Problems with the popular $20 headlight/headlamp
 

I bought one of this type of light (claimed to be 1800LM but about the same as my 800LM flashlight, both could be much less :( ). Not as impressed as I thought I would be. I used it twice. It shut off more than half of the time without warning. I finally found out at least some incidents were caused by the cable from the light to the battery being totally disconnected--the connection between the battery and light was too loose. Is there an easy solution to this? Also, how strong is the rubber ring that is used to mount the light to the handlebar? When the road is bumpy, the light tends to slip downward on the handlebar; may fall some day.

Although it's reasonably bright, I find it doesn't throw very far. It lights up very close vicinity. My flashlight has a longer beam.

I use this Planet Bike headlight. The description doesn't give the lumen output, but it works well for me. It connects to the handlebar firmly, although my 10-mile commute on pavement doesn't jar it much.

I wonder if you aren't making the connection properly. All of the LED lights that I've owned have connectors that are almost too tight. They are difficult to disconnect. Are you sure that you are pushing the plug into the light far enough? My daughter had the same problem and that was the cause.

I doubt that the o-ring will "fail" but it does slip. A bit of rubber or Tommy Tape will solve the vibration issue. The Tommy Tape is great for finishing bar wraps, by the way.

I will agree that the o-ring mount isn't the best mount. I got rid of mine and went to a Marwi mount. This guy tells you how and has the mounts. I have multiple mounts on multiple bikes which makes changing lights from bike to bike simple.

I got the same light a couple of weeks ago and I'm pretty pleased with it. I didn't even try with the rubber ring mount, just replaced it with a large plastic zip-tie.

Got two more and test rode them yesterday.

The O-Rings work good for me.

I wrap the mount bar with rubber tape to get the desired diameter.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=353838 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=353839

Yeah, I'd guess that you had the connector halfway in. I have one that the connector is so tight that it's very difficult to plug in all the way. I actually wound up putting three slices into the waterproofing ring to make it easy to plug in. It really doesn't matter much if some water gets into the connector unless it's salty water and it doesn't get washed out - that will corrode.

Hey 10 Wheels - I have that same $6 bike comp! I actually wound up replacing it because a couple of times it just reset and lost my odometer value. It's possible I just pushed the wrong button - it was a little confusing to use.

$5... been using two for 5 years now......Your battery may have been weak or dying.

http://dx.com/p/sunding-electronic-b...edometer-24075

Thanks--glad I asked! After reading two of you both saying I may not have plugged the connector further enough, I tried again and, indeed, it snapped really tight, hard to disconnect. (If it's kept connected when not turning on the light, will there be battery power leaking?)

Great tips of using rubber or Tommy tape for the handlbar mount. Is the Tommy tape similar to electric tape or has more friction?

I like those also. Sometimes one of the buttons gets stuck down, then when you're punching the other to cycle screens or trip reset, and it's as if you're hold both down and therefore resets/initializes it.

Regarding the discharging while connected, the current drain for the button glow is insubstantial.

On your first question, keeping the light plugged in will usually result in a little battery draw if the light has an indicator light on it. These are usually very low intensity lights and the power draw isn't significant.

Tommy tape is a self-fusing silicon tape that has no adhesive. It doesn't stick to the bars but only to itself. And when it sticks to itself, it really fuses. You can't get it to release and have to cut it off. Electrical tape has an adhesive on it that sticks to other stuff and often leaves a residue. Tommy tape will work in wet conditions...you can apply it over water...while electrical tape will not stick to a wet surface and it may not remain stuck if it gets wet.

Thanks cyccommute. Good to know about this nice Tommy tape. I think I could wrap a layer of it on the bar and then wrap electric tape over it to be more economical :)

I would use this as a "bee seen" light but the output is a low for seeing where you are going.

Have a number of these and they have been in use for many years and have not had a problem although they are used as a secondary to my primary lighting.

The 2w Planet Bike headlight is what I would consider to be minimal for a light to see with and I have been beating one up since they were first released and it has not caused any issues. They throw 180 lumens which is not extreme but it is always a balance between brightness and run time... I can get 6 hours of full power on 2 AA rechargeables while many brighter lights have run times that might not be long enough for longer commutes / rides.

Carrying a spare set of AA batteries is not onerous either.

Yeah, I definitely couldn't ride with that PB Beamer. It's listed as 35 lumens. Each of my three taillights are brighter than that. I don't think I could see 10 feet down the road with that.

The 2Watt PB light is rated at 150 lumens, it throws a nice beam because of a better lense so has better lux (a better measure than lumens)... it compares nicely to the generator light on my wife's bike which is a 40 lux B&M headlight.

In the winter I can run often the light on it's low power mode because of the snow which is a bright reflective surface.

For riding in the rain a brighter light is better but I don't have to deal with as much of that and do have hub lighting on my summer commuter... the 40 lux B&M is better in the rain as the lense is even better.

800lm is about typical for those lights at full brightness. If you look up most reviews where they measure they usually come up in that range. 800lm is still very bright for a $20 light. Beam pattern is an issue with all bike lights, especially the cheaper ones. A flashlight tends to have too much of a center hot-spot, while these tend to throw light everywhere. Ideally, you want the goldilocks beam of not too much spread, but still enough to illuminate peripheral areas.

Wow, somebody out there still sells that absolute pos, and somebody actually recommends it.

There's so much better options than buying that 2 watt PB light, Planet Bike hasn't made any decent front light since they stopped making the HID lights due to LED takover.


The OP made a good choice, just connect the plug tighter and you got a killer light for $20. Nothing comes close to that value.

I guess my route has more street lights than I thought, cuz that PB light worked fine for my needs. Maybe I'll look for a better light sometime soon!

I have no love for flashlights with bad optics or people with more lights than you need for a vehicle that isn't going to top 30 mph... 1800 lumens is about twice as bright as the very best dyno lighting system and would guarantee that the optics on a $20.00 light are crap.

Those lower output blinkies are still good for being seen... they do not provide adequate light to see by.

My experience with the 2W is that it is a good minimum and they can be bought here for much less than they are in the US which makes a difference... I have been talking with the folks at PB about improving and developing new lights that will be better and more competitive with the bargain lights on the market.

This evening I used it again and it remained on all the time. I also changed to the smaller rubber ring for the mount, and the light didn't slip even on bumpy road. Thanks again.

I totally agree with you. I need the light to have a distinctive long beam so that drivers coming from the side can be alerted in advance (they'll see the light before they see me). Another function of long beam is to scare away pedestrians :D. FYI the flashlight I have is this one (I like that it can run on 3xAAs).

When a beam pattern isn't suited for your use, it's not crap. Those $20 light put out as much light (700-800 lumens, not 1800 lumens) as the first gen Lupine Seoul P7 led lights, and I've seen people used 2000 lumen Lupines on commutes, not ideal but people can do it.

Lower output blinkies need to be in flashing mode to be seen. In steady mode, they are absolutely useless and get completely washed out by ambient lighting, that pb beamer 5 isn't even bright enough to light up street signs unless it's aimed perfectly at the street sign. (I had that pos as far back as 2005 (still have the MEC catalogue where they advertised this stuff along with Nitehawk (defunct a long time ago), absolute garage compared to what's available today).

You have the PB 2w and the B&M, do you have any 1000 lumen lights to compare your lights to? This whole "beam pattern" and cutoff nonsense is not as dire as some people claim to be. As for Planet Bike, they should stick to non-bike-light accessories, no one talks about them in the bike light enthusiast scene anymore. MTBR has a light shootout section and a very active light forum section, nobody talks about Planet Bike lights there. http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/

The only people who buy the pb 2w now are those who don't know any better, MEC's own brand of silicone rebadged oem lights are more convenient and useful for the occasional night rider. Serious commuters/racer wannabes have gone the chinese clone route or cygolites.

How do you know that the vehicle isn't going to top 30mph? I regularly can top 30 mph within the first quarter mile of my office and can sustain in excess of 30 mph for the first couple of miles. With a little bit of trying, I can top 40mph on a nasty little hill about 3 miles from work. I'm sure that other people can experience the similar speeds in lots of different locations around the world. Sure, my average speed for my commute may be closer to the 15mph range but I'd rather have the lights for the 40mph part and even the light I currently run are near the limit for that speed.

I get to play with a lot of stuff and only suggest the 2W PB lights as a bare minimum... technology is moving forward very quickly and there are some incredibly good lights and some really bad copies.

I am looking at things from a commuter perspective... if you hit the trails you need different lighting and mtbr is a good place to read those reviews but trail lighting is not the same as road / urban lighting.

The new Blaze 2W Micro is a $30.00 light here and for a lot or urban commuters this is enough light for very little money... it is 140 lumens.

MEC offers a 480 lumen light for $49.00

Move up from there and you have the base Cygo at 2x the price and it is rated at 500 lumens.

The euro standard for lights is 3watts / 40 lux and has regulations for the beam pattern... if all those lumens are poorly directed they are rather useless.

I have been able to ride test the new B&M lights that run up to 80 lux which is close to 800 lumens... I can't see how any commuter could ever want a better light.

Have also off roaded on the older Nitehawk (250 lumen) and various HID systems... great on the trail but painful on the road if you are riding into them.

If you ride that fast, good on you.

Most folks ride in that 15 mph range and the light discussions here can be like who has the biggest package or who needs to compensate ?

I rode the Hellway in Portland on a Zoobomb after taking the fast and twisty way down... lights were 40 lux and we topped 45 mph.

The lighting was more than adequate.

MEC's lighting products are overpriced for what you get. As for trail lighting vs road/urban lighting, a lot of stuff sold in lbs are dual use, they are not tailored for one or the other specifically. Plenty of people use 1000 lumen trail lights for road/urban use and plenty of people use single unit cygolites/light motion for trail as well. There's no stopping somebody using a $300 light motion or a 1000 lumen $50 chinese clone for urban commutes.

Most cyclisst have one or two set of bike lights, and guess what, they'll switch their most powerful battery light to the mountain, to the road bike, and to the commuter when they want to, they usually don't go out and get dedicated lights for each bike.

Lux is not directly convertible to lumens. They are different measurements. I have the new B&M "80 lux" light you've tested that came out this year. It is not close to 800 lumens at all, it just has a shaped beam with a cutoff, my diy dynamo light kills it.

You may not be able to see how any commuter could ever want a better light, but some users can. This isn't Western Yurope where drivers treat cyclists with respect and paid attention to on the road.

I can understand how some riders might want brighter and better lights, it is about horses for courses... but sometimes it gets a little ridiculous as to how much light people think they need.

Who was the poster who wanted an 1800 lumen light for his helmet so he could flash and stop motorists in their tracks ?

The headlights in my car have to meet certain specifications and if they are aimed improperly they can pose a hazard and get me a ticket... if cyclists want to get some respect part of that might come from being sensible about their lighting choices.

The part that I highlighted? You're right, there isn't anything stopping anyone from using ultra-powerful lights...yet. I suspect at some point, somebody who has the attitude of "I'm gonna keep adding lights until everyone has to stop in their tracks until I pass- I shall be seen!" is going to run afoul of a local politico who will then write up a bit of legislation to regulate the amount of light one can use.

We are now seeing bicycle lights that are as bright as good quality car headlights... problem is that many of them are poorly built and throw light where it is not needed and this poses hazards to other road users.

Putting a car headlight on your helmet is going to get you noticed and maybe not in a good way.

I am not a fan of over regulation but the whole light race has really been grinding on me since it seems to be all about me me me and often shows a lack of consideration for those people we share the road with.

This constant worry about bicycle lights baffles me. Do you people not look at your lights when you ride? Do you not think about where you ride on the road? We bicyclists "share" the very, very, very right side of the road with the exception of those countries where we have to share the left side of the road. Every "bad optics" light I've owned doesn't even come close to spraying enough light over into the lane of on-coming traffic to be of any concern whatsoever. On a regular roadway, I'm no closer than 11' to 15' from the nearest car coming towards me. Light emanates from the lamp as a cone in a straight light. Unless I do something silly like suddenly turning in front of the car coming at me, there is little chance that the light from my lamp will get into that other lane.

You also have to take into account the spread of the beam. If you have a narrow spot, the intensity of the beam is higher but the spread is lower. If you have a wide flood, the intensity of the beam is lower but the spread is more. Since the beam spreads from the lamp in a cone, it's a simple math problem it calculate the amount of light per area (i.e. lux) at just about any distance. Most of the Magic Shine and their clones are floods with a 35 degree reflector. At 10m (roughly 30 feet for the metrically challenged), the area covered by the beam is 31 square meters. Solving an equation for the radius of the circle, I get a circle with a diameter of 6m but only half of that shines into the roadway. That's not enough distance for the light to get to the dividing line, much less get into the eyes an oncoming motorists who should be a few feet further over.

By using the area of the circle of light, assuming a homogenous beam (it isn't) and knowing the output of the lamp (600 lumens), I can calculate a lux for the beam. It's 19 lux which is significantly below your 40 lux lamp. The way that you can get 40 lux out of a your lamp which probably has a lower output is having a very narrow beam. Lots of light, no spread.

They aren't 1800 lumens, but as you said, 800 lumens is likely. (Note that "this type of light" has been a moving target, with different emitters used. In general, the newer ones are better than the older ones.)

It's not the best out there, but it *is* the best value for the money, by far. The biggest problems they have is with the battery pack sometimes wearing out faster than expected -- the problems you're mentioning would suggest that either 1) you're not plugging it in all the way or 2) you got a bum unit. If #2 , you could send it back and get another, or just cut out the connectors and replace them.

The rubber ring mount can slip as you've seen (and others have told how to fix that) but it's very strong -- I've never had it fall off.

As for how far the beam extends, well, some people want a tight beam and others want a wider beam. In that regard, you can't please everybody.

The PB headlight that ThomasMcA suggested doesn't even come close to comparing to this light, even though the price is similar.

It's insubstantial over a few hours, but if you leave the light plugged in for days it'll drain the battery completely, so you have to unplug the connector when you put the bike away. Also, if your bike is locked, the flashing light screams "steal me" so you need to unplug it or remove the light entirely.

The cheap little magicshine knockoff that I have has a very spotty beam, almost all the light goes into a narrow cone. I slapped a wide angle lens on the front of it for $6, and it's actually got a very nice beam now. It's very short top to bottom, and covers the entire lane at about 25 feet from the bike. Most of the light goes farther away, there's enough low spill to light in front of me, but the high spill is minimal and no worse than a car's low beam. About $40 total.