# Light recommendations needed



## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

I’ve been interested in night riding for the longest but never got around to shelling for a good light. I’m entering my first 12hr XC soon and the last few hours will be at night. So, I need and want a good light. The places that I ride are your typical single-track trails with technical, as well as, fast sections. 
I want a quality light that’s proven. I need plenty of light to be safe along with adequate battery life. I’m sure everyone has a favorite. I’d really like to know some lights that I can’t go wrong with. Then I can compare specks, deals, etc. 
Thanks much!


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Do you have a budget in mind? That may narrow down the suggestions.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Budget... Well, money is tight but I'm pretty much willing to spend what it takes to obtain a good mtb light. I've been told that less than a 100.00 should take care of it but I haven't found any that I'm interested in at that price. 
I probably couldn't stomach any more than about $300.

Thanks, looking forward to your suggestions.


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## Maximus_XXIV (Jun 7, 2009)

I would suggest one helmet mount and one on the bars. You should be able to do that for well under $300 with the MS clones or similar.


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

$300 will get you a very good choice of higher end lights if just needing one, however as Maximus_XXI mentioned two is really what you need for safety reasons. I saw on Action led lights website a few MS light sets that would be in your budget give you good output and run times. One that i wrote down is the MJ-808-L2. It is using the new XM-L2 emitter and was measured at 829 OTF lumens. It is priced at $90each and for an extra $17 you get an upgraded 5600mAh Samsung battery well worth the money in my opinion. You can opt out for a wide angle lens for the bars and keep the stock set up for the helmet. Forgot to check to see if the helmet mount is included so if interested make sure to check that out. Cheers!!


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Wow, I had no idea that purchasing the right light could get so complicated. 
Great info. Thanks for the help! I went to the site. Pretty reasonable. Have you actually used these lights? If so, are they dependable?


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

Years ago I bought the P-7 version because of all the hype at that time. I have to be honest and tell you that I wasn't impressed with the product. But they have improved and with the Samsung battery's you should have a pretty reliable set up and bright. Also purchasing from Action led lights is smart as they will be there for you after your purchase. 

I would be a little more comfortable recommending a pair of Action's Fenix BT-20's, but it doesn't look like it includes the battery's and charger. If you could go a touch over your budget and allow aprox $100 for those options,(4X 18650 battery's/charger) I think you would have a smoother delivery of those lumens. Guessing you would be a bit over $300 for everything. Sorry!! not trying to complicate things for you. Cheers!!


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

No, your not complicating it! It's just a complicated task in comparison to choosing other biking components.
Your first recommendation actually looks like a pretty good choice. Are these lights considered to be "clones" or a genuine name brand light? I'm not familiar with them at all...
Thanks a ton!


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

All the new led lights are good enough to go riding.
Cheapest of the cheap is an a xml clone (clone being a copy of the Magicshine 808) which you can get as low as $25. Magicshine started the low cost trend a few years ago with a semi-reliable light for around $80. It was a revolution. Their lights are more reliable now and come with warranties when purchased from action led. 

The most expensive lights are $500 or $600 and will burn your buddy's eyes out. 
Every light that is new,cool, interesting, or good is being discussed on the first page of the mtbr light forum. 

Brand name light are usually better, brighter, warrantied and more expensive. Cheap chinese lights are also bright, not as reliabe, no warranty, really really cheap. The batteries are usually not so good. It's all about what you comfortable riding with or risking (if the light breaks).


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

Trophy said:


> No, your not complicating it! It's just a complicated task in comparison to choosing other biking components.
> Your first recommendation actually looks like a pretty good choice. Are these lights considered to be "clones" or a genuine name brand light? I'm not familiar with them at all...
> Thanks a ton!


No,, these are a brand name,(MagicShine) which were originally Chinese knock offs of Lupine's Tesla, but have come into their own now with much better products.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Also noticed the weight adds up quickly when adding lights! 

Good info... Sure appreciate y'all laying out the basics. Looking forward to my first night ride soon!


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

Dinotte (see ad at the top) makes a top quality product IME, at a decent price point. My XML3 has been outstanding the last 2 years. Great beam pattern, and run times. USA company, if that matters to you. Get an XML3 (all the light you'll really need), and a cheaper backup to run on the bars... you're set.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

I know this will be about 4X your budget but i don't feel comfortable recommending anything less for off-road racing:

helmet - Light & Motion Seca 2000 Enduro ( $570 ) or Lupine Wilma 14 ( $745 )
bar - NiteRider Pro 3600 DIY ( $560 )

if you get that it should last you 3 years before you'll want to upgrade.

if you stay in your $300 budget you will probably feel like you can't see where you're going as soon as you either go up to speed or the track gets twisty.

if you said i just want to get my feet wet riding at night i would say get two $50 chinese lights like SolarStorm and you would be fine. you might simply need to slow down here and there.

ps: i have used the NR Pro 3600 DIY, the Seca and Lupine ( although i only used a 900 lumen Lupine, the one i recommend is 2800 lumen, i returned the 900 lumen one because it wasn't bright enough )

here's a video of NR Pro on singletrack:


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

androgen said:


> I know this will be about 4X your budget but i don't feel comfortable recommending anything less for off-road racing:


Someone posts their budget, and you make a suggestion that is 4x their budget?!! 
Pure ridiculousness, smh.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

fightnut said:


> Someone posts their budget, and you make a suggestion that is 4x their budget?!!
> Pure ridiculousness, smh.


behold ! i will give you a hypothetical story.

imagine i am on a diet / fitness forum and a person comes in and says the following:

" i'm 50 years old, 5'10" i weigh 300 lbs, i'm diabetic and i just had my first heart attack last month - my doctor tells me i need to lose weight - what should i do ? PS: I DON'T WANT TO DIET OR EXERCISE "

my answer to him would be - YOU NEED TO DIET AND EXERCISE !

in other words the answer doesn't change simply because it's not what the asker wanted to hear. to give any other answer would simply be irresponsible.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

That's not even a a good analogy. 

Trophy needs lights and he doesn't want to spend more than 300. There's plenty of lights in that price range that will work for general riding and even racing. Actually pretty much every light on this forum is good enough for that. Your recommendation adds to up at least $1100. How is that helping Trophy?


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

you would probably tell a person that is 50lbs overweight - that they need to have their stomach stapled, instead of diet and exercise.....


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

d365 said:


> you would probably tell a person that is 50lbs overweight - that they need to have their stomach stapled, instead of diet and exercise.....


hahahaha ! ! !

now that i think about it - you're probably right


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

varider said:


> There's plenty of lights in that price range that will work for general riding and even racing. Actually pretty much every light on this forum is good enough for that.


This is absolutely true. When I did 24hr races it was with a single bar mount 15W halogen. Any of the better dual XML lights will be double what that halogen produced. Prices are such now that it's far easier to afford a bar and helmet light, but if one is on a tight budget, get a good helmet light and a good LED flashlight for backup. Unless you have night vision problems you'll be fine.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

Vancbiker said:


> This is absolutely true. When I did 24hr races it was with a single bar mount 15W halogen. Any of the better dual XML lights will be double what that halogen produced. Prices are such now that it's far easier to afford a bar and helmet light, but if one is on a tight budget, get a good helmet light and a good LED flashlight for backup. Unless you have night vision problems you'll be fine.


that's a bit like saying when i used to race we raced horses. a horse has 1 horsepower. therefore if you're going to race motorcycles surely 2 horesepower is enough, so a moped will be more than you will ever need.

or "why do you want a cell phone? i didn't have no cell phone when i was your age" etc.

or as Bill Gates i think said "surely 64 kilobytes will be enough for everybody" or something like that ...

by that logic there are a lot of things people don't need like internet, plumbing, computers, refrigerators, microwaves, heating, cars, public transportation, fire department, police, roads etc because there was a time when people were fine without any of these things.

different kinds of logic can be applied to the same problem. neither is necessarily right or wrong, just a different perspective.

i could even look at it this way: you don't want to show up to the race with the best equipment then finish last  basically it's about priorities and stuff like that.


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

Androgen I've read some gargantuan piles of crap in my time but the stuff you come out with is on a new level! He doesn't need to spend anywhere near a grand to see where he's going. I do know what I'm talking about, because like many others on this forum, I actually head out into the woods at night. You apparently don't.

OP, may I suggest you take a good look at a Gloworm X2. It works great on a helmet, and if you want to double up (which I do recommend), then you could move it to uour bars and look at an X1 for the helmet. Very nice light-weight lights with changeable optics and decent output designed by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, and brought to the market at a great price. (No commercial relationship).

I'm sure there are a large number of other good lights out there within your price range. Androgen keeps going on about the Light and Motion Seca, and while I agree it has a nice beam pattern, it is big and heavy and uses a lot of LEDs to put out a fairly moderate amount of light. And one of them by itself costs considerably more than you need to spend. Don't drink that particular Coolaid.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

The Understater said:


> Androgen I've read some gargantuan piles of crap in my time but the stuff you come out with is on a new level! He doesn't need to spend anywhere near a grand to see where he's going. I do know what I'm talking about, because like many others on this forum, I actually head out into the woods at night. You apparently don't.
> 
> OP, may I suggest you take a good look at a Gloworm X2. It works great on a helmet, and if you want to double up (which I do recommend), then you could move it to uour bars and look at an X1 for the helmet. Very nice light-weight lights with changeable optics and decent output designed by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, and brought to the market at a great price. (No commercial relationship).
> 
> I'm sure there are a large number of other good lights out there within your price range. Androgen keeps going on about the Light and Motion Seca, and while I agree it has a nice beam pattern, it is big and heavy and uses a lot of LEDs to put out a fairly moderate amount of light. And one of them by itself costs considerably more than you need to spend. Don't drink that particular Coolaid.


Gloworm X2 puts out 12 lumens per gram of light head. Seca 1700 ( which i use ) puts out 13.5 lumens per gram of light head. Seca 2000 that i recommended should in theory put out 15 lumens per gram of light head. so disagree with the notion that Seca is heavy and puts out a moderate amount of light. only Lupine really has better output to weight ratio but Lupine steps down that output half the time for lack of cooling, and once stepped down it has the same output to weight ratio as Seca.

it is true that 2000 Lumen could be achieved with only 3 LEDs instead of 6, so you could say that Seca wasted 3 LEDs but even an XML LED is only $5 so that's a total of $15 wasted - not a big deal IMO - and L&M probably gets them for less than that. besides, running the LEDs at half-power should extend their life considerably. you should be THANKFUL that Seca uses 6 LEDs instead of 3 because that way you get a more reliable light - and it's not like the extra 3 LEDs add any weight - the weight is in the heatsink, which is proportional to output, not number of LEDs.


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

Trophy I though of another good option for you look into:

Amoeba - The simplest "light" form


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

androgen said:


> you should be THANKFUL that Seca uses 6 LEDs instead of 3 because that way you get a more reliable light


No.


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

> Originally posted by The Understater
> _ Trophy I though of another good option for you look into:
> 
> Amoeba - The simplest "light" form_


Thanks for the mention Understater! Was waiting to see what was being suggested. 

Trophy, shoot me an email and I can forward you some information on my lights. I think the size, weight, output, runtimes, price, and quality all fit your requirements. :thumbsup:

****


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## HomegrownMN (Nov 29, 2004)

The Understater said:


> Trophy I though of another good option for you look into:
> 
> Amoeba - The simplest "light" form


I'll second the Amoeba.
2 years & countless night rides thanks to Scars lights!

Price, weight, durabilty. Pick all 3


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

androgen said:


> that's a bit like saying when i used to race we raced horses. a horse has 1 horsepower. therefore if you're going to race motorcycles surely 2 horesepower is enough, so a moped will be more than you will ever need......


Uhhh, no, its like saying one does not NEED thousands of lumen nor spend big money to night ride or race. It's not saying that more isn't nice. Have I moved on from those old days? Yes, my current setup has a combined output of around 3000 lumen (4100 theoretical but I generously account for optic and thermal losses). That said, it is only on fast downhill trail sections the I run them on high. Just don't need or really like that much light if only going 12-18 mph on a trail. 20+ and I like the extra light mainly for the throw.

Real world measurable numbers here. I raced 24 hour events in 2000 and 2001 (hence the halogen lights). My night laps were 5-6 minutes slower than my best day laps on a 12-13 mile course. Did the ~350 lumen halogen cause this? Yes, partially. I recall riding the fast downhill sections, a couple miles in total, a bit slower at night. The rolling sections, flats, and climbs were all rideable as fast as I could in the day. Legs/lungs were more the limiting factor.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Not to take away form the Amoeba. I've always been really happy with my Niterider lights. About $200 for 2 lights. So you can run one on the lid and 1 on the bars. I typically run both on medium to get the best battery life / brightness tradeoff. I started with 2 Pro 600s and just bought the Lumina 700 because my wife just started "borrowing" 1 of mine. Or you could just buy 1 to see how it works and be around your $100 budget.

Amazon.com: NiteRider Lumina 700 USB Rechargeable Bike Light: Sports & Outdoors


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## steelhmr (Sep 30, 2011)

bedwards1000 said:


> Not to take away form the Amoeba. I've always been really happy with my Niterider lights. About $200 for 2 lights. So you can run one on the lid and 1 on the bars. I typically run both on medium to get the best battery life / brightness tradeoff. I started with 2 Pro 600s and just bought the Lumina 700 because my wife just started "borrowing" 1 of mine. Or you could just buy 1 to see how it works and be around your $100 budget.
> 
> Amazon.com: NiteRider Lumina 700 USB Rechargeable Bike Light: Sports & Outdoors


Look at the output & runtimes of those lights. You can't race effectively with them. I should know, I own two Lumina 650's. I gave both of them to my gf for road use. If you want to race or even just for regular training, you need a minimum of around 1,200 (real) lumens on your bars and 800 on helmet. Otherwise, you are going to be significantly slowed down by the lack of lighting on the trails.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Given that he's only be running them at the end of the race for a few hours from dusk to dark and wanted reasonably priced lights I think they fit. Start them on low at dusk and bump up in intensity as it gets dark. An armature racer (assuming this since he doesn't have any lights yet) doesn't need to jump into a 2000 lumen system to have fun in a 12 hours race. After 12 hours nobody's going to be riding at sprint speeds. 

Good luck in whatever you pick Trophy.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Guys, sorry it took a couple of days to get back. Been swamped with work and on top of that it was also my kid’s 15th b-day! 

I’ve looked at each of these recommendations. Really good stuff! I’ll probably order from this action led place. They seem to be doing a great job in offering quality along with good prices and service. 

I’m thinking about increasing the budget a tad and going with a little more quality on the hat. I’m interested in the Gemini duo led light sys (local guy recommended this one) or maybe the Gloworm x2 1200. The glowworm has double warrantee and optional lenses but the Gemini is a little brighter and is gets pretty good reviews. 

For the bars, I’m thinking the $90 MJ-808-L2 that was recommended earlier would be a good choice. 

On the other hand, two of the MJ’s may be just fine. Bedwards is absolutely correct in assuming that I’m an amateur. I’m 46, been in and out of mtb since my 20’s. I’ve recently gained interest in xc endurance riding. May be getting in over my head but I really want to give this 12hr a try. 

I’d really appreciate any thoughts in regards to the above…


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Hey Trophy, I'm 46 and have been in and out of MTB since my early 20s. I just did a 100K race this summer. 
The Candid Cyclist: Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge 2013
You should have fun. Keep up your calorie intake and electrolyte intake, that's my recommendation.


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## Jack Archer (Aug 5, 2011)

A recommendation I made for friend who was looking for light was this:

Action-LED-Lights ? Magicshine MJ-808-L2, 4 Mode 1200 lumen* Bike Light

Action-LED-Lights ? Add a Magicshine MJ-6028 Helmet Mount Kit

Action-LED-Lights ? Upgrade to MJ-6030H 5600mAh Battery Pack x2

Action-LED-Lights ? Magicshine MJ-808U, 4 Mode 1100 lumen* Bike Light

Subtotal $208.90 + shipping

Ive personally never used these lights, however Ive heard good about them. 
Two light setup, and under your maximum of 300 dollars. Adjust items as needed of course.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Thank for the race tips. Nice documentary! Most I've done in a day is 105mi. It was 60 percent trail 40 tough road. Not a race, just a fun ride. I rode 75mi of trail one day last week trying to get ready. Twelve hrs of "race" will be interesting for sure!

Anyone with info on the Gemini duo led light sys or Gloworm x2 1200 as mentioned above would be greatly appreciated.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

Trophy said:


> Thank for the race tips. Nice documentary! Most I've done in a day is 105mi. It was 60 percent trail 40 tough road. Not a race, just a fun ride. I rode 75mi of trail one day last week trying to get ready. Twelve hrs of "race" will be interesting for sure!
> 
> Anyone with info on the Gemini duo led light sys or Gloworm x2 1200 as mentioned above would be greatly appreciated.


if you have enough endurance to go for 12 hours you should really pay close attention to batteries that come with whatever system you purchase. Lupine is really the best choice when it comes to batteries right now.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Appreciate all the info!!!

Placed my order today. Action put Gemini's on sale this morning. After talking with Jim, I decided to go with a Duo/Xera combo. He said this combo gets a lot of good feed back. With the reduced price I was able to get them both by going just a bit over my original budget. 
Note: He also recommends the Olympia/Duo and X1/X2 for a nice set. Unfortunately, these two were were even more over my budget.

Jack Archer, thanks for the info. If I'd hit the refresh button I would have gotten it before now!

Jim says placing the duo on the bars and xera on the hat does well. If anyone's familiar with this set-up please let me know how it preforms?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Trophy said:


> Jim says placing the duo on the bars and xera on the hat does well. If anyone's familiar with this set-up please let me know how it preforms?


When the Duo/Xera's first came out they got a lot positive feedback. Both lamps offer programmable light modes so for an endurance race they should be perfect. Set the modes so you get the maximum run time for each mode. For what you'll be doing you'll need to get the most out of your batteries.

I strongly suggest figuring out your battery/run-time strategy BEFORE doing your ride. Personally I can get by with about 300 lumen off the bars and 200-300 off the helmet for most trails. Less for long climbs, more for that long fast down hill.

If you're concerned you might not have enough run time to get you through the night I suggest either carrying a back-up 2 - 4 cell or buying a bigger battery ( > 6000mah ) for the bar lamp. Never hurts to cover all your bases. Best bang for the buck is with 4-cells. You can buy a decent quality 4-cell for around $30 USD. Xeccon also has some good prices on high capacity 6-cells.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks catmando. I did get the 4-cell to help out with just that. Will begin the batt eduction process asap!


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## Gharddog03 (Sep 25, 2013)

Trophy said:


> Thanks catmando. I did get the 4-cell to help out with just that. Will begin the batt eduction process asap!


Are you running a 4cell for each light?


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

> Are you running a 4cell for each light.


Yep. You doing a 4/6 cell combo with the xera mounted to the helmet I suppose?


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## Gharddog03 (Sep 25, 2013)

Trophy said:


> Yep. You doing a 4/6 cell combo with the xera mounted to the helmet I suppose?


Actually 2/4 set up. I'll see how it works out. I'm new to the bike light world. My rides are usually 1.5-2 hrs max.


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## Trophy (Jan 10, 2013)

I considered 2 cells for weight/cost advantage but getting more into the xc stuff these days. Entering my first 12hr this weekend. I've done 12 before but it wasn't a race, just a fun torture. Geez man, you should be golden for 2 hr rides with that set-up!


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## Gharddog03 (Sep 25, 2013)

Trophy said:


> I considered 2 cells for weight/cost advantage but getting more into the xc stuff these days. Entering my first 12hr this weekend. I've done 12 before but it wasn't a race, just a fun torture. Geez man, you should be golden for 2 hr rides with that set-up!


Wow 12 hrs that does sound like torture.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Trophy said:


> I considered 2 cells for weight/cost advantage but getting more into the xc stuff these days. Entering my first 12hr this weekend. I've done 12 before but it wasn't a race, just a fun torture. Geez man, you should be golden for 2 hr rides with that set-up!


ummh....12hrs, that's tough. Not all 12hrs stuff is the same though. If this event is on loop course then the battery/run time issue is not so big a deal, depends on the size of loop. Just have spare batteries waiting at the pit area and you should be good to go.

On the other hand if its a total unsupported grueling grind-out than you need to carry everything. Right now where I live the total dark hours are about 11-12 hrs every night. I have no idea how much of the night you will be riding but your first job is to set the Duo up with the minimum amount of light acceptable to you and then find out how long it will last with one of your 4-cells. If you can milk 7-8hrs out of a 4-cell battery you've done well.


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## mrbubbles (Apr 9, 2007)

Anything over 3 hours of darkness means I'd go the dynamo route.


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## docter_zab (Jun 3, 2013)

Jesus I'm confused now.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

docter_zab said:


> Jesus I'm confused now.


- You need a light on your bars and helmet to see where you are going and where you want to go
- About 350 lumans each is adequate. 700+ for faster downhill sections, 1200+ if you are a serious racer.
- Self contained lights are convenient and light but can't achieve more than 1.5-3 hours run time at racing light outputs so you need to go with something that has an external battery pack.

Personally, I've used the Niterider cordless 600 and now 700 for a few years now and find them to be an excellent compromise. If I had to do a race that had a few hours of night riding I wouldn't hesitate to use them. But I also know their runtime/brightness limitations and I only race for fun.


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## docter_zab (Jun 3, 2013)

bedwards1000 said:


> -
> Personally, I've used the Niterider cordless 600 and now 700 for a few years now and find them to be an excellent compromise. If I had to do a race that had a few hours of night riding I wouldn't hesitate to use them. But I also know their runtime/brightness limitations and I only race for fun.


I'm more confused about options than anything else... spare batteries, different types of lights, etc... I know A) I need to buy a 600+ light and B ) I work for a non-profit (ie, my budget is limited) and C) I have a 2-day adventure race in (Double Dare in Pisgah National Forest, NC) November and the first day is noon to midnight so I'll need five hours of output.


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## FoolSoft (Sep 24, 2013)

*+1 for Gemini Olympia and Action LED*

+1 for Gemini Olympia lights -- and Jim at Action LED who sells them. See here.

I spent a lot of time researching various solutions and these are quite possibly the best bang for the buck if you are interested in a BRIGHT light, of high quality for under $300. The build quality and programmability of light levels sets Gemini Olympia apart from my second choice (slightly cheaper) Magic Shine, which Action LED also sells.

It puts out 1,467 (actual) lumens and the light quality is truly remarkable -- nice and broad, with no hotspots. Picture a floodlight on your head that weighs almost nothing!

If you go with the upgrade from 4 batteries to 6 (which I did) you can ride at 100% for 3 hours and 40 minutes. However, this much light is actually more than you need. Riding at 50% (or 734 lumens) you can go 8 hours and 20 mins. Because you can customize the percentage light that you want, it's easy to create three different settings that will maximize your light level and the time needed for various outings.

I rode on the medium setting for general trails, then turned it on high for fast downhills. After the ride, the seven other people I was riding with all had to check this light out. One of the guys had a really nice light that was almost double the price and supposedly higher lumens (1800 claimed). The Gemini Olympia put out light that easily matched it in terms of quality and brightness, and was far more adjustable.

The unit comes with a sturdy helmet mount, handlebar mount, and for after your rides you can even put the light on a sturdy set of headlamp straps. Sweet...

I only have two tiny quibbles, which are hardly worth mentioning and are not in any way deal-breakers.

1. If you push the button too hard, the silicone actuator may slip off the mechanical switch inside the light. The light still works just fine, but you have to keep pushing the button a little harder than before. Jim, at Action LED, told me to simply pop the silicone button off the back of the unit and reinstall it. Took all of 5 seconds -- and it worked perfectly again. I suspect if one has a heavy hand and causes the button to slip often, a little dab of high temp RTV sealant inside the switch would probably cure this.

2. The helmet mount is a plastic piece with slots and rigid straps. These work better if the slots in your helmet are parallel. However, most helmets have slots which are sort of splayed out, in a "V" shape. This causes the strap to be a bit non-uniformly tight. Looking at it, I think a stretchy strap, or cutting the rigid strap in half lengthwise might do the trick. Jim is also going to send me another solution to try out. If you order, ask him what works best.


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## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

docter_zab said:


> I'm more confused about options than anything else... spare batteries, different types of lights, etc... I know A) I need to buy a 600+ light and B ) I work for a non-profit (ie, my budget is limited) and C) I have a 2-day adventure race in (Double Dare in Pisgah National Forest, NC) November and the first day is noon to midnight so I'll need five hours of output.


Stand back and look at what you need. Don't get hung up on lumen numbers. Important thing is to get the right tool for the right job. A) You said it's an adventure race so you need a light that's neither too spotty or too floody. You may need that light to be helmet mounted and headstrap mounted unless you're riding with caving/spelunking helmets. Look for something that's lightweight and possibly wired because of headstrap and runtime need. B) State your budget so others can recommend or suggest. C) Work on minimum 8 hours of lighting. It gets darker earlier nowadays and being in the forest it gets dark quicker than in the open. What is involved in the nights of those 2 days ? Riding on fireroads, running or orienteering? This determines what type and how much lighting you need.


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## Gharddog03 (Sep 25, 2013)

Have to agree with foolsoft. I just received my Olympia and Duo from Jim and wow the quality of the lights are awesome. I went on a short run and was amazed on how well they worked. I set both lights at 50%, 80%, 100%, and 100% on strobe. The duo on 80% was more than enough. The Olympia at 50% had nice throw and enough for me. I'm running a 2/4 cell setup and for under 300$ I don't think you can go wrong.


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