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New cheapo Chinese LED bike lights 2014 - please post info/link/review link here :)

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#1 · (Edited)
New cheap-o Chinese LED bike lights 2014 - please post info/link/review link here :)

I started this thread to post some info about new Chinese lights. Feel free to post new lights here with link and a link to a review (here on MTBR or everywhere else) Let's keep it clean so we can get a good overview and info at one place ;-)
 
#73 ·
So I decided to start night riding and originaly went to my LBS and asked them for something bright in the $50 range. They sold me a Blackburn3.3 that came with a Mars tail light.


And it looks like this at night



Garbage...great to let cars see you but useless on the trail.
So I bought a 7 cree xml2 cheap chinese light which cost about the same as the Blackburn.



And it looks like this at night



So I have used it a few times now and the battery has lasted my full ride every time.
So IMHO Cheap Chinese lights for the win!!
Got it here

7X Cree XM L T6 LED 9000LM Front Bicycle Light Bike Lamp Headllight Waterproof | eBay
 
#74 · (Edited)
In keeping with the "New Chinese Light" theme I decided to review one of the 6-ups.
In a nutshell I was approached and asked to review a product for one of the Chinese websites. Since I generally don't like these kind of lamps I balked at first but then saw one on their website I though might be of interest to others ( if not to me ).

Basically it will have 6 x XM-L2's ( in standard round casing ) and have a standard three mode user interface ( L-M-H ). No flash was listed. Like most of these lamps it has the typical multi-reflector set-up. It is supposed to include a 6-cell battery and cost about $61 USD. I'll supply the link when the product arrives. Being shipped from China it should take about three weeks to get to me. Hopefully when it arrives it won't have one of those "number of LED's for each mode: type UI. If it does I'll be pissed.

BTW, with days getting shorter you might consider ordering stuff before the seasonal rush starts and the Chinese vendors run out of stuff and start back-ordering. Just a thought.

*Update, the UI is confirmed to be with ALL LED on for every mode. Supposedly to be over 5000 lumen but if it actually appears over 2000 lumen I will be pleasantly surprised.
 
#75 ·
Any picture? :) I will write a review of a Skyray S6-like 6-up, but it works in 2-4-6 leds + strobe modes. Anyway I've got a DX stepless driver to replace the original. Mine 6-up has the same dimensions as the Skyray S6 3-shot so it is not that large.
 
#76 ·
These ginormous 6-8 LED lights are just hideous to me...sorry. Seems like you can get a much smaller and lighter unit that will light your way just as well.
 
#84 ·
As you know I am very inclined to agree with you as I just love my Gloworm X2. Still some folks can't afford the price so I thought I'd do one of these since I've never seen more than 4 led's in a lamp before ( in person that is ) and this one actually has three steady modes ( which is somewhat unique for this type of lamp ).

@MK96.... Product Audio equipment Organ Circle Spoke


@MB323 x 2 ;) ....it's not the number of LED's that's so important, it's the power that you can supply to those LED's that will determine how bright the lamp will be. Very few of these lamps have listed what the total power output is.
 
#90 ·
Cat-man-do, thanks for providing a picture, we will link the review in this thread ;-)

Ladies, the usual problem is that most of the budget 2-3-6-... LED lamps hit the max. power limit at ~16W. The only main differences are the beam pattern and user interface, some other can be a LED tint, weight, little power difference due to efficiency of more leds connected... The limit is probably due to weak batteries to get somewhat reasonable run time. There are a few exceptions like those purple/grey 7-UPs reviewed but I didn't find anything else in the budget price range.

Ti-Geo the amount of light is always a question. Sometime I am completely satisfied with an MJ-880 clone but when I want to avoid a close-up with a wild boars hanging around in a decent group I am really happy with hell-a-wide pattern of the 7-UP combo on the bars. This saved my a$$ a couple of times :)
 
#93 ·
....the usual problem is that most of the budget 2-3-6-... LED lamps hit the max. power limit at ~16W. The only main differences are the beam pattern and user interface, some other can be a LED tint, weight, little power difference due to efficiency of more leds connected... The limit is probably due to weak batteries to get somewhat reasonable run time. There are a few exceptions like those purple/grey 7-UPs reviewed but I didn't find anything else in the budget price range...
Yes, the big question is the maximum power output of the driver. Next is the dispersion and throw of the multi-reflector and then lastly the output spacing of the 3 modes.

Like you said most budget multi-LED lamps ( 3 or more ) have crappy drivers. Only two of the cheaper lamps I own ( the Manta ray D003 and the Nitefire Hero 2 ( triple S-storm clone ) seem to have better drivers. These are the only two I have that come close to my Gloworm X2 ( 1500 lumen ). If this 6-up manages to look brighter than the X2 I will be impressed. "How impressed", will depend on just how bright the lamp actually is.

If it turns out to be only about as bright as the D003 I will be disappointed. I figure it this way, if you're gonna use a lamp this big on the bars it has to worthy of it's keep. **Both the D003 and Hero 2 are bright enough to earn their keep ( **weight/size to lumen output ratio is acceptable ). The Black/red 6-up ( I'll nickname, BR-6 ) is big and going to be heavy. That said it needs to be over 1500 lumen if it's going to earn a spot on my handlebars. If the lamp turns out to be only slightly brighter it will real hard to judge. That means it will have to be "noticeably brighter" to earn a thumbs up.

About the battery: yes the battery is important. If by chance the driver can output 6A the battery needs to be able to supply the juice needed. I believe this lamp comes with a 6-cell. I asked that the lamp be sent separately and that the battery be sent later so I'll be sure to get the lamp ASAP. In keeping with this I will test the lamp both with my good Xeccon batteries and with the included battery when ( or if ) it comes.
 
#95 ·
I actually have that light! I bought it due to the appeal of using (2) 18650's in parallel (I would use unprotected cells without much risk). It's a really crappy light. Very cheaply made. Battery compartment very flimsy. Plastic lens and no thermal paste under the emitter. I swapped mine to a neutral white tint and added the thermal paste. Oh - and like the 808 clones, very little thermal contact between the pill and the body. Real deciding factor not to use it is that low mode is too low for cycling (perhaps while stopped for repairs/snack). High isn't that great, guessing maybe 500 to 600 lumens.

If you look in the SolarStorm X3 thread for the link to my PhotoBucket album for the X3 you will find beamshot photos of it. The file names will say "two parallel light" I believe.

-Garry
 
#101 ·
I was ordering something from amazon, and needed to add something to get free shipping. They didn't have free shipping on the 1200, but they did on the 900. We'll see how it works out. I have a 2014 Dinotte XML3 that I'm running on my helmet, but figured for $20 I'll toss it on the bars and see what happens.
 
#100 ·
Pulled out my SecurityIng lights last week to make sure everything was working ok, my 3X Cree had a cracked lens, thought a bit about being stuck 10miles from nowhere and then ordered a gloworm x2 from Action-LED, at least I'm guaranteed to be able to "see" my way home even if I'm walking....

I tried the china game, too far, too slow, shipping eats up your refunds.

I have one of these X2 TYPE on my helmet, 2600 chinese Lumen 2x CREE XML U2 LED

lots to choose from, SecurityIng : Cycling

I have a 3xCREE light on my bars with a 6 cell battery.
View attachment 925865
 
#110 ·
EBay. Seller named "Jingle Shop" or something like that. Bought head only on a cheap auction with no bidders. Was advertised as XM-L, and I think the pics showed XM-L2's. I was swapping emitters anyway, so I didn't care.

BTW-Did my first reflowing of LEDs. Piece of cake! I was so scared to try it, but it's so easy!

-Garry
 
#111 ·
EBay. Seller named "Jingle Shop" or something like that. Bought head only on a cheap auction with no bidders. Was advertised as XM-L, and I think the pics showed XM-L2's. I was swapping emitters anyway, so I didn't care.

BTW-Did my first reflowing of LEDs. Piece of cake! I was so scared to try it, but it's so easy!

-Garry
Well, FWIW I looked all over the place and couldn't find anyone selling a Solarstorm or S-clone using XM-L2 emitters. Any way I have the Nitefire Hero 2 which is a SS X3 look alike only with a 6A driver ( using XM-L U2 ). If I can get a tool small enough to get the front hex screws off ( ~1mm ? ) I might attempt a replacement of the XML U2's for either XP-L's or XM-L2 U2's.

I'm going to assume replacing the emitters on the X3 was no problem.
 
#120 ·
Relatively new here and for the past few weeks I have been trying to get up to speed on lighting and mtn biking in general....so please bear with my noobiness. A lot has changed since I was last in the sport 15 years ago. Anyway, based on recommendations here, I ordered (mid Sept) the Yinding from Wallbuys. Well its still not here and the days are getting shorter (and wetter unfortunately). So I wanted something sooner rather than later and ordered this OXYLED BL15 from Amazon Canada. Its fulfilled by Amazon Canada and got here within 6 days incl. a weekend in between. Here is the vendors website. I have not had a chance to mount or try it as I just received it at work.

Initial inspection under a microscope shows that it uses 2 Cree XM-L2's (based on this website). It has two switches - one for on/off and one for low-med-high and hold for strobe. Batteries are no name. Comes with warranty card. Seems to be decently built but then again its my first light so I may not know the difference. Will try and get beam shots if you guys can guide me as well as additional info if you guys let me know what else you want me to post.

Cheers.








 
#121 ·
That's a MagicShine MJ-880 clone, like sold at Kaidomain. Based on reports found on MTBR, I'd check the heatsinking / thermal path and make sure you have good contact with thermal heatsink compound between the LED board and the body of the light. Otherwise it looks like you found one at a good decent price.
Also based on reports here, the Yinding will likely have bad heatsinking, so that one needs looked into as well.

-Garry
 
#122 ·
I figured it was a clone but my noobiness failed to find which one. Thanks for pointing it out. I have since read a ton on the MJ-880. Seems like I made an OK purchase. It is helluva bright and the strobe almost made me have a seizure. Between this and the Yinding, which would be better for a helmet mount? Or should I be looking for something else?
 
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