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Gemini Lights TITAN LED and XERA LED (2012)

105K views 763 replies 114 participants last post by  skidad 
#1 · (Edited)
Greetings from Gemini Lights,

Due to an incoming large number of CREE XM-L units in prep for 2012, we've upgraded our TITAN LED to the XM-L. The SSC-P7 version will still be available for a limited time as we have few remaining stock left. The new beam pattern remains relatively the same with a smoother transition between hotspot and spill.

Please note there hasn't been any change in prices.

We're also bringing you a new helmet light called XERA. It's minimal, light weight and aims to be a contender against the wonderful Piko. We've used Lupine's light as the benchmark for quality and performance. For those who love adjustments, XERA is fully programmable in the 4 modes given.

XERA is available from September 25th onwards.
 
#3 ·
Randy,

Pictures of XERA will be available in a few days and they will be up on our website as well as here.

The new TITAN XM-L performs better than the P7-D. There is about a 23% increase in brightness and maintains the same runtime of 4hrs 10 mins on High. The beam pattern has an intense hotspot at 12° beam angle with soft edges. Outside of the hotspot has a very even light spill. I do think pictures are worth more than words, so I will include beam shots of the TITAN and XERA too.
 
#4 ·
Okay, sounds promising.. Can't wait to see what this XERA looks like. The fact that it is using XM-L emitters and offering different mode options is most interesting. If it has a compact form factor it could be a big seller. My trigger finger is now set on pause. ;)

I'm also glad to see that you aren't getting rid of the Titan P-7 D's. While I'm sure the new Titan XM-L version is brighter, the narrow beam pattern might not be everyone's cup of tea. I still feel the P-7 versions offer a better over-all beam pattern for bar use. Since the Titans were using the D-bin they looked to be much brighter than the standard MS light heads.

Anyway, the fact that the new XM-L version is even brighter than your benchmark P-7 D's, ...well....you're likely to sell a bunch of those I'm sure. Especially when you consider that they are standard with 4 modes ( 3 steady state ) and that you are still selling these with your 5200 mAh battery. For people who weren't around last year, the Titan battery was dissected and tested by one of the forum posters ( Baker I believe ) and was found to be of very high quality. ( *Please note , I have no relationship with Gemini and I don't own any of their light sets...yet. ;) ).
 
#5 ·
We're also bringing you a new helmet light called XERA. It's minimal, light weight and aims to be a contender against the wonderful Piko. We've used Lupine's light as the benchmark for quality and performance. For those who love adjustments, XERA is fully programmable in the 4 modes given.

XERA is available from September 25th onwards.
Is this a single XML light? And does it use a reflector or a lens?
 
#10 ·
Beamshots

@Langen

Yes it is also XERA, donning a purple color. We developed a reflector but decided to use the custom optics because it created the best usable beam pattern. We didn't really prefer the huge wide spill that reflectors give, and we found it was a waste of light. In the beam shots below, you can see that the reflectors in the first two pictures have lots of spill. The outermost halo ends far beyond the frame's edges, almost at 80°. You may also compare how our logo looks on each image.

Beam shots as requested, managed in a convenient GIF for you..

Points go to people who can guess what each silhouette of light is. :D



Any more requests or queries, please forward them my way. I would be happy to answer your thoughts. :thumbsup:

Chris
 
#13 · (Edited)
Your TITAN XML is very smooth and that XERA is insane smokes that Piko. I just might have to try that one out. are you ever going to get a US distributor so we don't get hammered on shipping thats the only thing that sours me on it. $22 bucks to ship to California ouch.
 
#28 ·
That's for the beamshots, but rather than a close up I would like to see a distance more applicable to actual riding at night. Is it possible to get some shots with the same lights with distance markers at increments of 5m? I currently have a geoman MJ808 for the helmet, but the Xera looks like a perfect bar light based on the amount of flood and spill.

Oh, and you guys are doing good work improving and already great product. A riding buddy has the older Gemini Titan and it's a solid light. I'm glad to see you're innovating and setting yourselves apart from the competition.
 
#30 · (Edited)
Sorry anekin007. The promo was only decided last night. Give us a moment to update.. (i.e few minutes.) :)

Edit: Alright, you have the green light. Free Shipping on XERA is enabled until the 25th.

I had a customer just ask me a question about the head belt and extension cable.
The XERA LED Light System includes the bar, helmet, head belt mounts and extension cable. There is nothing left out. You can take it with you to do many more things than just cycling.

As requested... your outdoor shots. Taken with a Canon DSLR: ISO 100, Daylight, F4 and 6 seconds exposure.



Points to look at and consider..
Light spill. Look at the bush, up close and bottom right. (Do you have tunnel vision?)
The beam angle FWHM. (Where does the light intensity end, moving sideways from the hotspot center? Do you see a spot?)
And of course, throw. (Look down the end of the path. Is there enough front path lighting for high speeds?)
Wide beam angle and a far throw are inversely proportional. You can find a sweet spot with good balance. Most of all, think about where you actually want your light to shine, so that you may ride most comfortably.
 
#33 ·
I'll tell ya what, those beam shots are impressive ! I have an MJ-808, and if the XERA is actually that much brighter, and full, it's worth considering.

That much light, with all the extras included (bar & helmet mounts, headband, extension cable), and the extra features (programmable) and with the current free shipping deal, definitely worth considering.

The only thing that puts me off are the battery and accessory prices on their site. If I bought this light and ever needed another battery or an accessory down the line, I would be looking elsewhere for those things for sure ($17.99 for a Y cable? Come on!).

But the XERA deal looks quite fair $.
 
#35 ·
These lights look absolutely brill!! I'm still using my titan P7 and I love it. Damn good deal on the XERA I reckon. What fightnut said.. all the included extras and user programming will be amazing to have. I'll probably get one for my helmet and keep my titan on the bars...

Might round up some friends for a group buy. I want that free shipping.:yesnod:
 
#36 ·
I have read everything there is on the net about the Gemini Lights. Am seriously looking at getting the Xera with current offer. No place can I find anything about run time on the medium or low setting while using the 2 cell battery. Not sure if I want to get the 2 cell or 4 cell battery. I am considering racing next year and the series requires 2 lights for night riding. What is the weight difference between the 2 batteries? What are the run times 4 cell batteries and could I use 2 lights with the one battery.
 
#37 ·
For trail running

Besides mtn. biking I need a headlamp for trail running at night (and other suff also) and am trying to buy only 1 headlamp lamp to cover a bunch of bases. The Xera is a very similar weight to the Piko but it's a little bigger overall and I'm wondering how much it might bounce around. Piko is quite compact and tucked in but over twice the price...

Anyone have some thoughts on this or have you tried to run off road with a lamp like this on your head?
 
#39 ·
The Xera is a very similar weight to the Piko but it's a little bigger overall and I'm wondering how much it might bounce around. Piko is quite compact and tucked in but over twice the price...
Hi Skidad,

XERA may seem bigger in pictures, but in fact it has the same dimensions as the Piko. If you rotate XERA 90 degrees, it has exactly the same length and width. I can have measurement shots up tonight :thumbsup:
 
#38 ·
Hi TurnerRick,

The 4-cell battery pack weighs 229g and has a runtime of 4+ hours on High.
The 2-cell battery pack weighs 122g and has a runtime of 2+ hours on High.

All 3 beam levels are user configurable to increments of 10%. Here is a breakdown of run time for the 2-cell battery pack.

For the 2-cell runtimes on different intensities:
80% - 3 hrs
60% - 4 hrs 20 mins
40% - 7 hrs 30 mins
20% - 15hrs 40 mins

A 4-cell battery will achieve similar runtime with the 2-cell when split between two lights.

We know you like pictures, so we've added some new ones for you.





Enjoy!
 
#44 ·
The silicone O-ring mount is very solid and carries a lot of friction between the light and the mount. We revised our mount from last year and if you look carefully, we lowered the profile and shrunk everything down. What you get is a rigid, low profile light mounted to your helmet.

I will also say XERA has left-right, on-the-fly adjustability. You aren't limited to a forward facing beam. The beauty of this is that you can really get creative with your O-ring mounts. You can even mount XERA to your forks and have 360° adjustability. It is true X-Y axis adjustability.

So not only has our lights improved, but our mount is redesigned as well.
 
#41 ·
Hey Gemini lights...thanks for the great pics and quick responses.

Well, since I can't decide I'm gonna just order both the Piko 750 and the XERA and let the fun begin. How can you go wrong with the free shipping and 14 day trail period on the XERA?
 
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