dschwarz

Looking for a nice bright light for night commutes through Midtown Manhattan and the Hudson River Greenway. I already use a L&M Vis 360+ helmet light and it's great. I'm considering adding one of these two handlebar lights. The B&M has a cutoff and probably better optics. The L&M? Not sure.

Anyone have experience with either of these 2 lights?

canklecat

Assuming the bike light database comparisons are roughly accurate, the B&M Ixon Core appears to be roughly equivalent to a 250-300 lumen light.

The Ixon Core appears roughly comparable to my Serfas SL-255 at full output, or L&M Urban 500 at medium output (approx. 250 lumens). It's difficult to compare because the Serfas SL-255 is more of a spotlight, with a stronger central beam and weaker periphery, and some cutoff effect from the integral hood; the L&M is more evenly distributed, with no cutoff.

IMO, the L&M might be a better value, although if the battery run times are accurate the Ixon Core runs up to 4.5 hours on bright, with some decrease in brightness. That's pretty good.

The best way to get more bang for the buck is to buy more light than you need and run at medium. For example, my Urban 500 runs about 3 hours at medium or approx 250 lumens. I'd prefer about 300 lumens for typical city rides at night, so ideally I should have gotten the Urban 800 or brighter, to run at lower power and still have extra light for rural rides where I need to watch for deer and other critters.

If you're concerned about a light cutoff to avoid blinding oncoming cyclists and joggers/pedestrians, you can make one easily for the L&M Urban lights. I made one from a medium size white pill bottle made of HDPE. These are easy to trim to shape with scissors and a craft knife. Cut off the threaded end, leaving plenty of room to gradually trim down to size to fit the recess behind the lens on the Urban lights. If trimmed properly it will snap securely into place and hold on through rough roads. Trim the bottle barrel to expose half. Cut off the bottom. Put black tape across most of the top of the hood to shield your eyes.

The homemade hood will shape the beam with a strong center and cutoffs at the sides to minimize glare for pedestrians, joggers, cars in opposite lanes, oncoming cyclists on narrow MUPs, etc. And it enhances side visibility -- from the sides it looks like the glow of a roughly 20-40 watt frosted light bulb. Much better visibility than the yellow ports alone on the L&M Urbans. And from the front the overall light pattern appears much larger, enhancing visibility to cars.

I've asked neighbors and drivers about the effect since making this homemade hood and all commented very favorably. I'm much more visible, and my neighbors aren't blinded when I passed them at night.

Also take a look at the new Serfas E-Lumes. I know a couple of local folks who use 'em and they're very satisfied. I'm considering one of the more powerful dual LED models for my nighttime rides, especially on rural roads. Not sure about adapting a homemade hood to the E-Lume or whether it's even necessary.

dschwarz

Thanks for the detailed response. Could you post a picture of your light with homemade hood installed?

angerdan

Great site!
But the greatest lights from B&M (150lx Ixon Space for example) are not included in their database:
bumm.de/en/products/akku-scheinwerfer/parent/196/produkt/196l.html
bumm.de/en/products/akku-scheinwerfer.html

I would take a look at the Ixon Space!
The all new Trelock LS 760 I-GO with 100lx seems interesting too:
TRELOCK_Katalog-2018.pdf#page=6

TimothyH

I own a Light & Motion Urban 800 and use it with a Vis 360+ two or three times each week.

Beam pattern on the Urban lights is excellent, as good as anything out there.

The 650 was $48 at Excel Sports but they are sold out. An Urban 800 fast charge is only $78.

https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...ajor=3&minor=6

Sal Bandini

+1 on the L&M. I just bought the 650 for $59 on Amazon but think the price went up. You can get the silver/moon color for $64

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-...%2Bmotion&th=1

Beam pattern is good. I run it on medium since most lights will get quite hot on full power and good ones will cut back power anyway at some point to protect the LED.

DrIsotope

L&M 650 on medium is enough for 90% of riding situations, I've found. Faster descents are the only time I click it over to high.

jeremybrooks

One more vote for the Light and Motion. The side facing amber lights are really great. Riding in the morning, I can always spot my buddy up the road as he is waiting for me, because the amber lights are visible from the side from quite a ways away.

fietsbob

Dyno hub and wired headlight for unlimited ride time.. is the way I go .. commuting,

Have a battery light just for summer time when days are long, and touring, I'd probably have made camp by nightfall ..

So, B&M shaped light pattern with an engineered beam puts the light on the street, not the trees or the eyes of oncoming traffic.

I have 4 different bikes with lights using that technology, just not the B&M Ixon Core..

3 installed, wired to dynamo , one battery ,removable.




......

noglider 

I usually use a dynamo-powered headlight. But I have a lot of bikes, and I want to keep a few of them light, and I don't want to go through the expense of adding a dynamo to each, so I have a couple of battery powered lights.

I have an Ixon Core, and it's very good. The beam shape is excellent. I've received compliments from people who saw it head-on. I think the cut off makes it seem more powerful than it is. Battery life is also very impressive, though I haven't measured it carefully. Construction is also excellent.

My only complaint is that I got the rubber band mount rather than the clamp. The light is slightly heavier in back than in front, so vibration tends to tilt the light upwards. I might be able to remedy that by shimming my handlebar and using friction tape or something.

The other lights mentioned here are also worth consideration.

TimothyH

The Light & Motion Urban 800 on my bike has never gotten beyond what I would consider warm and has never cut back power/brightness except when it completely runs out of juice. I would return it if it did any of that.

I run mine full blast all the time.

zacster

For commuting a dynamo is the best way to go IMHO. Combine that with a B&M Cyo Premium, or their newer light, and you won't worry about lighting the road anymore. My light will drown out a light cannon that is riding in front of me.

TimothyH

Keep in mind that the L&M Urban 650 is about $56 right now.