# Headlight for FatBike (winter and summer trail riding) under 300 USD



## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

I want to buy a front light for my Moonlander. I have a budget of about 300 - 350 USD and want to get some really good device for my money.

My preferences are:
1. The light should be mounted on a handlebar (not a on-helmet device);
2. The light and it's battery pack should perform well in cold conditions (down to -30C / -22F);
3. I want to be able to use it in summer too. It should operate well under the raid, in the fog and in warm conditions. It shouldn't breake after getting dirty and moisty. I don't want to fear to get the light in the mud;
4. It should be well-built and solid. It must resist if I fall on my bike;
5. It should have a well-balanced and wide beam. It should be really bright and produce "warm" light.

I've found the following devices which seems to fit my requirements:
1. MagicShine Mj-880 U2
2. Fluxient 3xU2 3000 
3. Magicshine MJ-872

_The light, I really like is MyTinySun 3600, but it's out of my budget (I post it to help you to understand what I want to get)._

Any suggestions? Can I get a nice light for this price or should I increase the budget?


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## Dan GSR (Apr 29, 2010)

have you done any night riding? i would not want only a bar light
it doesn't let you see ahead


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## Dan GSR (Apr 29, 2010)

With your budget i would get a 880 on the helmet and 808 on the bars with a wide angle lens


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

With that budget, you can go much better quality than magicshine. I would see what kind of light & motion light you can find p.m. sale. I have one magicshine and several L&M. The magicshine is fine for the price, but didn't distribute the heat well, so you may not be able to run it at max, plus they exaggerate the lumens, so you will be well below the promised brightness. L&M under promises on lumens and will replace your light of you have any problems. There are other quality manufacturers as well that you might want to look into.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

As far as batteries working well in the cold, they either need to be next to your body (bad idea with something attached to the bike) or have an external heat source. A disposable handwarmer works great for keeping the battery performing well. Cold doesn't hurt the light head, and in fact, helps it run more efficiently.


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## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

Dan GSR said:


> have you done any night riding? i would not want only a bar light
> it doesn't let you see ahead


Thank you for the note! I agree with your statement, but I don't want to put something heavy on my helmet, so this device should be lightweight.



EBrider said:


> With that budget, you can go much better quality than magicshine. I would see what kind of light & motion light you can find p.m. sale.


I like L&M's Seca 1700, but it's out of the budget. What model do you recommend?



wschruba said:


> A disposable handwarmer works great for keeping the battery performing well. Cold doesn't hurt the light head, and in fact, helps it run more efficiently.


Great idea, thank you for the suggestion!


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

Nitatunarabe said:


> Thank you for the note! I agree with your statement, but I don't want to put something heavy on my helmet, so this device should be lightweight.
> 
> I like L&M's Seca 1700, but it's out of the budget. What model do you recommend?
> 
> Great idea, thank you for the suggestion!


You will barely notice the weight of the light on your helmet.

Get the 2 MagicShines. Better vision and you have a backup in case of failure or a battery runs out. It is what I use, helmet and bar. I have been night riding off road since 1985 and the MS setup is the best I have had. Bright, light weight, and reliable.


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

wschruba said:


> As far as batteries working well in the cold, they either need to be next to your body (bad idea with something attached to the bike) or have an external heat source. * A disposable handwarmer works great for keeping the battery performing well. * Cold doesn't hurt the light head, and in fact, helps it run more efficiently.


...then you must be using a different kind of hand warmer then I am. I've tried using hand warmers before and found they just couldn't generate the kind of heat needed to keep a battery warm. ( * for that matter they don't keep my feet warm either but that's another subject )

The one time I tried it I wrapped the battery in thin insulating foam with the hand warmer on the inside next to the battery. As far as I could tell ( by the end of the ride ) it really didn't help. Maybe that was because hand warmers need to be exposed to oxygen in order to work. The problem is if you allow air in to the warmer you are exposing the battery to air that just happens to be cold so pretty much it is all counter-productive.

When in extreme cold the "battery next to the body" idea is likely the only thing that is going to work. It will require a special set-up and a _*special battery_( *flat pack would work better and more comfortable beneath a jacket ) More importantly, it would require a special "easy release" plug connector so if you had to bail off the bike the wires would not tie you to the bike.

You can build a set-up like that if you have some simple DIY skills. Still using a set-up like that would be a PITA. You would have to be a real die-hard winter rider to use something like that. Now with all this said, if you're only going to be riding a couple hours you will likely be fine with the battery mounted on the bike frame _*as long as you don't deeply discharge the battery. _

Nitatunarabe, if you really are into extended rides in cold weather you might want to consider a dynamo powered light for the bars.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

Cat: try a butane powered hand-warmer slipped in the back of the pack, they have a higher BTU output.

That said, the dynamo is a good idea, like Cat said.


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

Nitatunarabe said:


> Thank you for the note! I agree with your statement, but I don't want to put something heavy on my helmet, so this device should be lightweight.
> 
> I like L&M's Seca 1700, but it's out of the budget. What model do you recommend?
> 
> Great idea, thank you for the suggestion!


You should at least be able to get the Seca 800 for that price. I have the 700 and it puts out more light than my 1100 lumen MS.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## Fuzzy Dunlop (Jan 3, 2013)

Have you read the2013 Bike Lights Shootout? Great place to see what's out there and how it performs.I already own a cheap bar light, and am looking to get a more serious head lamp. Weight matters to me. Helmet lights aren't all heavy, and a big part of that weight is the battery pack. Take a look at the Gloworm X1. It's bright, well made, by a company with a good reputation on these forums, and for $179 it's in the same ball park as the higher end MagicShines. Magic Shine, and even the newer Fluxient lights, both have well documented issues with heat, build quality and water resistance.


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## snala (Dec 2, 2012)

Fuzzy Dunlop said:


> Have you read the2013 Bike Lights Shootout? Great place to see what's out there and how it performs.I already own a cheap bar light, and am looking to get a more serious head lamp. Weight matters to me. Helmet lights aren't all heavy, and a big part of that weight is the battery pack. Take a look at the Gloworm X1. It's bright, well made, by a company with a good reputation on these forums, and for $179 it's in the same ball park as the higher end MagicShines. Magic Shine, and even the newer Fluxient lights, both have well documented issues with heat, build quality and water resistance.


I'd suggest the X2 instead for his criteria? 
Also as an idea, use the extension cable and mount the battery pack under the seat on the post or under top tube so effectively between your legs. That will help keep it warmer than up front possibly?


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

wschruba said:


> Cat: try a butane powered hand-warmer slipped in the back of the pack, they have a higher BTU output.
> 
> That said, the dynamo is a good idea, like Cat said.


*WHOA! Very Interesting idea!...* :thumbsup:

I just finished reading some reviews over on Amazon. Apparently these things really heat up. Cheap enough to give it a try too. The only problem then might be that it might get too hot. Too hot and it's gonna melt the heat shrink protection on the battery and maybe even damage the battery. To work it will still need to vent and to get oxygen but according to the reviewers it's better to limit the oxygen intake so it doesn't get too hot.

Anyway, this has given me some new ideas on how to use such a set-up ( safely ). I will of course test it first. I have a digital thermometer with remote sensor that will tell me if its working well or getting dangerously hot. If this works I'll get back to you. CAt points coming your way for the idea. :cornut:


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## hendary (Dec 31, 2012)

i only spent $63 on a Cree XM-L 3x T6 LED Bicycle Bike Light and free shipping too. 20usd ~300usd is too expensive for me,


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## fire_strom (Sep 4, 2009)

Serfas True 1500 for 199.99 at Price Point. Price match at JensonUSA for free shipping. Mine will be here Monday.
G


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## Ral83178 (Sep 25, 2007)

Have a look at Lumintrek.

For $300 you can get a great setup. I have the TB 1000 and the TB 1600 that I got for $200.

For $300 maybe look at the TB 3000 however but look on Amazon or just call them (they pick up the phone!!!).

I have had zero issues and the light combo is more than enough.

I have messed around with the Deal extreme suff in the past and while it is ok it is not reliable in my opinion.

Good luck!


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## SmooveP (Nov 30, 2007)

Scored my L&M SECA 1400 for $219 off of chainlove.com. They've been popping up periodically since then.


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## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

shiggy said:


> You will barely notice the weight of the light on your helmet.Get the 2 MagicShines.


Do you think that combination of MJ-880 and MJ-872 be a good idea or recommend some other models?

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Cat-man-do said:


> You would have to be a real die-hard winter rider to use something like that. Now with all this said, if you're only going to be riding a couple hours you will likely be fine with the battery mounted on the bike frame _*as long as you don't deeply discharge the battery. _
> Nitatunarabe, if you really are into extended rides in cold weather you might want to consider a dynamo powered light for the bars.


Most of my winter rides are not very long. They're about 4 - 5 hours. I try to make extended rides during the day (an therefore not tu use the lights). I want to get the lights not only for winter riding, I'm planing to use them in summer too. I'll test them and if there will be problems with batteries, I'll get the dynamo hub.

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EBrider said:


> You should at least be able to get the Seca 800 for that price. I have the 700 and it puts out more light than my 1100 lumen MS.


What MS's model do you talk about? The MJ-808? It has 648 "real" lumens, according to MTBR lights shootout. I didn't find measurements for Seca 800, so let's that the claimed specs are true and this light has 800 lumens. 800 lm > 648 lm.

Let's compare Seca 800 with the mentioned above MS's models: MJ-872 has 920 lm, and MJ-880 has 1473 lm. So, MSs outperform the L&M's Seca 800 in terms of light output, being much cheaper at the same time.

I don't say that MSs are better. But I want to know the reasons to prefer Seca 800 over MagicShines. Could you comment on it?

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Fuzzy Dunlop said:


> Have you read the2013 Bike Lights Shootout? Great place to see what's out there and how it performs.I already own a cheap bar light, and am looking to get a more serious head lamp. Weight matters to me. Helmet lights aren't all heavy, and a big part of that weight is the battery pack. Take a look at the Gloworm X1. It's bright, well made, by a company with a good reputation on these forums, and for $179 it's in the same ball park as the higher end MagicShines. Magic Shine, and even the newer Fluxient lights, both have well documented issues with heat, build quality and water resistance.


Yes, I've read the MTBR Lights shootout and some other reviews and comparisons. According to MTBR 2013 report, Gloworm X*2* (there is no info about X1) has less "real output lumens" than MJ-880 (1148lm vs. 1473lm). As for beam patterns, I like MJ-872's beam more than X2's one. It's wider, it smoother, it lets me to see more details and obstacles.

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fire_strom said:


> Serfas True 1500 for 199.99 at Price Point. Price match at JensonUSA for free shipping. Mine will be here Monday.
> G


Yes, Serfas 1500 outperforms both MS's lights in terms of brightness. It ]seems to be great in aspects of battery light and cooling. Thank you for your suggestion! It seems to be a good idea to buy it instead of MJ-880. Could you recommend something in replacement of MJ-872 for about 100 USD?

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Ral83178 said:


> Have a look at Lumintrek.
> For $300 you can get a great setup. I have the TB 1000 and the TB 1600 that I got for $200.
> For $300 maybe look at the TB 3000 however but look on Amazon or just call them (they pick up the phone!!!).


Thank you for the info, *Ral83178*! Lumintrek looks interesting! I didn't know about them before. Unfortunatelly, I didn't find any unbiassed comparisons of their lights with some well-known products such as L&Ms, Lupinas or Majicshines. So I cannot decide how good they are. Can you provide some links?


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

Nitatunarabe said:


> ....*Most of my winter rides are not very long. They're about 4 - 5 hours.* I try to make extended rides during the day (an therefore not tu use the lights). I want to get the lights not only for winter riding, I'm planing to use them in summer too. I'll test them and if there will be problems with batteries, I'll get the dynamo hub.


I wish I could say 4-5hrs of riding in sub-freezing temperatures were not long! :thumbsup:
You must be part Polar bear. 

If you want that kind of run time ( 4-5hrs ) you're going to have to get a bigger battery regardless of what lamp you decide to buy. Most quality bike lights are set-up with a battery that will give the user perhaps 3hr on high tops. That means if you want longer run times you will either have to get a bigger battery, run the lamp at a lower output level or both.

I suggest you consider a lamp that has a good number of output modes so you can dial in the output that best serves your needs as to extending your rides. I'm sure there are many lamps that will serve your needs but since I'm the one commenting, I might as well go ahead and recommend the lamp that I use, the *Gloworm X2*. The X2 is pre-set with a choice of four different menus that give the user a different set of output levels for each menu. Since you need extended run times I would suggest the "Adventure program" menu. This menu has a nice 500 lumen mid-mode that allows you to see real well. Coupled with the Gloworm 6-cell Panasonic battery ( an option when you buy ) you should have no problem getting a 5hr+ ride in. My second choice for lamp would be one of the Gemini series of lamps, either the Duo or Olympia. The Gemini's are nice because they allow the user to program the output of each of the modes. That is a great option for someone who wants to have extended rides.

Once again, a dynamo might work real well for someone who has the type of rides that you do. I suggest looking into a dynamo K-lite
You might want to check out this thread .


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## SmooveP (Nov 30, 2007)

A second battery is another option for longer rides.


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

Nitatunarabe said:


> I want to buy a front light for my Moonlander. I have a budget of about 300 - 350 USD and want to get some really good device for my money.
> 
> My preferences are:
> 1. The light should be mounted on a handlebar (not a on-helmet device);
> ...


 Have you considered Scar's hand built lights?? The ( Amoeba). For the long run times you want and as much battery protection from the elements as one could hope for, he could customize and maybe put in some extra insulation on the battery pack for you. This may help you in your SHORT 4/5 hour rides.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

+1 for the Amoeba reccommendation. Scar has lots of cold weather riding experience too. He will be able to put together the best possible system based on your requirements.


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## smthgfshy (Nov 11, 2010)

I live in ak and ride a fatbike. Bar mounted light is great. I've got a gloworm x2 and I love it. However I would not recommend it for cold weather. The cord is too thin and gets very stiff in 0F temps. I'd say go for the amoeba and have scar build it with some arctic cord and an especially big battery.


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## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

Never heard about scar's amoeba. I've emailed him some questions, will see his answer. The main difficulty with amoeba for me is the lack of the info about this light.


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

indebt, Vancbiker, and smthgfshy thanks for the shout out, you guys rock :thumbsup:


I saw this post last week but saw that he was looking at MagicShine and other Chinese lights and thought he was concerned more about price than quality.


Nitatunarabe - I sent you a detailed email with some info on me and my lights. I don't advertise other than word of mouth and posting up here on MTBR. I have a full time day job and I can only build so many lights on the weekends. When I start to get too many orders on backlog then I start to feel really overwhelmed. I like to try to control the interest by keeping it somewhat "underground". 



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

scar said:


> ....I saw this post last week but saw that he was looking at MagicShine and *other Chinese lights* and thought he was concerned more about price than quality...


*WHAT!* :eekster: You mean you're not Chinese!? ....but I thought everyone who made bike lights was Chinese. ...OMG...I thought all this time....all the recommendations....and now I find out....*YOUR NOT CHINESE!*.... 
:cryin::bluefrown::lol::winker: ( You just been CAt-winked )


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

Too funny. 

Thanks for the thread bump

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## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

scar said:


> that he was looking at MagicShine and other Chinese lights and thought he was concerned more about price than quality.


First of all, _"she"_, not "he", to be correct 
The second is the fact that Magicshines are very popular lights, when one start to reading about bike light systems, the first thing that he/she meet will probably be one of MS's lights. So, being concerned about the price (yes, it's true), I also want to get a good quality at the same time. I prefer to increase the budget (if neccessary) and get a good lights than to buy a cheap piece of junk.



scar said:


> Nitatunarabe - I sent you a detailed email with some info on me and my lights.


Thank you, *scar*! I've received it.
----

So, my main options are (I want two lights: one on a helmet and the other on a handlebar, just a reminder):
1. To get one Serfas True TSL 1500 and one scar's Amoeba;
2. To get two TSL 1500s;
3. To get two Amoebas;
4. To get something else;

What do you say, guys? Maybe I should discard my requirement of two lights and get only one? Or something else?


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

In the temperatures you going to be riding in any battery is going to have a difficult time dealing with a frame mounted location. As for the TSL 1500 despite been bright, i have read reports of questionable run times in good conditions so take it for what it is. For your money i would still give scar a shot as he is always riding in cold snowy conditions, and i'm sure he will give you the strait goods on battery performance and what he can do for you,and what you should expect. -22F is F#^%$ cold and if he can build you something that can function in those conditions, he would probably be one of just a select few.


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## Bizman (Oct 11, 2010)

Nitatunarabe said:


> I want to buy a front light for my Moonlander. I have a budget of about 300 - 350 USD and want to get some really good device for my money.
> 
> Any suggestions? Can I get a nice light for this price or should I increase the budget?


It's funny you talk about this LOL. I have been enjoying night rides on my Tallboy and my Lynskey road bike after purchasing front & rear lights a little over a year ago. I just got a Moonlander the other day and loving it. I just did my first night ride on it tonight, what a blast, I really like riding at night, and the snow is a "plus" on the Fat Bike!!

I have the Dinotte 1200L + front light and 300R rear light. I only use the rear light when I am riding on the road bike but I am sure if you felt the need to use it on the trails at night you could, I haven't saw the need? The 1200 works great mounted on my handlebar for a front light with the battery mounted on my top tube and have been very happy with it! It also comes with a helmut mount if you would so choose to do that. I would definitly by another Dinotte as the quality and support are there.

I have not saw a need for a helmet light but I am sure it would add to your ride, and couldn't hurt. As some have said you really can't have to much light and especially for trail riding. I would always carry some kind of extra light just for safety in case something did happen to your main light.

Hope your enjoying your Moonlander, now get a light and enjoy the night, good luck with your search/purchase!


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## Nitatunarabe (Jul 29, 2012)

Finally, I've got the Amoebas. Great lights. Here are the beamshots.


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## indebt (Nov 8, 2009)

Good to here you got your light. Looks like a lot of lumens and great beam spread. Is it a duel or tripple led? Good luck in all that snow, ours here is almost gone and it's time to get back into it. Cheers!!!


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

Nitatunarabe - Glad to hear the Amoeba's finally got to Russia. Beamshots look great :thumbsup:

indebt - That would be a triple XM-L2 Amoeba (3C tint)




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