# User Review: Xeccon Geinea 1 Rear light



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

Hi all. Once again I've been asked by Xeccon to do a review of their new Geinea rear LED lamp. Since there are not too many rear led lamps over 100 lumen I thought I would accept.

For the record, I receive no compensation from Xeccon to do the review other than they let me keep the light. My review is not a ringing endorsement of the product. I will however point out the positives and the negatives as I see it. The review is a review in progress. I will include more information as I go along.

Below is the product and all the included hardware. *_I included two AA batteries in the photo for size reference._










The set includes the 3-mode lamp, a rubber encased two cell 2200mAh Bak Li-ion battery with battery bag, a wired remote and various O-rings and Velcro pieces to make it all work.

I'll start with the lamp head first. First thing of note is that the lamp is very small, about 20mm x 20mm. It is designed to attach to a seat post post via a Velcro buckle/loop arrangement. While I like the small size of the lamp the mounting leaves much to be desired. When attached to a seat post the lamp angles downward which is not what most people would want. Still it is not much trouble to make a shim out of piece of rubber bike tube which can easily lift the angle of the light. This is what I did and took all of two minutes. Other than that mounting of the lamp is pretty simple with the Velcro.

The lamp itself is Very Bright. This is it's most redeeming feature. I would say just judging from comparison with my Moon Shield rear light that it is 3 times as bright as the Shield. See below:



> Geinea vs. Moon Shield
> 
> Moon Shield; > 525 lux @ 1 meter on high
> 
> Geinea Rear;> ~3000 lux @ 1 meter on *slow flash ( no steady mode )


The front of the lamp has a prismatic micro-honeycombed lens on it. This helps give the lamp a very nice spread of light. I will point out that the output angle is limited because the lamp has no side visibility ports. Still, when view from behind the output of the red Cree XP-E2 is awesome. Not sure how hard it is being driven but I will measure it later.

Unfortunately the lamp has only 3-modes, slow flash, medium flash and fast flash. In my opinion only the first mode, slow flash is usable. Fortunately, I have been told that a change is to be made very quickly to the UI. Soon the Geinea will have a high and medium ( 40% ) steady modes along with the slow and medium flash. *_I expect Xeccon will chime in when that is to take place._

The next issue of note is the remote on the Geinea. It is basically 25mm x 25mm. Pretty big by remote standards. That is because the LED driver is housed in the remote. The remote also has the led warning lights inside it as well so I guess that explains the size. Enough wire is included to mount the remote on the bars if you are so inclined.

Personally I had no wish to mount something that big on my bars so I mount mine right at the seatpost and top tube junction. I wrap the excess wire around the seatpost and all seems to work fine.

I mount the battery between the upper seat stays. ( see photo below ) This works for me. Run time is listed for about 13hrs for the 2-cell battery.



















Below is a short video I took during the day. Sadly the video really doesn't do the lamp justice. It is very bright even in the day. At night it is awesome. Should compete very well with the DiNotte 300R.










If the photos or video doesn't appear please bear with me while I figure out a way to make it work. Thanks....CAt.


----------



## mechBgon (Jan 28, 2007)

Let's see if the HTML embed code works (it does for YouTube vids):

https://static.photobucket.com/player.swf


----------



## OldAusDigger (Apr 8, 2008)

Very interesting Catman.
Any chance you could do some comparison photos at night with the Shield and the Hotshot like you did a few months back? And in the daylight too, if you're up for it?


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> Still, when view from behind the output of the red Cree XP-E is awesome. Not sure how hard it is being driven but I will measure it later.
> 
> Unfortunately the lamp has only 3-modes, slow flash, medium flash and fast flash. In my opinion only the first mode, slow flash is usable. Fortunately, I have been told that a change is to be made very quickly to the UI. Soon the Geinea will have a high and medium ( 40% ) steady modes along with the slow and medium flash. *_I expect Xeccon will chime in when that is to take place._


Geinea rear is equipped with XP-E2 Red. Xeccon Light will be releasing 4 modes for pre-orders taken after today. The 4 modes are confirmed to be _Steady High, Steady Low @ 40%, Fast strobe and Slow Strobe._ It will take about 10-14 days. Remotes with the modified UI will be sent to Cat, Pedro and Colleen who is reviewing the front/rear set at Bikeforums.

In addition to the velcro mounting, an o-ring mount with 2 extra o-rings will be included in the set boxes for mounting choice. Will announce a promo price and sale duration soon.


----------



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

OldAusDigger said:


> Very interesting Catman.
> Any chance you could do some comparison photos at night with the Shield and the Hotshot like you did a few months back? And in the daylight too, if you're up for it?


If Len sends me the improved 4-mode version I should be able to do that. The version I have doesn't have a steady mode so trying to time a single "flash" for a photo would be hard to do. ...Yes, daylight photos a must! :thumbsup: Actually if you look at the video you get a good idea of the output in the day as the video display "freeze framed" the output on high. Distance is a little over 100 ft.

*MechBgon*, Thanks for getting my video posted. I tried a link using the HTML code link provided by Photobucket but couldn't get it to work. Maybe you might send me a PM explaining just how you did it.


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Hello all! 

I too have received the Geinea but mine was the whole kit (front and rear). The only difference from Cat's is that it has a larger 4400mAh battery which powers both lights and a larger single button which controls both the front and large light. This button is the same as the Spiker 1210.
I have no affiliation with Xeccon whatsoever - I just got lucky to find a nice guy like Leonard.

I will give you my feedback from a couple of rides I did with them.

Lets start with the front:

Nice flood light;
OP reflector;
Slightly blue-ish colour tint, when compared to my 808 XML-T6 clone.

It works great for commuting when pointed to the ground as it is small and I can easily remove it from the bike when I get to University. However, I still can't think of this light as a commuting light as it has a symmetric beam pattern and a lot of light is going upwards, where commuters normally don't need it - it's a bit of a wasteful energy that leads to an even more blinding light. What I would also like it to have is a medium working mode. Having a medium working mode can extend the battery life and, most of the time, we don't really need it to be set on high...and low is just too low. This makes more sense to me than having super fast strobe on the rear (even with the new UI, but more on that later...). Although I can point it to the ground or upper, I would like to have a steadier mounting mechanism in the center of my bar, but maybe I'm asking too much eheh.
All in all, I like the light. I like the low profile, I like feeling safe with a simple small light I can quickly remove from the bars and store it in my jacket's pocket if I dont have my laptop's backpack.

Rear light:
Great. Besides the current working-modes, I love it. Current working mode is all-strobe: 3Hz, 7Hz, 14Hz. Why even bother putting a 14Hz in there? I don't know... Anyway, it will all be forgiven, as, as Cat said, the new ones will be 100% steady, 40% steady, 3Hz strobe, 7Hz strobe. Not bad. I could ditch the 7Hz strobe, but still a major improvement. What certainly needs to be improved is the mounting: a simple velcro strap just doesn't cut it, as we can't tweak the angle. I think it is working good as it is for me, as I like having it pointing down, but maybe, sometimes, I would like to have it pointing not too down. One other thing I'm concerned is the side visibility. I have mounted mine and stared at my bike from the side... It would be nice to have some kind of feedback of the headlight when standing in a 180º position, but, as mine is pointing to the ground, the light reaches my wheel pretty well and that is a major plus for me. 
Like the front Geinea, I like this small powerful light. This surely gives me more confident when riding on the road.

That is my feedback so far. I haven't really test it on trails, so i don't know. I did took some pictures though. They turned down darker than I was expecting, but it is better than nothing. I will take some more in the future.

Here are my albums:
Included in this kit (front+rear): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/99qg8ifmdwv9zkz/715u_RfUG_
Wall beamshots (808 XML-T6 clone on the right; Geinea U2 on the left): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4j6q19y905fhj1a/9El2-aAaeE

Video focusing on the brightness of the rear light: 





Resized outside pics (lost some quality too):






















































The original album: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xn1p4yx8r9z5hb0/808 clone high - steeper angle.JPG

Camera settings: ISO 200, Daylight, 4.0, 1/1.6. I'm not an expert on this, but I tried to copy mtbr's exposure settings. I believe they are correct, but please tell me if they are not. I think they came out too dark... Will try to take better pics next time. Oh, and dropbox compresses the photos, so if you really have a good eye (unlike me), view the original by clicking the right down button.


----------



## OldAusDigger (Apr 8, 2008)

Leonard, I'm in Sydney. How much for one of the tail lights delivered here?
Also, if you can possibly put a figure on it percentage wise, just how much of an improvement is the red XPE-2 over the first gen?


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

OldAusDigger said:


> Leonard, I'm in Sydney. How much for one of the tail lights delivered here?
> Also, if you can possibly put a figure on it percentage wise, just how much of an improvement is the red XPE-2 over the first gen?


Hey Digger, we will do a special for the sets with the current 3 modes. PM you on that in a moment.

I can't say for sure how much brighter the XP-E2 is over the XP-E. Hard to compare since there's drive current to consider if you're going to compare it to another light with standard XP-E. Chances are, you'll be able to tell us more.


----------



## Infinity123 (Dec 11, 2009)

PedroDank said:


> Rear light:
> One other thing I'm concerned is the side visibility. I have mounted mine and stared at my bike from the side...


Yes, most rear lights are giving either a strong focused beam OR a floody side visibility . Hard to find one that gives you both. Maybe you could use a second light for side visibility? The Blackburn Mars 3.0 might be interesting: Rear bicycle lights comparison BLACKBURN MARS 3 vs MARS 4 LED light - YouTube


----------



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

Infinity123 said:


> Yes, most rear lights are giving either a strong focused beam OR a floody side visibility . Hard to find one that gives you both.* Maybe you could use a second light for side visibility? The Blackburn Mars 3.0 might be interesting: *Rear bicycle lights comparison BLACKBURN MARS 3 vs MARS 4 LED light - YouTube


If having a bit of side light coming off your bike at the rear is that important to you than by all means that is a good idea. Almost any rear blinkie light that has an extended red lens that will project some side lighting but yes the Blackburn Mars 1.1 looks to be designed to excel in this area.

Not really a big issue for me as my bike already has ample side lighting and visibility. My focus at the time is a rear light that be noticed during the day from a good distance. I think the Geinea achieves this.

*Pedro*, cut yourself a small piece of rubber inner tube and fold in over so it is about 30mm long and 5mm think. Use some electrical tape to keep in together if you have to. 
Then take this and wedge it under just the lower lip of the mount. Then tighten the strap on the Velcro. This should lift the angle of the light so it projects more straight out to the rear.


----------



## OldAusDigger (Apr 8, 2008)

Catman, I phoned Leonard today and ordered a Geinea tail light.
I'll let you know what I think of it when I get it. But I know it's going to be good 'cause you've already given it the thumbs up.
BTW how are the "Lightweights" working out for you? You must of had them for at least a year or so now.


----------



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

OldAusDigger said:


> Catman, I phoned Leonard today and ordered a Geinea tail light.
> I'll let you know what I think of it when I get it. But I know it's going to be good 'cause you've already given it the thumbs up.
> BTW how are the "Lightweights" working out for you? You must of had them for at least a year or so now.


If you get one see if you can get the newer version with 4 modes. Not sure if they're available yet but worth a try.

The "Lightweights" are great. I've put the stickers on a lot of stuff for work and also some clothing for cycling. Eventually I'll buy some of the tape and do my road set-up. I just can't decide whether to get the stealth tape or just go with the brighter silver. Humm....maybe a bit of both.

Right now I'm fighting off the winter blues. It's been raining for three days. If I get any riding in it will be on the road.


----------



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

Today I took a quick ride on the road while testing out a second hand GPS unit. The *Geinea red* was used to cover my rear as the ride was basically a day time ride. Nice day it was, about 50°F. All was fine but when I got home I noticed the led warning light had turned to red. Since I've only used it about three hours at the most I was wondering how this could be. Quite possibly when I first got the light that I didn't charge it all the way. The battery is fully charged now and the green led is showing. I only remember the blue before so maybe that explains things. Still, I'm going to have to test it to see just how long it will run because I have some doubts. I should be able to do that in a couple days as tomorrow I might be able to squeeze in another ride before the NFL playoffs start.


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> Nice day it was, about 50°F. All was fine but when I got home I noticed the led warning light had turned to red. Since I've only used it about three hours at the most I was wondering how this could be.


Hi Cat, the runtime is about 3 hours 36 mins with the 2200mAh 2 cell battery. That's 2.2A / 3.6hours = 0.61A draw.


----------



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

Xeccon said:


> Hi Cat, the runtime is about 3 hours 36 mins with the 2200mAh 2 cell battery. That's 2.2A / 3.6hours = 0.61A draw.


Len, You sure about that? The instructions say it is 3hrs for the front light but 13 hrs for the rear. The front light is an XM-L so likely draws more current. The rear is an XP-E and likely drawing less current not to mention that it blinks so current draw is periodic.  If the instruction has a misprint just let me know.


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> Len, You sure about that? The instructions say it is 3hrs for the front light but 13 hrs for the rear. The front light is an XM-L so likely draws more current. The rear is an XP-E and likely drawing less current not to mention that it blinks so current draw is periodic.  If the instruction has a misprint just let me know.


Hi Cat, the 13 hours for the rear light only is most probably an error. I don't know if it was based on some Low mode. 3hrs + for the front only with 4400mAh is correct. I got 3 hours 21 mins. I've done the runtime test with time lapse and posted the results in my blog. I just re-did the rear only again to be sure.

The runtime I just did with diffuser lens rear light only like your review sample (not my personal prototype) came in at *3 hours 45 mins with the 2200mAh battery*. This against the previous test of 3 hours 36 mins. Seeing it's high output it didn't come as a total surprise to me the first time.

Here are some runtime numbers I recorded last week. See what you make of them. Sharing via a Y cable wrecks havoc with the color indicator.

Spiker 1207 (*3 hours 40 mins* on it's own) and Geinea rear sharing a 6600mAh battery.
The runtime test result was Blue at 29 mins > Red 56 mins > Flashing Red 1 hour 5 mins > 1207 shutdown at *2 hours 33 mins*. _Rear light continued strobbing till shutdown at 2 hours 52 mins._ Second runtime test with 1207 (Geinea Remote Blue 5 mins) > Blue 32 mins > Flashing Red 1 hour 00 mins > Shutdown *2 hours 31 mins*

Spiker 1210 (*3 hours 45 mins* on it's own) and Geinea rear sharing 6600mAh battery. Shutdown at *3 hours 12 mins*.

Front light only, with 4400mAh battery. Rear light disconnected. Blue 35 mins > Red 1 hour 41 mins > Flashing Red 2 hours 33 mins > shutdown *3 hours 21 mins*

Front & Rear combo set with 4400mAh battery. Blue 31 mins > Red 1 hours 27 mins > Flashing Red 2 hours 10 mins. Both lights shutdown *3 hours 00 mins*. Second run with combo set. Blue 26 mins > Red 1 hours 19 mins > Flashing Red 1 hours 57 mins > both lights shutdown at *3 hours 2 mins*


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

I've been away for 4 days but have just got back home... Went to bicycles heaven if you want to know - Amsterdam.  Anyway, It was kind of a working trip, so I didn't take the lights with me to give it another test.

Its been raining for one straight week here in Portugal and we even had red coded alarm because of the strong winds. When things clear out, I'm going out with my cute Geinea Pigs 

*Cat*, I'll do that next time I film it at daylight, but for my use, I actually prefer it as it is.  
*Xeccon*, thanks for all that info. I'll be more than happy with 3h when using both front and rear at 100%.


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Just an update on this great combination (it really is great, I'm loving it so far): Xeccon, aka Leonard, sent me the new remote with the new User Interface for the rear light. I've received it today and have just give it a quick test. It now supports 100% > 40% > 3 and 7Hz both at 100% power. The 3Hz is the same flashing mode it previously had and the 7Hz is more of a strobe. Thankfully, they got rid of the 14Hz which was way too fast...at least for me. Also worth mentioning is the the improved boxing: although it is not really that important, I think we all love to unbox a great product. Xeccon got it right this time and it really looks nice now. It shows professionalism, so I think it is worth mentioning.

So far, all I can say about this all-in-one pack (front + rear + 440mAh battery) is that it is a great combination for commuters because of the really low profile body, but it also performs good as a flood light in the trails. I just installed the remote on my handlebar and never remove it. The reason why I do this is that, as a commuter, it is easier to just strap out both the tiny front and rear light and put it inside my backpack with the battery as well. This may seem to be a waste of time for commuters, but it really isn't because you just have to strap it back and connect it to the remote that is already attached to the bike. I will post pictures of it soon, so you can visualize this better.

I'm aware that the shape of the light isn't really intended for a commuter, but since we don't have much choice here (only those asymmetrical ones from Philips, for example, and perhaps, the Fenix BT20) I would rather pay this much for a front light AND a great tail light because I know I will be seen on the road and I will be able to see the road and all my surroundings. Whenever I see a car coming towards me, I just temporarily dim the front light or even put my hand in front of it if necessary.

So, for the next update, I will try to provide:

a daylight video of both front and rear light with the new UI;
new pictures of the front light...because I'm not happy with the first ones I got (they don't really show how good it is, honestly);
new pictures of 2 front geinea lights...just for the fun and curiosity 

This is a lot to be done and I don't even have the camera  I will ask again for my friend's. 
Also, I haven't tested out the lights in the rain, so will *try* to get out this week (expected to be an all-week raining one) and see if they can handle some showers.

That is all. 
Will post back in a few days, but feel free to ask any question!

Cheers.


----------



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

Pedro, nice to hear that the combo setup is working for you. I have the newer version of the G-1 rear as well and it is nice to have the lower power steady mode. Like you I'm waiting for the weather to improve so I can get out and test it more. Shouldn't be too long before I start seeing some 50°F days.

I wish the fast strobe mode was replaced by something more useful like a slow pulse/low output mode...something that could really extend run time. In the mean time I will have to be content with the fact that I have a SUPER bright rear light that will run for a little over three hours. . Rarely do you get _everything_ you want when it comes to rear lights.  I'd like to see these sold with an upgraded two cell battery using either Samsung or Panasonic cells ( preferably the later ). *At least for the price they are asking for these you are getting the brightest lamp available in this price range, of that I have no doubt..* ( Geinea 1 rear link )


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

You're exactly right Cat-man-do!

The weather is now improving, finally, so I'll be out in a couple of days!  
I've received my Y-cable this morning bought at action-led, so I will also test the 2 front Geineas on the bars, just for the fun eheh.

New pictures and videos will come up in the next days.


----------



## Ofroad'bent (Jul 10, 2010)

Anyone know if this will run on 3.7v, or is the driver specific for 2s (7.4v?)

Got a whole lot of 3.7v batteries and chargers.


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Ofroad'bent said:


> Anyone know if this will run on 3.7v, or is the driver specific for 2s (7.4v?)
> 
> Got a whole lot of 3.7v batteries and chargers.


The Geinea drivers are 7.4V. I am able to run 2 rear lights from the same driver by removing the connectors and splicing the wires then soldering it hence doing away with the Y cable.

The only 3.7V lights I've dealt with to date is the Inton NB-02. Now there's the Tobest NB-09, NB-07, NB-06, NB-01 and NB-05 (powered by single 18650 cell). All these lights are 3.7V single XM-L lights. The 3.7V lights have good runtime but tend to sag towards the end and may not cut off but gradually dims like a NiMH or NiCad light. Personally not a big fan of this setup because of the sag, need for different chargers which may confuse and possibly lead to a charging disaster.


----------



## Ofroad'bent (Jul 10, 2010)

Xeccon said:


> The Geinea drivers are 7.4V. I am able to run 2 rear lights from the same driver by removing the connectors and splicing the wires then soldering it hence doing away with the Y cable.
> 
> The only 3.7V lights I've dealt with to date is the Inton NB-02. Now there's the Tobest NB-09, NB-07, NB-06, NB-01 and NB-05 (powered by single 18650 cell). All these lights are 3.7V single XM-L lights. The 3.7V lights have good runtime but tend to sag towards the end and may not cut off but gradually dims like a NiMH or NiCad light. Personally not a big fan of this setup because of the sag, need for different chargers which may confuse and possibly lead to a charging disaster.


I was looking for a solution for a compact powerful taillight. These seem to be headlights.


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

It is a rear light.  
They sell a combo that has a bigger battery to power both front and rear geineas, but they sell just the rear one as well. The Geinea name refers to the body of the headlight as it is the same for both front and rear; however, their LED is different (XML-U2 on the front and XP-E 2 red for the rear)

You can find just the rear one here: http://www.magicshineledlights.com.au/index.php?route=product/category&path=20_59


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Ofroad'bent said:


> I was looking for a solution for a compact powerful taillight. These seem to be headlights.


Yes you are right, they are front lights. Was pointing out the models I know run on 3.7V. Wasn't referring them as an alternative 3.7V rear light system to the Geinea.


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Ups, sorry, I thought you were referring to the Geinea and not the lights pointed out by Xeccon.


----------



## Ofroad'bent (Jul 10, 2010)

OK, simple answer to my question of whether the Gienea taillight will run on 3.7v = No.


----------



## ubrv8 (Apr 27, 2010)

Quick question, I just received my Geinea rear light and I didn't realize that the plug is a different shape than the standard circular magicshine plug. 

What I want to do is run this light off of a standard magicshine battery (actually a standard Y cable with the circular connector). I looked and magicshine makes a MJ-6070 cable adapter but that would be the reverse of what I want. Is my only option to buy 2 y-cables and splice them to make to gender / connector changers, or is there a adapter for sale somewhere?


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

ubrv8 said:


> Quick question, I just received my Geinea rear light and I didn't realize that the plug is a different shape than the standard circular magicshine plug.
> 
> What I want to do is run this light off of a standard magicshine battery (actually a standard Y cable with the circular connector). I looked and magicshine makes a MJ-6070 cable adapter but that would be the reverse of what I want. Is my only option to buy 2 y-cables and splice them to make to gender / connector changers, or is there a adapter for sale somewhere?


You can use the Y cable. I got one from action led and connected it to the battery plug to also power my 808 clone. I'm working now at university, but tomorrow will post pics of my setup.


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Hi ubrv8, if you have the Geinea rear light set, the male connector that is supposed to be connected to the 2 cell battery now goes to one of the female connectors of the Y cable. If you have the front/rear combo set then you will need a reversed Y if you want to run 2 light heads off that single driver in the remote switch.

The connectors are a little different and looks like they won't fit standard MS type connectors but they will.


----------



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

Xeccon said:


> Hi ubrv8, if you have the Geinea rear light set, the male connector that is supposed to be connected to the 2 cell battery now goes to one of the female connectors of the Y cable. If you have the front/rear combo set then you will need a reversed Y if you want to run 2 light heads off that single driver in the remote switch.
> 
> *The connectors are a little different and looks like they won't fit standard MS type connectors but they will.*


I'll second that observation. The plugs are indeed "squarish" but the rubber is quite flexible and will work with any MS compatible light head or battery. No adapter is needed.


----------



## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

I have to share something that is truly sad to me... My bike was stolen from my garage when locked in. They broke the garage door and the two locks the bike had. I've never left the lights on the bike, but in that particular night, I did I was to take photos of it after dinner... 

This is really sad. I'm coping with the local police and they have some clues. Today I've found the bike being sold in a Portuguese site like Craig's list or eBay... I called the seller but he claims the bike is already sold. I'm devastated... This was my first bike and the love for the rides arose with it... So much time, effort and money spent...

I've no batteries right now as I also had the 808 clone's with the brand new 2x wide angle lens spare battery on my saddle's back. So sad...  

I do hope I can still get it back, but I highly doubt it... 

I apologise for the offtpic, but I had to explain why the pics and videos were missing and, quite honestly, I wanted to share my feelings with other bike lovers since I was still a lonely one (almost successful in convincing a couple of friends to spend some bucks!).

Well, lets see how it goes... The police does know the guy and they will try to reach him tonight...


----------



## ubrv8 (Apr 27, 2010)

*Sorry*



PedroDank said:


> I have to share something that is truly sad to me... My bike was stolen from my garage when locked in. They broke the garage door and the two locks the bike had. I've never left the lights on the bike, but in that particular night, I did I was to take photos of it after dinner...
> 
> This is really sad. I'm coping with the local police and they have some clues. Today I've found the bike being sold in a Portuguese site like Craig's list or eBay... I called the seller but he claims the bike is already sold. I'm devastated... This was my first bike and the love for the rides arose with it... So much time, effort and money spent...
> 
> ...


Man that really sucks, hopefully the police can help and you get your bike back.


----------



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

*Secondary use for Geinea 1 driver module.*

Last night I was thinking about the Geinea 1 set-up and suddenly realized that the button/module ( that holds the driver circuitry ) could also be used to indicate available battery power level of another lamp that has no LED indicators. If you plug the Geinea 1 into a "Y"cable and run both lamps off of one battery the LED indicators on the Geinea 1 will display the available battery power for both lamps. This will work even if the Geinea lamp is not turned on because the indicators are lit whenever the lamp is plugged into a battery. Win, win.

(Note: this can also work with something like a MJ808E. The lamp does not need to be on to display battery power. )


----------



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

Hey Len, if you get a chance let the people at Xeccon know that Geinea 1 ( rear ) is starting to grow on me. Hard not to like something this small that is so bright. I have one complaint though; I really wish it had memory so that when you turn it off it would come back on in the last mode it was in. The reason I say this because there are places I would ride where the traffic is so light that I might not want to activate the lamp until I know a vehicle is approaching from the rear. That would help save battery power and make even better use of the wired remote. It isn't going to work though if the light comes back up in a mode you don't want. That would mean you might have to cycle through the menu to get to the mode you want. Having to do that over and over every time you turn the light on/off would be a drag. That said, the first version is likely to serve me better since it starts up in the most useable "flash" mode. Now if you change can change Version II so that it starts up in that same "useable flash" mode I suppose that could work too but having a driver with memory would be the better option since you could choose which mode you wanted to start up in ( once powered up and set ).


----------



## Maximus_XXIV (Jun 7, 2009)

Can the light head only be bought anywhere? I am interested in this one as it is smaller than the MS rears and seems to be more robust.


----------



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

Maximus_XXIV said:


> Can the light head only be bought anywhere? I am interested in this one as it is smaller than the MS rears and seems to be more robust.


Unlike the MagicShine rear lamp the Geinea 1 ( rear ) has no driver or controls housed within the light-head. Mode control is provided through the remote module which also houses the driver. That is the one of the reasons why the lamp is so small ( and the remote button a little larger than most ).


----------



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

Just a quick update on my* Geinea 1 (rear)*. The other day I discovered a really cool trick to add a new dimension to the G1. One of the torches I own came with a really nice white translucent rubber cap that is suppose to turn the torch into a very nice portable ( think camping ) omni- directional light source. That's when the thought hit me, "Hey why don't I try it on the G1!". Basically , it fit the G1 like a glove. The effect is that the amount of light to the sides is increased at least by a factor of ten. So much light exits the sides that you can easily see it even from the front. Output to the rear is of course muted but dang it is still freaking bright even from directly behind. I doubt I'll use the cap because my bike already has enough side lighting but this idea would work really well in a more urban setting. As for me, I personally like the lamp as it is with totally uninhibited monster rear throw.

Anyway, the cap comes with the Citycat torch I bought from CNqualitygoods. Somewhere out there in internet land you should be able to buy these in bulk ( the caps that is ) _Note to Len at Xeccon_; If you can get some of these caps they really do add to the set-up. I'll try to post a picture of the G1 with cap when I get a chance but this week I'm busy with tax time coming up next week.

Photo below is the Citycat torch. The cap is the little "bell shaped" white thing in the box.


----------



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

Just a little feedback on the Geinea 1 rear from today's ride. Today as I was making my way home while doing a local loop I had a car come along side me as I was cruising along a nice fast moving section of road. It was totally dark so all my lights were on. The car parallels my speed and I see the passenger window come down. A guy on the passenger side tells me, " You don't need to worry about anybody not seeing you, we could see you from a mile away". Made my day. Nice to know the G1 does the job.


----------



## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

First of all thanks to Leonard for been such a pro, I send him a PM and in less than ten minutes I got a response and the same thing with the rest of the emails we exchange, also the lights got delivered in no time at all..

I got two of this Geinea lights to install on our baby bike seats..

From the start I don't like the lack of angle adjustbility of the light mount (a my only complain so far) so I decide to take the back of the light apart (mount/body) and made my own "wedge" and mount it directly to the child carrier..









Sorry for the rusty bolt, I did not want to have the wire all expose on the outside of the chair so I drill a hole of the exact size of the light casing so I can run the cables hidden under the seat cushion..









I'm a big fan of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) so I decide to use the features of the chair to mount the rest of the components..

I mount the controller on the front end of the chair using the supplied straps, so is easy to access before you get on and off and also easy to see if the battery is running low..


















The battery is located under the curved edge of the chair and on a corner so is secured but also super easy to access when it needs to be recharge, again only using the supplied velcro closure..









Note: I want to keep the light self contain to the child chair since we have a few bikes with the same Topeak rack so is easy to change the whole chair from one bike to the next.

Oh, Oh yeah the light is bright as hell, very happy with the purchase..


----------



## Wombat (Jan 25, 2004)

Hey Leonard

Can you now sell the front Geinea as a light head only? I'd like to run it with a lighter 2200mAh magicshine battery to save weight on my head.

Tim


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

Wombat said:


> Hey Leonard
> 
> Can you now sell the front Geinea as a light head only? I'd like to run it with a lighter 2200mAh magicshine battery to save weight on my head.
> 
> Tim


Hi Tim, yes we do. Please get it here. Price is AUD 50 including overnight shipping via Toll. You can also get our BAK 2200mAh batteries here

_Our websites are being consolidated. Will talk about it in another thread soon._


----------



## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I just read this on the Xeccon website...

Something to consider and maybe why the light is made to follow the angle of the seat post..



> snip.. "However you have a responsibility of fitting the light head slightly downwards as not to cause discomfort to drivers waiting behind you at the traffic lights."


----------



## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

patineto said:


> I just read this on the Xeccon website...
> 
> Something to consider and maybe why the light is made to follow the angle of the seat post..


Hey patineto, thanks for the kind comments before. The Geinea rear can use a little angle instead of being flushed with the seatpost. I came up with a concept rubber mount a while back. Didn't hear anything till I saw the mount on the wireless remote. That slight angle will be great for the Geinea too. I don't know if it's going to make the Geinea light head too horizontal. As you know, if you seated in a car with the Geinea 10 feet ahead of you at eyeline, you will be seeing stars after a half second exposure. As a seller, I hate myself for being such a kill joy with all those warning banners in our websites, but we should be responsible when using these powerful lights. Note sure if you've seen the beamshots of the Geineas I use. Scroll down to the bottom of this page.


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I am bumping this thread as I just received mine. Right now they are listed for a great price on the mtbRevolution site so I had to pull the trigger. This thing is BRIGHT and TINY. I put it next to my old magicshine tail and it's easily 3-4x brighter. Considering it is about the same price as the MS tail at the moment if you need a rear light it's a no brainer. As usual, the quality is very nice and Leonard is a pleasure to deal with. Comes with a 2 cell 2200mah which is more than sufficient as a dedicated pack. As usual with xeccon, the neoprene battery pouch is among the nicest in the business


----------



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

manbeer said:


> I am bumping this thread as I just received mine. Right now they are listed for a great price on the mtbRevolution site so I had to pull the trigger. This thing is BRIGHT and TINY. I put it next to my old magicshine tail and it's easily 3-4x brighter. Considering it is about the same price as the MS tail at the moment if you need a rear light it's a no brainer. As usual, the quality is very nice and Leonard is a pleasure to deal with. Comes with a 2 cell 2200mah which is more than sufficient as a dedicated pack. As usual with xeccon, the neoprene battery pouch is among the nicest in the business


Just a quick update on the G-1 that I had since last year; Very hard to believe that so much light can come out of something so small. As rear lights go I think the G-1 ( output wise ) is one of the best rear lights for the price. That said I'm not sure you can get 7hrs out of a 2-cell 2200mAh battery at the brightest output level. So far I've not run mine to the point of cut-off but I have had it down to where the voltage warning led is in the red. Once again though, these types of voltage indicators I never really know for sure how to judge. The original lamp I was given ( proto-type? ) had some problems with the UI. Seems to operate on just one of the mode levels now, luckily though it was the mode I always used anyway ( standard flash ). I mentioned this to Leonard and he sent me another one but the new one had a different ( UI ) mode sequence. This kind of bothered me because the lamp doesn't use memory and I liked that the previous version ( when first turned on ) came on in the standard flash mode ( my favorite ). I liked that because that enabled me to use the remote ( while on the fly ) without having to cycle to the mode I wanted ( which you can't see anyway because it's behind you!...lol )

That said, I'm still using the original and as long as it keeps working and supplies at least three hours in the bright flash mode I'll keep using it. I wish it had a mode that incorporated the same standard flash sequence but at half power. That would be really useful. You don't always need full output...and what I wouldn't give to have it memorize the last mode it was in so when you turn it off it would come back on in the same mode. If you're going to use a remote on the fly "memory" is a must have.


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

The pricing on the sets INCLUDING the 2 cell pack is now around 37 dollars, and like 26 for the light only which I think is phenomenal


----------



## Ofroad'bent (Jul 10, 2010)

Link?


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

http://www.mtbrevolution.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=174

Above is the set, below the light head only

http://www.mtbrevolution.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=58


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Got to test this out on the road tonight. It's funny because it's deceptively bright. You wouldn't realize just how bright looking at it by itself but it's like the further you go the more visible it is. I happened to look back on a stretch of road with many signs though and low and behold the signs a quarter mile back were lighting up like crazy


----------



## Ofroad'bent (Jul 10, 2010)

Just ordered one for a roadie friend of mine who commutes in early morning.


----------



## andychrist (Aug 25, 2011)

Does this tail light have any side visibility, or is it just a spot? 

I like how it can mount anywhere with that Velcro strap, and that it comes with the slick little 2-cell battery pack — Does the package include a pouch for that, or some way to mount it easily to a helmet?

And how long is the remote cable?

Thanks.


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

It has some visibility but it's so freaking bright coming up on it that by the time anyone gets close they will know you are there and look forward to getting around you. Remote cable probably 2.5 to 3 feet. Battery has the awesome neoprene pouch. Really hard to imagine something this small being so effective but it is. My only complaint is the remote just because I hate having wires running across the bike or excess cable but at the same time I hated reaching in back of me to turn my magicshine tail on or off so maybe I just love complaining


----------



## andychrist (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks manbeer.

Yeah I see where the battery comes in that aqua silicone boot, but is there a pouch with straps included to make it easy to fasten anywhere? 

Well if you also have the MJ-818 you know what I mean about side visibility, its SMD lenses are angled out so as to be noticeable to cross traffic. Unfortunately that MagicShine is not offered with 2-cells, you can only get it either in a 4-cell package or as a stand-alone. For someone who doesn't already own a decent battery pack and charger, the package price on both these brands is a real money saver , because buying all the separate components piecemeal would end up running like $65 - $80. :eekster:


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Yes, the pouch is included, it's a really nice one made of wetsuit type material with a thick strap. I have to mj818 and was always happy with it but this is a big improvement imo. The side visibility may not be quite as good but it's a monster overall


----------



## andychrist (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks again manbeer. See now that Cat showed the pouch in the initial review here, somehow it did not jump out at me. MTBRevolution should really include the full picture on the site, one of 2-cell pack only shows the interior boot, omits the bag with strap. 

Now I think of it, for anyone wanting both hemelt and bar lamps, would still be a smart deal to purchase both the Xeccon and MagicShine tail light packages: Flip flop lamps so MJ-818 could be used with the 2-cell battery pack on the lid, combine MagicShine 4-cell pack with remote operated Geinea on the frame. With 2 Y cables could run additional light heads from each battery on both helmet and bars. Picking up a Yinding from GB for ~$27 (with tracking), an XM-L2 w/12SMD Glow Ring + eliptical diffusing lens and the two Y cables from Kaidomain for around $18, the Xeccon package for $38 and MJ set for approximately $53, total would only be ~$136. Plus there'd be an extra charger, which could be flogged on eBay and get like $11 back easy, reduce total cost to $125. Not bad for four lamps, two appropriate battery packs, cables and charger.


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Yes, sort of what I was planning on doing except probably will run both tails on my bike. I always forget that I can put one on the helmet but that could work too


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I was running an xm-l gemini titan in flash along with my mj818. Worked like a charm...I'm still here, knock on wood, although I did have a hardcover book thrown at me once. I call it the road rage special


----------



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Edit:delete


----------

