Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - New Nightrider Lights - 3,000 lumen, 300 lumen light $100 (MagicShine?), 600 Cordless

Ran across this on bikerumor.com today -
http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/06/02/new-2012-niterider-product-lineup/

Things I noticed...
- 3,000 Lumen Pro 3000 LED light - last years version was 1400 lumens. Seems...bright... It's the light with 2 different lights, one a wide angle light and the other a narrower beam to punch forward, that are both completely programmable.
- MiNewt Mini.300 for $99.99 - I'm not up to date on the Magicshine, but maybe finally a competitor to it at a similar price?
- The MiNewt 600 and 350 cordless lights are interesting to me - lights with external batteries are really annoying when you have to take your lights off the bike at each end of the ride. Saves time and hassle if they're all one unit.

The only problem with NR selling a light that bright is that is will be in the 400-600 price range.. I can use 2 xml's for 50.00 and get 1800 lumens out of them..

What I would like to see is a correctly engineer dual light. NR and everyone else seems to stack heads side by side. Most likely because of heat. I think the lights should on over the other, and off axis at 5 degrees. The low light would run all the time at 700-900 and the top light would have a reflector with more "throw" and run at 1000-1200. With appropriate remote switch - it could battery efficient as well.

Light all the time - power and throw -"down the road" when you need it - just like a car.

The only problem with NR selling a light that bright is that is will be in the 400-600 price range.. I can use 2 xml's for 50.00 and get 1800 lumens out of them..

'xml'? Do you mean a magicshine lighthead?

'xml'? Do you mean a magicshine lighthead?

No there are XML Flashlights that can give you 800-900 lumens.. They burn through batteries in an hour but it can be done.. I bought a couple of xmls to try and find that the medium modes are still putting out equal lumens to a P7 light with about 100 minute runtime.. The beams are much tighter than P7 or mce lights so more light is being directed where you ride, perfect balance of hotspot with a little sidespill..

I hope they will make two seperate model for that 3000 lumen light. One for road and one for trail useage. 3000 lumen is a lot of light if the beam is not angle properly for the many type of riding we do.

Personally as a commuter, I like to have more flood toward right for parked cars and cars pulling out of driveway. Then some pin point focus beam for throw with some downward spillage for debris on the road. In order to accomplish this, multiple LED is needed and design engineering. Then there are beam for trail use.......

Yeah, I wish someone made a more shaped beam for road - but more importantly MUP and bike trail - use. I was just riding last night and people were wincing somewhat at my light - a Seca 900 - on *low*. Sheesh...

". . . XML Flashlights that can give you 800-900 lumens.. . . .'

Name? Make? Model? Source?

True 1000 lumen XML is here: http://elektrolumens.com/EDC-XML/EDC-XML.html

I bought a 1000 lumen rated via ebay and it is close to 800 OTF, but the heat in high mode is concerning.. I would only run the smaller ones in medium mode, the heat is a huge concern unless riding in cool-cold weather. The Elektrolumens uses a solid copper heat sink to help with the heat issues.. Below is a pic of the ELM MCe light rated at 700 lumens, so the XML is tighter and brighter..

If that is not enough power he has a triple xml using 26650 cells at 3000 lumens..
http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=elektrolumens&product=Big+Bruiser

". . . XML Flashlights that can give you 800-900 lumens.. . . .' Name? Make? Model? Source?

The Fenix TK41 (http://www.lightjunction.com/Fenix-TK41-XML-flashlight.html) is way brighter than the XM-L version of the MS 900.


True 1000 lumen XML is here: http://elektrolumens.com/EDC-XML/EDC-XML.html

I decide to get "real" and pulled the trigger on the purchase on the new TK41 from Fenix which uses new XM-L emitter. (same as new MS 900?)

I don't know how to benchmark it -but I can tell you right now - and this is not just BS - the TK41 is a hell of a lot brighter than the new MS 900.

When I tried to compare beam spots - TK41's hot spot made the wall look like it was being burned with a magnifying glass. I had to turn the TK to the 335 lumen setting to approximate beam intensity.

In my opinion -using the Fenix TK41 manufacture specs as a lumen benchmark, I would describe the new MS 900 to be running at 500 lumen. It is no brighter than a TK41 set to 335 lumen. But the MS900 does have a more diffuse flood, and a resulting dimmer shorter throw/diffuse spot area.

Hey Colleen, how bright is the MS dive light? Same deal?

The Fenix TK41 (http://www.lightjunction.com/Fenix-TK41-XML-flashlight.html) is way brighter than the XM-L version of the MS 900.



I decide to get "real" and pulled the trigger on the purchase on the new TK41 from Fenix which uses new XM-L emitter. (same as new MS 900?)

I don't know how to benchmark it -but I can tell you right now - and this is not just BS - the TK41 is a hell of a lot brighter than the new MS 900.

When I tried to compare beam spots - TK41's hot spot made the wall look like it was being burned with a magnifying glass. I had to turn the TK to the 335 lumen setting to approximate beam intensity.

In my opinion -using the Fenix TK41 manufacture specs as a lumen benchmark, I would describe the new MS 900 to be running at 500 lumen. It is no brighter than a TK41 set to 335 lumen. But the MS900 does have a more diffuse flood, and a resulting dimmer shorter throw/diffuse spot area.

Hey Colleen, how bright is the MS dive light? Same deal?

I wonder what is the bin of the Fenix TK41, they might be using a U2 bin instead of the T6? The T6 bin xml which the MS use does have a Tint that I can only describe as weird. It look white on a white wall but when I use it out on the road, it has some yellowish almost a Neutral trint. That alone will make it look less brighter. Not just that but the outer ring and the hotspot have different tint to it.

I did have a chance to do some ceiling bounce test to see if the new MS xml is indeed brighter than some other lights I have. I have a FC light meter which I converted the reading to LUX with the 10.76 conversion. I found a setting in the house where I took an old MS900 P7 and got 37 Lux out of it as control settiing to do the other light test. All number are from a white ceiling bounce test. Here are some number that maybe interest:

MS 900 P7----------------37 Lux
Gemini Titan--------------42 Lux
Shiningbeam S mini-------28 Lux
MG XPG R5 Rocket--------33 Lux
MG X thrower SST50------43 Lux
Bikeray IV on Hi-----------82 Lux
Bikeray IV on low---------16 Lux
MS XML T6--------------63 Lux

Base on these number, I can say that the new MS XML is brighter than most light that are in the 500 Lumen range. My best guess is that it probably have an OTF of about 700-800 lumens.

I really love fenix lights but why do they continue to use AA cells in these high powered lights is beyond me.. I have bought a number of XML's and drop ins and find it is the perfect mix of hotspot with enough sidespill for road riding.. The P7 and MCE lights were great but they were too floody, best used if you were mountain biking but not great on the road.. With colleens numbers I may just try that xml MS head, I know i can buy that by itself from usa seller..

I really love fenix lights but why do they continue to use AA cells in these high powered lights is beyond me..

Ditto...

The flashlight looks interesting, but it's only single mode. I rarely need full power, so especially with single cell flashlights I prefer to have something with a 50% setting. For a 1000 lumen light I'd even like to have a 20% setting.

Fenix has several other comparable lights that use a variety of cells. I chose the TK41 because I own 30 or more cells already and the TK41 is one of the few lights that provides many hours of run time in medium setting. >300 lumen

Clearly for anyone who cares - the best power-format for a strap-on flashlight for bicycling is a 2x18650 tube. Of course I can safely ride with my LD20 as well 2xAA.
I still think 200 lumen with "throw" is safe up to 20mph in most scenarios. But everyone is different.

I road tested the TK41 last night and am pretty disappointed. I had always understood how broad the MS 900 beam is, along with the great "flood" the hotspot is nearly non-existent. I had hoped the TK41 would make a great all purpose light, while running on medium. However, the hotspot never diffuses very much and the surrounding beam is weaker than the MS. This results in needing to use "high power" on the TK41 to get enough "flood light" for good road lighting. (and a wasted hot spot)

In other words, in my opinion the MS has too wide of a beam, and the TK41 has a little "too much throw" and "too little flood" to make a great bike light.

I should have expected this, yet I am going to have some fun with that TK41 - I can't wait for a big organized night ride - I figure most riders will think a motorcycle or car is coming - if not a freight train! :lol: