# Astrolux BL02 preliminary observations



## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

As the title suggests, this is just my own preliminary observations of the Astrolux BL02 bike light which I recently received from Banggood. Feel free to take anything I suggest with a grain of salt. I've only had this light for a short time and haven't yet had time to give it any practical use as my city is currently under a covid lockdown.
Overall, it's a steal at its current price of around $25, but there are a couple of things that let it down.

Astrolux BL02 and Gemini Duo


















Some Specs:
Dual beam
Total output: 1200 lumens (confirmed by flashaholic, review linked)
High: 700 lumens
Low: 500 lumens
Power: 21700 cell, 5000mAh (fully integrated, irreplaceable)
2 x xpg3 leds
Warm tint (low beam)
Cool white (high beam)
Digital display: shows percentage of power remaining

Link to banggood:








Astrolux® BL02 XPG-3 1200lm 5Modes Dual Distance Beam Bike Light USB Rechargeable Support Wire Remote Switch Flashlight 5000mAh Power Bank Waterproof Front Light for Electric Bike Scooter


Only US$32.95, buy best Astrolux® BL02 XPG-3 1200lm 5Modes Dual Distance Beam Bike Light USB Rechargeable Support Wire Remote Switch Flashlight 5000mAh Power Bank Waterproof Front Light for Electric Bike Scooter sale online store at wholesale price.




www.banggood.com




(note, I'm not affiliated in any way whatsoever, just have too much time on my hands)

The Brand:
Astrolux has quite a popular following amongst flashlight forums and are known for producing quality lights at very affordable prices. A bit like magicshine in the bike light world.

Output:
tested at around 1200 lumens as per spec by Flashaholic, review provided in a link below. Although low is a bit higher than 500 lumens and high is a bit lower than 700 lumens.

Build:
In general, great. Very solid, feels bomb proof, air tight, high quality, sealed and glued everywhere, including the front optics. It's going to take a very brave person to attempt to take it apart and mod it, and with just light/moderate modding skills, that won't be me.
There is however one thing that lets down the build quality which is the rubber seal covering the USB/USB-C ports. There's no protrusion of rubber entering the ports and after some limited use, appears to be sitting loosely. There's every chance it may pop off over hard bumps and I have doubts as to whether it will keep moisture out from rain.
Thermal transfer is excellent, you can feel it getting warm almost immediately and whilst it's hard to see under the optics, the emitter board appears to be copper which is consistent with other astrolux lights.

Optics and beam profile:
These observations are based on white walling, unfortunately pictures from my iphone don't match what I'm seeing so I'll just describe it.
The optics look great. The low beam profile sets a wide horizontal elliptical beam with a very good antiglare cut off which appears to be more aggressive than other bike lights I have, such as the Fenix BC30, raveman CR1000 clone or Gemini duo with glowworm wide optics.
The high beam also appears to have an aggressive horizontal cut-off, and produces a focused square shaped beam with good throw.
This makes the light a jack of all trades, good wide peripheral for trail riding, good throw and appears to be good for commuting/city riding.

Emitters:
XPG3. At first I had reservations about the choice of emitter, but after doing a bit of research it's not too bad a choice (link to xpg3 test by Djozz on BLF provided below). At around 600 lumens xpg3's are fairly efficient, beating out xpl emitters and roughly on par with the Samsung LH351D, although falling short of xhp35.2. XPG3 emitters are also available in 90CRI (high color rendition) which likely is true for the warmer tint of this light.
Choice of tint is a bit odd, warm tint for the low beam and cool white for the high beam. I don't feel however this will be a distraction, both beams are fairly well integrated and don't entirely appear as two separate beams, it appears the warmer tint of the low beam also has an effect on the high beam, changing it to more of a neutral color.

UI
This is the other part that lets the light down a bit. It effectively has two UIs, one for dual beam and one for using each beam independently.
Dual beam UI as follows using either low or high buttons: double tap ->high, single tap cycles medium->low->off (no blinky modes). Off can be avoided by double tapping either button again which puts you back in high, however there are two issues. It's not always easy to get the double tap right, a little too slow and the light turns off. Also, returning to high with a double tap momentarily sets the light off.
Using high or low: single tap turns on/cycles through all modes High/med/low/flash/sos. SOS for a bike light, sigh. There is a trick to avoid flashing modes and off, you can switch from low beam to high beam and back (no momentary loss of light), but this is a bit cumbersome.
Mount: the intended mount is solid, compact and I have every reason to believe it won't move on trails. The secondary go-pro mount looks a little flimsy, although I don't have a go pro mount to currently test it.

Overall impression:
A steal at its current price. Beam profile looks very promising and with a 5000mAh 21700 battery, runtimes look great, although I'd like the option to use my own cells. Very good compact build quality, just don't have high hopes for the UI. One of its saving graces is its horizontal cutoff, meaning changing modes often likely isn't necessary. Some additional waterproofing for usb/usb-c ports will ensure slower wear over time.

Flashaholic's review:




Djozz's review of xpg3 emitters:





Cree XP-G3, testing a S5 3A emitter | BudgetLightForum.com







budgetlightforum.com


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> Overall impression:
> A steal at its current price.


Certainly looks this way. I shouldn't see mine for another 3 weeks so hopefully you'll have the opportunity before then to get some saddle time with the light. Looking forward to hearing actual ride time opinions of the effectiveness of the beam tint blending and beam pattern. Surprised and disappointed that they included an off setting in the dual beam UI program but preset level changes in combined mode not as important to me as switching between the two and single emitter settings. Just to clarify is switching from the dual emitter mode to the single flood/spot emitter mode a function of which mode button is used to exit the dual mode or a memory function that returns to the previous setting? So Thanks, nice post!!! I'm excited to get my light. Hope you can get back on your bike soon.
Mole


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

Hi Mole, things are looking quite bad here in terms of the recent breakout and I can't see restrictions being eased for at least another two weeks. . It's easy to switch between low and high modes as well as to dual mode, essentially just clicking the relevant button or double click for dual mode. Once you're in dual mode though you have to cycle through to off before you can go into one of the single led modes. There's no memory, each UI option (low/high/dual) starts from high. The buttons are fast and responsive which helps.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> Hi Mole, things are looking quite bad here in terms of the recent breakout and I can't see restrictions being eased for at least another two weeks. . It's easy to switch between low and high modes as well as to dual mode, essentially just clicking the relevant button or double click for dual mode. Once you're in dual mode though you have to cycle through to off before you can go into one of the single led modes. There's no memory, each UI option (low/high/dual) starts from high. The buttons are fast and responsive which helps.


Thanks for the info! You gotta wonder "what were they thinking" when they came up with that UI program but in the end I'd rather have the fast and responsive mode button that reliably mirrors my inputs while dealing with the wonky program than a better thought out program with a poor functioning mode button. Hope you get out of COVID jail soon!
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

BL02 was in my mailbox today even though tracking still said not till the 31st which I'm more than fine with. It's on the charger now so will try to sneak a ride in tonight even though there's a high chance of rain. If the weather keeps me in I may do a runtime and output test for the dual beam high mode. Playing around with the UI programs the dual mode doesn't seem as bad as I feared. I don't like that it has an off setting in the program rotation but simple double click takes mine from the weakest preset to the strongest skipping the off mode. If your slow with the second click the light will turn off and on (with tardy second click) in the brightest preset of the single emitter program associated with the button your using. Button functions very well and I had no problem accidently going out of the dual program but this was just playing around so we'll see if that changes in actual operation with gloves. Hope to have some more info later tonight or tomorrow morning.
Mole


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

Always a pleasant surprise when a parcel of goodies comes early. Happy riding. Some things I missed in my observations above is mode spacing isn't the best, perhaps a simple hi-lo for individual low/high beams would be better. The make of this model does look very similar to magic shine, rock brothers and several other brands, they're likely all made from the same factory and likely all very well made products.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

INITIAL OUTPUT TEST (highest dual mode preset level)










I wasn't sure what to expect coming from a flashlight company but the BL02 did "OK". Output started out @ 1160 lumens and actually reached a max of 1230 @ about 45 min. and stayed above the 1000 lumen level till approx. 70 min but steadily degraded from there to 140 lumens at the 2 hr. point. Not ideal but perfectly acceptable performance for the price of the light IMO. Will add the med. level dual mode preset results when I get a chance. 115°F (81.8° ambient) was the highest case temp. I saw in this fan cooled test so no cooling problems + the light heated quickly to that level which is indicative of a good thermal path. At this point the only other thing I noticed is that the battery life indicator seemed fairly accurate showing 48% @ 60 min and was flashing when I shut the light down at the 2 hour point. Looking forward to my first ride with the BL02!
Mole


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

MRMOLE said:


> INITIAL OUTPUT TEST (highest dual mode preset level)
> 
> View attachment 1940390
> 
> ...


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

That makes a lot of sense at this price range. So perhaps a cheaper driver that's semi regulated, but functional and does the job. Looks like the kind of driver that remains in regulation until the battery no longer has the juice to maintain it's level of output, (not a boost driver). It does make me wonder what the true capacity of the cell is. I'd suggest it's closer to 4000-4500mAh, likely a cell with a higher discharge capacity to allow output to stay in regulation longer, at the cost of higher capacity.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> That makes a lot of sense at this price range. So perhaps a cheaper driver that's semi regulated, but functional and does the job. Looks like the kind of driver that remains in regulation until the battery no longer has the juice to maintain it's level of output, (not a boost driver). It does make me wonder what the true capacity of the cell is. I'd suggest it's closer to 4000-4500mAh, likely a cell with a higher discharge capacity to allow output to stay in regulation longer, at the cost of higher capacity.


As I said I'm fine with the high beam performance but hopeful the lower current requirements of the med. preset will improve its output consistency (which it should). I got to ride with the light tonight and am pretty happy with the beam pattern(s). It has excellent throw from the spot so should be a good light for faster speeds.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> It does make me wonder what the true capacity of the cell is. I'd suggest it's closer to 4000-4500mAh, likely a cell with a higher discharge capacity to allow output to stay in regulation longer, at the cost of higher capacity.


Looks like you might be right on this. Chart shows how the high and med. presets of the BL02 compares with a couple of 4000mAh Magicshine lights.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Looks like I've stayed away too long and missed this BL02. Glad to see Astrolux doing something in regards to bike lights!

-Garry


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

MRMOLE said:


> Looks like you might be right on this. Chart shows how the high and med. presets of the BL02 compares with a couple of 4000mAh Magicshine lights.
> Mole
> 
> View attachment 1941157


thanks for sharing this MRMOLE, looks like performance is on Par with the Allty1000, although not sure what happened in Medium mode. How are you finding the beam profiles?


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Looks like I've stayed away too long and missed this BL02. Glad to see Astrolux doing something in regards to bike lights!
> 
> -Garry


Agree that you've stayed away too long (miss your contributions). As far as the BL02 is concerned I haven't made up my mind if I consider it a real Astrolux light or just a rebrand of someone else's design and manufacturer. So far nice light though with a couple of acceptable flaws considering the asking price.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> thanks for sharing this MRMOLE, looks like performance is on Par with the Allty1000, although not sure what happened in Medium mode. How are you finding the beam profiles?


I ran the med. mode test twice with the same results cause I expected a little more runtime. Will be interesting to see if your light does any better. My light either doesn't really have a full 5000mAh capacity or isn't as efficient as I would have expected for a dual xp-g light. Frequently warmer tint emitters are less efficient (lumens per amp) so that could be part of the problem but I need to test that theory. Beam profiles are great. Flood only is a very nice wide smooth beam with reasonable throw and adequate output though a little extra would be nice for off road. The different emitter tints look a little weird in the 2 emitter mode when you shine the light on the wall but in actual use it works fine and has very good throw. Any idea when they will let you ride again? Feel like I'm stealing your thread if I add too much content so looking forward to your review (when possible).
Mole


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

"Feel like I'm stealing your thread".. mate it's a free forum so steal away. I'm actually getting quite busy again as work goes online, although it may be months before I'm allowed out again.
Great to hear the beam profiles work well. My guess in medium mode is it's down to a voltage issue, one cell driving 2 3 volt emitters requires a decent driver and this is where some limitations occur in cheaper drivers. Agreed on the warm tint also, some sacrifice to efficiency would be required.

Just a question, how do you measure lumens? Are you doing it with an app or actual equipment?


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

garrybunk said:


> Looks like I've stayed away too long and missed this BL02. Glad to see Astrolux doing something in regards to bike lights!
> 
> -Garry


Good to see you're still around, I really enjoyed some of your old modding threads. Like Mole said, the BL02 is likely an OEM product "branded" astrolux rather than one of their products, but it's pretty well made and certainly worth it's price.


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Mole, is that medium runtime the "dual beam" mode? (I presume it is.). How is the real world use of that dual beam medium? Is it suitable for average speed (12 to 15mph) twisty singletrack? I'm seriously considering picking one of these up. 

Thanks,
-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> "Feel like I'm stealing your thread".. mate it's a free forum so steal away. I'm actually getting quite busy again as work goes online, although it may be months before I'm allowed out again.


OK then, I'll be adding more content (guilt free). Months off the bike, OUCH!



whokilledJR said:


> Just a question, how do you measure lumens? Are you doing it with an app or actual equipment?


I use a light meter.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Mole, is that medium runtime the "dual beam" mode? (I presume it is.). How is the real world use of that dual beam medium? Is it suitable for average speed (12 to 15mph) twisty singletrack? I'm seriously considering picking one of these up.
> 
> Thanks,
> -Garry


Honestly I've done very little dirt with this light so far and the little I did I used dual/High. If the 600-700 lumen range the light operates in for most of the med. mode's runtime sounds like it might be enough for the trails you have in mind you should be fine since the beam pattern is very efficient. You might even prefer using the wide angle mode in its highest setting because of its warmer tint. That's worked fine for me at those speeds for MUP use even with my poor night vision. Another alternative for another $10 is the 4 emitter Newboler branded 1600 lumen version that looks like it may share the same manufacturer (whoever that may be). I ordered one of these so if you can wait a month I'll have first hand information on that light.
Mole

33.0US $ 49% OFF|NEWBOLER 6400mAh Bicycle Light USB Chargeable 1600 Lumen Bike Light 5V/2A Waterproof 4 LED Headlight Power Bank Bike Accessories|Bicycle Light| - AliExpress


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## zapotec (Jul 21, 2020)

MRMOLE said:


> Another alternative for another $10 is the 4 emitter Newboler branded 1600 lumen version that looks like it may share the same manufacturer (whoever that may be). I ordered one of these so if you can wait a month I'll have first hand information on that light.
> Mole
> 
> 33.0US $ 49% OFF|NEWBOLER 6400mAh Bicycle Light USB Chargeable 1600 Lumen Bike Light 5V/2A Waterproof 4 LED Headlight Power Bank Bike Accessories|Bicycle Light| - AliExpress












We have some mind...lol, but since you already purchased one I think I will postponed this one. Too many lights in my queue for now, even I am still squeezing miles with Ravemen PR2400 for long terms battery life test.

Once your Newboler arrived, can you report how much "yellow" the flood beam? I am looking something like Moon Meteor Dual which have very yellow (3000K) emitter.

My guesstimate it won't close to 3000K like Moon one, based on the Newboler shoot photo (assuming with typical ISO setting for capturing a beam shot), it's around 4000K. But I think first hand experience is better to confirm that.


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Went ahead and ordered the 4x emitter version. I'd like to have it in time to make good use of it. 

The only light I've been using lately (which is really "just in case rides run late" or for the last few minutes) is an IF25A strapped on my helmet. I really don't like it though as it's not very bright. Maybe it'll be better combined with the flood of this 4x light. 

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

zapotec said:


> Once your Newboler arrived, can you report how much "yellow" the flood beam? I am looking something like Moon Meteor Dual which have very yellow (3000K) emitter.
> 
> My guesstimate it won't close to 3000K like Moon one, based on the Newboler shoot photo (assuming with typical ISO setting for capturing a beam shot), it's around 4000K. But I think first hand experience is better to confirm that.


For what its worth my estimate for the BL02 emitter tints are 7000K & 4500K. No guarantees that the 4 emitter Newboler will match that but am guessing it will. Estimated delivery date is the very beginning of September. Till then I'll be happily testing the BL02. It's not perfect but for around $30 delivered I don't expect it to be. What it has been so far is enjoyable to use and I've tested a lot of more expensive lights I couldn't say that about.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Went ahead and ordered the 4x emitter version. I'd like to have it in time to make good use of it.


The flood beam is the main reason I bought the Newboler 1600. Keeping my fingers crossed that this just ends up being a more powerful BL02 and there are no surprises.



garrybunk said:


> The only light I've been using lately (which is really "just in case rides run late" or for the last few minutes) is an IF25A strapped on my helmet. I really don't like it though as it's not very bright. Maybe it'll be better combined with the flood of this 4x light.


I've not cared for any of the 4000K SST20 equipped lights I've used. BL02's flooded (4500Kish) XP-G has been quite satisfying though so high hopes for the 1600's flood beam.
Mole


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## bcriverjunky (Jul 8, 2014)

I rode single track tonight with the BLO2 and was disappointed. The CECO 1000 on my helmet over shined the BLO2. I'll be going back to my cheap amazon Turbulent 1000 which for $24 I think rocks. Amazon.com : Turbulent - Auto Sensor On/Off Rechargeable Bike Light Set 1000 Lumen Ultra Bright LED Front & Rear Back Flashlight 5 Enhanced Modes Mountain MTB Road IPX6/IPX4 Waterproof : Sports & Outdoors


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

bcriverjunky said:


> I rode single track tonight with the BLO2 and was disappointed. The CECO 1000 on my helmet over shined the BLO2. I'll be going back to my cheap amazon Turbulent 1000 which for $24 I think rocks. Amazon.com : Turbulent - Auto Sensor On/Off Rechargeable Bike Light Set 1000 Lumen Ultra Bright LED Front & Rear Back Flashlight 5 Enhanced Modes Mountain MTB Road IPX6/IPX4 Waterproof : Sports & Outdoors


What didn't you like about the BL02's trail performance (overall output/beam width/hard to use) and/or what do you like better with Turbulent 1000? Surprised your Ceco would out shine the BL02 as my examples have similar measured output (which only means so much). 
Mole


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## zapotec (Jul 21, 2020)

Was misinterpreting that Turbulent light was Moon Meteor, but realized isn't Moon. Probably Moon Meteor series clone/copy with reduced output and downgraded to micro-USB instead of USB-C.


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## bcriverjunky (Jul 8, 2014)

MRMOLE said:


> What didn't you like about the BL02's trail performance (overall output/beam width/hard to use) and/or what do you like better with Turbulent 1000? Surprised your Ceco would out shine the BL02 as my examples have similar measured output (which only means so much).
> Mole


I'm no light expert but it's got no throw. Had it mounted upside down on a k-edge garmin mount and it was a ***** to get both beams on. Couple photo but iphones don't capture the true lighting. BTW Did you notice Ceco now has a 1200? Saw it on Amazon today.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

bcriverjunky said:


> I'm no light expert but it's got no throw. Had it mounted upside down on a k-edge garmin mount and it was a *** to get both beams on. Couple photo but iphones don't capture the true lighting. BTW Did you notice Ceco now has a 1200? Saw it on Amazon today.


I tried out the Ceco/BL02 a couple of nights ago to see how they worked together. The main thing I noticed was that the BL02's blended beam had a noticeably warmer appearing tint so the Ceco's whiter beam stood out a bit more than the BL02 but overall output wise they seemed about the same, just a different shade. Throw on my lights also appeared equal and when I measured them with the light meter the BL02 actually had about a 10% higher max lux reading which is not very significant so I would expect them to look about the same. Output numbers on my Ceco are a close match to my 950 Cygolite (which I think the Ceco's internals are borrowed from) so can only assume the difference in performance we're seeing is from the BL02's. Don't know why we're getting different results but forum discussions are for both positive and negative so appreciate you sharing your experiences.

Thanks for the heads-up on the Ceco 1200. I looked it up on Amazon and it looks like it might be a Cygolite Ranger clone. If that's the case it might be a little heavy for a helmet light but I guess we'll have to wait and see.



bcriverjunky said:


> View attachment 1944191


Nice Fatbike picture. I live in the desert and never get to ride in snow but love my Fat's (Beargrease, Ti Mukluk) anyway!
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

bcriverjunky said:


> BTW Did you notice Ceco now has a 1200? Saw it on Amazon today.


If your interested I had a gift card I kept forgetting to use so I ordered this Ceco light. Should have it by tomorrow and will be reviewing it ASAP.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

BL02 relative Newboler 1600 arrived today. Smaller optic reflector size will most likely affect beam pattern characteristics so we'll see good, bad, or just different. UI program of the two lights is identical but mode buttons on the Newboler are larger and raised a bit more so I anticipate easier to find but we'll see when I put the gloves on. It's on the charger and hoping to get a ride in with it tonight. Future posts on the Newboler will bee in the "Self-contained A to Z" thread.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Literally just received my Newboler too! I'd call it amazingly fast shipping (used the standard shipping)! I probably won't have a lot of time to test & post, but I'll try it out on my next ride and report back (probably in the A-Z thread). 

-Garry


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

Apparently Astrolux recently came out with a BL03 model (looks similar to the BL02, but with 3 emitters arrayed horizontally). Same 1200 lm output, similar listed modes, run times and price (with coupon code *BGBL03P*). I wonder if anyone has one of these yet and can offer a comparison.


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Interesting, I'd be curious to try it, though I'm sure it has the same awful UI. I see they did add a remote. I think the 2 smaller flood and 1 larger spot light sounds like the best configuration. Hmm . . . Has this turned up on Ali yet?

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Hopefully we'll get a typical for Banggood flashaholics youtube review on this light. Equal claimed output but shorter claimed high mode runtime from the BL03's higher claimed capacity battery is a red flag for me at this point. Also curious if the BL03 uses different tint emitters like the BL02 + whether the optic diameter and depth match the BL02 or are similar to the (what appears to have the same manufacturer) Newboler 4 emitter 1600 light. I'll add a link if I see one of these reviews show up.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Went ahead and placed an order for a BL03. I see now that the remote is ordered separately for $9.99 - I didn't order one. 

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Went ahead and placed an order for a BL03. I see now that the remote is ordered separately for $9.99 - I didn't order one.
> 
> -Garry


Garry, do you know if the flood and spot beams have a different emitter tint like the BL02/NB1600?
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

I do not know, but am curious to find out. This one says it uses XT-E emitters for the flood emitters (but isn't the XT-E more a thrower than a flooder? I don't know much about the XT-E's). 

Got shipping notice and tracking number already. 

-Garry


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

MRMOLE said:


> Equal claimed output but shorter claimed high mode runtime from the BL03's higher claimed capacity battery is a red flag for me at this point.


I noticed this too. 
It probably just means the light is less efficient (in which case I'm not really interested), but if the output numbers are understated this would also be consistent with greater capacity and shorter runtime. While less likely this would make the light much more interesting to me.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> I do not know, but am curious to find out. This one says it uses XT-E emitters for the flood emitters (but isn't the XT-E more a thrower than a flooder? I don't know much about the XT-E's).
> 
> Got shipping notice and tracking number already.
> 
> -Garry


No knowledge of or experience with XT-E's for me either. I find it confusing that Astrolux would offer 2 similar lights with different layouts and identical output ratings. Looking forward to hearing what you think when you get your light. Love it if you'd post a frontal shot of the BL03 with your Newboler when the BL03 comes in.
Mole


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

Just a guess but if it has 3 emitters and same lumen count and run time, I'd guess it dumbed down and only to offer a different beam pattern. Just a guess tho.


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

MRMOLE said:


> Hopefully we'll get a typical for Banggood flashaholics youtube review on this light.


They put this review up yesterday.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

wayold said:


> They put this review up yesterday.


Thanks! Nice that the review of the BL02 ran right after this BL03 video. Still seems strange to me Astrolux would sell 2 very similar performing lights. Hopefully the larger battery capacity of the BL03 will give longer runtimes even though that's the opposite of their claims.
Mole


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

MRMOLE said:


> Thanks! Nice that the review of the BL02 ran right after this BL03 video. Still seems strange to me Astrolux would sell 2 very similar performing lights. Hopefully the larger battery capacity of the BL03 will give longer runtimes even though that's the opposite of their claims.
> Mole


That lumens rating might be an error, I've seen the bl03 on another link advertised at 1600-1800 lumens. It's likely exactly the same as the towild br1800 with a newer interface, which is advertised at 1800 lumens.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

Forget that, just saw flashaholics video review, less than 1100 lumens. Certainly not going to be any point after owning the bl02


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

whokilledJR said:


> Forget that, just saw flashaholics video review, less than 1100 lumens. Certainly not going to be any point after owning the bl02


Not that it changes anything but worth noting both my BL02 and Newboler 1600 ended up gaining around 100lm after about an hour of high beam use so guessing that might be the case with the BL03 too. Waiting to see what Garry gets for runtimes + how the optics compare size wise before I decide which is the better light.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Received my light today (boy that was fast!). Charged it up and ran outside tonight to get side by side beamshots comparing my 4x Newboler to this BL03 (not ready to post yet). My first impressions - this BL03 is MUCH better than the Newboler! The flood is a very nice neutral white without the nasty rosy tint of the Newboler. The flood also reaches further. The center throw LED is a nice crisp cool white and throws further (with a tighter beam) than the Newboler. The UI is exactly the same. The buttons on this BL03 are more "plasticky" instead of rubber/silicone and are smaller. The USB cover also doesn't stay plugged in so well. Mounts are identical. So basically when it comes to the output this BL03 corrects everything I didn't like about the Newboler. I've not ridden with it yet, so we'll see how it does in actual use. 

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Received my light today (boy that was fast!). Charged it up and ran outside tonight to get side by side beamshots comparing my 4x Newboler to this BL03 (not ready to post yet). My first impressions - this BL03 is MUCH better than the Newboler! The flood is a very nice neutral white without the nasty rosy tint of the Newboler. The flood also reaches further. The center throw LED is a nice crisp cool white and throws further (with a tighter beam) than the Newboler. The UI is exactly the same. The buttons on this BL03 are more "plasticky" instead of rubber/silicone and are smaller. The USB cover also doesn't stay plugged in so well. Mounts are identical. So basically when it comes to the output this BL03 corrects everything I didn't like about the Newboler. I've not ridden with it yet, so we'll see how it does in actual use.
> 
> -Garry


Awesome the light came so quick. From your description I'm assuming the optics are wider/deeper than those on the Newboler. BL02 flood tint matches the Newboler so sounds like that's at least one advantage the BL03 has. Looking forward to seeing your runtime data and ride impressions.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

The flood optics appear the same size as In the Newboler, so I guess the XT-E'S account for the difference. I'm guessing the throw optic is the same as the BL02 (which I don't own, but feel like I should get to complete the set). I finally watched the review videos (BL03 & BL02) and the BL02 doesn't look so bad. Interesting to note his lumen measurements on combined beam med & high. He has quite a spread in lumens, yet in person I can barely make out any difference. 

Pics done, just need time to post. 

-Garry


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Couple Pics of BL03 & Newboler:























































Beamshots taken in my usual two spots with standard MTBR settings (which don't quite catch all the output of the lights - they are slightly brighter and reach slightly further than the pics show). I have pics of all modes on both lights, but will just post combined mode high beams (first BL03, second Newboler 4x):





































Hope to get a ride in with it tomorrow. Will try to get some video footage. 

-Garry


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## patski (Dec 12, 2005)

garrybunk said:


> My first impressions - this BL03 is MUCH better than the Newboler!


You and Mole are bad for my wallet! 

They also sell a remote switch for the BL02/3 that I didn't buy.. yet.


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

He he he. I do have ride videos up on my YouTube channel & a runtime test, but I haven't had time to post over here yet. Hope to do soon. 

-Garry


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Some video links pertaining to the BL03

Runtime Test BL03 Combined Beam High Mode (12:00 is equivalent to 0:00): 





BL03 & Newboler 4x Comparison (beam patterns & output):





Riding with BL03 Alone (Combined Beam Low, then Med):





BL03 Combined Beam Medium & BT21 Med on Helmet:





BL03 Flood Beam Med & BT21 Med on Helmet:





(Continued in the Next Post) . . .


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

BL03 & Newboler 4x & BT21 Descent with all Lights On:





BL03 Road Beam Demonstration (Quick as I thought a car was coming);





BL03 & Newboler 4x Flood & Throw Beam Comparisons on Trail:





BL03 - Same Descent for Comparison to Newboler 4x:





Newboler 4x - Same Descent for Comparison to BL03:





(Continued In the Next Post) . . .


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Another Descent Ride with the BL03 & Newboler 4x & BT21:





Bonus Video - Extended Ride with BL03 & Newboler 4x & BT21:





Some quick notes: The rosy red tint of the Newboler 4x doesn't show up so well in the videos (it's only prevalent in "flood" mode because the throw mode cool white blends with it). Light output is probably slightly better than appears in the videos, but not substantially better - videos are a pretty good representation. I was really liking running with all the lights and having that Newboler brightly flood the area in front of my tire! I might ride using the lights this way in the future. By the way, in the videos you see a bright hotspot in front of the tire when aiming the Newboler this way - it doesn't appear this way in actual use. Note: the BL03 started at "95" and ended at "39" with 2hrs total use. The Newboler wasn't used as much, so I can't directly compare it. 

I will try to get some rough lumen numbers soon. I have the data, just need to crunch the numbers. As seen in the runtime test video, the light holds pretty consistent output for quite awhile.

-Garry


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

So comparing with MRMOLE's data on the BL02 it appears that the BL03 does have an advantage in runtime (contradicting the published specs, but consistent with the increased battery capacity). According to Garrybunk's runtime data the BL03 falls to 75% of max output at 90 min. and to 50% at 103 minutes, with shutoff at 146 min. The corresponding times for the BL02 (to the best of my ability to read the chart on the first page of this thread) are 75% at 80 min, 50% at 90 min and shutoff around 120 min.

Makes me kinda wish I'd waited for the BL03, but the advantage over the BL02 is not so large that I'll worry about it much.


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## patski (Dec 12, 2005)

wayold said:


> Makes me kinda wish I'd waited for the BL03, but the advantage over the BL02 is not so large that I'll worry about it much.


There is a discount code...


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

wayold said:


> Makes me kinda wish I'd waited for the BL03, but the advantage over the BL02 is not so large that I'll worry about it much.


I think your probably correct that differences are too small unless the extra runtime was a make or break situation. If you look at the BL02/03 reviews done by Flashaholics the BL02 actually has a little more output almost completely influenced by the spot beam so it probably has a bit more throw though I doubt if it would be detectable unless compared side by side. Runtime difference which seems substantial are probably not that significant when you consider most of the extra duration is at output levels below much more than limp back home levels. I think when comparing the BL03/BL02 and 4 x XPG Newboler picking the one with the best beam pattern for your needs is most important.
Mole


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

And another variation on this deal... banggood is now selling the BL02 and BL03 _including the remote_ for only $1 more than the light alone ($25.99/$27.99 for the BL02/03). Not that I particularly need a remote for a bar mounted light, but I'd have still gone for one of these rather than the vanilla BL02 I ordered for $24 last month.


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

wayold said:


> And another variation on this deal... banggood is now selling the BL02 and BL03 _including the remote_ for only $1 more than the light alone ($25.99/$27.99 for the BL02/03). Not that I particularly need a remote for a bar mounted light, but I'd have still gone for one of these rather than the vanilla BL02 I ordered for $24 last month.


Ugh! Wish I could have lumped in a remote! Don't think I want to pay $9.99 for one now and don't think I really need it. 

I have some *rough* lumen numbers from my DIY sphere. No idea how they compare to true lumen output, but at least they are something to compare. 

Astrolux BL03:









Newboler 4x









I probably should do up a runtime chart (I've never done an Excel chart). 

-Garry


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Runtime graph generated from data in video above (again, *rough* lumen values):










Are there any other tests you all want to see? Newboler 4x runtime? BL03 combined mode medium runtime? Etc. I don't want to run the tests just to do them, but will if someone is really curious and wants to see the results. 

(Tip - To enlarge the images, right-click and "Open in New Tab" - works for me.)

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Thanks (!!!) Garry and Wayold for the information updates. I've been using both the BL02 and Newboler quite a bit lately. I still like BL02 better for the mostly MUP riding I've been doing but certainly not disappointed with the Newboler. The main things I prefer about the BL02 are the extra throw and beam efficiency. Just running in whatever preset level I'm comfortable with on my typical 30ish mile evening rides (all in the dark this time of year) I generally only have about 15% of the battery capacity left with the Newboler where as the extra throw of the BL02 allows me to spend extra time in the lower preset levels and showing about 50% on the excellent digital battery capacity level indicator when I get home. BL02's extra actual runtime is great for when I extend my mileage but even on the shorter rides it takes noticeably less time to recharge which these light are a little poky at doing in spite of being usb-c. The Newboler excels in areas where you want a broader beam or if that's your preference for general riding.

I'm thinking I would like the wired remote + curious about the BL03 so probably going to do an order. I'm hoping (but not expecting) the remote will also work with my recently purchased existing lights. Mode buttons function very well but can be a little hard for me to find with a gloved hand and considering my method of navigating the unusual UI program requires a lot of double clicking to stay in the blended mode while changing preset levels makes the remote option seem worth a try.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

I was just on the Banggood site and it looks like the remote deal is no longer available for the BL02/03 lights. You can still get the remote separately for $10 but not able to select the light/remote combo option currently.
Mole


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## bergsnj (Oct 2, 2018)

I was just able to order the BL03 with remote for $29 shipped. I'm going to use this one as a back up light to keep in my pack on longer rides just in case i need it.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

bergsnj said:


> I was just able to order the BL03 with remote for $29 shipped. I'm going to use this one as a back up light to keep in my pack on longer rides just in case i need it.


Thanks! Remote option was grayed-out last time I checked but was able to order today. 
Mole


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## bergsnj (Oct 2, 2018)

I tried out the BL03 tonight. It was very good for the little money that it costs. I had it on the bars and was using it without a helmet light for a bit. The best part of this light is the long throw of the center spot light. The outside lights put out a yellow flood while the center spot is a white light with very good throw. This light is not going to turn night into day but it is good enough for a cheap back up light that i’ll keep in my pack. The only bad thing is the silly bar mount that is too small to use on mountain bike bars. I am using a go pro to garmin mount to use this on an out front mount.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

bergsnj said:


> I tried out the BL03 tonight. It was very good for the little money that it costs.


Curious how long the delivery time was for your light? I ordered one of these (BL03) over a month ago from Banggood with an expected delivery date of 12/4 and not received it yet so starting to get concerned.
Mole


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## bergsnj (Oct 2, 2018)

MRMOLE said:


> Curious how long the delivery time was for your light? I ordered one of these (BL03) over a month ago from Banggood with an expected delivery date of 12/4 and not received it yet so starting to get concerned.
> Mole


It took less than 2 weeks(maybe 10 days) from ordering to having it in my hands.


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

I ordered a BL02 on 10/9 and it was delayed. In the meantime, I got impatient and bought one of the BL03's on 11/16. It arrived 2 weeks later. Then finally, just this week, the BL02 showed up after 2+ months (tracking data still shows it in transit). I guess I have spares now.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Thanks Guys! The approx 2 week time frame is what I'd been seeing so probably time to contact Banggood. Tracking for them has been useless for me in the past and at this point only says it was shipped. No big deal if ends up taking 2 mo. as long as I eventually receive it.

Wayold - Love to hear what you think of the differences between the BL02 & BL03 (beam performance/runtimes).
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

I used the BL03 again on Wednesday along with my BT21 on my helmet. Was out approx. 2hrs 45mins using mostly combined beam medium and the display showed "38" when I was done. Light was "just good enough" as a bar flood for me. I just like the simplicity of the self-contained light without wires now. 

Curious to hear how the remote is in use. 

-Garry


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

I've been playing around with characterizing some of my bike lights and took some beam shots to compare the BL02 and BL03. Upshot is the beams look surprisingly similar, despite the 1 emitter vs 2 emitter LO beam configuration. The BL03 is a bit floodier (maybe 10% greater coverage angle with the LO beam). You could have probably seen that with a simple beam shot, but I played around and tried to get a bit more quantitative.

I let my inner geek (never far below the surface) loose a bit on this. Warning - though it may sound like I know what I'm talking about, I really have minimal experience in photometry/radiometry so I'm kinda shooting from the hip here.

Beam shots were processed as follows:
1. Photographs against a white wall at 2m distance were converted from RAW with linear gamma (so displayed intensities represent actual luminance values instead of our nonlinear visual response).
2. Levels normalized so white point is the same for all images.
3. White balance used to correct color temperature of each image. This didn't work as well for the combined beams since they represent a mixture of the warmer (LO) and cooler (HI) beams and thus change color across the beam.
4. 5 level posterization filter applied so images show 20, 40, 60 and 80% contours of constant luminance. Having these regularly spaced contours of luminance was the reason I did the linear gamma thing.









I don't have the requested runtime comparison yet (still messing around with styrofoam spheres and lux meters).


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## bergsnj (Oct 2, 2018)

wayold said:


> I've been playing around with characterizing some of my bike lights and took some beam shots to compare the BL02 and BL03. Upshot is the beams look surprisingly similar, despite the 1 emitter vs 2 emitter LO beam configuration. The BL03 is a bit floodier (maybe 10% greater coverage angle with the LO beam). You could have probably seen that with a simple beam shot, but I played around and tried to get a bit more quantitative.


My inner geek thinks this is pretty cool.


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## Cicch95 (Apr 6, 2016)

Lost my Raveman N900...which I liked a lot. So, I ordered a BL03...for $27.60 shipped. I hope it is as good as the Raveman. I still have not found a light that can compare to my original Yindings on low...for brightness, beam pattern and run time!!!!! The ceco 1000 is great, but to come close to the "perceived" brightness it has to be run on high...and the run time cannot compare to the Yindings.


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

Cicch95 said:


> I still have not found a light that can compare to my original Yindings on low...for brightness, beam pattern and run time!!!!! The ceco 1000 is great, but to come close to the "perceived" brightness it has to be run on high...and the run time cannot compare to the Yindings.


There are lots of lights that should satisfy you, but they all cost more than the BL03. A large capacity self-contained light (e.g. Ravemen 2400, Magicshine Ray 2600 or particularly RN3000) run on half power should be plenty bright and still run for 3 hours (more or less). Alternatively, lots of lights with external battery packs would work. Just choose a large enough battery to suit your desired run time.

Your cheapest route, though, might just be to get a couple of BL02/BL03's. Run one on max and swap in the 2nd when the first one dies. About $50 for ~3 hours at 1200 lumen right there.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

wayold said:


> I don't have the requested runtime comparison yet (still messing around with styrofoam spheres and lux meters).


Did you get a chance to test the BL03's high mode runtime yet? I'm trying to decide whether to reorder as mine was either stolen out of my mailbox or delivered to the wrong address (Banggood wouldn't help since USPS showed it delivered). Looking at your beam test results there's not enough difference between the BL02 & BL03 unless the additional battery capacity increases the runtimes (not claimed to) though I did want to try out the wired remote. I have other lights to test so no hurry.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cicch95 said:


> Lost my Raveman N900...which I liked a lot. So, I ordered a BL03...for $27.60 shipped. I hope it is as good as the Raveman. I still have not found a light that can compare to my original Yindings on low...for brightness, beam pattern and run time!!!!! The ceco 1000 is great, but to come close to the "perceived" brightness it has to be run on high...and the run time cannot compare to the Yindings.


Is your Yinding modified? 
Mole


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## Cicch95 (Apr 6, 2016)

wayold said:


> There are lots of lights that should satisfy you, but they all cost more than the BL03. A large capacity self-contained light (e.g. Ravemen 2400, Magicshine Ray 2600 or particularly RN3000) run on half power should be plenty bright and still run for 3 hours (more or less). Alternatively, lots of lights with external battery packs would work. Just choose a large enough battery to suit your desired run time.
> 
> Your cheapest route, though, might just be to get a couple of BL02/BL03's. Run one on max and swap in the 2nd when the first one dies. About $50 for ~3 hours at 1200 lumen right there.


Thanks. Yes, I should have said...."in the Yinding's price range". Around $40 with the battery and charger at the time!


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## Cicch95 (Apr 6, 2016)

MRMOLE said:


> Is your Yinding modified?
> Mole


No, it was one of the lights from gear best where I believe the sales guy worked with people on here?!?!?


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

MRMOLE said:


> Did you get a chance to test the BL03's high mode runtime yet?


Thank you for putting a boot up my ass and finally getting me to do some runtime measurements. Both BL02 and BL03 were tested in my DIY sphere, both in combined, max power mode. The sphere is not yet calibrated so the vertical axis is in units of 'arbitrary' luminous flux (but presumably proportional to lumens).

The TL,DR version is that the BL03 just puts out more light, but the BL02 lasts a tiny bit longer as it's dying. That plus the slightly broader beam makes the 03 look like the winner of the two, but they're still pretty similar lights.


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

And cause once you got me started the inevitable geekery had to follow...

I looked at the thermal behavior of the lights under test. Set up was the standard lights into a styroglobe as shown:








but instead of using a fan for cooling I rested the lights on top of a large (3 kg) chunk of Aluminum as a heat sink, with the lights placed upside down to make more even thermal contact. Ambient temperature was around 72F for all tests.

Then I pulled out the trusty IR camera and took thermal images of the lights at initial turn on, after 10 minutes and after 1 hour. Here's what I saw:











I was just expecting the lights to get kinda hot, and they did, but their behavior differed to a surprising extent. While both lights slowly warmed up and reached a steady temperature of 135-140 F in the region of the LEDs, the BL03 conducted this heat pretty uniformly over the case with a temperature variation of 4-5 degree over the whole case. The BL02, however, showed a sharp transition differing by 15-20 degrees between the LED area and the rest of the case. Maybe this is some kind of artifact of my set up, but the transition appears so abrupt that I think there must be some internal difference between the two lights causing it. 

Does it matter to the operation of the lights? Probably not. Kinda interesting, though.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

MRMOLE said:


> Did you get a chance to test the BL03's high mode runtime yet? I'm trying to decide whether to reorder as mine was either stolen out of my mailbox or delivered to the wrong address (Banggood wouldn't help since USPS showed it delivered).


Order not received update: Persistence payed off and it now looks like Banggood is willing to resend my BL03 order. 
Mole


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

Looking a bit more carefully at the two Astrolux lights there is a difference in case construction:










The BL03 case at the top is a smooth single piece where the BL02 case has a couple of seams in it. The vertical seam in the 2nd picture corresponds with the location of the sharp temperature drop in the thermal images shown earlier. Again I'm not sure if this really impacts performance, since the BL02 didn't get much hotter and ran even longer than the BL03, but it does appear that the BL03 body is a single piece while the BL02 is two pieces with a relatively poor thermal interface between them.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

wayold said:


> The BL03 case at the top is a smooth single piece where the BL02 case has a couple of seams in it. The vertical seam in the 2nd picture corresponds with the location of the sharp temperature drop in the thermal images shown earlier. Again I'm not sure if this really impacts performance, since the BL02 didn't get much hotter and ran even longer than the BL03, but it does appear that the BL03 body is a single piece while the BL02 is two pieces with a relatively poor thermal interface between them.


I didn't remember seeing any unusually high case temperatures when I did my testing (BL02) so did a quick fan cooled test @ 5/10/15 min. and saw nothing higher than 105°F (71.8° ambient) using an infrared thermometer. Considering the temperatures you were able to run your lights at while not activating any thermal protection my guess is the lights will run fine even in 100° ride temps. with adequate air flow. 
Mole


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

Maybe this means my measurement system needs better thermal control. Unfortunately using the sphere I have to insert the light about an inch inside to avoid clipping and so, even if I used a fan, the hottest part of the light would be out of the airflow.

So I tried redoing the measurement on the BL03 using the best heatsinks I have, some big old blocks of Copper, and rested the full length of the light on the block:









Here are the thermal images at turn on, 5 and 10 minutes.









Slightly cooler than before (ambient was also 4 degrees cooler this morning at 68F), but already up to 122 F at the front of the light by 10 minutes in. So clearly much warmer than MRMOLE's results.

So I'd like to know how much thermal control during measurement matters. Clearly it matters a lot if the lights get hot enough that the power steps down due to thermal regulation. But if I don't reach this point does operating temperature significantly affect output and runtime? Also does running these lights at temperatures in the 130-140F range have a negative effect on their lifetime? I don't really care all that much about the $25 Astrolux lights, but I'd hate to kill a $200 light by poor test procedures.

My experience in light measurement is pretty limited and I'd appreciate any advice from you folk that have been doing this a while.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

wayold said:


> Maybe this means my measurement system needs better thermal control. Unfortunately using the sphere I have to insert the light about an inch inside to avoid clipping and so, even if I used a fan, the hottest part of the light would be out of the airflow.
> 
> So I tried redoing the measurement on the BL03 using the best heatsinks I have, some big old blocks of Copper, and rested the full length of the light on the block:
> 
> ...


Unfortunately most testing methods are compromised in some manner compared to actual ride usage. Almost all bicycle lights are designed to use air flow as the primaty method of cooling so using a fan in addition to your heatsink would probably be a good idea.




wayold said:


> So I'd like to know how much thermal control during measurement matters. Clearly it matters a lot if the lights get hot enough that the power steps down due to thermal regulation. But if I don't reach this point does operating temperature significantly affect output and runtime? Also does running these lights at temperatures in the 130-140F range have a negative effect on their lifetime? I don't really care all that much about the $25 Astrolux lights, but I'd hate to kill a $200 light by poor test procedures.


All lights are going to dim a little as the emitters heat up but IMO the losses from normal operating temperature to activating thermal protection are probably going to be minimal. Also technically higher operating temperatures are going to have a negative effect on any electronics but my experience of using bike lights in the desert (100° ride temps. common) I've only had problems with lights that used questionable quality components (Amazonish clones, nightfighter, Yinding, 808 Magicsine)




wayold said:


> My experience in light measurement is pretty limited and I'd appreciate any advice from you folk that have been doing this a while.


Consistency in your testing methods is probably the most important thing. You might want to check out the Budget Light Forum as they seem to have quite a few members that do light testing.
Mole


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

One of those old guy hazards is more frequent minor injuries, so I'm off the bike for a few days. A greater hazard is that brings out the inner geek again to play with bike light characterization. This time I decided to look at the output spectra of the BL02 and BL03. 

Both the BL02 and BL03 have a relatively warm LO beam and a cooler HI beam. For the BL02 these are both generated by XPG emitters while for the BL03 the HI beam is an XPG while the LO comes from a pair of XTE emitters. So, though the outputs look pretty similar between the two lights I decided to look at each output separately. 

Results are shown below (all outputs normalized). Color temperatures were measured using a phone app, but in all cases with the light illuminating a target painted with ultra-pure white paint (nominally 94% reflective - the stuff I painted the inside of my styro-sphere with). This probably isn't the most accurate to measure CCT, but at least it's consistent across all measurements. Spectra were measured with an Ocean Optics fiber spectrometer I have lying around from some old science projects.


















And they are, in fact, pretty similar, but the BL02 is a bit warmer in color temperature (though not enough to make a real difference in use).

Of course both of these (and ALL of the LED bike lights we use) have spectra that look nothing like daylight or incandescent light for which most light meters are calibrated. Some day I'd like to actually calibrate my Lux meter properly for these LED spectra, but I'd probably need to be off the bike for a lot longer for that to happen, so hopefully not for a while yet.


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## Cicch95 (Apr 6, 2016)

Got my BL03 and finally go to take it for a trail ride last night. Ran it with the high and low beam on together for around 2 hours and the power meter still said 19%. Any light degradation as the ride went on was not noticeable. The beam pattern was great for single track and double track areas. Nice and bright. As others have said, the light feels well built. So far I love it.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Finally got my Black-Friday BL03 replacement order. This light has gotten pretty good review coverage so far but will add my impressions when I get a chance to take it on some rides. Just shining it around the house and bouncing it off the ceiling it and the BL02 look very similar to my eyes and light meter and only surprise I've noticed so far is the BL03's max lux is about 20% higher. Best thing I can add currently is if you order the remote be careful opening the envelope as it's just covered in bubble-wrap and quite susceptible to damage when cutting open.
Mole


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## Cicch95 (Apr 6, 2016)

BANGGOOD has the BL03 for $26.99 again......$28.99 with remote.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

*More Astrolux BL03 impressions*

I've got a couple of rides (31 and 33mi.) in with the BL03 and am very happy so far. Just street and MUP stuff but next ride I'll try to include a little dirt. Beam differences between the BL02 and BL03 initially didn't seem very significant but in actual use they are enough that I definitely prefer the BL03. BL03's slightly wider flood with tint that is less drowned out by the much cooler spot + its extra throw make for a more efficient beam pattern and better visibility. For my initial usage low mode has been excellent for the sub 15mph speeds and the 30+ mile rides are only using up a little over 40% of the battery capacity. I need to try fixing the remote damage I did cause I think that will greatly improve the ease of use for the BL03 (mode button hard to find with gloved hand) and looking forward to test the output and runtimes for the different modes. More to come, hopefully soon.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Interesting and surprising not because it doesn't match my ride impressions but because it doesn't match some of the other output tests Ive seen. Compared to the figures from the Flashaholics videos my BL02 had a similar initial output for individual (flood/spot) and combined beams but my BL03 out performed the Flashaholics example's combined and spot figures and had a similar flood reading. As expected cd values of the BL03 are also higher so at this point I'm left wondering which light is the norm. Like I said, interesting but I think not to pertinent as I feel I'd prefer the BL03 even with similar output because of its better beam and tint.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Finally got a replacement wired remote for the one I accidentally cut into several pieces that came with my BL03. As expected works with the BL03 but also with my previously purchased BL02 and Newboler 1600. Anticipating possible significant improvement in usability over their low profile unlit mode buttons that I find hard to find wearing gloves. Will post working impressions when I get a ride in with the remote.
Mole


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## garrybunk (Feb 12, 2014)

Looks like I've missed some posts (didn't get notifications for some reason). I've not done any riding in months as weather hasn't cooperates. Riding season should start soon. 

Looking forward to your impressions of using the remote Mole!

-Garry


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

garrybunk said:


> Looking forward to your impressions of using the remote Mole!
> -Garry


Mixed results on the remote so far. Definitely easier to find the buttons but remote button usage/feel is more vague than the light body's mode selectors. Biggest issue though is making the remote stable on the bars. I've made improvements but not totally happy with current solutions so still working on it and will post what I come up with.
Mole


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## Goldberg123 (Jun 5, 2017)

Hi guys, thanks for your advice! The BL03 is really a great flashlight.

One thing I want to ask you is: do you think the batteries inside these flashlight are safe?

Do you think the power bank function is safe to use with a smartphone?

If you happen to have tested the flashlight on this one I would feel safe to use it as a power bank too. 

Thanks!


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

I managed to get out 3 times this week with the BL03 so thought I'd post an update. Nothing has really changed and the BL03 continues to be a solid performing light. I still haven't found a good solution to solidly mount the remote and not tried charging anything using the light as a remote power source. Parasitic drain definitely doesn't seem to be an issue with these lights (BL02, BL03, Newboler 1600) as they always show 99% or better even after sitting unused for more than a month. If/when I come up with a better remote mounting solution I'll be sure to share it with everyone but still consider the remote a worth while accessory as is.
Mole


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## Goldberg123 (Jun 5, 2017)

I used the BL03 different times to charge other lights and my smartphone. I can confirm it is working well and without problems as a power bank.
Parasitic drain is virtually non existent!
The batteries inside seem of a good quality. I would be very curious to see what's inside the light but it seems really difficult to tear down.

Also, I added a little bit of silicone grease on the USB port cover to increase the water resistance, it seems to work well. 

Thanks for the input @MRMOLE and all the other contributors!
It's really a great light.
(let's see how it holds up in the long term)


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Is 1,200 lumens adequate for the trails? What's the next best light from the BL03?

I've been told to consider a helmet mounted light too for the kind of trails I ride - any recommendations?


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

hambocairns said:


> Is 1,200 lumens adequate for the trails? What's the next best light from the BL03?
> 
> I've been told to consider a helmet mounted light too for the kind of trails I ride - any recommendations?


For trail riding I'd consider the addition of a helmet mounted light a must. How many lumens you need will vary from person to person and is also affected by the beam pattern (I prefer 1200 - 1500 lumens for all but the widest beam lights for bar use). As far as recommending something knowing if your looking for self-contained only would help + budget/needed runtimes or anything else you can think of that would help us pick the best light for your needs.
Mole


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

MRMOLE said:


> For trail riding I'd consider the addition of a helmet mounted light a must. How many lumens you need will vary from person to person and is also affected by the beam pattern (I prefer 1200 - 1500 lumens for all but the widest beam lights for bar use). As far as recommending something knowing if your looking for self-contained only would help + budget/needed runtimes or anything else you can think of that would help us pick the best light for your needs.
> Mole


Thank you MRMOLE!

I'll do it as bullet points -

First off, I don't want to pay Gloworm prices (duh, that's why I'm here!).
I'm ok with a battery pack in my pack and one on the downtube.
A self contained on the helmet would have to be pretty lightweight.
I also want to do some road riding (on the same bike) so the ability to change the beam pattern so it keep the light low would be useful.
I'm ok ordering from Bang Good or Aliexpress so brands like Magicshine, Gaciron or Astrolux are ok with me.
I'm 6'5" tall so any helmet light would get a decent vantage point although I am vulnerable to hitting low lying trees and branches..


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

hambocairns said:


> Thank you MRMOLE!
> 
> I'll do it as bullet points -
> 
> ...


I've been searching around online and unfortunately at the moment there are not a lot of great deals. For an upgrade on the BL03 Astrolux you might like Ravemen's PR1600. Best deal I could find was $109.50 but have seen this model below $100 before.
Ravemen PR1600 USB Dual Headlight, Silver/Black
For the big jump in price over the BL03 you additionally get a wireless remote, mount that also fits 35mm bars, ability to charge on the fly with an external powerbank, higher overall output that will probably be most useful when using the low top spill option that also has a better true cutoff beam. Aliexpress Magicshine DA2500 (China marketed Ray 2600) might also interest you. I don't see them available right now (DA2000 in stock) but I got mine for 65ish USD delivered so price is good and it's definitely a larger bump in light output. Downside to this light is the vertical aim of the spot and elliptical optic side is quite different. Aimed correctly for the hybrid/spot modes angles the elliptical down far more than I consider ideal limiting throw (when just using the elliptical side) and creating quite a bit of reflective glare. Note sure to what extent this will affect others but a deal breaker for my glare sensitive eyes so worth pointing out IMO. Still looking around for helmet options as there seems to have been a lot of changes in performance/availability of the lights I usually recommend.
Mole


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

There are all kinds of helmet lights at all kinds of weights and prices. I'm pretty happy with the Magicshine mj-900s I got. It's reasonably light at 68g (lighthead only) and powerful enough for me at 1500 lumen. My criticisms are:

1. The included battery is lightweight, but a bit low in capacity of you want to run the light all the time at full power. I haven't done are for-real runtime test (on my to do list), but my impression is that medium power with occasional bursts of high works for near 2 hr, but on full it's significantly less than the advertised 1.5hr. These days I use it with the larger battery that came with RN-3500, which is plenty.

2. The daytime running light feature is useless for me and just adds weight and height to the lighthead. The earlier mj-900 isn't quite as powerful, but is smaller, lighter and cheaper - and possibly a better choice as a pure helmet light. For dual duty as a bar light the DRL on the 900s may be useful though.

3. The helmet mount sold by Magicshine is a poor design that adds a bunch of height to the light. Much better to use some other GoPro mount that sits more flush. Others have just used the handlebar mount through the vent holes on their helmet. I cobbled together something old Marwi mounts that works pretty well.

That's about it. The mj900s is priced at $70, but as with most Magicshine products, if you hunt around and wait for sales you can find it for a lot less.


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