New Front Light suggestions

Dr_Mutley
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New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:09 pm

Time has come to replace my Ayups as my front light. Awesome light in their day, but they are now dull, with poor battery life, a crap mount, and clearly there are much better options out there... I had a quick look at the Exposure range and was suitably impressed enough to decide it's now time to chuck the ayups.

What do I need and my uses?

#80% road use, some Mtbing at night...
#Some fast descents so need a decent light with good throw...
#Will be on flash mainly as a be seen light
#No budget (when it comes to safety - my health is worth more)
#Would prefer small - which has its obvious disadvantages... But 100 to 120mm is prob max size...
#Self contained battery preferred with USB charging
#Long runtime NOT all that important - as longest descents are about 10mins, so then it will go back to flash or low power mode
#Ability to function as a torch or have helmet mounting options would be a plus
#Decent, easily removable mount - as when I'm not using it I don't want a mount on my bars...

Any suggestions?
Anyone recommend or not the exposure range for reliability and back up?

Any learned advice is greatly appreciated...

Cheers
Harry

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MattyK
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby MattyK » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:31 pm

Specialized Flux Expert. Internal battery. External (wired) thumb remote for high/low beam. Proper high/low beam pattern (automotive style), not just high/low power (which it also has).

The rattle in the mount doesn't impress me but everything else does (except the price I guess)

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Carrots
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Carrots » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:59 pm

Good Qn Doc. Subscribed!

warthog1
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby warthog1 » Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:19 pm

MattyK wrote:Specialized Flux Expert. Internal battery. External (wired) thumb remote for high/low beam. Proper high/low beam pattern (automotive style), not just high/low power (which it also has).

The rattle in the mount doesn't impress me but everything else does (except the price I guess)
How does it go compared to the saferide 80?
Dogs are the best people :wink:

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MattyK
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby MattyK » Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:26 pm

I can't say, haven't had a chance to put them side by side. I've only played with the Spesh in a shop, during daylight. But the cutoff is quite evident against a wall, maybe not as sharp as the Saferide but better than anything without a cutoff. The differing beam pattern when you switch from high to low beam is noticeable. The controls are confusing, there are too many modes/functions. It's rated for 1200 lumens so it should punch pretty hard. But it's too expensive for me to consider as a second light (I'm actually looking for another for my road bike, maybe a bit sleeker than the Saferide. The Ixon IQ Premium is under consideration). And the rattle from the bracket was a let down.

warthog1
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby warthog1 » Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:01 pm

Thanks Matty. I'm still happy with my luxos u and saferide combo. Just wondering, going off the specs it should light up well, but as you know depends on the pattern.
Dogs are the best people :wink:

NhiTrac
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby NhiTrac » Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:02 pm

First time I've heard of these Specialized lights. Am interested! Wonder how they go up against the Supernova Airstreams (I run two on high beam).

I love my Airstream but HATE it's mounting solution, rubber o-rings.

Question about lumens. If I have two beams on at 370lm each, does that equal to 740lm total?
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Dr_Mutley
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:40 pm

Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!

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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby ball bearing » Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:02 am

Dr_Mutley wrote:Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!
I have two Diablo Mk 5. They have been very reliable, which is the best thing I can say about them. Run time is very short, beam is very narrow and the pulse flash (which is my primary use) is weak compared to the Moon X-Power 700 lights my children use. The Diablo is an exceptional helmet light and a barely adequate main light.

I have gone the way of a separate battery which has several advantages as the battery is not propriety and is easily replaced and I can use a big capacity battery if I plan on a long ride or a small light one for short rides. I thought I was going to prefer the self-contained lights because of the absence of wires and the convenience. It turns out I prefer to carry the battery in my Topeak Wedge II saddle bag and run both my tail light and headlight off of a Y adaptor and an extension. Running a wire from the bag to the head unit is really very simple. This set up gives me far more options than a self-contained unit does. The self-contained lights with long run times and useful brightness levels end up being quite heavy and I prefer to carry that weight under my saddle and not on top of the bars.

I am currently using Designshine front and rear lights. Expensive, but absolutely quality design, build and performance. The front light is out of stock and after the next batch of ten or so it will be unavailable for the rest of the year and it is possible that production will cease altogether.

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Chef
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Chef » Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:08 am

Dr_Mutley wrote:Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!
Hi Doc,

The Diablo is great and will do everything you want it to; I used to have one, but now have a Toro which I prefer for its longer battery life.

Pushy's often have good pricing on Exposure lights.

Cheers
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Dr_Mutley
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:16 am

Thanks chef & BB - u seem to have differing opinions! A little worrying that u think the pulse mode is poo on the Diablo... I must admit I just pulled the trigger on a Diablo from wiggle, but after reading your comment BB I quickly cancelled it and decided to wait for more opinions and read more reviews...

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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby ball bearing » Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:26 am

Dr_Mutley wrote:Thanks chef & BB - u seem to have differing opinions! A little worrying that u think the pulse mode is poo on the Diablo... I must admit I just pulled the trigger on a Diablo from wiggle, but after reading your comment BB I quickly cancelled it and decided to wait for more opinions and read more reviews...
Wiggle do have good prices on Exposure.

The reason I know that the pulse is weak compared to the X-Power 700 is because when I wait for my wife and daughter to catch up I watch them and the difference in visibility is very noticeable. The Diablo also has a much narrower effective line of sight.

Where I ride I need really good lights. Descending down 20% hills at 5 am with grazing roos on both sides of the road requires exceptional lighting for survival. Riding with the Designshine set up is very flexible and I can crank the lumens up in heavy and fast traffic. It is hard to really understand how good these lights are without experience.

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Chef
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Chef » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:43 am

Hi again,

I agree about the beam pattern on the Diablo - it is fairly narrow compared with some, but still think it is adequate, and it fits your other criteria.
If you want brighter and less focused the equinox is similar but kicks out a lot more lumen. Personally I would recommend the Toro which sits between the two, but it has a permanent bar mount which you don't want.

Cheers.
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MattyK
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby MattyK » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:16 am

NhiTrac wrote:First time I've heard of these Specialized lights. Am interested! Wonder how they go up against the Supernova Airstreams (I run two on high beam).

I love my Airstream but HATE it's mounting solution, rubber o-rings.

Question about lumens. If I have two beams on at 370lm each, does that equal to 740lm total?
Several parts to this answer...

Yes lumens are additive like that.
But your perception is not. Double lumens is not percieved as double the brightness.

Also the Airstream never made 370 lumens in its dreams. They're rating the Airstream 2 at 205 lumens while also saying it's brighter than the original...

The Specialized is rated at 1200 lumens on high power high beam, 800 on high power low beam. Even if it does half that it should be ok, but $345(iirc) is over my limit...

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MattyK
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby MattyK » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:27 am

Dr_Mutley wrote:Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!
Neither for mine. It would be like driving your car around on high beam all the time. Completely unsociable. Maybe in combo with a separate cutoff beam light or for off-road only, but not on its own.

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queequeg
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby queequeg » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:51 am

Just out of interest, what year did you buy your Ay-Ups? The difference between my 2008, 2010 & 2014 lights is interesting. There was a small increase between '08 and '10, but the head unit I bought in Nov last year is significantly brighter. Runtime is largely unchanged, and the battery has hi/lo/flash.
I considered moving away from the Ay-Ups, but their biggest advantage is the reliability in the most atrocious conditions.
I'll be interested to see how you go with the alternatives, as the Ay-Ups are expensive for what they are (although the lifetime discount does knock the price down a bit).
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

Dr_Mutley
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:59 am

2010 jobs...
Yes the comparison will be interesting!

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biker jk
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby biker jk » Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:38 pm

MattyK wrote:
Dr_Mutley wrote:Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!
Neither for mine. It would be like driving your car around on high beam all the time. Completely unsociable. Maybe in combo with a separate cutoff beam light or for off-road only, but not on its own.
From another similar thread.

stvzo
German bicycle lighting standard written by non-cyclists designed to force cyclists to subject themselves to increased danger by requiring the use of sub-optimal bicycle lighting systems.
"Dude, your lights suck, no one can see you coming and you just ran into a low hanging tree branch."
"Sorry, I have decided to comply with the StVZO standard which is much more important than seeing or being seen."
"Dude, dump the StVZO lights and buy a good light."
"Never, the German way is the only way."
by sms88 October 22, 2013

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stvzo

Dr_Mutley
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:41 pm

Exposure toro or race?

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apsilon
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby apsilon » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:42 pm

queequeg wrote:.....as the Ay-Ups are expensive for what they are (although the lifetime discount does knock the price down a bit).
Slightly offtopic but what's this lifetime discount? Is it for current owners or something? I have two sets myself and wouldn't mind a third.

That Specialized Flux looks good as does the Ixon IQ Premium.

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MattyK
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby MattyK » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:47 pm

biker jk wrote:
MattyK wrote:
Dr_Mutley wrote:Exposure Diablo mk6 or joystick mk9 ppl?!
Neither for mine. It would be like driving your car around on high beam all the time. Completely unsociable. Maybe in combo with a separate cutoff beam light or for off-road only, but not on its own.
From another similar thread.

stvzo
German bicycle lighting standard written by non-cyclists designed to force cyclists to subject themselves to increased danger by requiring the use of sub-optimal bicycle lighting systems.
"Dude, your lights suck, no one can see you coming and you just ran into a low hanging tree branch."
"Sorry, I have decided to comply with the StVZO standard which is much more important than seeing or being seen."
"Dude, dump the StVZO lights and buy a good light."
"Never, the German way is the only way."
by sms88 October 22, 2013

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stvzo
Spoken like a true ignoranus.

Dr_Mutley
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:49 pm

Let's keep this on topic and non-personal...

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queequeg
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby queequeg » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:02 pm

apsilon wrote:
queequeg wrote:.....as the Ay-Ups are expensive for what they are (although the lifetime discount does knock the price down a bit).
Slightly offtopic but what's this lifetime discount? Is it for current owners or something? I have two sets myself and wouldn't mind a third.

That Specialized Flux looks good as does the Ixon IQ Premium.
Yes, all previous customers get special pricing. All you need to do is use the same email address you used on the original order to get the cheaper pricing, which is 25% discount. On their home page, click on the "Customer Loyalty Program" button on the bottom right.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

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apsilon
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby apsilon » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:23 pm

queequeg wrote:Yes, all previous customers get special pricing. All you need to do is use the same email address you used on the original order to get the cheaper pricing, which is 25% discount. On their home page, click on the "Customer Loyalty Program" button on the bottom right.
Thanks, makes it very tempting.

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Releng
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Re: New Front Light suggestions

Postby Releng » Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:21 pm

I have an Exposure Strada Mk5, A great light used daily for 2 hours/day through winter, slightly less during summer. Lots of options for modes and powers. The first one stuffed up and Pushys covered the warranty quickly. I know you do not want a mount suck on the bars but the strada has a beauty, lovely small CNC machined anodised alloy jobby that looks good on the carbon bars. It is only 800 Lumens, but they are delivered well.

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