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2012 Mtbr Lights Shootout.

142K views 569 replies 137 participants last post by  indebt 
#1 ·
I'm working on it now. I have a ton of lights and I'm getting a bunch more!!!

It will be broken up in a Commuter and High End category.

What do you guys want to see?

Here's some sneak peak photos.

- ok light
- very flat beam pattern light
- bright light :)

fc
 

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#39 ·
Francois, your tests are the BEST!

I have to say, as someone building up a rig from good components, I had sticker shock.

To second what some others have urged, it would be more useful than anything else if you could write up a section in the shootout that targets commuting / lower-priced setups. This fall, I've got a 10-mile commute up winding, unlit, bumpy 2-lane roads -- in the rain. Like others, I need to know: "What's the minimum adequate setup for commuting like this?"

Please include a section on rear / safety light options too.

Currently I'm leaning toward the Niterider MiNewt 600 Cordless for this job. I want to see it compared with others, esp. the L&Ms, as the 600 seems pretty bright. Want to know if I'm on the right track.

Many thanks!
 
#42 ·
The way I did my 20m light fall off meter test was to use a timber paling fence. I set up a hairline cross target on the fence with tape and taped marks 1 and 2m from the target either side. Light meter was hand held against the fence. With the light on using the meter I would find the spot with with highest lux reading and the light head would then be adjusted until this spot was in the middle of the hairline cross target. This worked on the single led lights I was tested, may be hard to align multi led lights
 
#45 ·
Everyone is signing up for the lights shootout now!!! I still don't have Cygolite and Dinotte.

For interbike, Exposure and Lupine sponsored our presence. Please thank them for me. Here's a couple videos we shot of their line.



 
#47 · (Edited)
Tail lights really worth reviewing:

Cygolite Hotshot 2W
DesignShine DS-500
DiNotte 140
DiNotte 300
Magicshine MJ-818
NiteFLUX RedZone 4
Planet Bike Super Flash Turbo
Portland Design Works Danger Zone

Side-visible models:

Bike Brightz
Cateye TL-LD1100
Cateye Orbits
Down Low Glow Dual Tube [discontinued]
Fibre Flare
MonkeyLectric
NiteFLUX RedZone 4
Nite Ize Spokelit
Trek Beacon Bar End Light
 
#49 ·
I think it may be too late, but when possible, I'd like to hear your opinion of long-term durability based on your riding experiences and that of your friends & peers. I don't want to save $100 on a light i'll need to replace in a year. Also, similarly, appreciate hearing your thoughts on warranties, customer support and your interactions with the company reps & owners.
 
#50 ·
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
 

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#53 ·
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.
 
#55 ·
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
 
#56 ·
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.
 
#57 ·
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.
 
#58 ·
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
 
#59 ·
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?
 
#61 ·
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. :thumbsup:

fc
 
#60 ·
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
 
#72 · (Edited)
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.
 
#77 ·
Beamshots and video for taillights makes sense because the lumen output is not high enough to be an issue for digital photography.

For side view, it would be, I think, good to show what sort of red bloom the taillight shows around the bike, not just the straight on view of the LEDs. Some of the light mfgs recommend a slight downward angle of the light in order to get a large red bloom on the road and bike frame for additional visibility.

I do know that some of the digital cameras have issues with accurate portrayal of red - they do tend to oversaturate a bit.

J.
 
#79 ·
I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on some new lights soon. Are you going to review the 2012 stuff from Baja Designs? I think either their Dual or the 2012 Stryker on the bars plus the new Piko 3 would make an awesome, and blinding, combo. Waiting for your review before making the final decision.

So......which light is #3 already??? The suspense is killing everyone.
 
#104 ·
I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on some new lights soon. Are you going to review the 2012 stuff from Baja Designs? I think either their Dual or the 2012 Stryker on the bars plus the new Piko 3 would make an awesome, and blinding, combo. Waiting for your review before making the final decision.

So......which light is #3 already??? The suspense is killing everyone.
Hey Spec306,

MTBR will have the new 2012 Baja Designs Double Stryk, Strykr II, and Strykr SL. I shipped them out Monday so in theory they should have already arrived at the plush and well appointed Francois Lair...let the testing begin!!

Shannon
 
#82 · (Edited)
On testing tail lights....

Beamshots and video for taillights makes sense because the lumen output is not high enough to be an issue for digital photography.

For side view, it would be, I think, good to show what sort of red bloom the taillight shows around the bike, not just the straight on view of the LEDs. Some of the light mfgs recommend a slight downward angle of the light in order to get a large red bloom on the road and bike frame for additional visibility.
I agree with the above, and will add the following: The whole point of tail lights is vastly different from headlights: Headlights are for the rider, while tail lights are for the inattentive onlooker. So it matters not how much light the tail light puts out in absolute terms. What matters is how attention-grabbing they are in relative terms. From this it follows....

1) Make sure the tail light shootout videos have as many lights lined up in the same frame as feasible. What looks bright on its own may look insignificant compared to other competitors, which is not too different from saying other "distractions on the road." We want the most distracting light possible, in some sense, burning just below the threshold at which it'll send the oncoming driver into an epileptic fit or an apoplectic rage.

2) Please upload videos of the tail lights compared in full daylight as well.

3) Show the tail lights at night from the side at approximately the distance across a 4-way intersection. Side impact is the most dangerous scenario.

4) Film a video of a drive down a narrow street with red lamps blazing at the driver at set intervals. Ask six of your friends to drive down that same street, and rate subjectively whether some tail lights were more effective than others at alerting them without pissing them off.

Finally, I'm bumping the list of tail lights that deserve testing, since I tweaked it a fair bit since first posting it:

Tail lights really worth reviewing:

Cygolite Hotshot 2W
DesignShine DS-500
DiNotte 140
DiNotte 300
Magicshine MJ-818
NiteFLUX RedZone 4
Philips SafeRide LED RearLight
Planet Bike Super Flash Turbo
Portland Design Works Danger Zone

Side-visible models:

Cateye TL-LD1100
Cateye Orbits
MonkeyLectric
NiteFLUX RedZone 4
Nite Ize Spokelit
Philips SafeRide LED RearLight
Trek Beacon Bar End Light
Francois, the NiteFLUX RedZone 4 (can't yet post the link, but easy to find on Google) is really worth a close look. As you know from reviewing previous NiteFLUX lights, it's a high-quality Aussie-made product. It's just out, and I'm sure the company would be thrilled for the Stateside audience. This model is a 4W LED -- yes, that's even brighter than the MagicShine, and double or quadruple the output of the Planet Bike SuperFlash Turbo, PDW and Cygolite offerings. It seems like a killer light, but there are few comparative reviews of it yet.

Likewise, the Philips SafeRide RearLight is supposedly excellent at throwing light to the side.

Thanks!!!!!
 
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