[Closed] Troute lights?

hands down the best light i own

I suspect he's still tinkering, but I seem to remember him saying that he wasn't going to be doing any new stuff for sale as the 'Chinese lights' were getting so powerful and cheap that it was impossible to compete.

I emailed him weeks ago about upgrading a light for me. No reply...

Yes have hung up the soldering iron sadly the chinese stuff finally ground me down .
when a driver board cost me $35 and folks were buying lightsets for not much more it became impossible

Riding the bike alot more but will need to build some lights for me this winter .

I did think about selling off some leftover housings and leds as kits for the tinkerers out there but even the cost of those would be more than a light set and probably involve hasstle for me

Cheers Tony. I must get down there one day for a bit of Jedi magic

Do you still do the vision 2 upgrade? Mines due a tinker.

It's a shame. My Troutied Vision 2 & R4 are ace. Then again, at least your riding your bike again 🙂

Yes, sorry to hear that. Had hope to persuade you to make a dynamo light 😛

What bits have you got left over Chris? Might be interested in taking some off your hands as I've got a couple of mates asking about me making them some lights..
Steve

That's a shame Chris, the quality build of my spidery eyes is great and still looks as new. Will you still offer a back up if there are any problems with the lights? < adds test lights to do list>

My liberator is still going strong. You may not have been able to match the Chinese on price but they certainly couldn't match you on quality!

I dropped you an email a few weeks back. I'm prepared to pay for quality. so if you change your mind, let me know. Are you interested in one off work?

Some good feedback there,in a short space of time.there is obviously still a market for your products/skills.

Chris - have been trying to get in touch for quite a while but not having any luck

Thats a real shame and I don't believe the market you aim at and the Chinese light market are the same thing.

Its a bit like waitrose giving up because Aldi are cheaper and gaining market share.

There will always be a place in the market for high quality products.

I have a liberator and again its the best light I've got.

troutie, would be a pleasure

troutie,

As with stevied I would be interested in and willing to pay for a self build option if that is something you reconsider.

Enjoy the trails,

Rusty

I've had my Liberator for 3 yrs and still going strong. Worth the extra brass for a quality product

See... that was your problem Troutie. You made the lights so well that no one needs a new one each season 😉

Makes you wonder how Lupine keep going...

I'm sure as above there will always be a market and people willing to pay good money for the right light.

So then, I'm in need of a new bar clamp for my Troutie Liberator and as Chris has hung up the Soldering Iron, any suggestions as to where to get another clamp from??

Cheers

Aww got a rosey glow on now
Stumpy was correct I am still tinkering just not full blown selling .

Yes can do a few self build kits if anyone is interested got a fair few Dominator / Mini / and Liberator housings left as well as lots of leds
and some driver boards

No Spidereyes left

Carlos which bits do you need for the lib all the clamp or just the plastic half.

If there is interest I will build up the remaining Liberators

Yes will keep some bits for backup services

Stevemorg My mails must be going astray as have tried replying on numerous occasions

Fourbanger Not sure if I saw your mail re a one off yes am interested

Steve What bits are you after ??

Bigdean will need to have a rummage to see if I have the bits for a hope vision should have .

People still comment on the quality of my Liberator. Sad to hear your not making them anymore 🙁

Chris - could you drop me an email to my profile email address when you get chance?

You may not have been able to match the Chinese on price but they certainly couldn't match you on quality!

Worth the price as I can give it to my kids 😉

Sorry to hear that but hey your choice

Cheers Junkyard you must have the oldest Trout light ever if its still going .

just sent email Stevemorg

Happy owner of a liberator and a spiders eyes here. Led to lots of examples roaming the malverns!

Another very satisfied liberator owner here....
The Chinese cheapo products I've owned last around a year and I've had the liberator for at least 3 winters already.
Don't mind paying for quality but can well appreciate the reasons for stopping.

My Liberator is going into its 3rd winter now, still excellent, still gets comments along the lines of "WTF is that light/photon cannon?".

Sorry to hear you've hung up your "rod of fire".

Chris - YHM

While I agree with the sentiments about paying extra for quality, I don't get the impression from this forum that this is what most people are after.

Pretty much every light thread that has popped up for the last two years ends up in a barrage of links to £20 5000 lumen lights. When people suggest pricier alternatives, most responses go along the lines of 'what's the point, when you can get x/y/z light for buttons, so long as you don't mind making your own battery and buying a charger that doesn't explode'.

It's weird because people seem happy to suggest Hope hubs, Thompson seat posts etc and pour scorn over Superstar pads, but when it comes to lights, it seems that the priority is 'cheap as chip's.

Double post...

Liberator here and still going strong, I don't mind paying if the quality and backup are there, excellent bit of kit..

As gavgas said.....I got my Lib at the same time, Also got the Dominator.....Far and away the best lights out there

Chris, can you do me a Mini for the helmet? am i correct in saying the Minis are 1200 lumens?

Ta. 😛

stumpy01 - Member

Pretty much every light thread that has popped up for the last two years ends up in a barrage of links to £20 5000 lumen lights. When people suggest pricier alternatives, most responses go along the lines of 'what's the point, when you can get x/y/z light for buttons, so long as you don't mind making your own battery and buying a charger that doesn't explode'.

There's room for both... But the expensive light market's got to be shrinking like mad, and there's already a lot of known brands out there fighting for that share.

TBH I thought the light retrofits/updates were awesome though, with the pace of LED progress over the last couple of years there's got to be millions of quality-but-outdated lights in drawers out there... I rode with the Vision update a while back and it was mint.

Chris - it's the complete clamp (originally with the fish engraved in it) but I'll take whichever fits. Just let me know where to send a payment too or of it's easier to mail you?

Got the charger issue sorted by Smudge (good shout by the way) it was actually the battery that wad the problem. New one on the way and with a clamp I'm all god and ready for the dark again

Cheers
Carl

The Vision 2 upgrade is a peach and Hope missed out on a cracking little light they could have just made it better for nearly zero tooling costs when the XML leds arrived on the scene .

But the upgrade parts for me cost £35 inc return postage I also had 2 hours work per light as some machining and heatsink parts I had to make
bumping the cost up to £70
which is now 2 or 3 new light systems in the throw away world we live in.
I have done over 400 Hopes and only had 3 back for remedial work and that was due to fatigued cables which has been a Hope fault for ever .

Certainly Knowing what top quality parts go into a light costs and also what it would cost from China to do a clone of that light the playing field is somewhat tilted against a UK manufacturer and I never wanted to be a reseller of chinese stuff as the buzz for me was the research and developing a cutting edge light for the dark riding .

There are a few led improvements mainly now in power consumption not lupins but no big jump so I can not be 1 or 2 jumps ahead of the main players who must be finding it a dwindling market now .

I can not be 1 or 2 jumps ahead of the main players who must be finding it a dwindling market now .

Dynamo lights, I tell you 😛

Yes I agree but know not a lot about Dynos and leds
Rob Dean has done extensive dyno light testing and the magic is in the driver and control circuits plus stand light capability .
something I was going to look into but never did .

Carlos Yes can supply both bits no problem

Carlos Yes can supply both bits no problem

Nice one, Just sent you a mail

Chris, you converted my Vision 4 and, because the battery was old it would flash after a short while,we took off the warning flash by a series of button pushes over the phone. I bought a new battery from Smudge and would like to put the warning back on if possible. Cheers In.

I'd like to see some modular lights out on the market.

Something like a head unit the size of the spider eyes or hope vision 2 that you could remove the back plate on and replace it with a piggy back cartridge with 2x protected cells. For a batteries inside light for on the helmet or use it as a bar mount light for when you want to remove everything quickly. Or with the option of the lamp unit and separate battery pack for longer rides.

Other accessories could be a opaic hooded front cover for road use so you get the side visibility of the front light and prevent dazzling oncoming traffic.

I cannot say enough how much I like my Liberator. I had the prototype and it's still going strong and used it last night for the first time since winter, be nice to have a LED upgrade though 😉

I only trust my "Toutie" light with me.

Rusty Mac,

As If! 🙄

Chris - did you get my email?

Hi Chris.Is it still possible to send you my LL for the led upgrade you where doing or have i missed the boat now.
Cheers..

Hi Trout / Chris, as others have said a market for a top class service is there, and people will be willing to pay, just not on a grand scale which may suit you fine, think of it as a bespoke service & charge accordingly!
Anyway, remember [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/that-50-quid-dx-bike-light-dissed-disected-oh-sod-it-its-not-good-news ]THIS?[/url], I'm still using it thanks to you, looking a tad yellow & the battery life is not what it was, but still more than enough for one ride!
Thank you so much & don't give up on us, infact put me down for one of your next batch of whatever, you have my email 🙂
Cheers.

Chris, have mailed you to see if you are still upgrading the vision 2's. Would like to have mine upgraded if poss............ 🙂

Only just read this, sorry to hear you knocked it on the head, I've just started led lighting production at my place and would be really interested in talking to you about your designs etc, we can manufacture the pcbs for both the controller and led units at a sensible cost. mail me if you are interested you never know!!! Cheers Marcus. ub s

Chris, if you still have the prototype Spider eyes and need a good home for it, please bear me in mind and when are you coming down for a ride (with your big bouncy madness)???????

Chris!, I need your help 😛

I need the replacement part for the Dominator bar clamp;

[img] [/img]

Also i mailed you re some other stuff maybe 10 + days ago, but i have`nt had a reply.

Please,please, please...... I need your help!!!! 😉

Much troutieness here too, Liberator still going strong, easily the best light on our local night ride

If he cannot help you can have mine- I have the full mount if you want that

I am up in Kendal fairly often these days

I use an old lummi mount on mine

first time on the MTB in nearly 12 months today 😳

But dusted off the ol'liberator and I'm back in the game! 🙂
What an ace light.
Might be time to have a go at upgrading the leds maybe though for a laugh.

Stoner, I seem to remember Chris did offer an "upgrade" for the LIb... I used my Lib when the Dominator mount snapped (tend to keep the lib for the road bike)......Yes Junkyard, i need to get the Dom up and running + a helmet light.

LMK, email in profile..... Cheers! 😛

Trout, Lib still going strong, 2 nights on the trott with it on max most of the way round. Fantastic bit of kit.

Two Liberators here. And one of them has been supercharged!

Reliable and stunning. Don't retire yet Chris!

YGM

Stoner - are you going ahead with the LED upgrade? I'm thinking about the same thing. I have one of the XPG/XPE mixed lib 3's - been looking at an upgrade to XPG2's to better balance with my helmet lights output.

I found Troutie's build photos and I reckon with a bit of careful soldering and the right adhesive it doesn't look like a horrific job to take on.

First post and *holy thread revival!*

I wanted to bump this thread now the nights are drawing in :(, but also Echo the previous comments as it saddened me to see an obvious talent being left to disappear into the darkness :p when this thread clearly shows a need for you!

As a man in my mid 30’s I'm returning to this great hobby and have very recently purchased some cheap Chinese lights, Solastorm x2 out of necessity for a quick purchase they will certainly do the job, however I see them as a consumable, but am I happy with that? Well no, my 'can't be standard' personality means 'm already looking at upgrading the barttery and a nice digital charger! It's an illness I will never be cured of...

Like a number of mid aged peeps who have bought their fair share of crap and now know the value of quality, I like well designed, robust, unique quality kit and am willing to pay the money for it, as I appreciate the time in design and fabrication that goes into to these "one off" (non mass produced) items. I also like owning cool, bomp proof well researched stuff! (who doesn't?)

I know a few guys who I'm happy to call good mates, who accomplish and strive for the same thing as yours
elf Mr Troute, but in a different market/hobby. It's likely they will not become millionaires but they have been in business for over 10 years paying the bills, and have a good following of like minded people as they produce great but expensive kit.

Forget that there are cheap quick win Chinese kit out there, people don't buy your kit based on the price alone, we want cool dependable lights!

So if you come out of retirement 😉 count me in 🙂

Glad to find this. I didn't know Chris had retired. Shame!
I have a Lumen Liberator too. Superb light.
Chris, if you are reading this thread I need a repair. I was filming a caving trip using the Lib as lighting. Sadly I have knackered both ends of the three pin connector. Whilst in a crawl I think the lamp/cable got twisted and the little pins have sheared off.
I've lost your email from when I bought the light. I hope you can advise on a repair.

Still running my Mk 1 Liberator as well, could do with a new battery now, but the light is still going strong!

adam1330 - Member
Still running my Mk 1 Liberator as well, could do with a new battery now, but the light is still going strong!

*I was in the same boat last year and got a new battery off MTB Batteries AKA Smudge. He even swapped out the Troutie light cable, iirc he was looking at buying Troutie's stock at the time

@ironnigel - You could try him for a repair on your cable too.

Link - http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/

*I'm not affiliated with either of the above and have received impeccable service from both in the past.

Carlos

Buy the Chinese lights, then go to Smudge for a battery. That is, if he still does them. If not, he ought to start up again cos the batteries are where the Chinese ones really struggle.

Hi yah,

Thanks for the mentions.

Yes still selling compatible Solarstorm batteries. Plus any other light that may need a new battery.

I can either offer a compatible replacement or possibly re-cell the original battery.

Please email too mark@mtbbatteries.co.uk

Thanks.

[b]@ Trout[/b]

If you never make a light again I want you to remember something...

You sir, you'll go down in MTB history for what you've achieved. I've never seen a better light, no matter the cost. Your name will live forever in the annals of the dark night records.

Peace from a happy customer.

@ Carlos. Cheers! Will give Smudge at MTBBatteries a go. He's not far from where I work.

Sadly it is not just the cable that I have norsed up, but the 'male' connector in the lamp head too. I'm certain they are standard parts from RS or suchlike but it is knowing what to get and which bits to wire to. Like most folks on this thread I love my Trout light and I am proper p!$$ed of with myself for knackering It up whilst caving.

So Smudge or Troutie if either of you are out there shout up. I'd hate to lose my Liberator.

Smudge - I work just North of Lichfield. If possible I could drop in for you to assess the damage.

Hi Nigel, sure thing. Bestv email to confirm day and time but happy to meet up and bring the light too and I'll see what i can do to help.

Smudge

Happy to add to the homage for trout. I run a liberator on the bars and a spiders eyes on the helmet (cue comments re too many lumens and lack of talent etc) but I bloody love it as a set up. Smudge has hipped in with battery and cable contributions to keep them working too so recommended.

Cheers Smudge. Out of the country at the mo but will drop you an email and hope to meet you soon.

Darkness destroyer here and its the best light I have ever had. 3 winters and still going strong

Liberator still working great on the bars along with one of trouties 1800 lumen double xml diy kits on my head - fantastic combination

Here you go Troutie, there's always a market for quality Lumens..

http://www.lazerlamps.com/home/rs-range/rs8

(... from a proud owner of a Troute Spider Eyes and an 'enhanced' Liberator).

Had my Trout Lumen Liberator fixed by Smudge. Top fella.
Have bought a Nightfire BT70 for underground filming. Won't risk the Trout light again.