# Best under-$50 light at the moment?



## polar8 (Oct 24, 2012)

I'm looking to buy a pair of lights for my girlfriend and I to go night riding together. I've done tons of research and found several options... the one linked below seems to be the most popular. Any other opinions on the best light under $50 for the time being?

LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

polar8 said:


> I'm looking to buy a pair of lights for my girlfriend and I to go night riding together. I've done tons of research and found several options... the one linked below seems to be the most popular. Any other opinions on the best light under $50 for the time being?
> 
> LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay


37$, can't go wrong. :thumbsup:
Dammit I paid 45 for mine :incazzato:


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## polar8 (Oct 24, 2012)

Cool, guess I'll give it a shot.


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

Check out the new customer $10 discount w/ that vendor. That's now $29 provided there's no catch which there probably is.


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## polar8 (Oct 24, 2012)

Where are you seeing a $10 new customer discount?


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

mb323323 said:


> Check out the new customer $10 discount w/ that vendor. That's now $29 provided there's no catch which there probably is.


Looks like the catch is that it's a headlight and battery but no handlebar mount or helmet mount. Still a good deal.

Whats the new customer discount?


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## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

znomit said:


> 37$, can't go wrong. :thumbsup:
> Dammit I paid 45 for mine :incazzato:


You can get them cheaper than that now if you're willing to wait for shipping from China. That said, I'm a big fan of instant gratification so fast shipping from the US has some value too. 

Edit: Also, the $10 discount appears to be for Bill Me Later, not from the seller.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

I just posted about these the other day. I had mentioned that this particular light had several advantages over other similar XML T6 lights on ebay.

Copied & pasted from my other post:

There are a lot of XML T6 bike lights on ebay, but I thought I'd share a link to what I think is one of the better deals going at the moment.

There are several things about this particular light that make it better as far as I'm concerned.
LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay

1. US shipper, fast shipping.

2. Rubber encased battery (as opposed to the plastic shrink wrapped ones on most of these Chinese bike lights).

3. Two strap battery bag. The straps are also longer then the single strap bags, so they actually fit around modern, fatter frames.

4. Orange Peel reflector.

5. Cable connectors are threaded and have a little o-ring in them making them more waterproof.

Now I can't confirm my #6, but I believe the lighthead will be lighter then some others on the market. I have another XML T6 light that has what appears to be the same lighthead, and it weighs less then my Magicshine 808 (P7). By about 15 grams if I remember correctly.

So there you have it, at least 5 (and maybe 6) things that are better then many similar XML T6 lights on ebay.
Even though I don't need another light, I may just have to get one of these.


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

Just below the price.

BillMeLater	New customers get $10 back on 1st purchase
Subject to credit approval.See terms

As Neme said, looks like not from seller. May have to apply for a credit card or something. 

Still cheap tho.


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## ElwoodT (Mar 13, 2011)

can a light like this left on while charging/plugged in.,


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Is there really any difference between this listing and the MJ808E available on Action-LED-Lights?
Action-LED-Lights - MJ-808E, 4 mode 1000* lumen bike light


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

elwoodturner said:


> can a light like this left on while charging/plugged in.,


No, there is only one plug on the battery, so either the charger is plugged into the battery, or the light is plugged into the battery, can't do both.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

GTscoob said:


> Is there really any difference between this listing and the MJ808E available on Action-LED-Lights?
> Action-LED-Lights - MJ-808E, 4 mode 1000* lumen bike light


About $40 difference. And I can't tell if Action LED's cables connecters are threaded, but it doesn't appear so.

With that said, Action LED has been around for a while, and is known to have great customer service. That's something that the first time light buyer should take into account.


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## comphynum (Aug 14, 2012)

I just received the light that fightnut references. Was delivered in 3 days. I do not have the Magicshine to compare it to but it seems to be of reasonable quality. I'll report back once I mount it to the bike and go on a ride.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

I just ordered one as well, getting it in three days is pretty killer. Also ordered a wide lens from Action LED Lights since it's going to be on the handlebars.


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## Chezowan (Oct 20, 2012)

polar8 said:


> I'm looking to buy a pair of lights for my girlfriend and I to go night riding together. I've done tons of research and found several options... the one linked below seems to be the most popular. Any other opinions on the best light under $50 for the time being?
> 
> [LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay[/url]


Decent light, cheaper components than the magic shine, spoke grenade, lumintrek (all around 90-100$) and my friend's battery would not hold a charge longer than 10 minutes after only 4-5 rides so he returned it and got a magic shine. i have the lumintrek tb-1000 and have no complaints


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Chezowan said:


> and my friend's battery would not hold a charge longer than 10 minutes after only 4-5 rides so he returned it and got a magic shine.


Your friend has that exact light from that seller, or he has one "like" it?


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## Chezowan (Oct 20, 2012)

can't post links because i'm less than 10 posts

amazon.com/Bicycle-HeadLight-headLamp-improved-battery/dp/B005WPXNQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352658264&sr=8-1&keywords=cree+t6+1000+lumen

might be slightly different? seems basically identical though


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## Bikingnewbie (Nov 11, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestion and link.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Chezowan said:


> can't post links because i'm less than 10 posts
> 
> amazon.com/Bicycle-HeadLight-headLamp-improved-battery/dp/B005WPXNQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352658264&sr=8-1&keywords=cree+t6+1000+lumen
> 
> might be slightly different? seems basically identical though


Not identical. The battery appears to be different (not rubber encased like the one in the link from the original post).

Hell, the photos in that Amazon ad show different lightheads, and different battery bags. Which one are they actually sending out??

And therein lies the problem, there are so many lights that look _similar_, and most don't have a name brand, or a particular sku#, or model# , etc.

So some people think they're all the same, some are even calling them "Magicshines" when they aren't.

It creates a lot of confusion when people don't notice the small differences, or they don't think the small differences are worth noting.

A rubber encased battery is a step up from a shrink wrapped battery in my opinion (and most people would agree).
A light that has connectors that are threaded so it won't come apart is a step up from one where the cables can too easily be pulled apart.
A battery bag that has one short strap on it is almost useless when you need to secure it to your oversized frame. So a bag with two longer straps is a step up.
And so on and so on.

So when people say "well, they're basically identical", and they get a light they aren't happy with, it's on them. Unfortunately they will come on here and bash all "similar" lights then.


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## schoolisbad1 (Dec 17, 2004)

does anyone know if they offer the ebay light with the 3LEDs, with the threaded connector + rubber connector + orange peel reflector?


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

fightnut said:


> There are several things about this particular light that make it better as far as I'm concerned.
> LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay
> 
> 1. US shipper, fast shipping.
> ...


I'm very impressed with it, just playing around at the house. Has five modes that I can tell, high, medium, low, blinking 2x a second, and slow blinking ~1x per second.

Only gripe and not sure if any competitors are any better, but I'd like to see some confirmation on the charger or the battery that it is fully charged rather than just waiting 5-6 hours and knowing that's how long it takes.


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## comphynum (Aug 14, 2012)

Rode 7.5 miles last night with 2 of these lights (one helmet, one handlebar with wide angle lens). More than enough light. Only used Medium setting. No need for high. Everything stayed mounted going over rocky technical stuff. Very impressed. Once I get the legit charger from Action Led I will be all set.


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## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

GTscoob said:


> Only gripe and not sure if any competitors are any better, but I'd like to see some confirmation on the charger or the battery that it is fully charged rather than just waiting 5-6 hours and knowing that's how long it takes.


Mine (from one of the China sellers) did come with a charger that indicates when it's done charging. Also has the OP reflector, but none of the rest of the stuff on the list (although I haven't noticed any problems with the single strap bag on my bike).

Thing is, there's a lot of variation among the China sellers, so depending on who you go with (tomtop for me) you may get different stuff.


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## ashwinearl (Jan 2, 2004)

comphynum said:


> Rode 7.5 miles last night with 2 of these lights (one helmet, one handlebar with wide angle lens). More than enough light. Only used Medium setting. No need for high. Everything stayed mounted going over rocky technical stuff. Very impressed. Once I get the legit charger from Action Led I will be all set.


Hi,

which charger from Action LED are you going to order to go with this? 
thanks


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## ashwinearl (Jan 2, 2004)

Can you replace the stock orange peel with the Xera spot reflector from Action LED
Can you replace the lens with the Action LED wide angle lens? for the MJ880?

The reason I ask is to be able to fully customize this for dedicated spot or flood as I'd purchase two of them and customize one with smooth reflector and one with orange peel and wide lens. 

thanks


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

ashwinearl said:


> Can you replace the lens with the Action LED wide angle lens? for the MJ880?


I already installed this wide lens from Action LED:
Action-LED-Lights - Wide Angle Lens

Fit perfectly and it's mounted on the bike for my commute home tonight.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

Posting now so I can find this thread tomorrow and buy the same light! :thumbup:


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## Playa (Aug 17, 2004)

A final advantage to add to fightnut's points, this one has a 1 year warranty. Most of the other ones shipped from China have 1 _month_ warranties. This is a different one I purchased in September: 
New CREE XML XM L T6 1800Lm LED Bicycle Bike Head Light Lamp | eBay 
it worked great for about 3-4 rides then crapped out in the middle of the woods about a week ago. I emailed the vendor hoping to get it replaced but I already left positive feedback so they couldn't care less. If this U.S. based vendor actually makes good on the 1 year warranty, it's a huge advantage IMO.


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## El Caballo (Nov 22, 2004)

The same eBay light in the OP appears to be available from Amazon here, for the same price ($40).

At least it claims the same specs (4-mode H-M-L-strobe), uses the exact same pictures (rubberized battery case, OP reflector), and the pictures are all apparently of the same version of the light.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

El Caballo said:


> The same eBay light in the OP appears to be available from Amazon here, for the same price ($40).
> 
> At least it claims the same specs (4-mode H-M-L-strobe), uses the exact same pictures (rubberized battery case, OP reflector), and the pictures are all apparently of the same version of the light.


It's the same seller from ebay. I had contacted the ebay seller, and their reply had the same company name as the Amazon seller (ATC LLC).


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Comes with a different charger than pictured and I'm kinda bummed out that there isnt any warning that the light is about to go out according to one of the reviews on Amazon. 

I havent run mine completely dry yet but have topped it off after a few nights of riding just to make sure. 

No notification on the charger that the battery is full and no notification on the lighthead that the battery charge is dropping. Big reasons why this light is so much cheaper than a Magicshine 808. If I had to do it again I might spend a little more for the security of knowing.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I have one of the ebay xm-l clones. It is labeled as sanguan on the light but not on the box or in the ad. 
I believe i paid 43 dollars. Comes with lighthead, o rings, battery, charger, and helmet mount. It had the OP reflector. Light has a greenish tint to it that none of my other t6 lights have but its tolerable. Beam was ok but is very good now with actions wide angle lens. Runtime on hi is about 3 hours, battery connection isnt a firm, positive one but it works. Also it never seems to register low battery and just kick out at random so be careful and carry backup

That being said i have a few magicshines and geminis so i rarely use it but as a backup its quite good. sometimes if im riding on a busy holiday weekend i will throw it on as a strobe to be safe

Considering that you can get 2 of these for under a hundred dollars and a wide angle lens its not bad. Probably a good alternative to the magicshines if that is you maximum budget, as this way you dont get stranded in the woods with a single light that doesnt work, you always have a backup


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

GTscoob said:


> Comes with a different charger than pictured .


What did the seller say when you notified them about this?


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

fightnut said:


> What did the seller say when you notified them about this?


Honestly I hadnt but I just messaged them to see whats up.


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## El Caballo (Nov 22, 2004)

Update for the ATC version of the light, sold on ebay and on Amazon:

Mine arrived in three business days, since ATC is a US seller. The light and accessories came in a plain white box with a short instruction sheet/warranty card.

On the bad side, the light no longer has mode memory: it always comes on in High, and you have to cycle through Hi->Med->Lo->Flash->SOS to turn it off. The O-rings don't have the little pull tab. And the charger still has no LED to indicate charging status.

On the good side, the battery indicator is now functional! The button turns red when the battery is almost gone, and it's relative to the mode: if it goes red on high beam, turn it to medium or low and it'll be green for a while longer.

Also on the good side, the battery case is still the good kind, with two straps; the battery itself is encased in rubber, not just shrinkwrapped; the connectors have the screw-on shield and O-ring so they won't pull out when riding; the reflector is still OP; and the combination of the light cord and the battery cord is long enough to reach all the way to your jersey's back pocket or a lumbar pack.

I got about 3:30 out of a fully-charged battery pack on high, with an ambient temperature of 65 degrees, which exceeds the claim of 3 hours. There is a perceptible difference between Hi->Med->Lo. The light head gets very hot in high mode, like "too hot to hold".

The LED tint is pretty good: it's cool white, but not outrageously so, with no blatant bluish cast or massive green rings. I put a very slight amber filter on it to make it more neutral, but it's much better than most cheap LED flashlights.

Verdict: This seems to be one of the better versions of this light. It worked fine out of the box, the battery exceeded claimed run time (though it'll decrease in cold conditions), and a US seller with a (claimed) one-year warranty is a bonus.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Mine was 28$ with shipping costs. Here: 1200 Lumen CREE XML T6 LED Bike Bicycle Outdoor Sports Light Headlight Headlamp | eBay

It has an OP reflector, but the battery case is not so great: it is not rubberized like many others, so not so much waterproof and it has only one velcro strap. The charger does have one led indicating charging (red) and green (charged. 
Will put it out on test tonight to see how much i can pull out of this battery on high...


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

El Caballo said:


> Update for the ATC version of the light, sold
> 
> On the bad side, the light no longer has mode memory: it always comes on in High, and you have to cycle through Hi->Med->Lo->Flash->SOS to turn it off. The O-rings don't have the little pull tab. And the charger still has no LED to indicate charging status.


I was thinking of getting this light from this exact seller, but I can't stand having to cycle through 2 flash modes. It would be a second light for me, the first being a Magishine 808e with a remote button, but that UI is terrible.

A charger with no LED on a lithium based battery scares me. Do you know if it has the same connectors as the magicshine, I could always use that charger.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Yeah i forgot to mention how is the UI of my clone (main reason why i chose this one, perharps):
1 click to cycle through HI - MED - LOW - OFF
3 sec holding = flashing

Its a good thing not to have to cycle through the flashing.


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## Tincup69 (Sep 5, 2012)

El Caballo said:


> Update for the ATC version of the light, sold on ebay and on Amazon:
> 
> Mine arrived in three business days, since ATC is a US seller. The light and accessories came in a plain white box with a short instruction sheet/warranty card.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info.

Which light is the best out the one you posted and these on Ebay?
3X CREE XM L T6 LED 3800Lm LED Headlight Headlamp Bicycle Bike Light | eBay

New CREE XML XM L T6 1800Lm LED Bicycle Bike Head Light Lamp | eBay

There seems to be so many choices in the under $50 lights. I just don't want to buy some complete POS.


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## ltk1144 (Dec 16, 2011)

Does anyone know about how long the lights from China will take to arrive?


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

It would depend on which seller you order from. Generally speaking anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. 
Most stuff I've ever ordered from China (lights and more) was in the 3 week range.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

PedroDank said:


> Yeah i forgot to mention how is the UI of my clone (main reason why i chose this one, perharps):
> 1 click to cycle through HI - MED - LOW - OFF
> 3 sec holding = flashing
> 
> Its a good thing not to have to cycle through the flashing.


Yeah, that's a much better UI. Too bad that there isn't an US based seller that has the good UI and good battery. It just takes so long to get stuff from China. I've waited three or four weeks just like fightnut, and it's too long for me.


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

varider said:


> Yeah, that's a much better UI. Too bad that there isn't an US based seller that has the good UI and good battery. It just takes so long to get stuff from China. I've waited three or four weeks just like fightnut, and it's too long for me.


You can shop e-bay for lights but you always have to check where the item is being mailed from. When in doubt you have to ask the seller.

Here is one the fits the 3-mode ( H-M-L ) ( flash, hold and press ) that is offered on Amazon. As far as I know it is shipped from inside the USA. > 
Masione Waterproof CREE T6 LED 4-Mode 1000-Lumen White LED Bike Light Headlamp with Battery Pack Set
by Atc 

Expect 3-4 days shipping and maybe $7 or so for shipping. If they run out of stock don't blame me. It's the Christmas season, things sell out.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> You can shop e-bay for lights but you always have to check where the item is being mailed from. When in doubt you have to ask the seller.
> 
> Here is one the fits the 3-mode ( H-M-L ) ( flash, hold and press ) that is offered on Amazon. As far as I know it is shipped from inside the USA. >
> Masione Waterproof CREE T6 LED 4-Mode 1000-Lumen White LED Bike Light Headlamp with Battery Pack Set
> ...


It says free shipping.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> You can shop e-bay for lights but you always have to check where the item is being mailed from. When in doubt you have to ask the seller.
> 
> Here is one the fits the 3-mode ( H-M-L ) ( flash, hold and press ) that is offered on Amazon. As far as I know it is shipped from inside the USA. >
> 
> Expect 3-4 days shipping and maybe $7 or so for shipping. If they run out of stock don't blame me. It's the Christmas season, things sell out.


Thanks for the link Cat-man-do, but it appears to be the standard high low flashing UI. It doesn't say anything about 3 second hold to get to the flash mode. The seller is route66. That's the problem with amazon though, it will give you a different seller depending on who currently has stock and the lowest price.


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

varider said:


> Thanks for the link Cat-man-do, but it appears to be the standard high low flashing UI. It doesn't say anything about 3 second hold to get to the flash mode. The seller is route66. That's the problem with amazon though, it will give you a different seller depending on who currently has stock and the lowest price.


Sorry about that. Looks like the title ad had it listed as 4-mode but in the product description they change it to 3-mode. :nono: Sorry, that got by me. At least it was a USA vendor.

Here's an e-bay link> LED Bicycle Bike Headlight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp 1000 Lumen CREE XML T6 | eBay
Hopefully what you are looking for. Still, the seller is shipping from same area of USA as the Amazon vendor. Check with the vendor first before ordering to make sure this is the ( H-M-L-flash ) version. My CAt guts are telling me this could be the same vendor. Buyer beware.


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## El Caballo (Nov 22, 2004)

Cat-man-do said:


> Here's an e-bay link> Hopefully what you are looking for.


That's the same ebay listing I purchased mine from, so odds are good it'll be exactly as I described, including the 5-mode (but also including the working low battery indicator).


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

El Caballo said:


> That's the same ebay listing I purchased mine from, so odds are good it'll be exactly as I described, including the 5-mode (but also including the working low battery indicator).


Sounds good. Win, win!


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

You might want to know that there are ~30$ U2 LED lights available now on eBay. Just search for "xml led u2 headlight" and you will see, or just check one other thread: http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/new-light-xml-u2-light-review-828112.html


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

May be time to pull the trigger on a couple if these. My old magicshine only lasted 1:45 on high last night.

How.much run time are you guys getting on high?


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

You might just want to build or buy a new battery.

The batteries in this thread look interesting.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I think you pasted the wrong thread. It takes me to a thread about a shock.

I bought two of those lights before you mentioned battery and I was like "crap!" Didn't even think about replacing. Ah well. I'll probably give my.magicshine to my buddy for xmas and just keep the two lights.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

Thats weird. When I click on it it brings me to the battery thread.

Try searching

26650 battery pack

in this forum


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

Ah, It works on my laptop. For some reason tapatalk app on my android directs me to the random thread. 

For $10 more you get a new battery, light, and mounts from the ebay link. 

I would buy them if they were $15-$20.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

Yeah, but they should have more stored energy and last longer on a ride.



kikoraa said:


> Ah, It works on my laptop. For some reason tapatalk app on my android directs me to the random thread.
> 
> For $10 more you get a new battery, light, and mounts from the ebay link.
> 
> I would buy them if they were $15-$20.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

ah. I'll research that thread a a bit. I should look into that at a later time then.


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## edle (Jul 18, 2012)

*I bought one of this in Ebay and shipped to my door for US$53 !!!*

I bought one of this in Ebay and shipped to my door for US$53 !!! I heard nothing but excellent feedbacks so far.

3X CREE LED XM L T6 LED 4000Lm Bicycle Light Bike Lamp Headlight Headlamp R1 3T6 | eBay


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

Man, I just can't bring myself to have some thing delivered from China. If its made on China, brought here, then sold to me and delivered from a US distributor, hell yea. I just don't want to order something and wait month with the chance it never gets here and I have to go through a hassle to get my money back.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

Ok, I just just recieved my light. Totally buying a 2nd (after tomorrows test of course). It feels very well built. The body weighs less than my magicshine 808e. It's a little more of a spotlight than I wanted but i plan to order a 2nd and a wider lens. Any recommendations on a lens? 

I hope to night ride with a buddy tomorrow to test duration on high.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Kikoraa, there is really only one lens to get. It's from Action LED. 
Use the lens on your bar light, and the stock lens on your helmet light. 
The combo works great.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

is this the lens you are talking about?

Action-LED-Lights - Wide Angle Lens

Also has anyone tried using this smooth reflector to concentrate the beam and minimize throw?

Action-LED-Lights - XERA Spot Optic

I know there was a poster talking about it earlier but never heard feedback.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

If you're using an exact copy of MS's 808, you have other lenses too from mtbl.robs-x.com
I have the one linked above this post from Action Led's too and it works great.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

a question...
I ordered the xera spot optic from action LED to use with the ebay light but i dont really know how to install it. Does it replace the OP refector? If thats the case its not the same size... Am i supposed to dismantle the light to find what i need to replace?


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## Bryank930 (Jun 12, 2006)

Anyone have experience with this light or any similar lights from AMAZON (I have ~$80 in gift cards)

Would Action LED's wide angle lens work with this?

Amazon.com: 3X CREE XM-L T6 LED 3800Lm LED Headlight Headlamp and Bicycle Light: Sports & Outdoors

I know it's more than $50, but this just seems to be the right place to ask.


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## abelfonseca (Dec 26, 2011)

*1200 xml t6 burn time test*

This cheap light has not behaved badly at all. I filmed a burn test a few nights ago and got some impressive burn time with no noticeable dimming(it turns off in one go). I shined brightly for almost 4 hours!!!! I had to run in two parts as it was getting late and I had to go to bed. I do not trust it enough to leave it unattended. I didnt want to wake up to a house on fire. Amazon.com: 4 Mode 1200 Lumen CREE XML T6 Bulb LED Bicycle bike HeadLight Lamp Flashlight Light Headlamp: Sports & Outdoors






I also did a burn time test on my expilion 350 on "boost" mode.






Cheers


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

Bryank930 said:


> Anyone have experience with this light or any similar lights from AMAZON (I have ~$80 in gift cards)
> 
> Would Action LED's wide angle lens work with this?
> 
> ...


I have one coming also....
A giant thread on it right here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/new-clone-3-x-xml-t-6-49-88-shipped-814616.html


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

polar8 said:


> I'm looking to buy a pair of lights for my girlfriend and I to go night riding together. I've done tons of research and found several options... the one linked below seems to be the most popular. Any other opinions on the best light under $50 for the time being?


polar, can you give us an update on this light? Is it still working, is the battery life the same etc.


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## edle (Jul 18, 2012)

*There is a discussion about LED light for night ride in Pink Bike...*

Please follow link...

Night Riding - Page 2 - Pinkbike Forum

I bought one of this light from this Ebay seller and I'm very impressed with the light.

3X CREE LED XM L T6 LED 4000Lm Bicycle Light Bike Lamp Headlight Headlamp R1 3T6 | eBay

I just came back from my Tuesday 10pm night ride and I'm trying my new 'Chinese LED light'. I'm very impressed ! It was very very bright. I used the low level setting only and it is bright enough for my night trail run. The session lasted for 2 hrs and 20mins. and it still going very strong. I didn't even had the need to use Mid or High power setting. I'm impressed !!!


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

If you already have a good battery, this could be great too. I would get that myself if my 808 cloned failed on me.


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## edle (Jul 18, 2012)

*Smart looking unit but not as brighter as mine. *



PedroDank said:


> If you already have a good battery, this could be great too. I would get that myself if my 808 cloned failed on me.


Smart looking unit but not as brighter as mine.


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## gadgets&gear (Oct 26, 2012)

*My current favorite light under $50*

I bought this and have been really pleased with it. It has even survived some bad spills without a problem.

Decent run time with external battery pack...

dx.com/p/p7-water-resistant-ssc-p7-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82734?rt=1&p=0&m=0&r=3&k=1&t=1&s=82510&u=82734]P7 Water Resistant SSC-P7 3-Mode 900~1200-Lumen White LED Bike Light with Battery Pack Set - Free Shipping - DealExtreme


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

GTscoob said:


> Is there really any difference between this listing and the MJ808E available on Action-LED-Lights?
> Action-LED-Lights - MJ-808E, 4 mode 1000* lumen bike light


Ok, You got my attention now.
No, these certainly are not the same as the Magicshine lights we are selling. There are dozens of little companies in China that, seeing the success of Magicshine, decided to make one "like" it and get in on the market. (there's almost no intellectual property protection in China)
I've had a lot of customers that started out with knockoffs and them came to us when they had problems. From conversations with them these are the common problem seen.

Batteries - this is the big one. For most light companies the Li-ion battery is about half the cost of the light set. Clone builders use second grade batteries that are rejects from laptop makers. If your lucky you get a pack that last awhile but most don't seem to make it past 6 months and many less.

Wires - A wire that has to flex all the time needed to be made from finely stranded copper to not fatigue and crack. I've had a lot of reports of wires breaking at the connectors or were they enter the battery or light.

Connectors - A lot of the connectors fail after a short time.

Chargers - Many chargers seem to be very low quality. I had one customer buying a new charger after his literally blew apart when he plugged it in.

Reflectors - Many come with a smooth reflector that makes a tight spot with almost no spill. I sell a lot of orange peal reflectors and wide angle lenses to fix these up

All these clone companies tell you that their using XM-L-T6 LED's. But then they also tell you there putting out 1600 or up to 2200 lumens too. According to CREE, 1000 is all that's possible with the best of the best T6's. I'd say the odds that your really getting T6 bin is pretty low. The lower bins are lower cost.

Magicshine has been at it for about 4 years now and has made many improvements along the way. They had most of these issues at the beginning but they have continually worked to improve their lights and have kept the cost pretty reasonable. All things considered it's pretty hard to find a better value.


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## petersbike (Apr 5, 2006)

Action Led 

I have to agree w you. I have an old Jet lites with threaded connectors so I like the details.
Anyhow I just charged a new cree xml t6 I received from Amazon today ~$40 . Like the lighthead but as soon as I connected the connectors I felt a lot of play not positive feeling . The charger was fine as it does not move but the light battery connection was even worse . Connected not connected with the slightest of movements. Too bad because it was really bright .Anyway UPS should be coming tomorrow to return it to Amazon. CREE XML XM-L T6 LED Bike Bicycle Light HeadLight HeadLamp 1200LM Red


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

So I bought 2 of these. Realized I only need one and a second one kind of annoys me. If anyone is wanting to pick up the ebay one pm me first.


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## VChuck (Nov 23, 2009)

Action Led,
Thank you,sir for your post


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## rj2 (Oct 19, 2004)

How many LEDs flash in strobe mode?


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## epic-gamer (Aug 18, 2012)

just wondering, how can you ride with a bike light that has a hotspot??


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## pabcor (Aug 25, 2011)

See here
Focus very cheap vs focus Magicshine II
lucespotentesparatubici: Foco muy barato vs Foco Magicshine II


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

epic-gamer said:


> just wondering, how can you ride with a bike light that has a hotspot??


There's still light outside the hotspot, which is still bright enough to see what you are doing.


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

epic-gamer said:


> just wondering, how can you ride with a bike light that has a hotspot??


Not as hard as you may think. While it is preferable to have a wider beam for the bars ANY good/bright light source will work in a pinch.

When I do rides that start in the day and end with a hour or so of darkness, I usually just bring two torches...one for the bars one for the helmet. Both are XM-L emitter torches and both have hot spots. Works very well.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

*Buyer Beware*

Everyone here should be sure and read this other thread "Exploding Battery pack - CREE XM-LT6 LED Bicycle Light "
For $30 or so you should know what your getting and the risk you are taking.


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## Rock (Jan 13, 2004)

Action LED Lights said:


> Everyone here should be sure and read this other thread "Exploding Battery pack - CREE XM-LT6 LED Bicycle Light "
> For $30 or so you should know what your getting and the risk you are taking.


In my opinion, a lot of product and minimal risk.

Mr Harger, I like your company and have purchased products from you and have recommended you to others. In my opinion, if you want to grow your business and enhance your reputation, you need to present the advantages of your company and products, not just try to hype fear of your compeditors. Your above post cheapens your company's message. Maybe if you would site specific examples or studies of your own products failure or non-failure rates, if you have that information. Like I noted in the "exploding battery" thread, from what I understand, Lithium Ion batteries can be fairly volitile as witnessed by Boeing's and GM's well publicized battery failures. At this point, it seems to be the nature of the beast, but I don't know if this one example (from the linked thread) constitutes a trend. This last example, along with the one exploding battery shown on this website years ago with one of your product lines, Magic Shine, are the only 2 exploding failures that I'm aware of, though I'm sure there are more. This does not make a "sky is falling" moment for me.

Once again, just my opinion.

Rock


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## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

Rock said:


> Like I noted in the "exploding battery" thread, from what I understand, Lithium Ion batteries can be fairly volitile as witnessed by Boeing's and GM's well publicized battery failures.


I should point out that the only GM battery failures I'm aware of were due to damaged batteries from crash testing that were improperly handled. Not the same thing as a battery exploding during normal operation.


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## Rock (Jan 13, 2004)

nemebean said:


> I should point out that the only GM battery failures I'm aware of were due to damaged batteries from crash testing that were improperly handled. Not the same thing as a battery exploding during normal operation.


Good point. Good thing nobody ever crashes on a mountain bike........

Don't get me wrong. I fully support these inexpensive lights, I've been buying them for years. My point is, accidents happen and there's no reason to freak out over something that happens once, or twice.

Rock


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## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

Rock said:


> Good point. Good thing nobody ever crashes on a mountain bike........


I suspect that if you were ever subjected to a NHTSA crash test on your bike, an exploding battery would be the least of your worries. 

To be clear, I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. I had to have a laptop battery replaced a few years ago because they found a flaw in a batch of the ones they were using. And this was from a major manufacturer who, in theory, knows what they're doing. There's always going to be some risk when you're dealing with the type of chemicals that go into batteries.


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## edle (Jul 18, 2012)

*It is a great idea to put the battery into a metal container when charging...*

It is a great idea to put the battery into a metal container when charging. I think we should apply this method to all devices with Lithium Ion batteries.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

Rock said:


> In my opinion, a lot of product and minimal risk.
> 
> Mr Harger, I like your company and have purchased products from you and have recommended you to others. In my opinion, if you want to grow your business and enhance your reputation, you need to present the advantages of your company and products, not just try to hype fear of your compeditors. Your above post cheapens your company's message. Maybe if you would site specific examples or studies of your own products failure or non-failure rates, if you have that information. Like I noted in the "exploding battery" thread, from what I understand, Lithium Ion batteries can be fairly volitile as witnessed by Boeing's and GM's well publicized battery failures. At this point, it seems to be the nature of the beast, but I don't know if this one example (from the linked thread) constitutes a trend. This last example, along with the one exploding battery shown on this website years ago with one of your product lines, Magic Shine, are the only 2 exploding failures that I'm aware of, though I'm sure there are more. This does not make a "sky is falling" moment for me.
> 
> ...


Rock, I accept your criticism that I should have provided more information with my post. I was not trying to scare people, just caution them to use safe practices when charging.

I response to some of your other comments, 
I do not consider these $30 knockoffs to be competitors. They are in a whole other league from the lights I sell. I do consider them to be of questionable value when their reliability is factored in.
Cells from reputable manufacturers undergo extensive testing that includes crushing and even driving a nail into the cell. They are allowed to vent hot gas, even flame, but not explode.
The failed Magicshine batteries were in their first years when they were using no-name batteries probably similar to what the knockoffs are now using. In response they switched to BAK and Panasonic cells and ate the increased cost. I haven't heard of any issues with MS batteries since then.

As long as we're talking battery safety I will mention what I always stress this time of year. NEVER charge your battery when it (the battery) is below freezing. Bring it inside and allow it to warm up before plugging it in. Charging below 35F can cause shorts to develop in the cells.


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## Rock (Jan 13, 2004)

Mr. Harger,

Good info. Thanks for providing. 


A nail? Seriously? I will heed your warning and not recharge below 35 degrees.

Rock


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## boogman (May 21, 2012)

in light of the exploding battery thread and the other reports of batteries on these chinese lights going out prematurely.. i ordered a Dinotte XML-3 light.. I consider the MagicShines in the same category as the cheap ebay lights.. I would not trust those either...


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

boogman said:


> in light of the exploding battery thread and the other reports of batteries on these chinese lights going out prematurely.. i ordered a Dinotte XML-3 light.. I consider the MagicShines in the same category as the cheap ebay lights.. I would not trust those either...


I would say there is probably about a million Magicshine owners out there that would disagree with you. They had a few issues in there first year of production, but they put in the effort to work through those and in the past 5 years I would say we've had a less than 1% failure rate with Magicshine lights and I know a lot of riders that have been using theirs steadily for all that time. (with a new battery along the way)


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## boogman (May 21, 2012)

Thanks good to know.. 1 million really? The market is that big for these bike lights?


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

Based on what I know has sold in this country from Geomangear and ourselves I'd say 1 mil world wide is not out of the question.


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## Lichitisky (Feb 25, 2013)

I have founf this new MJ 880 Clone for sale at KD, CNQG and at DX for as low as $49. Its fancy and uses XML U2 leds, check it out the SolarStorm X2:

www .cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1883

Another interesting light at the same price point it the RUSTU at DX. Its a mix MJ 816 and MJ 880.

RUSTU XM-L T6 + 2 x XP-G R5 1400lm 5-Mode White Bicycle Light - Black (4 x 18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

Wich on you do you think would have the most powerfull output and the most usefull beam patern? I know Catman was aiting for a MJ 880 clone. Think this is worth a try?


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## Griff222 (Mar 5, 2013)

Looks like a good light. But it's HUGE.

To the OP, hows it working for you now? I got caught up in the arguments in this thread lol.


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## plasticmann (May 7, 2006)

*cheap option*

A few mates and I have been buying these over the past 6 or so months, (I think we've purchased about 8 between us). Quick delivery. Seem well made. And no issues yet. Orange peel reflectors. One for bars, one for helmet. Cut elastic strap off helmet mount and ziptie to helmet. Red flashy back light as a bonus. Decent run time.

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d


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