.71
Professional Thermal Heat-Sink Compound - $2.68
Total - $45.20

Supplier - Luminous DIY
Compact 6x 18650 Battery Holder - $25.94 (incl. shipping)

Supplier - TaskLED
b2flex LED Driver - $38.81 (incl. shipping)

Grand Total: $174.59 (I'll need to pick up a small chunk of alu. angle to mount the LED's)

So, at the end of the day yeah it's more than the Magicshine lights, but less than everything else out there. I splurged on the battery holder, and the backlit switch, both could probably be had much cheaper. There are also much much cheaper LED drivers, though they won't support as high of a current, have voltage sensing or temp. sensing.

I have had this page open on a tab in firefox for over a week now - http://gemini-lights.com/products/titan

Cheap a la Magicshine, but they seem to be untested so far. They have a rep trying to promote them on MTBR. I imagine their specs are pure lie, but may be good enough for me.

I have had this page open on a tab in firefox for over a week now - http://gemini-lights.com/products/titan

Cheap a la Magicshine, but they seem to be untested so far. They have a rep trying to promote them on MTBR. I imagine their specs are pure lie, but may be good enough for me.

Looks very similar to Magicshine but with the older style battery and $20 bucks more. Like the travel case though.

Geomangear's website is down. WTF? Does anyone know what's going on? Bankruptcy?