New lights at Dealextreme
 

Hi all, CJ from down under and this is my first post here, although been following your forum with much interest for a few months now.

Some guys in Oz have asking about this light from DX and I just wanted to ask if anyone on here has any thoughts or experience with them.

Many thanks.

CJ

Good find, it might be a recent addition to site.....

Could be my next purchase..... :thumb:

+1 on possibly my next purchase. I like it.

Someone buy and let us know how the mount is. Does it break easy?

Looks great, though do keep in mind that their (DE's) P7 flashlights are rated at 900 lumens too but really do about 400 lumens.

I probably won't buy one immediately, but I will be looking for what others think of them.

Bear in mind that this uses a 4 x 18650 battery pack, so has a lot more capacity - looking at the runtimes quoted for the light on 4 x 18650, they could actually be telling the truth about lumens this time.

:)

Considering the runtimes that they are quoting, it is a good deal.. I just wish someone would put together a dual P7 with external battery pack that could run for 3 hours, that would be ideal..

Buy 2 of them.

Wow, that is an awesome light. Is it waterproof? Two of these lights and you would be good for 1 year! Yes, I said one year because 1 year from now a new light will come out that is 50% stronger and costs less and you again will have to upgrade! lol

Also, what about the mounting? Can you mount this light on your handlebars and not worry about someone stealing it?

Someone buy this and review it for the rest of us!

Folks at MTBR beat you to the punch.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=520912

snip taken straight out of that thread:



Been testing them for the last week...I say stick with your DIY stuff...

Picture 072 (Small).jpg

fake o-ring, not waterproof, water can dribble down the fin & enter the housing from the hole.

Picture 073 (Small).jpg

poor thermal transfer from slug to housing only 2mm contact from lip of slug to housing, no thermal paste at all.

Picture 074 (Small).jpg

It would be 700lm+, as compared to other lights it is as bright. with a green tint on the ones I have tested...

green LED & red for low batt, high, low & flash, you have to cycle it, so its a bit of a pain to use... 4x 18650's 2S2P, with protection circuit on board.

Its alloy not plastic, light & cheap alloy, like the torches... does not feel solid... its a cheap light with good beam pattern but has a donut hole as you would expect.

like most cheap lights with a $2 driver, I would not rely on it for your only light in the bush...

it is what it is, a cheap light for the masses... I sure it will be hit for modders to play with...

K

Ok, just read it all.

The criticisms on that thread apply equally to a lot of the P7 torches.

Here's a couple of bits I liked:

:thumb:

The SOS mode won't be staying on mine.....

- this guy is great - first he decides the housing is made of plastic - then he insists that while it's ok for top brands (niterider, dinotte and lupine) to use O rings, but if a cheaper cycle light uses an O ring it's third rate......

:)

You going to mod the driver?

This will certainly cut into the airbike/kento market.

It all depends what is inside the light itself and if any components are 'standard'.

Certainly I'd have no objection to fitting a larger heatsink if required.

I do object to having to cycle through low and SOS just to turn a light off though, so possibly a different driver and/or switch.

Luckily, I've been able to remove unwanted modes in the past by modifying boards and switches :)

Though one patient did die on the operating table :(

SOS aside, the DX P7 cycle light looks VERY promising and costs a lot less than the home brewed P7 housings available.

And as some of the MTE P7 torches have no more heatsinking than the DX cycle light, there's no reason why it shouldn't work ok standard. (I'm not picking on MTE, I've only taken 2 makes of P7 torch apart and the heatsinking on my Aurora is much better).

Anyway, I think DX are going to sell a lot, both to people who are going to use them standard and people who will use them as a housing for their own project.

It looks like a great light to me (P7, Li pack, charger) and it's a pity people will rubbish it before it's had a fair trial - especially if they are in the 'custom housing' business....

;)

Whist DX does sell some okay lights (I use an MC-E from them and a P60 drop-in), a lot of the stuff which they sell is complete rubbish. Their taillights and cheap LED bike lights for instance. I bought some to give to friends who stop y with no lights, and EVERY ONE has either broken while trying to be installed or fallen off shortly after. Pure crap.

As well as the red LED torch and some Q5 and P7 torches (Ultrafire, MTE and Aurora) I've also bought 3 different rear cycle lights, 2 of each type - all have been superb. :thumb:

I'm still deciding whether to order this immediately, so as a comparison I checked to see what my P7 set up costs:

Aurora AK-P7-3 SSC P7-C 900-Lumen 2-Mode LED Flashlight $47.75
2 x TrustFire Protected 18650 Lithium Battery 2-Pack Blue $20
UltraFire 3.6/3.7V Battery Charger $12.46
Universal Bicycle Mount for Flashlights and Gadgets $2.89
Total - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -$83.10

I thought the new cycle light looked a little on the expensive side, but after checking the price of my current set up, I reckon it's not bad VFM. Also, as the Aurora AK is on the heavy side for a P7 torch the DX cycle light could weigh less and has better runtime to boot.

Could well be a no brainer :)

Considering what 83.00 gets you on the retail market, it seems like a decent deal.. I have so many P7's and MC-e lights, I do not need to add an extra light to my inventory.. Having extra P7's is nice when a friend wants to go for a night ride, velcro on the Lockblock, install light and go..

2 of those gets pricey at $150 +. I'd rather have a pair of $45 torches.

But then I never ride longer than 45 minutes, and I can see how 4 18650s might be sweet.

Couple of P7s
Couple of Lock-Blocks
A dremel tool
and one of these:
http://www.turboferret.co.uk/p7kit.php

Might get close to 3 hrs. especially on Med or low.

Jeez......

Quad Twin Premium 1S4P 3.7v quad holder, 2 x plugged cables, grommets + pouch = £42 + P&P

Just for the battery holder - without batteries ??

The DX light - P7 headlight, battery pack and charger is $80 = £52 inc P&P

and you don't have to take the batteries out of the holder to charge them.....

:twitchy:

Yes, but socalrider was lusting after a 2 light system with 3hrs runtime.

So, two of he DX lights will cost $160.
The Quad holder is about $65 (+pp) It runs two lights.
Two MTE SSC P7's from DX $60
4 18650's from DX $20
Lockblocks, about $16 shipped for a set of 3.
2 18650 chargers from DX, about $16

Total is about $177 (+ shipping on the holder) vs. $160 for 2 of the DX bike lights.

So, for a little more $$, you get better lights, better holder, and probably a better charger and batteries. Plus it's a lot more versatile, compact, cheaper to replace components, and it should have better runtime.

For Aus too expensive at the current exchange rate. Nice looking 'proper' bike light but the P7 flashlight is a cost-effective solution for bike lighting. I've got a P7 flashlight and would have bought that even if this had been available at the time, and that was when US$1 = AUD$1 (or close to it).

Can't say I can entirely agree with you about the homebrew being better.

- The single P7 DX cycle light has a 4 x 18650 pack, whereas the homebrew is running two LEDs from the same number of batteries. It can't have better runtime.

- There's no evidence that the P7 torches are better quality than the P7 cycle light, indeed common sense would suggest that DX gets them from a P7 torch manufacturer

- complete rubbish, you get A holder with 8 more connections to fail, extra weight and complexity and at absurd cost - give me a lightweight soldered pack any day. Plug a soldered pack in to charge or take a holder off the bike, remove the 18650s, charge 2 of them, wait a few hours and then charge the other 2 - it's a no brainer.

- quality aside...you'll have long charge times unless you buy TWO chargers - thanks for adding the 'probably' though.

erm....there's no evidence that any of that is true. Why would it be cheaper to replace a P7 LED in a DX torch than replace a P7 LED in a DX cycle light ? (that might even have come from the same factory ?)

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having or wanting a dual P7 set up, it's just that your comparison has more holes than a sieve and none of the points you have made are accurate or serve any useful purpose, no offense intended.

:)

EDIT: FWIW I use a P7 and Q5 torches as cycle lights and while there are benefits to doing so, I am prepared to give the DX cycle light a fair trial, it has a lot going for it.

Looking forward to some reviews on this thing. I'd love to get one for the handlebars and mount the other one on my helmet. :)

+1 though I'd have 2 on the bars.

Although one of these and a P7 torch as well could be a good compromise - especially as I already have the P7 torch :)

Now there's an idea :)

I'll concede that point. I was thinking of runtime if you use the lower power modes on most p7s. I forgot that this light also has a multiple modes.

The point being that the homebrew solution gives you the option of having better quality p7s, better housings, heatsinking, lenses, switches, etc. than is standard with this light. This won't necessarily always be the case, but the cost to upgrade the quality of the flashlight is marginal. Upgrading the DX light calls for some pretty serious mod's, from what I can tell.

Not exactly. My cost calculation included 2 chargers, during which time you can use the holder with another set of batteries. Or, you can have 2 extra batteries and stagger the charges so you can still have 2 lights operating while 2 batt's at a time are charging. Or, you can forego the holder entirely and just put the batt's directly in the flashlight temporarily. If your p7 takes other kinds of batt's, you can use those as spares or emergency batts. None of this is an option with the DX light's dedicated soldered pack. As for extra weight, remember you are comparing one of these holders to two DX batt. packs.

I figured 2 chargers initially. They're less than $8 ea. for a pretty decent one.

It might not be any cheaper to swap LEDs, but it might not even be possible depending on what you want to swap it with. What is nice is that you can swap entire lights , mix & match lights (i.e. red luxeon in rear), and easily replace broken components like switches, mounts, etc. The main thing is that you can still use the P7s as handheld flashlights. They're not married to your bike. I'm not a big fan of "integrated solutions" like this unless they are highly engineered. I still prefer a separate printer, fax, copier.

I'm not saying there is anything really wrong with this system. But it's far from a "no brainer". Most people who buy it will use it "as is". That's fine. But unless you do extensive mod's to it there are definite advantages to a separate component based system despite the admittedly high cost of that holder, especially if you're not into hacking up an already built light set in order to "improve" it. And especially if you already have a p7 or two. And double especially if you have already modded a P7 or two and would like to use them on your bike.

Just from the picture it shows it has no collimator lens, the reflector only catches the sideways spill from the LED. The beam shot shows a huge cone of spill illumination. I wouldn't use this on roads and especially not on cycle paths -- if it drives the P7 at all well you're just going to blind oncoming traffic. To avoid driving other cyclists off the path you'd have to point it 30 degrees down, uselessly. Might be able to mod it to take a collimator.

That's a nice idea in theory, but in reality you'd have to disconnect the external pack, remove the P7 from the bars take it apart, remove the wiring - then reassemble. I think most people would just go look for another torch......in fact I'd buy another torch just to avoid having to do that.....

Connecting all your lights to one battery pack isn't 'nice' it's foolish, as there is no redundancy. If you have a mechanical or electrical failure or the pack goes flat - no lights.

I'm not saying one idea is better than the other and to a large extent it depends on what you already have - I already have a P7, a stack of 18650s and a charger - if I didn't I'd buy the P7 cycle light immediately.

However, I was just about to add a second P7 torch before this cycle light came out and as I already have 18650s, charger and bar mount my additional outlay is just the cost of another torch.

That said because I want long run times the P7 I have is 2 x 18650 and weighs 374g not including the bar mount - I wouldn't be surprised if the new P7 cycle light weighs less than that.

Realistically for me the benefits of the cycle light over another P7 would be - 2 x larger battery pack, probably no weight penalty, easier charging, nicer install, longer run times and it's a cycle light - not a torch.

I don't think it will be more difficult to mod than a torch and there's no reason why it should be less reliable or of lower quality, after all it must be made by one of the companies that makes P7 torches and from mostly the same components.

If I was starting from scratch, the cycle light would cost less than the P7 torch, batteries, mount and charger I have so it really would be a no brainer.

I think it will be a lot easier (and more sensible) to discuss the pros and cons after a few people here have tried them.

I don't like to take part in a trial where the defendent isn't even present.

:thumb:

I'm not sure what you are on about ?

Every P7 torch I've seen uses a similar traditional reflector and there are lots and lots and lots of people successfully and happily using those as cycle lights.

That includes me - and as for having to point it 30 degrees down that's just an old wives tale spread by people who have bought very expensive cycle lights and are trying to make themselves feel better.

All I've had to do is point the torch (or several torches) at the road in front of me - exactly as I would with any cycle light in existence (and I've tried a lot of them) - and - this is the clever part - the light leaves the torch and lights up the road - how about that ?

:)