2012 Mtbr Lights Shootout.

[JohnJ80]

Any ETA on the review yet?

You get to keep all that stuff or do you have to send it back? Sending it back would be really hard. Figuring out which light to ride with might be worse.

J.

[indebt]

It's never too late! This will take our collective efforts. I will link each editorial review to the user reviews section where there is a broad history of usage by mtbr members.

You all have to remember that it is your duty to write reviews in our Lights user reviews section!

Here's a photo of the current lights. There's more coming!!!

fc

A little off topic here, but Francois,,,,,,,,,,,, is that shag carpet?????

[blueyin]

As a hard core commuter (car for 2 years of my entire life) I am really hoping you will compare the lights in the $100-200 price range. Looks like there is a great crop of not silly expensive (300+) lights. But lights better than Chinese grab bag lights.

Light in Motion: Urban 500
Cygolite: Expilion 400
Cygolite: Turbojet 740
Cygolite: Turbojet 740 xtra
Cygolite: Turbojet 330 mini
Niterider: Minewt 600
Serfas: TSL-500
DiNotte: XML-1 Headlight (400?)

But to be fair, it would be exceedingly nice if you could compare them against the original MS light and the new 1200 T6 MS light. Though I completely understand that while the output might be comparable (or not) the durability may or may not be there.

I think there are a fair amount of us that got used to the output of the MS light and who are now in need of another light with better durability.

[francois]

A little off topic here, but Francois,,,,,,,,,,,, is that shag carpet?????

There's a lot of small parts lost in there.

fc

[francois]

As a hard core commuter (car for 2 years of my entire life) I am really hoping you will compare the lights in the $100-200 price range. Looks like there is a great crop of not silly expensive (300+) lights. But lights better than Chinese grab bag lights.

Light in Motion: Urban 500
Cygolite: Expilion 400
Cygolite: Turbojet 740
Cygolite: Turbojet 740 xtra
Cygolite: Turbojet 330 mini
Niterider: Minewt 600
Serfas: TSL-500
DiNotte: XML-1 Headlight (400?)

But to be fair, it would be exceedingly nice if you could compare them against the original MS light and the new 1200 T6 MS light. Though I completely understand that while the output might be comparable (or not) the durability may or may not be there.

I think there are a fair amount of us that got used to the output of the MS light and who are now in need of another light with better durability.

Cygolite will not give me lights. I just do not understand. If you have a chance to influence them, let me them know they need to be in the mtbr shootout.

fc

[indebt]

WOW!!! guess we know what your original #3 photo is. The NR 3000 is stupid bright!! The new top dog in brightness for sure. Francois, do you know if NR has made any improvements over the Pro1400 in terms of their reset function? Last years Pro series was just dumb, as if you tripped the protection curcuit out on the trail, you had to rely on your back up light to get you home so you could put the battery on the dock to reset.Hopefully they put the reset function on the battery itself.

[blueyin]

Francois

I just spoke to their CSR on the phone. He said he didn't know anything about it but he would pass the info up the line.

So MTBR people if you want to see the Cygolite lights in the 2012 MTBR headlight review call them at:

Tel: (714) 437-7752

Cygolite
1307 - A East Saint Gertrude Pl.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
USA

(info publicly available at
Oh I guess I am not allowed to post links yet. If you google Cygolite and about us, that's where I got the info from.

p.s. Note, its not the CSR's fault, he's a really nice guy.

[francois]

Francois

I just spoke to their CSR on the phone. He said he didn't know anything about it but he would pass the info up the line.

So MTBR people if you want to see the Cygolite lights in the 2012 MTBR headlight review call them at:

Tel: (714) 437-7752

Cygolite
1307 - A East Saint Gertrude Pl.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
USA

(info publicly available at
Oh I guess I am not allowed to post links yet. If you google Cygolite and about us, that's where I got the info from.

p.s. Note, its not the CSR's fault, he's a really nice guy.

Ha, sweet! Don't pound them too much. I talked to their marketing guy and he's a friend. They just won't commit.

fc

[blueyin]

Totally, they sound like really nice people.

I just posted on Cygolite's facebook page asking if they were going to be in your Shootout.

Anyone who wants their lights to be in the Shootout should go and comment or like my wall post on their wall.

... i still cant post links... Francois ... maybe you could post the link to their facebook page?

[francois]

oops, my secret photos leaked out since that was supposed to be a PM and not a forum post. That's what I get for posting before my first coffee.

If you have the url, just hang on to it but don't circulate it. It has a bunch of minor problems like 'focus' and 'camera positioning'.

fc

[francois]

Totally, they sound like really nice people.

I just posted on Cygolite's facebook page asking if they were going to be in your Shootout.

Anyone who wants their lights to be in the Shootout should go and comment or like my wall post on their wall.

... i still cant post links... Francois ... maybe you could post the link to their facebook page?

i bumped up your post count. You are now in the club.

fc

[JohnJ80]

At what point do we start to scorch the road downrange from the light?

J.

[JohnJ80]

Have you gotten lights from Dinotte? Also, are you doing anything with taillights this year?

J.

[blueyin]

Hey thanks Francois!

For anyone who cares:

Cygolite | Facebook

You can like my post or comment on their wall! Lets get those lights to Francois!

[RTM]

It's never too late! This will take our collective efforts. I will link each editorial review to the user reviews section where there is a broad history of usage by mtbr members.

You all have to remember that it is your duty to write reviews in our Lights user reviews section!

Here's a photo of the current lights. There's more coming!!!

fc

ha, good point! I must confess I've only READ the several reviews on the lights I am seriously considering. However, I've WATCHED every single video review I can find, most of them at least 5 times. You've got a real knack for it. Very interesting. Keep up the good work!

[randyharris]

Have you gotten lights from Dinotte? Also, are you doing anything with taillights this year?

J.

Rob mentioned to me that he sent off lights to Francois last week.

[JohnJ80]

Rob mentioned to me that he sent off lights to Francois last week.

I'm hoping we get the taillights reviewed too. My 300R is really putting a smile on my face.

J.

[francois]

Rob mentioned to me that he sent off lights to Francois last week.

Yes, all the new Dinotte is coming in tomorrow.

Cateye is sending me 4 new lights

Serfas sent me the 500 and 1500

New Princeton Tec is coming.

I should be one of the first to see the new Baja.

And most the usual players in the light shoot will be there.


Are riding videos useful? I think they're hard to do. I see a bunch of poorly made ones in youtube.

fc

[JohnJ80]

oh, this is going to be so cool. All of these lights to obsess over!

J.

[francois]

There's a company a few hours from me that is offering my use of their $40,000 integrating sphere to measure light output. Is that a worthwhile endeavor?

Also, what's the best way to review tail lights?

fc

[GTR2ebike]

Do I see a niterider 3000 and all 3 lupine betty 7's? So which one is that bright shot

[RTM]

There's a company a few hours from me that is offering my use of their $40,000 integrating sphere to measure light output. Is that a worthwhile endeavor?

fc

my immediate reaction was YEAH! $40K INTEGRATING SPHERE! Awesome!

but then I realized the reality is, 37 lumens doesn't mean as much as knowing ABC is 37 and XYZ is 42. So, as long as you measure them all with the same procedure I'm good with what you've always done. besides, if you do it this year you are setting a precedent that may be a pain the butt to keep up.

[JohnJ80]

There's a company a few hours from me that is offering my use of their $40,000 integrating sphere to measure light output. Is that a worthwhile endeavor?

not if it doesn't do better than what you do now. You lux measurements allow some comparison to older lights already reviewed.

I think what would be great is if you could do some beam measurements similar to what Nightrider shows on their website for their products.

Also, if at some point that access to the integrating sphere disappeared, then that would be a problem.

Also, what's the best way to review tail lights?

fc

Same way you do the front lights. Lux, Power output, durability, mounts, beam quality, modes etc...

J.

[RTM]

Also, what's the best way to review tail lights?

fc

the only thing i can think of that would set it apart, since visibility is obviously job 1, perhaps you could lean the bike against your playset in darkness w/the tail light lit, front tire facing the fence and take a picture from your usual spot. a reverse beam shot if you will.

(isn't it funny how we all know exactly what your backyard looks like?)

[JohnJ80]

I think I'd show them against the house or other non green background. Green and red oppose each other on the color wheel - would be hard to get a sense for how much the light was putting out.

J.