doml
Regular Rider
Posts: 73
|
Post by doml on Nov 11, 2014 20:11:33 GMT
Well I took a punt on the Ebay lights Richard put up a while ago. Now only done 45 mins off road round Reigate so here goes:
The Bad: The battery pack thingy which looks like it will strap to your toptube disintegrates immediately, I chucked the pack in the ipod part of my camelbak thinking the cable dangling to the bars would be annoying but I didnt notice it as soon as riding. Dont see how you would use it as a headlight, too heavy. Dont test at home half pointed at your face, youll be seeing 4 dots for the rest of the day.
The Good: These are SO bright on main beam (well compared to last night ride I did about 8 years ago!) Its like cheating. Dipped beam is pretty much all I needed. It absolutely poured down but no sign of flicker/dodgy wiring/noise from pack, which I kind of expected given the price. After 45 mins no sign of any heat buildup Although the bar mount looked a bit flimsy (just a rubber band affair), it stayed solid and still all the way round even on a moderate downhill. Did I mention its bloody bright!. They are £20!
|
|
leed
Race Rider
[Mo0:0][ss:Default]
Posts: 630
Faster on: a CX bike
|
Post by leed on Nov 11, 2014 21:02:15 GMT
Yep I bought one as well, do yourself a favour and buy one of these as well "just in case™" goo.gl/rBZPva
|
|
leeroybrown
Race Rider
[Mo0:0][ss:Default]
Posts: 600
Faster on: a road bike
|
Post by leeroybrown on Nov 11, 2014 21:09:30 GMT
Yep I bought one as well, do yourself a favour and buy one of these as well "just in case™" goo.gl/rBZPvajust not a cheap one
|
|
batbling
Gnarly Dude
[Mo0:3][ss:Default]
Posts: 2,057
Faster on: the physio table
|
Post by batbling on Nov 12, 2014 9:41:46 GMT
My LIPO makes a whistling noise when charging and powering the light. Is this a good thing ?
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 12, 2014 19:01:42 GMT
My LIPOSUCTION makes a whistling noise when charging and powering the light. Is this a good thing ? Are you sure it's not more of a sucking sound?
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 20, 2014 9:24:31 GMT
So I finally got around to testing these on this morning's daily commute (road-bike). First off the set-up. I mounted the light on the bar using the larger of the two rubber band thingies (these had been omitted from my original order but a quick email and they arrived in the post the next day). As doml says I was dubious about how firm this would be but the light didn't move the whole trip. There's plenty of wire, about 18 inches) to go to the battery which i mounted on the strap of my messenger bag just using the velcro strap. Once riding I barely noticed the wire or the battery although I did spot another rider looking at it as I was stopped at a set of traffic lights. The commute takes me through Nonsuch park and so I had the full beam on. Man, this was bright, really bright with a great field of vision. Once out of the park i put it on the flicker mode which is set to a much more rapid flicker than the normal Lezyne slow offff....onnnnn...offf that I normally use. It actually started to make me feel like I was going to have a migraine and within 30 seconds of being on the road a white van coming the other way hooted me and made 'it's too bright' signs out the window even though it was directed slighty downwards and not towards oncoming traffic. So I put it on the low constant on setting and left it on that setting for the rest of the ride. Will use the same setting tonight and see how long the battery lasts (75 minutes so far). what's in the box?the light - 5,000 lumensthe battery pack
|
|
|
Post by robmanns2007 on Nov 20, 2014 12:54:26 GMT
I often get oncoming drivers "high beaming" me with my light. This is usually because the light has rotated upward slightly without my knowledge! Easy to just twist it down a bit. Battery life tends to be worse when it's cold, upto 30% less, so be mindful of that. At least the cold keeps the unit from over heating though. I keep a charger at work so I can give the battery a boost during the day if I think it's gonna be a problem going home.
|
|
|
Post by robmanns2007 on Nov 20, 2014 12:57:05 GMT
Oh and...... I use a head torch too. I bought a mini Fenix one [about 200 lumens] which I use in the town - it great to get the attention of drivers at junctions as you can look them in the eye [not to blind them though] just a quick glance enough!
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 24, 2014 17:18:06 GMT
Will use the same setting tonight and see how long the battery lasts (75 minutes so far). 20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - just heading downstairs to get changed. will update later.
|
|
|
Post by camone on Nov 24, 2014 17:38:59 GMT
|
|
|
Post by robmanns2007 on Nov 24, 2014 19:58:10 GMT
I am getting fed up with my external battery set up and 'will it charge or not' status! I also have an original Exposure light which has 325 lumens. I love the fact it has an internal battery and is totally reliable (touch wood) Its 7 yrs old and was the dogs danglies back in the day! However, by todays standards it is relatively pants! I paid a small fortune for it. This in comparison www.bikelightdatabase.com/cygolite/metro550/ is quite tempting. Wide spread 550lumens for £55 seems a good deal
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 24, 2014 20:36:27 GMT
Will use the same setting tonight and see how long the battery lasts (75 minutes so far). 20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - just heading downstairs to get changed. will update later - 75 minutes
|
|
|
Post by Si on Nov 25, 2014 12:31:42 GMT
I also have an original Exposure light which [...] was the dogs danglies back in the day! However, by todays standards it is relatively pants! I paid a small fortune for it. Ditto, I loved that light! However, it just plain stopped working, and I took a punt on some ebay specials, reasoning that £300 had bought me 6 years of pretty regular nightriding, therefore even if these only last just over half a season, it works out about the same! They've been pretty darned good so far!
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 25, 2014 22:17:32 GMT
20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - just heading downstairs to get changed. will update later - 75 minutes 25th November, evening- 75 minutes Total 300 minutes so far on lower power setting, but that's still permanent on position. That's five hours by the way.
|
|
|
Post by Fishybob666 on Nov 27, 2014 7:58:37 GMT
Currently available for a crazy £15.87 (and with a free rear light!) Had to get one to see what the fuss is about
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 27, 2014 10:30:52 GMT
20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - 75 minutes 25th November, evening - 75 minutes 27th November, morning - 75 minutes Total 375 minutes so far on dipped beam, permanently 'on' (not flash mode) or 6 and a quarter hours. Once this runs out I will recharge and do a similar test on main beam. Oh and this also includes the very cold n' frosty temperature on Monday morning and evening (battery always less effective in colder conditions)
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 27, 2014 10:39:22 GMT
Oh and...... I use a head torch too. I was using the Lezyne Super Drive XL as a head torch in October before I got around to testing the Cree (and remembering in which of my margarine boxes I had put the bar-mount). I found the helmet mount wasn't very good. Not secure and didn't keep the light firm; it kept waggling around. The weight of the light also pushed my lid forward so that it was pushing onto the top of my glasses and putting pressure on the bridge of my nose which was painful. It's much easier to just have it bar-mounted.
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Nov 27, 2014 21:47:22 GMT
20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - 75 minutes 25th November, evening - 75 minutes 27th November, morning - 75 minutes 27th November, evening - 75 minutes Total 450 minutes so far on dipped beam, permanently 'on' (not flash mode) or 7 and a half hours.
|
|
|
Post by Lick my Ball Bag on Nov 28, 2014 10:06:18 GMT
For £20, they're worth a go, but I think I'll stick with Exposure, given to the quality, reliability and robustness. Got a Six Pack on the bars and a Diablo on my lid. 3,000 lumens, which is needed in gnarly night rides. Buy once and buy well is my motto.
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Dec 1, 2014 9:54:53 GMT
20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - 75 minutes 25th November, evening - 75 minutes 27th November, morning - 75 minutes 27th November, evening - 75 minutes 1st December, morning - 75 minutes Total 525 minutes so far on dipped beam, permanently 'on' (not flash mode) or 8 and three-quarter hours. Oh and on Friday evening the stitching holding the velcro strap on the battery bag came unstitched. I had been hanging it from my top tube but just put it in my bag instead. Problem solved. I wasn't worried about this. The light still works.
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Dec 2, 2014 10:48:28 GMT
20th November, morning - 75 minutes 20th November, evening - 75 minutes 24th November, evening - 75 minutes 25th November, evening - 75 minutes 27th November, morning - 75 minutes 27th November, evening - 75 minutes 1st December, morning - 75 minutes 1st December, evening - 50 minutes . So the light finally gave up on the way home last night (not an issue as I had my Lezyne XL super drive on the bars too). On the dipped beam setting it has a lit green button on the rear. This changed to blue (the normal high beam setting) about ten minutes before the battery gave in so there is some advance warning. Total 575 minutes on dipped beam, permanently 'on' (not flash) mode. That's over 9 and a half hours from one charge and I'm pretty impressed with that. Didn't have time last night to get a full charge, it takes five or six hours to charge and I don't have that kind of time in the evening so will save the full beam test for a future date.
|
|
doml
Regular Rider
Posts: 73
|
Post by doml on Dec 2, 2014 11:42:34 GMT
Blimey thats good. On battery care, couldnt understand the instructions that came with it. Should I discharge fully before recharging to preserve battery health or am I ok to charge after every ride
|
|
|
Post by Fishybob666 on Dec 2, 2014 12:08:45 GMT
Blimey thats good. On battery care, couldnt understand the instructions that came with it. Should I discharge fully before recharging to preserve battery health or am I ok to charge after every ride Quite a few online forums on Lipo care, here's the best bits: Follow the 80% rule. Take out no more than 80% of the lipos capacity. Generally a lipo used down to 20% will end up between 3.6-3.8 v/cell. Never discharge for any reason below 3.0V/cell resting voltage. They then die forever. LiPos should NEVER be charged in an open space for safety reasons. If something goes wrong within a LiPo, it will quite literally shoot flames out of it, easily setting anything on fire. Most people charge their LiPos in LiPo bags, which are padded, fireproof sleeves that can vent smoke out but keep flames in. LiPos are best stored in relatively low temperatures (40-45 degrees F), so a refrigerator is an excellent place for them. It's a good idea to still protect the stored batteries in case of fire, so I recommend placing the LiPos in a LiPo bag and putting the LiPo bag in the fridge If you take care of your LiPo battery, it will take care of you. Or not burn your house to the ground at the very least. Here are some guidelines to follow for safe usage of LiPos: -don't poke it or puncture it. fire will happen -don't drop it. fire will happen -don't short it out. fire will happen -don't overcharge it. fire will happen -don't let it overheat. fire will happen -don't throw it in a fire. more fire will happen All jokes aside, follow the instructions that come with your equipment and you should be fine, but always stay alert. Avoid walking away from your charger while it's working on your LiPo, because if something goes wrong it's good to be around to make it go right... or at least less wrong.
|
|
leeroybrown
Race Rider
[Mo0:0][ss:Default]
Posts: 600
Faster on: a road bike
|
Post by leeroybrown on Dec 2, 2014 13:18:56 GMT
I don't want to sound like a nerd but the battey packs supplied are lithium-ion not lithium-polymer
|
|
doml
Regular Rider
Posts: 73
|
Post by doml on Dec 2, 2014 13:54:31 GMT
and what does that mean? is it less likely to go bang? Strapping a battery to a mountain bike of a type that should not be dropped as it might go bang sounds stoopid
|
|
|
Post by Fishybob666 on Dec 2, 2014 14:06:33 GMT
I don't want to sound like a nerd but the battey packs supplied are lithium-ion not lithium-polymer Doh! Well I blame you and your flaming video for creating mass panic ;-) I keep my li-io batteries in the fridge anyway and make sure they're never completely empty, still working well.
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Dec 2, 2014 15:24:42 GMT
and what does that mean? is it less likely to go bang? Strapping a battery to a mountain bike of a type that should not be dropped as it might go bang sounds stoopid my (admittedly uninformed) thoughts are that: - it hasn't gone bang yet - it cost twenty quid! Who cares if it does Google "lithium-ion battery care" and you get almost the exact opposite advice of what to do that Fishybob suggests. E.g. here's 5 top-tips from a random page picked from google: 1: Keep your batteries at room temperature 2: Think about getting a high-capacity lithium-ion battery, rather than carrying a spare 3: Allow partial discharges and avoid full ones (usually) 4: Avoid completely discharging lithium-ion batteries 5: For extended storage, discharge a lithium-ion battery to about 40 percent and store it in a cool place For me I shall continue to use it as per every other cycling-related item I have i.e. with undue care and stored in the garage.
|
|
|
Post by Fishybob666 on Dec 2, 2014 16:37:00 GMT
and what does that mean? is it less likely to go bang? Strapping a battery to a mountain bike of a type that should not be dropped as it might go bang sounds stoopid my (admittedly uninformed) thoughts are that: - it hasn't gone bang yet - it cost twenty quid! Who cares if it does Google "lithium-ion battery care" and you get almost the exact opposite advice of what to do that Fishybob suggests. E.g. here's 5 top-tips from a random page picked from google: 1: Keep your batteries at room temperature 2: Think about getting a high-capacity lithium-ion battery, rather than carrying a spare 3: Allow partial discharges and avoid full ones (usually) 4: Avoid completely discharging lithium-ion batteries5: For extended storage, discharge a lithium-ion battery to about 40 percent and store it in a cool placeFor me I shall continue to use it as per every other cycling-related item I have i.e. with undue care and stored in the garage. How is that the exact opposite? Iz you mad?
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Dec 4, 2014 16:16:06 GMT
Google "lithium-ion battery care" and you get almost the exact opposite advice of what to do that Fishybob suggests how is that the exact opposit iz you mad? Google "lithium-ion battery care" 1: Keep your batteries at room temperature Fishybob said 1. LiPos are best stored in relatively low temperatures (40-45 degrees F), so a refrigerator is an excellent place for them Sounds like the exact opposite to me. Iz you mad?
|
|
|
Post by Fishybob666 on Dec 5, 2014 16:51:25 GMT
how is that the exact opposit iz you mad? Google "lithium-ion battery care" 1: Keep your batteries at room temperature Fishybob said 1. LiPos are best stored in relatively low temperatures (40-45 degrees F), so a refrigerator is an excellent place for them Sounds like the exact opposite to me. Iz you mad? Yeah but, not but, lithium-ion and lithium polymer are two different technologies with different needs. So YOU iz mad BTW, still not received mine, the seller conveniently contacted me to say that with the xmas rush a lot of parcels WILL be lost by Royal Mail.
|
|