# Awesome video about Fenix Bike Light BT20



## Cash Hunter (Aug 28, 2012)

Fenix BT20 Bike Light-The world's first dual distance beam system - YouTube
It's said that Fenix BT20 is the world's first dual distance beam system. What do you think of BT20?


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## ragnar.jensen (Jul 21, 2009)

"Employing the pioneering dual distance beam system, the upward beam of BT20 is refracted by the lens, forming an auxiliary beam in the front area of the wheels where ordinary bicycle light can not reach."

Hey! They stole my idea! 

Behold the 2009 Dual Distance Beam Magicshine:









Joking aside, the BT20 seems very interesting.


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## TwoHeadsBrewing (Aug 28, 2009)

Looks like a nice light, but I could do without the large housing. Take that same light and put it in a housing like the Gemini Xera. I much prefer a smaller footprint for the helmet; less weight, and less to snag on branches.


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

Cash Hunter - I'm guessing you're the Fenix rep on here?

As soon as I saw the "cycle through lots of modes to get back to the one you want" UI I lost interest. I appreciate that Fenix are a torch company, but the whole fixed torch/ flashlight UI is so 2010 Magicshine. A lot of bike light companies are now innovating with programmable UIs, so you can pick the modes you want and how many, their brightness and how you go between them. I'm disappointed that Fenix didn't do something similar.


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## lonefrontranger (Jun 29, 2004)

mattthemuppet said:


> Cash Hunter - I'm guessing you're the Fenix rep on here?
> 
> As soon as I saw the "cycle through lots of modes to get back to the one you want" UI I lost interest. I appreciate that Fenix are a torch company, but the whole fixed torch/ flashlight UI is so 2010 Magicshine. A lot of bike light companies are now innovating with programmable UIs, so you can pick the modes you want and how many, their brightness and how you go between them. I'm disappointed that Fenix didn't do something similar.


it's a sub $100 light. I can put up with a fair bit extra weight and older-school functionality for that amount of light at that value.


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## cue003 (May 6, 2011)

Interesting indeed.


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

lonefrontranger said:


> it's a sub $100 light. I can put up with a fair bit extra weight and older-school functionality for that amount of light at that value.


it's also going to be competing against a plethora of Magicshine and other Chinese bike lights at a fair bit less than that price point, plus a bunch of all-in-one bike lights (NiteRider, Cygolite? forgot the brand) at the same price or a bit more, with a bunch more features. The bike light market at that price point is incredibly competitive and I just don't see anything that particularly stands out about this light.


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

ragnar.jensen,

what kind of a lens set-up are you running? The top half looks like a MagicShine Wide Angle lens.

Also, the bar mount for the light housing looks very custom, certainly not Magicshine's little rubber band mount. What is it, or how did you put it together? 

thanks


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## ragnar.jensen (Jul 21, 2009)

*My lens is a part of a magnifying glass*



notnowvbs said:


> ragnar.jensen,
> 
> what kind of a lens set-up are you running? The top half looks like a MagicShine Wide Angle lens.


I'm using this light on my road bike. I was a bit concerned that it would blind other cyclists when I'm on the bike path and I wanted to put the light that just goes up in the treetops to some use on the road.

So, there are two purposes of the lens I've added:

Bring the halo down and out of the eyes of people I'm meeting.
Elongate the spot, so I can point the light fairly far forward of me but still have usable light close to the front wheel.

The lens is made out of a flat magnifier lens.








The magnifier bends light more the farther from the center of it you get. I used the part marked in red. It's made of vinyl, so I just cut out the shape I wanted with a pair of scissors.

The lens is squeezed between the reflector and the standard, flat lens.









Beamshot, unmodified light:








A bright center spot surrounded by a big, round halo.

Beamshot, dual beam lens:








The upper part of the halo has been brought down and concentrated inwards. The center spot is stretched out downwards
The light is very close to the wall in this shot, the effect of the spot elongation is much more pronounced out on the road.
I'll make some "on the road" beamshots if anyone is interested.



notnowvbs said:


> Also, the bar mount for the light housing looks very custom, certainly not Magicshine's little rubber band mount. What is it, or how did you put it together?
> 
> thanks


It is a Marwi mount with a MS 900 adapter and a Marwi Mount Kit, that I bought here: LED Bike light parts








I use them on most of my bikes:









--
Ragnar


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

ragnar,
you're good, real good.
Detailed info like this is always appreciated and is the best of what Forums can do for the users.
If you get the time, a beam 'road shot' as you mentioned would be great.
keep the good stuff coming!


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## spankone (Aug 31, 2011)

I'm actually getting the bt20 to test so let me know what tests you want to see. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

A beam shot of ragnar's modified light on the road would be great...............
and as long as you are offering, I'm sure everyone would appreciate a shot of your new Fenix bt20.


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## ragnar.jensen (Jul 21, 2009)

*2009 Dual Distance Beam Magicshine Beamshots*

Off the wall:

















The two beams are clearly visible. The spot has taken on an hour-glass shape, there are almost two separate spots.
The upper part of the halo is lower. It is also brighter because the lens makes it narrower and thus more concentrated.
And yes, there is quite a bit of difference in tint between the two lights.

Unlit bike path:


















Street crossing:
I'm standing under a street-light that illuminates the crossing street. The street in front of me is unlit.


















Just to clarify, this is not the BT20. It is my modified Magicshine.

--
Ragnar


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

Looks like a regular bad bike light. I have a Fenix flashlight and it is OK, but i was not blown away with its quality by any means. My old SureFire flashlight is better made. This bike light doesn't seem very different from my flashlight. Nothing special IMO - just a low quality product with a lot of hype - it is insulting to the intelligence frankly.


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

androgen said:


> Looks like a regular bad bike light. I have a Fenix flashlight and it is OK, but i was not blown away with its quality by any means. My old SureFire flashlight is better made. This bike light doesn't seem very different from my flashlight. Nothing special IMO - just a low quality product with a lot of hype - it is insulting to the intelligence frankly.


Androgen, do you realize those beam shots are not from a Fenix light?


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

Ragnar, 
good stuff to be sure. Now I need to source some of that magnifying vinyl here in the U.S.
I'm thinkin' any office supply store would have it.

Ragnar, is there any concern about the vinyl getting too hot?


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

notnowvbs said:


> Androgen, do you realize those beam shots are not from a Fenix light?


i was talking about the video. it just looks like a fake niterider minewt.


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

Got it...............makes more sense now.


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## ragnar.jensen (Jul 21, 2009)

notnowvbs said:


> Ragnar,
> good stuff to be sure. Now I need to source some of that magnifying vinyl here in the U.S.
> I'm thinkin' any office supply store would have it.
> 
> Ragnar, is there any concern about the vinyl getting too hot?


No concerns, it absorbs very little light. I've had it on for almost three years.

--
Ragnar


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## notnowvbs (Oct 10, 2012)

Ragnar............so when do you file your civil case against Fenix?


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## spankone (Aug 31, 2011)

androgen said:


> Looks like a regular bad bike light. I have a Fenix flashlight and it is OK, but i was not blown away with its quality by any means. My old SureFire flashlight is better made. This bike light doesn't seem very different from my flashlight. Nothing special IMO - just a low quality product with a lot of hype - it is insulting to the intelligence frankly.


Well that's interesting your damning a product before its even made it to market. And its insulting your intelligence. Now that is interesting.

But then again what do I know, I sold my SF's and own a fenix.

I'm keeping an open mind until my sample turns up at the end of the month.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## regulation12 (Oct 11, 2012)

spankone said:


> But then again what do I know, I sold my SF's and own a fenix.
> 
> I'm keeping an open mind until my sample turns up at the end of the month.


Can't agree you more. Anyway, the more competitors, the more benefits for our customers.:thumbsup:


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