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My missus has got the biking bug and has now started doing a few night rides and rather than her borrow my old school Light & Motion lights I thought it might smart for me to get her a light of her own. The light will be used most for roads and easy fire road type off road stuff Thnx in advance Paul
Bars or Lid mounted?
Loads of threads on here that can point you towards bar & helmet combos that will do for half your budget.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170876182742?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
£17 or so.
Hi Paul, I recently got a Mtb batteries V2 XML from smudge on here. £89 with bar and helmet mount. Very impressed so far, quality good, nice and bright and good run times. Separate battery but it can be easily strapped to the bike stem or left in your bag. Think the stated lumens are 1000, not sure if its that good but bright enough for off road for sure.
You can go very cheap... But you'll get a lot more light if you look at the Magicshine MJ-872 or similiar (Fluxient 4xXPG frexample). Not just a good value light but a genuinely good one- proper bike light electronics and settings, excellent beam pattern, and good power. It's a slightly old design now but still excellent.
Smudge V2 isn't a bad light- it's the best of the single XMLs- but IME it's not competitive with the 872 and it's in the same price range. Smudge's new light is a beast but outside your budget.
The new Gloworm X1 is £100 at the moment - Single Cree XM-L U2 giving 850 lumens, 3 interchangeable optics (superspot, spot and flood), sub 60g light head (including helmet mount), Panasonic 2 cell battery pack.
+1 for the gloworm lights. There are plenty of options but I rate Gloworn highly and a good light will make a difference to night riding experience, even if it is only on 'easy' trails and road.
Merlin's double discount brings their R4 light with 2 cell battery to the £130 odd mark?
Cheers everyone, bar mounted is first choice
You won't go wrong with an MJ 872. To be honest, though, if it's for occasional, non-techy rides I'd go for a cheaply XML light off eBay like the one linked to above. No need to pay more than about £20. I just bought a second XML torch with charger and two batteries for £11 - unbelievable performance for the price.
pb2 - MemberCheers everyone, bar mounted is first choice
Personally I'd say if you can only have one, put it on the head, so you can see where you're going not where your bars are pointed. Doubly important if you buy a cheapo XML as the beam is very tight.
On that note- if you're buying cheap lights, there's still a lot to be said for the outmoded P7 lights- they're not as bright, but they have a much better beam pattern than the XMLs.
I just recently got one of these, more or less on a whim... And it's as rough as a badger's arse, the design's flaky and it'd not that well made. But on the other hand, it's a deathray for £35. Can probably be had for less.
I just recently got one of these, more or less on a whim... And it's as rough as a badger's arse, the design's flaky and it'd not that well made. But on the other hand, it's a deathray for £35. Can probably be had for less.
if there's also a good chance of the battery/charger exploding, count me in!
Luvving the Lupins gag 😀
legend - Memberif there's also a good chance of the battery/charger exploding, count me in!
Annoyingly the battery pack isn't compatible with my higher quality Magicshine charger (that came with the 872). So yep, definately on the cards. That's the best bit surely?

