1nterceptor

Hey folks! I was wondering if there are members here who could lend me
their equipment for a headlight review. I would like to take side by side
pics/videos of a couple of lights. I won't use your light in the rain or do a
drop test with YOUR light. Some of you know that in addition to travelling
and cycling; I also do videos testing products that are cycling related. I'm
located in the New York City area and can pick-up after working hours or
on the weekend. I have a generic P7 flashlight that I would like to compare
to this light that I just got:
https://dx.com/p/cree-xm-l-t6-4800lm-...x-18650-199920

I'm very interested in having a Magicshine(or clone), Dinnotte, Niterider or
other powerful light(s) for this comparison. It may also be interesting to
have a dyno powered light in the mix.

To give you an idea of what I'm planning to do, here is a sample of my
previous reviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BfxHYkhzLM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGpBHbEYqeo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLeZhBw3cjI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qVXRuTyGBk

Thanks in advance!

noglider 

I can loan you mine if you let me borrow one of yours in the meantime so I won't be without my lights.

1nterceptor

The only light I can lend is a single XML Magicshine clone, the one all the way to the left.
But I can only lend you the head, I need the battery pack to test the P7 Magicshine on the
right that a fellow BF'er lent me(just the head). What kind of light were you going to let me
borrow? Do you have a dyno powered light? I can bring my lights and I it would be nice to
do some beam comparisons. Thanks for your help.


XML, P7, 5 x XML, P7 by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

noglider 

I have quite a few bikes. The one I'm riding most lately is the one with the dynamo light system working very well. Here is the article I wrote about it, full with pictures and links to each of the products. Obviously, I'm not going to take them off the bike, so if you want to get together and ride around and do tests, that's a possibility.

Other lights I have:

I have a Fenix pd32 which is super bright but the on/off switch has failed for the second time, and I have to figure out what's up with that.

I have an UltraFire WF-501B which is nice and certainly bright enough, but it eats batteries too quickly.

I have a flashlight from Costco that came in a set of three. It uses three AAA batteries. I don't like AAA batteries, but I gave two of the lights away as gifts, and this is the leftover. I actually like the light, even though it's the weakest of the LED flashlights I have, maybe because I have the lowest expectations of it. It's too big in diameter for me to use standard bike flashlight mounts, though.

My wife has a NiteRider MyNewt 150 or something like that. Very impressive. When I ride in front of her, I keep thinking there's a motorcycle behind me.

But now I'm totally sold on dyno lights.

I just put this B&M dyno-powered light on my Raleigh Twenty. 40 Lux doesn't sound like a lot, but first of all lumens and Lux are not the same. Second of all, these European-engineered lights do so much work with the optics that you need a lot less light energy to get the right amount of light in the right places.

I can't use your head alone, unless you think some of my batteries would work.

Oh, I also have a Blackburn X4. It's out of production, which is a good thing. It was a very disappointing light. Great mounting system, but insufficient light output.

Again, these round-beam lights seem misguided.

noglider 

Is there an echo in here?

Is there an echo in here?

1nterceptor

Excellent article. Kudos to you for designing and doing your own wiring. The only thing missing - beamshots at night.
What about a collaboration? I go to you with my lights; and we take comparison shots/videos. You can post a follow-up
article on your blog and I'll post the video on my Youtube channel. Let me know if this is ok with you:

WHAT: I'll meet up w/ you, I'll bring 3 cameras, 2 tripods, my bicycle and a bunch of lights.

WHO: You, me and maybe we can invite one or two more BF'er; more lights, more help.

WHERE: I notice in your sig it says Maplewoods and High Falls - if we do this on a weekend, where can I catch you?
We need a dark bike path or street and/or a big wall.

WHEN: I'm waiting on another battery pack that may take about a week to get here. Maybe the weekend of 24/25 AUG.
or if my batteries come in time, 17/18 AUG? Weekends are best for me, but if you can only meet on a weekday that's fine
too. I guess we have to this after 9PM or before 5AM. Night time is better for me, but if you can only do it in the morning
that's ok with me.

HOW: We'll use one of your bikes that has a dyno. We'll hold/keep the bike upright facing a wall. I'll position a camera and
tripod behind the bike. Then we can alternate different lights on the handlebars. If we have time, we can repeat this in a
different location; bike path, empty street, woods, etc. If we have more time, I can attach a camera on your helmet/bike
to get a perspective from the rider and/or I can follow you on my bike with another camera.

Ok let me know what you think and please give suggestions. Should be fun.

no motor?

I want to see how well that 5 led light works, that should be interesting.

noglider 

I'm moving house from Maplewood to Manhattan on the 22nd, so I don't think I have time for the experiments until after I move.

Now I'm picturing plunking the dyno bike on a set of rollers to do the beam tests. Good thing I don't have a set of rollers!

1nterceptor

I assumed the battery I had for a MS clone would work; so I tried to plug it in.
The head lit up so i know it's good, but the connectors didn't match. Still
waiting on hopefully the right battery pack from China.

1nterceptor

So you're in Manhattan now? Will the dyno work if somebody lifts the wheel an inch
from the ground and spins the wheel? Then another person can take the beam shots.

1nterceptor

While waiting for a new battery pack I got this:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ear-in-a-pinch

I have 3 bikes so I'm always playing with lights.

PlanoFuji

If you do end up doing this, I highly recommend that you use a camera with full manual control of ISO, aperture and shutter speed. By using a single setting on all of those values you can ensure that the light levels will be comparable between all of the shots. You could actually use good photo editing software to provide relative measurements of brightness.

I would also suggest that shots be taken from two angles if possible, one from the riders perspective and the other from as aerial a perspective as you can manage to get a feel for the pattern of light being cast.

noglider 

Yes, I'm in Manhattan now. Yes, the light work when I elevate the rear wheel and turn the cranks.

cehowardGS

No light to lend, but would like to comment on that 3200 lum baby.. [h=1]Cree XM-L T6 3200lm 3-Mode White Bicycle Headlamp - Black Grey (6 x 18650)[/h]
I am not into battery packs, however, looking at the vid, the compactness of the light, and oh my gawd the power, I might swing for one of these.. To deal with heavy, pitch-dark, fast moving traffic, I go as bright as I can..Getting passed at 60mph is no fun.

IMO, this light if as bright as it claims, compares with lights costing 3 to 4 times as much.. Not much bigger than the single Magicshine too.