Commuting - Best bang for the buck headlight?

I am looking for the best (brightest) light for the best value. I ride a roadbike approximate 30 miles round trip to the office 3-4x a week. Most of my route is bikepath or bike lane (awesome) but I do have some parts where I am on pretty bust streets. I generally leave @ 6:30 am and come home at 5:30 or so, and it takes me an hour. As the days get shorter I can see the need for a "real" light, and would like to start shopping.

For the Money, the Magicshine is pretty tough to beat. Even if it only puts out 2/3 of it's stated output, that's still 600 lumens!
I found riding with a Fenix PD30 strapped to my handle bars was enough for an early morning, and late evening commute @ 230 lumens, so the Magicshine is a huge increase.

When I'm ready to buy, I'm going to look into www.dealextreme.com. They have connections to Chinese or Hong Kong factories and seem to source from factory over production. They ship directly from Hong Kong and their supply lines are not as reliable as what we're accustomed to but if you're willing to wait from 1-4 weeks, they often offer unbeatable prices.

I'm not a flash light enthusiast, so I can't offer great advice on any particular model, but they have quite a selection. http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.999

I would look into the Cree, Fenix, UltraFire, SSC, etc brands at around the $20 price range. These are some I have considered:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.36357
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.39765
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.39359
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16501

What makes some of these lights a bargain is that the bodies aren't necessarily designed to handle the heat generated by the LED for long periods of time and may require some modification to improve the heatsinking of the bulb for extended use.

Most bang for the buck is probably the Magicshine GMG. A bit over 500 actual Lumens measured even though they claim 900. Other makers have exaggerated their Lumens outputs too. Still not bad for $89.99.

http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=180

He also offers a claimed 1400 Lumens light for $129.99

I would say MagicShine as well. I just ordered one from Geomangear and expect to get it this Friday. They also have a nice rear flasher as well.

I have no connections at all to either company, but from a ton of people talking on the mtbr forums, Geomangear is hard to beat for customer service. Rave reviews. Additionally, dealextreme can take forever to get to you. I don't have experience from either company yet (other than the actual order), but that's how I made my decision on where to buy.

Chris

I got my MagicShine from Geomangear two weeks ago. it is INSANELY BRIGHT and I can't believe it was only 2x the price of the lousy LED light I got from my LBS a year ago.

the only downside is that the battery pack is rather large/heavy. for awhile I tried wrapping it around the top tube, but it kept getting in the way. then I realized that GMG shipped an extension cord with it, so I just hang it from the back of my seat and wrap the cable around the top tube. works great!

Gotta shout out for the magicshine and their tailight too. I've had people I work with tell me that the tailight is almost too bright. I say thats the idea.

If there are any flashlight enthusiasts around, can any shed light on the brightness difference between the magicshine and tactical flashlights that use the same emitter (P7-C-SXO)?

I can say, from my experience, the two biggest advantages a Magic Shine has over a tactical flashlight will be:
1) Runtime. Most tactical flashlights only run for an hour on their highest setting. The Magicshine goes about three.
2) Diameter of the lens and reflector. All the pocket sized lights I own provide a very bright, but focused beam. The Magic Shine covers a lot more area, which I prefer greatly while riding the bicycle in the dark.

I've had the Magicshine for a little over 5 months now. I run it during both the morning and evening commutes 5 days a week, regardless of whether or not it is dark. If it is day light out, I run it in high speed flash mode to avoid left/right crosses by making damned sure that drivers know I'm there. My commute is 9 miles each way. I charge it every night.

It's doing well so far. For the $85 I paid, I cannot complain one bit. I don't know of any other proper bike light this bright for less than $400. Those LED flash lights aren't proper bike lights. This is by far the most bang for the buck in bike lights that I've seen.

I haven't decided what to do with my Light & Motion ARC. The battery died and a new battery alone is $200.

The Magicshine is bright enough that you can ride at a decent speed, even in what is otherwise total darkness. That is a must for me.

Don't buy the Magicshine from DealExtreme, buy it from Geoman. Dealextreme doesn't run quality checks on the lights. Many people have complained about their transactions with them. I've bought a lot from DealExtreme, don't get me wrong, but I've heard returns and exchanges are a PITA.

Geoman quality checks them and sells them for a slightly higher price, but they are more local and have better customer service.

As far as the battery pack goes, I put it inside a water bottle and threw it in the second cage.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/Mobile%20Uploads/1278163413.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/Mobile%20Uploads/1278163920.jpg

I've had it for almost a year and I use it 3-4 days a week. I haven't had a single problem yet and I plan to buy another if/when this one dies.

I run a pair of MagicShine lights. On streets I keep on on the lower setting and one on the strobe mode. When I'm in the more rural and unlit parts of my ride, I have one on the high setting and one on strobe. I'm both visible and I can see. It's like having the sun in front of me and for the money, it can't be beat.

I was gonna say flashlight, but for a 30 mile run, Magicshine. You'll need the runtime. I run with a Magicshine with a P7 flashlight as backup. Both are good, the flashlight is a little less hassle due to being fully waterproof and self contained, but the runtime isn't good enough for you.

Those LED flash lights aren't proper bike lights.

Maybe not, but they're the same exact driver and the same light pattern as the MagicShine, and most other "proper bike lights." I'm not sure what in your mind makes something a "proper bike light" unless it's just that it was designed as a bike light, rather than how it performs.

I can't tell if I've got the MagicShine or the flashlight turned on when I'm riding unless I look at the bar to see which one is on.

If a flashlight meets your runtime requirements, they're every bit as good a bike light as anything you could buy up to about 3 years ago, and they cost less than "proper bike lights" that put out 1/5 as much light.

I use a Magicshine and Fenix LD20 flashlight. During summer with longer days, I've been using the Fenix solely, but will start using the MS again soon now that the mornings are getting darker. The MS is so bright that I run it on the second-highest setting and it lasts a whole week of commuting on one charge. It's biggest downside is the crappy battery case that has no apparent logic in its design. I put my battery in an old digital camera case and strap it to my front rack. Earlier versions (like mine) had a battery cable that was WAY too long, but now they include both a long and a short cable.

That said, I am tempted to buy something like a L&M Stella 200 because it's design is simpler, easier to charge, better battery. If the price ever drops below $200, I might just buy one.

http://amoebalight.blogspot.com/
$220, excellent product & customer service.


Both battery & head unit are velcroed on my helmet since it's so small & light.

If you want to go a little higher end, spend maybe in the range of $200, I'd think about the Dinotte 400L - waterproof, 400 lumens (real output, probably not much less than the MagicShine), $220, great customer service.

I'm currently using some cheap foglight housings ($25) and some 4W 360 lumen LED bulbs from dealextreme.com ($10 each) and a small 3Ah lead battery (about $15), gives me roughly 4 hours of time total. It's heavy, though... but fairly cheap.

I have to second the Deal Extreme lights. I have this exact setup for about $60.

Light: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092

Battery: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790

Charger: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105

Mount: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8274

I can swap the light between bikes as I have a mount on each of my two bikes. The light has 5 settings, the fifth is insanely bright but lasts for about an hour, other bikers and motorists complain at this setting. The next highest setting is about right and lasts for about 3 hours. I always carry a spare battery with me but have never needed it. Batteries charge pretty quickly. I also supplement with a Planet Bike Blaze on my helmet which I sometimes run on flash mode as a "to be seen" light. As an aside I have used the light for other things like spotting leaks in my attic, peering behind furnaces, under beds, etc. It is an extremely useful light in that regard and blows away my Mag Lite.

I have to second the Deal Extreme lights. I have this exact setup for about $60.

Light: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092

Battery: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790

Charger: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105

Mount: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8274

I can swap the light between bikes as I have a mount on each of my two bikes. The light has 5 settings, the fifth is insanely bright but lasts for about an hour, other bikers and motorists complain at this setting. The next highest setting is about right and lasts for about 3 hours. I always care a spare batter with me but have never needed it. Batteries charge pretty quickly. I also supplement with a Planet Bike Blaze on my helmet which I sometimes run on flash mode as a "to be seen" light. As an aside I have used the light for other things like spotting leaks in my attic, peering behind furnaces, under beds, etc. It is an extremely useful light in that regard and blows away my Mag Lite.

I have exact same set-up. The advantage is you don't have the separate battery pack that you get with many other lights, including the Magicshine.
The big disadvantage is that the two I have bought, lasted about 4-6 months after they started failing (something with the contact where the light was still on but much dimmer than before). I heard others have similar issues.

I hadn't considered a tactical flashlight - I have one, and I'll have to try it first.

I gotta say, that DealEXtreme setup looks like the hot ticket.

Only issue with tactical headlight can be runtime. That being said, my Terralux 220 serves me well on the unlit MUP when the days get shorter. It runs on 2 AA batteries, and my rechargeables give me a little more than an hour of run time. If you kept four batteries charged all the time, it should be enough to get you through two dark commutes of an hour or so in length. I got the flashlight for under $30 incl. shipping from an eBay store. I mount it on a TwoFish LockBlock. I use a flashing PB front blinkie in addition for a little extra "be seen" protection.

If my flashlight dies, I may look into a MagicShine or a MiNewt, but for now I'm happy with my flashlight.

I went the 'Deal Extreme' route about 2 years ago and spent about $70 total. It's certainly a good deal for the price, but I don't think it's as good as a Dinotte setup or even better then going with a name brand like Fenix.

The issue I had is that if you bike over really rough roads, occasionally the light will turn off or 'change modes'. It does not happen often, but it has happened to me at bad moments just when a car was approaching. Luckily no incident took place, but it sort of opened my eyes to the fact that the Chinese lights, while a great deal, do have their drawbacks.

I bought a Magicshine last year, and you do get a pretty bright light for not a lot of money. But I have to say, you do get what you pay for, and not much more. The construction is less than robust; this year I will have to replace the battery. But I will probably do it because decent bike lights are pretty expensive.

Also consider that if you are serious about riding at night, it is good to have a second, backup light both front and rear in case your primary light fails. A helmet light (e.g. Fenix LD20 Premium (http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=362), the Terralux mentioned above, some of the Shining Beam (http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/StoreFront) lights, etc.) is a very nice backup, helpful in nighttime on the road repairs, you can see ahead into corners, and lets you "awaken" distracted/inattentive motorists. While you can find somewhat cheaper flashlights on Deal Extreme, the ones mentioned have a reputation for better quality & durability. For the rear, you could do worse than two Planet Bike Superflashes or Radbot 1000 (http://www.amazon.com/Portland-Design-Works-Radbot-Light/dp/B0030BS30K)'s. (or one of each for more variety in flashing patterns).

You will probably want to use rechargeable NiMH or LiIon batteries depending on what light setup you go with. Thomas Distributing or BatterySpace are two good sources for the batteries, the LaCrosse or MAHA chargers are popular and sometimes come bundled with batteries.

I went with the Cygolite Milion 200. It cost a bit more than the magic shine and its not as bright, only 200 lumens. But I like how its one enclosed unit and is much easier to move from one bike to another.
http://media.rei.com/media/cc/404e9e6e-33f1-4837-830a-3d4920f995d3.jpg

Hub mounted Dynamo and an LED headlight,, battery life is always limited ,
amp/hours and charge cycles until no longer taking a charge
with a generator in the front wheel hub you will always have light.

I have exact same set-up. The advantage is you don't have the separate battery pack that you get with many other lights, including the Magicshine.
The big disadvantage is that the two I have bought, lasted about 4-6 months after they started failing (something with the contact where the light was still on but much dimmer than before). I heard others have similar issues.

I have not had such bad luck and have had mine for 2 years now with no issues. The price of the flash light itself has fallen and with the mount, batteries, and charger, I could always just get a new light if it failed. I also have never had the light turn off while going over a bump. It seems robust to me, I've dropped it a few times and it still works.

I have two MTE P7's (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623) from DealExtreme and two of these mounts (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15642) from them as well. Pretty rock solid combo in my experience. I rarely have the two mode P7's cycle if I hit a bump as much as the 5 mode ones did. If I were to hazard a guess about run time I would say it was about an hour or so on high.

http://trailled.com/

Made right there there in Plano with you, Custermustache. I run the 500L model for commute, mountain biking and touring.

I love my Magicshine, I recently had to change the connectors for it.
Having said that, I would like to get a dynamo LED light to run as a back up or when I am going to be riding longer than my battery allows for.

I have to second the Deal Extreme lights. I have this exact setup for about $60.

Light: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092

Battery: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790

Charger: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105

Mount: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8274

Interesting, that's also my exact setup. I will say that the flashlight has given me a little trouble; the switch got a bit loose and I had to use a pin spanner to tighten it. When it was loose it was cutting out when I hit bumps.

The other issue for the OP to realize is that the runtime on a flashlight will mean that with a 30 mile run, he is going to have to stop and change batteries at least once every ride even in medium brightness mode. With the MagicShine you will easily be able to go the whole ride, maybe even two days (especially if you can do the route on medium mode), on a charge.

It's only an hour one way, so the tactical seems like a good start - though I like the idea of buying one made here in Plano.

It's only an hour one way, so the tactical seems like a good start - though I like the idea of buying one made here in Plano.

OH, sorry, I read that as 30 miles one way, not round trip. Yeah, I'd go for the flashlight.

I bought the MagicShine before I'd tried a flashlight. Now that I have it it's nice to have, but if I lost everything and started over, I'd just go for the flashlight.

Actually I'd probably go for two, one in the bag, just because I think it's always necessary to have at least some backup lighting. Maybe if I couldn't afford it right away I'd hold off, but eventually I'd pick up a spare.

However, I do believe in a really damned powerful taillight. I have a Dinotte now, but for the price of that I could get the Magicshine head AND tail light. It's possible that a Radbot would keep me happy though, they look impressive but I haven't tried one yet.

I've had the Magicshine for a little over 5 months now. I run it during both the morning and evening commutes 5 days a week, regardless of whether or not it is dark. If it is day light out, I run it in high speed flash mode to avoid left/right crosses by making damned sure that drivers know I'm there. My commute is 9 miles each way. I charge it every night.

It's doing well so far. For the $85 I paid, I cannot complain one bit.I must have jinxed myself.

Friday on the way to work the screw that keeps the bracket attached to the light head came loose and the light fell off. Luckily it didn't get down in the wheel and I was able to stop and remove it. It worked fine on the way home. Today, the battery died. It refuses to hold a charge. Sigh.

Note that MagicShine has a new light out. Looks like the same head, basically, but a new battery with a built in voltmeter / gauge and looks totally waterproof (enclosed in a solid plastic case)

My Tactical doubles as an EDC and bike light, it's built tough, waterproof, and stays on without flickering or changing modes over bumps-

Run-time on Turbo (max~200+ lumens) on re-chargeable batteries is over an hour-

I use the Blaze primarily to be-seen and strobe, and to save the battery charge on the Tactical for when I really need it-

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo347/bubba9191/pb1.jpg

I have had good luck with the mi-newt mini. Li-ion and very light weight. They are about $ 80 each and I have one on the bars and one on the helmet.

I was gonna say flashlight, but for a 30 mile run, Magicshine. You'll need the runtime. I run with a Magicshine with a P7 flashlight as backup. Both are good, the flashlight is a little less hassle due to being fully waterproof and self contained, but the runtime isn't good enough for you.


Good points, but it only takes a few seconds to swap out a battery. I still think that in the end the best bang for the buck is the P7...because it can also be used for its intended purpose...as a flashlight. ;)

Better yet, get both, like us. :D

Good points, but it only takes a few seconds to swap out a battery.

It is quick, but it's a pain in the ass to change a battery when you can't see your hand in front of your face. I guess if you added a small helmet light to the mix that you could flip on to see what you were doing, it wouldn't be bad.

It is quick, but it's a pain in the ass to change a battery when you can't see your hand in front of your face. I guess if you added a small helmet light to the mix that you could flip on to see what you were doing, it wouldn't be bad.

Holy crap, I knew that state up north was hell, but I didn't know it was that darned dark! :eek:

I have a P7 light, and while it's bright as heck, I don't like it on the bike at all. It's a big, chunky flashlight, and mine tends to bounce around a fair amount because of its size. It also suffers from occasional spontaneous mode-changing on the bumps, which is problematic as well. I likely may have gotten a not-so-good one from DX, but the quality control there is really spotty, especially for long-term use items subjected to elements and conditions.

My Fenix and Terralux LEDs have been bulletproof though and have been my go-to lights for 2 years now. Cheap, light, the FASTEST on/off your bike you can get, and you can easily carry backups.

I'll likely upgradeto the MS soon, but even then, I will continue carrying and likely using the Fenix as a backup or helmet-mount because it's so good.

I was looking for a similar setup recently, as I have to ride about 14 miles on city streets that are pretty dark in places at night. After reading for a while on here, I pulled the trigger on a Magicshine 900 from Geoman. I'm probably going to pick up one of those tactical flashlights as backup for when I need to change a tire or perform any other type of maintenance, as well as have a backup.

I know they are more expensive but I really like my Light & Motion Stella 120. Very small, battery straps to my stem and light has a quick strap for around the bar. Plenty bright for pitch black country roads and the flash mode grabs your attention in town.

Was at Target yesterday and found this (http://www.target.com/Fenix-LD20-180-Lumens-Flashlight/dp/B002GIR1O2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&keywords=flash%20light&searchSize=30&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchPage=2&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-9&qid=1284386422&rh=&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=target104545&frombrowse=0) and others like it. Hadn't seen those before at Target. Not nearly as cheap as DX, but maybe of better quality (????)

I know they are more expensive but I really like my Light & Motion Stella 120. Very small, battery straps to my stem and light has a quick strap for around the bar. Plenty bright for pitch black country roads and the flash mode grabs your attention in town.

I have a Stella 180 - the Magicshine is much brighter, even on medium.

Here is my DX setup, my commute is an hour and 15 min without a battery change although I do carry charged spares.
Never had a problem with it changing modes on its own .



http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12060
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1251
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15342
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35036

I have a P7 light, and while it's bright as heck, I don't like it on the bike at all. It's a big, chunky flashlight, and mine tends to bounce around a fair amount because of its size. It also suffers from occasional spontaneous mode-changing on the bumps, which is problematic as well. I likely may have gotten a not-so-good one from DX, but the quality control there is really spotty, especially for long-term use items subjected to elements and conditions.

My Fenix and Terralux LEDs have been bulletproof though and have been my go-to lights for 2 years now. Cheap, light, the FASTEST on/off your bike you can get, and you can easily carry backups.

I'll likely upgradeto the MS soon, but even then, I will continue carrying and likely using the Fenix as a backup or helmet-mount because it's so good.

Good as the MS is, using it with a helmet mounted light makes it even better. I use a Terralux on the helmet on high, the MS on the bar on medium, and the L2D on the bars either on turbo or strobe. The 2 on the bars give me a wider illuminated area, and when I use the L2D on strobe with the MS it attracts enough attention that people have actually stopped while trying to figure out what they looking at.

Cygolite Expilion 250, no external battery back, long battery run time, 250 lumens...very bright, 130 grams, self contained rechargeable LiIon battery. I have one and it's the best lights I could have purchased for $119 at Harris Cyclery. This replaces the cheaply made Magicshine that broke about 8 months when the switch failed and the company would do nothing about it, and I know others who had problems with theirs.

Has anyone tried the new Light & Motion Stella 300? It's quite a bit more expensive than Magicshine and other options, but L&M stuff is very high quality and I like the simplicity of the Stella lights. I've got a Magicshine but never use on the highest setting, so I'm figuring the Stella 300 on high would be about the same as the MS on medium.