[Closed] Ebay lights

Solarstorm X2 for the front, I only switched to a Halfords 1600 as an all in one unit is less hassle. The Halfords one is better but the X2 is very good for the £20 odd they cost

Yep, the X2 is great. There are a lot of similar units so there is a degree of pot luck but they are cheap enough to buy two. It's even not acually that bad environmentally as the batteries are usually recycled. Worth getting a second light as an emergency backup and for road bits. I've got a lezene for this bit just picked up a usb rechargeable jobsworth from planetX which is a fair bit brighter (and almost as good as the X2)

I use cheaper head units for lights, but with battery packs combined from decent 18650 batteries and waterproof battery boxes so my house won’t burn down, with a decent charger.

The Planet X Dual T6 one is £15 at the mo.

I know.. unless I spend at least £1000 on the latest, brightest and best kit, I will probably die and my house will also burn to the ground.

Not sure where you get that idea from. Yes the like of exposure, aren’t cheap & are really very good, but most of us don’t own one. The SSx2 is very good, but multiple copies/clones of varying quality, muddies the waters. I’d suggest www.mtbbatteries.com as a great option, decent lights with great support, without costing the earth

Used the EBay lights for years but bought a proper Uk built battery and charger

How much have people paid for a good quality battery and is mtb batteries best place to buy from?

Does the silicon band hold the light in place well enough? I used to have something similar that would slip a little, doubt it would hold up to being rattled about off-road.

And what do you use for a helmet light, or is something like the SSx2 good enough by itself?

I've used ebay or china direct lights for years. Silicon bands only work with "light" light units - add cable ties etc. Used torches for some time, still use one as a head torch. The bad stiff - batteries - power claims are usually lies. charger get too hot & one started burning. However I have tried loads of £20 lights etc, so can give you links to the good, proven suppliers I've used. I was lucky to win a Hope R8 a year or two back, but still used budget head torch & others on the roadie/pub bikes.

As others have said, cheap lights are fine and not a problem. Cheap re covered batteries and cheap chargers are the problem and will burn your house down.

Just buy a light that uses 18650 batteries, but doesn't come with any. Then spend your money on quality batteries and charges. Most of us use torchy for a reason.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293931309530

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124432472757

I’ve used a fair few cheap lights, they were fine.
One of the chargers melted the first time i used it but the guy from mtb batteries (torchy) saw me mentioning it on here and offered me a good deal on a replacement.

I got a pair or "nestling" off of Amazon for £35 recently. Look exactly the same as the solarstorm. Come with a USB charger and waterproof battery packs. So far battery life has been great, vision in the woods is great, and haven't found anything getting hot when charging. Still not sure I'd be willing to leave them on overnight unattended but hey ho. Was just a cheap option to dip my toe into night MTB'ing and so far it's paid off

Stupid question, sorry, but the battery packs from Torchy, can they just be put straight into the connectors / battery holders that come as standard with cheaper eBay lights or do you have to purchase extra stuff from somewhere?

Usually use 18650 batteries. Panasonic or samsung are the ones to get. £6 - 8 in uk or from £2 from china.

Stuff I use: charger https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32854233083.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dwvUu6Q

batteries: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32807032859.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dwvUu6Q

Torch - I use the 21700 battery. A bit heavy on the hat, but good! https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32807032859.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dwvUu6Q

Thanks. I have ordered 2x solarstorm x2 lights.
Hopefully I won't die.

I only charge mine on top of the cooker when I'm in and out of the kitchen, definitely don't leave them plugged in when you're asleep or out of the house, but that isn't bad advice for any battery charging to be honest even with legit mainstream electronics.

The problem with batteries are you can shrink wrap any old Samsung or Panasonic cover on an old laptop battery. Just because it says Samsung doesn't make it a Samsung.

Torchy checks all his and posts the results in the sale. That's why I trust him.

I recently bought 4 packs of AAA batteries from him ready for the trains at Christmas for mini D. He sent me one wrong pack which were a lower mah. I messaged him and 2 days later another pack arrived and he told me to keep the wrong ones.

Anyone use the Convoy S2+ torches as mtb lights?

It's a tossup between 2 of these (maybe with a floody lens on one) and a pair of the Solarstorm X2... or maybe an X3 with an X2...

I've been researching cheap lights till my eyes bleed 😭 Time to stop overthinking this!

Any of them will be fine. Compared to what we used to ride with they are like night and day (pun intended). Buy something and go riding.

The guy from mtb batteries (torchy)

Mark is the guy from mtb batteries. Torchy is another (eBay) seller/light reviewer, again used to sell lots of lights/batteries but looks to have moved into the vap market more now. Did have a good rep & does have an account on here but hasn’t posted lately (that I’ve seen)

I couldn't be happier with my Ravemen PR1200 up front. Costs anywhere between £60-80, lights up the forest at night and doesn't set fire to your house when charging overnight.

I also just bought a Cateye Orb for the rear which I can't fault for £8 (providing it stays on when things get gnar).

Bit gutted halfords have stopped doing the 1600 unit as I have vouchers I can use there...

I have a pair of these cheap Cree XML T6 light units with USB connector: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-Front-Lamp-6000LM-2x-CREE-XM-L-T6-USB-LED-Bike-Bicycle-Light/402425900497

The light units are powered by an Anker 20000mah Powebank with 2 USB outputs, like this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-PowerCore-20100-20000mAh-Technology-Black/dp/B00VJSGT2A/

The Powerbank is in a top tube bag. I can also use the Powerbank to charge my phone, which is on bar mount and is used for navigation. Gets over the problem of the phone's battery running out of juice on all day rides

The USB Powerbank can of course also be used for non cycling purposes.

How much battery life do you get out of the power bank and the two lights? Seems a pretty good idea to me.

Lasts a long time - I've yet to run out of power on a ride. The combo was recommended by another STWer on here (forget who). I recall on the thread it was said that not all USB power banks have the grunt are to be able to power those type of USB lights. The Anker 20000 mah one I've posted is the one that was recommended to work.

...here's a link to the thread containing the original recommendation for the USB lights and Powerbank combination:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/what-cheap-night-riding-light/#post-10197230

I use a similar setup - USB solarstorm X2, and an older Anker powerbank (5200 mAh) in a top tube bag. For most things that’s bright enough (and almost certainly not the advertised number of lumens at max power). I get 4-8 hours, depending on the type of riding I’m doing and therefore the brightness I use the light at. I did subsequently add an additional head torch I picked up in a sale, but I only use that in limited circumstances - the solarstorm is fine the rest of the time. I’ve used it in all weathers, inc. torrential rain and well below freezing and it’s been very dependable.

Cheers for those. I've got some mates who may find that very helpful. I run an Exposure 6 pack on the front now after getting a good deal on one brand new (£200). I did used to have a Solarstormm X2 which was a perfectly good light, however when a friends charger caught fire in his house it rather put me off.