# Exposure Diablo Mk2



## radirpok (Feb 1, 2006)

What is the ultimate helmet light? If you have a powerful bar light and don't need massive throw for fast descents then there are some obvious choices: for example Scar's Amoeba (https://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=55479) or the quite similar Lupine Piko - 2 XPGs, ~500-600 lumen output, small size and weight, separate, customizable battery source.

But here is another option: if you care for the simplest, cable free design, and don't care that much about the runtime (or don't plan using your light constantly in high mode), you may be aware of Exposure Lights, and their helmet lights, the Joystick (that's been available for 5-6 years now), and a newcomer, the Diablo.










They had the Diablo last year, but it was not convincing (for me at least) because of the short runtime and limited brightness, also the XPG was already on the horizon... and I didn't like the beam pattern - I decided it was not what I wanted on my helmet.

This year, however, Exposure Lights upgraded the Diablo, and now it has 3 XPGs, with a boosted brightness and/or runtime. It doesn't have a reflector anymore, so the beam pattern is better (IMHO).










I hesitated about whether to buy the Joystick (a single XPG is bright enough for most of my riding), but it wasn't that much cheaper, and the beam pattern is tighter, which I didn't want. So I bought probably one of the first Diablos that were available in the UK... I've finally ridden it on a proper night ride, so I thought I'd post a short review about my first impressions.

Design, quality: A-
The battery is not user replaceable (if it is replaceable at all), so in the long term it's going to cause problems (hopefully the integrated battery cell is a good quality one!).
Otherwise build quality is top notch, my only complaint is about the button - it's not as easily clickable as Lupine's, and because the light can be freely rotated in the mount you first have to find it... on the plus side, it will not turn on accidentally, for example in your Camelbak.

Features: A
There are three light levels (not user changeable), a flash mode, and a rough battery level indicator (again, three levels). If you are used to Lupine, you may be missing some functionality, but in reality it's not a big deal.

Helmet mount: A+
Although it cannot be removed without a hex key, once secured it provides an excellent holder for the light. It stays as you set it, but still the light can be rotated freely in any direction. Even better, it sits on the middle of the helmet and therefore it is extremely well balanced - combined with the low weight you _really_ won't notice it at all. One small problem is that because it sits relatively high it can easily catch branches if you are riding in a jungle-like terrain - but the mount seems strong enough to hold the light body even in such conditions.

Handlebar mount: B-
This is perhaps the biggest weakness of this light. The mount is not quick release - I mean, you can remove the light itself, but the mount stays on the bike - definitely not good if you plan on using two or more bikes. Even worse, you cannot aim left-right or even up-down (this latter can be done if you do not tighten the screw), and the worst is the struggling with the extra spacer required for 25.4 bars. Sorry Exposure, in 2010/2011 it is simply not acceptable to have a mount like this, and it also makes the other bar mounted lights much less appealing. The score will be a C next year, if you do not provide at least a quick release mount option!

Extras: you can buy some really nice accessories for this light, two of which I bought: a beacon that makes the light diffuse - thus making it more suitable for ambient lighting, and the red backlight, which despite its miniscule size and low power consumption is surprisingly powerful. A welcome accessory would be a wireless remote control, eg. if you could control your helmet light from the handlebar... just my wish.

The one thing I don't get is the "Piggyback" battery, which I didn't buy, and I'm not sure if its worth it. The problem is that it's not simply an extra pool of power for your light - it is a charging unit. And the problem is that the light cannot be used on the high setting while charging... so you are forced to dim your light, unless you want to plug it in for the whole ride, which makes the whole "cable free" stuff non-cable-free. Perhaps someone from Exposure could clarify if I'm wrong here?

Charger: A+
The charger is the best concept I've seen so far (sorry Lupine), because it doesn't exist at all! Well, that's not quite true, but the point is that you get a USB cable which you can plug in to your computer and charge your light (even if only at a slow pace). There is a plug charger that also provides 1.6A power (meaning much faster charging than the standard USB), but it came with a UK plug therefore for me it is useless at the moment.

Lighting: A+
Finally, to the point at last!
I bought the Diablo to complement my Lupine Wilma on the bars, which is the older P4 version with the wide lens: ~700 real lumens, excellent beam pattern, I really love it. The Diablo promises 900 lumens on high, which could be close to reality, as it is brighter than the Wilma.
The beam pattern is similar to the narrow Wilma and maybe even to the Dinotte 600L pattern: ~15 degrees, no hotspot and no beam cut (like the Tesla), it is excellent, and my favourite beam pattern and width for the helmet. Yes, it is not a "thrower", but for my purposes it is more than enough!

When combined with the Wilma, I found the following settings useful:

Wilma on 100%, Diablo on 100%: the Diablo overpowers the Wilma, which struggles to keep up with the brightness - but it's a useful combination, and ~1500 lumens altogether which is really nice. Recommended for "Schotter" downhilling, up to ~50 kmh. If you ride faster you should seriously consider buying a Wilma XPG or even a Betty XPG though!

Wilma on 100%, Diablo on 50%: I found this the most useful setting. The lights are quite balanced in this case, and the Diablo's half power is still enough for general riding, even descending. And of course, the best thing is that the runtime increases significantly. An all-round setting, this is what I think I'm going to use most of the time.

Wilma on 60%, Diablo on low (25%?): this is also a balanced setting, good for climbing or comfortable cruising.

Diablo on it's own: I was surprised to find this useable, after all my firm belief is that a light on the bars is more useful than a helmet light, if you can only have one light, by all means mount it on your handlebar... but I found that the high mode of the Diablo is almost sufficient alone.
As a handlebar light, it can definitely be used for commuting, and even on the road (on medium). It reminded me of the Dinotte 200L I used to own, with the only difference being that it hardly weighs more, but on low it runs for 8-10 hours without an external battery!

One thing I noticed about the Diablo's light levels is that in the lower modes the width of the beam remains almost the same, only the throw is decreased, and this transforms the beam pattern to a more floody one. Which is exactly what you want when you are riding slowly, or are looking around to check the trails on your left or right, or simply find your way through rock gardens!

Summary: A+, with room for further improvements ;-)
I would say that for the price, and for the type of riding that I do this is _the_ perfect helmet light. Your mileage may vary, for example the Piko (for about the same price) is a more professional light, more flexible, but you may not need that flexibility and the Cable Free world is a great experience.

PS: sorry no beamshots, the weather was not cooperative last night...

PS2: I will try out the Diablo with the Wilma XPG on the bars - I'm not sure if it will work, but worth a try anyway.... it would be nice if the Wilma could match the Diablo's high mode!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Thanks for the review. I ordered a Toro and Diablo combo a while ago and it hasn't shown. I contacted Ibex Sports to ask what was the deal and they informed me about the changeover and how I'll be getting the newer, improved lights. I should have them any day now. I'm freakin' stoked. 
Wow! Only thing I'm not likin' is not being able to service the battery myself. What's with that? I do have an insane set of tools... Maybe we'll see about that.


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## phidailo (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks for the review. I have a an older enduro model on the handlebars and currently on the fence between the joystick and diablo for the helmet.


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## Shurenuff (Sep 20, 2009)

Quick question in regards to the battery. I know it's not meant to be user serviceable, but is there a way to send it in to get a replacement battery installed when the original battery runs out of life or are you SOL?

I just bought a 2011 Maxx-D and would like to know.


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## IBEX Sports (Oct 30, 2008)

Great review, thanks for taking the time. I would just like to add some answers/comments to what you've written.



radirpok said:


> The one thing I don't get is the "Piggyback" battery, which I didn't buy, and I'm not sure if its worth it. The problem is that it's not simply an extra pool of power for your light - it is a charging unit. And the problem is that the light cannot be used on the high setting while charging... so you are forced to dim your light, unless you want to plug it in for the whole ride, which makes the whole "cable free" stuff non-cable-free. Perhaps someone from Exposure could clarify if I'm wrong here?


The Piggyback battery does allow the light to be used in high or all output levels in fact.
The way the PB works is- When used from the start of a ride, the PB charges the main unit until the PB is drained and then the Diablo battery takes over to extend the burn time. You can get 2:45 min on high with the 2011 Diablo and 1 cell Piggy. We would agree that it essentially turns a cable free light into a non-cable free light, but at 198g with 1cell PB. It's still one of the lightest helmet lights on the market.



radirpok said:


> One small problem is that because it sits relatively high it can easily catch branches if you are riding in a jungle-like terrain


With all due respect, Ive never really understood this criticism...It's sits no higher on the helmet than other systems on the market, even the famous MS light head...but maybe it's just my love for the Exposure Brand.



radirpok said:


> Handlebar mount: B-
> This is perhaps the biggest weakness of this light. The mount is not quick release - I mean, you can remove the light itself, but the mount stays on the bike - definitely not good if you plan on using two or more bikes. Even worse, you cannot aim left-right or even up-down (this latter can be done if you do not tighten the screw), and the worst is the struggling with the extra spacer required for 25.4 bars. Sorry Exposure, in 2010/2011 it is simply not acceptable to have a mount like this, and it also makes the other bar mounted lights much less appealing. The score will be a C next year, if you do not provide at least a quick release mount option!


The Diablo was mainly designed as a helmet light, but folks wanted the ability to use it on the bars as well. So a compromise must be made and we believe it to be the best one for the products. The Exposure mount (for all bar lights) which the Diablo uses with the special cleat/clip, is a ROCK Solid clamp. With any of the bar mounted lights clipped into the bar mount, you get ZERO light wobble and with the bar lights it truly is a Quick Release light. With the Diablo, you have two options, the fancy aluminum QR clamp with clip or a minimalist Zip Tie bar mount, which works great on the roadie/commuter rig.



radirpok said:


> Design, quality: A-
> The battery is not user replaceable (if it is replaceable at all), so in the long term it's going to cause problems (hopefully the integrated battery cell is a good quality one!).
> Otherwise build quality is top notch, my only complaint is about the button - it's not as easily clickable as Lupine's, and because the light can be freely rotated in the mount you first have to find it... on the plus side, it will not turn on accidentally, for example in your Camelbak.


The batteries are not user replaceable, but they can be replaced by Exposure in the event something goes wrong or is defective. Exposure uses the highest quality Sanyo lithium-ion batteries available. We have had great success with the batteries on all lights, even now five year old Joysticks still running strong. All Exposure Lights are under warranty for two years from date of purchase and lifetime warranty on the LED's.
Exposure tells us with regular use and proper care (off season usage) one should expect up to five years time on the batteries, also in part due to less rapid charges. Exposure's have a longer charge time specific per model.

2011 Lights are shipping out daily with more stock arriving every day. Nyrr496, you should send me a PM so we can make sure you've got an order in the system. We've been shipping Diablos and Toros for a little over a week.

IBEX Sports is the sole importer/distributor for Exposure Lights in North America. The lights are also now available at your favorite LBS by special order. We also offer customer service and tech support for people who bought lights from us or one of our dealers in the US or Canada.


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## Shurenuff (Sep 20, 2009)

[email protected] Lights USA said:


> The batteries are not user replaceable, but they can be replaced by Exposure in the event something goes wrong or is defective. Exposure uses the highest quality Sanyo lithium-ion batteries available. We have had great success with the batteries on all lights, even now five year old Joysticks still running strong. All Exposure Lights are under warranty for two years from date of purchase and lifetime warranty on the LED's.
> Exposure tells us with regular use and proper care (off season usage) one should expect up to five years time on the batteries, also in part due to less rapid charges. Exposure's have a longer charge time specific per model.


So the battery is only replaceable by Exposure if something goes wrong or is defective during the warranty period? There is no service offered to replace batteries outside of this period when run times really start to drop? 5 years of use from the original batteries is great, but it sure would be nice to be able to have the option of servicing the unit when needed.

Realistically, I know that I'd upgrade anyways after 3-4 years of use, it would just be nice to be able to get the old unit serviced years down the road with a new battery to either borrow out or use as a spare.

BTW, I really like my Maxx-D. I'm considering next years version of the Diablo to compliment it as a helmet light.


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## IBEX Sports (Oct 30, 2008)

Shurenuff said:


> So the battery is only replaceable by Exposure if something goes wrong or is defective during the warranty period? There is no service offered to replace batteries outside of this period when run times really start to drop? 5 years of use from the original batteries is great, but it sure would be nice to be able to have the option of servicing the unit when needed.


Actually no, the batteries are serviceable well beyond the warranty period and we or your LBS (LBS would essentially send it to us) would handle it for you, we send the lights to Exposure for factory service and then turn them around (24-48 hours) back to us and then we send to you. I am sure there are many DIY guys who could service the battery as well, which would void the warranty inside of the two years.



Shurenuff said:


> BTW, I really like my Maxx-D. I'm considering next years version of the Diablo to compliment it as a helmet light.


That's an excellent choice! I have been riding with my 2011 Diablo for about a month and it is amazing. For me, it definitely can be used on it's own, but at times (blasting downhill) it compliments my Six Pack quite nicely!

One thing quite unique to Exposure Lights USA/ IBEX Sports that I also wanted to add in regards to any Exposure Light that was purchased from us needing service is, if it's a case where you are right in the middle of the season using your light daily for commuting or 3 MTB rides a week, we will offer loaner lights to people. It's not something we have to do often, but we are happy to keep people riding as much as possible.

Thanks for your support Shurenuff!


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## radirpok (Feb 1, 2006)

Here's a crappy beamshot, the only one that was even remotely usable. That's the best my pocket camera could do. Exposure 6 secs, F2.8 ISO 100.

The Diablo was on my head, so it's quite realistic in terms of what one would see (eg. compared to handlebar-mounted beamshots). The trees are in about a 40-50 meters distance.









In comparison I can show you a beamshot of the Dinotte 600L, a few years back, made with the same camera, this was taken with an exposure of 8 secs:









And another one: the Lupine Tesla, again, with 8 seconds exposure:









While these beamshots are not directly comparable, I think they give a fair view of how these lights compare. The Diablo is easily the brightest, has a tighter spot than the 600L, but its throw is less than the Tesla's hotspot.

PS: I also upgraded the Wilma to the XPGs and took it with me. Unfortunately the camera's light sensor was fooled by the Wilma, and it made pictures with a 1.6 sec exposure time...

So let me try to say a few words about it without a beamshot. The Wilma XPG's _brightness_ is on a different level even when compared to the Diablo - it's not simply brighter but it was described by outsider spectators as "daylight", and it fits - the color spectrum is very much similar to natural sunlight. Even the Diablo's 900 lumens seem like a dim halogen bulb compared to it. HOWEVER, when it comes to the beam pattern, the Wilma loses... it is tight, and outside the main beam there are a lot of annoying and distracting artifacts. It is also a bit like the Telsa in that it has a hotspot (although a larger one), and a side spill. Not very good for the helmet, IMHO. So while the Wilma's throw is really good, I wouldn't want to use it as a helmet light (not so bad on the road though...). Sadly it has nothing in common with what I love so much about the P4 wide lens... shame on you, Lupine, shame on you.


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## woodyak (Jan 20, 2004)

I'm in the market for a new headlamp after the whole Magicshine debacle. This headlamp has really peaked my interest. I ride mostly 2 to 3 hour rides with my buds and I do the occasional 24 hour solo race. My wife rides and races at night as well so I'd really like to get our lighting nailed down. Currently, I'm using the MagicShine as a headlamp with 2 failing batteries. I also ordered a new battery for my Iblaast 2 headlamp which will replace the MagicShine lights, but I've had many battery issues with the Iblaast already and I'm not confident that the new battery will fix it. So I have some questions about the Diablo Mk2.


Could it be used as an "only light" on medium? About how many lumens would you say this light puts out on medium? 
Does this light work with the 3 cell piggy? If so, how many hours on high would that provide? 
I do 24 hour races solo. I'm thinking maybe this light with 2 - 3 cell piggy's and just swap the piggy's every 2 hours or so, would that work? 
 btw, why no helmet mount for the Toro? That seems like it'd be the perfect "only" light.


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## IBEX Sports (Oct 30, 2008)

woodyak said:


> I'm in the market for a new headlamp after the whole Magicshine debacle. This headlamp has really peaked my interest. I ride mostly 2 to 3 hour rides with my buds and I do the occasional 24 hour solo race. My wife rides and races at night as well so I'd really like to get our lighting nailed down. Currently, I'm using the MagicShine as a headlamp with 2 failing batteries. I also ordered a new battery for my Iblaast 2 headlamp which will replace the MagicShine lights, but I've had many battery issues with the Iblaast already and I'm not confident that the new battery will fix it. So I have some questions about the Diablo Mk2.
> 
> Could it be used as an "only light" on medium? About how many lumens would you say this light puts out on medium?
> Does this light work with the 3 cell piggy? If so, how many hours on high would that provide?
> ...


Thanks for considering the Diablo, in short it kicks ass!

A lot of people who have given us feedback and myself included use the Diablo on it's own. Though I do add a single cell piggyback battery to the kit and run it on high most the time. The Diablo in Medium is 300 lumens (low is 150 lumens) and it is as bright as the Joystick, with a larger and far reaching (by comparions to the Joystick) beam pattern.

The Diablo does work with a 3 cell battery, as do all the lights. The burn time with the Diablo and 3 cell is 5 hours. Your thought on swapping out the Diablo and two 3 cell batteries would work nicely for a 24 hour race.

The Toro would be very heavy on the helmet, it's much better to run it on the bars.


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## woodyak (Jan 20, 2004)

[email protected] Lights USA said:


> Thanks for considering the Diablo, in short it kicks ass!
> 
> A lot of people who have given us feedback and myself included use the Diablo on it's own. Though I do add a single cell piggyback battery to the kit and run it on high most the time. The Diablo in Medium is 300 lumens (low is 150 lumens) and it is as bright as the Joystick, with a larger and far reaching (by comparions to the Joystick) beam pattern.
> 
> ...


Since the external battery is recharging vs. supplying actual power how does it drain? Does it drain the external battery first then start using the built in battery? I'm just trying to figure when I'd have to swap it. If I got 5 hours total of battery life I'm assuming I could get away with swapping the 3 cell out every 4 hours. Is that enough time for the 3 cell to charge?

Also, approximately how big is the 3 cell battery? How big is the one cell battery?

Are there currently any deals going on with this light?


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

I think this looks like a kick-butt little light. One Q I have is if the piggyback is small/light enough to stay stuck with velcro like the Amoeba batteries are pictured being held down. BTW, loved your "James Bond" pics on Facebook... I'm a 'fan'.


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## IBEX Sports (Oct 30, 2008)

woodyak said:


> Since the external battery is recharging vs. supplying actual power how does it drain? Does it drain the external battery first then start using the built in battery? I'm just trying to figure when I'd have to swap it. If I got 5 hours total of battery life I'm assuming I could get away with swapping the 3 cell out every 4 hours. Is that enough time for the 3 cell to charge?
> 
> Also, approximately how big is the 3 cell battery? How big is the one cell battery?
> 
> Are there currently any deals going on with this light?


You are correct, the piggyback drains while charging the main unit, then the main unit battery kicks in.

The 3 cell batteries are 12 hours from fully depleted to fully charged.

3 Cell battery is 86mm long and 43mm in diameter 122g
1 cell is 82mm long, 23.5mm in diameter 45g

EDIT- No current deals on the Diablo, but you can use the coupon code *FREE* for free shipping.


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## IBEX Sports (Oct 30, 2008)

gticlay said:


> I think this looks like a kick-butt little light. One Q I have is if the piggyback is small/light enough to stay stuck with velcro like the Amoeba batteries are pictured being held down. BTW, loved your "James Bond" pics on Facebook... I'm a 'fan'.


The single cell piggyback are securely mounted to the helmet with a velcro strap and along with the Diablo it's under 200g on the helmet at 2.5 hour burn time.

The James Bond pics are all due to be credited to the MTBR Crew and Francois who posted them on the MTBR facebook page. Thanks Francois!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

My Toro and Diablo showed up a week and a half ago. Went on a few night rides. Absolutely awesome lights. Ran em both on medium. More light than you need on high.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

I'm glad you like that Radirpok. The Diablo was my favorite last year and I used it every week throughout the year even when I was not riding. I had it with me everywhere as I checked mail, walked the dog, etc.

The old Diablo was rated at 700 lumens and the new one is at 900. But according to my measurements, the old one was 33 lux and the new one comes in at 63 lux. Why so much brighter? Well last year, all their lights were optimistic when it came to lumen ratings. This year, with the switch to Cree XPGs, the lumen ratings are much more realistic.

I'm switching to the new Diablo. What run times are you getting btw?

Here's some beam shots.

2009 Diablo









2010 Diablo with 3 XPGs









fc


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

Where are the 6-up pics man! I really want to see what the light I'm gonna win looks like


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## radirpok (Feb 1, 2006)

francois said:


> I'm glad you like that Radirpok. The Diablo was my favorite last year and I used it every week throughout the year even when I was not riding. I had it with me everywhere as I checked mail, walked the dog, etc.
> 
> I'm switching to the new Diablo. What run times are you getting btw?


I second that, Francois, I keep getting surprised how versatile this little light is. I've already had a caving session with it, once it got me back home from a walk, and there was even a power outage that it helped me get through ;-)

The runtimes I cannot comment, because I've been without a backup piggyback (just arrived this week) and so I was very cautious with using it on high. Used mostly on medium, and on my regular daily 2-3 hour rides it never even gave me a warning signal...

Oh yes, another thing. This light just ROCKS as a road light! Once my longer road ride took so long that it got dark early, and I still had about 2hrs to ride back home. I just happened to have my Diablo in the backpack (yeah, another point for versatility), but it wasn't charged after the ride on the previous day. So I put it on low (~150 lumens) just to make sure I had enough juice left, and enjoyed the stars while riding in pitch black - I was not riding too fast, and it was enough light to see the dry surfaces.

There are some minor quirks with it, but overall, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this light to anyone, and would consider buying a second one, just in case...


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## radirpok (Feb 1, 2006)

woodyak said:


> I'm in the market for a new headlamp after the whole Magicshine debacle. This headlamp has really peaked my interest. I ride mostly 2 to 3 hour rides with my buds and I do the occasional 24 hour solo race. My wife rides and races at night as well so I'd really like to get our lighting nailed down. Currently, I'm using the MagicShine as a headlamp with 2 failing batteries. I also ordered a new battery for my Iblaast 2 headlamp which will replace the MagicShine lights, but I've had many battery issues with the Iblaast already and I'm not confident that the new battery will fix it. So I have some questions about the Diablo Mk2.
> 
> 
> Could it be used as an "only light" on medium? About how many lumens would you say this light puts out on medium?
> ...


OK, short "IMO" answers:
0. Compared to the Magicshine, this light has a different beam pattern. The Magicshine is has a hotspot in the middle, then a larger, dimmer halo around it. IMO it is not very good for helmet mounting. The Diablo on the other hand has an even pool of light, without a hotspot.
1. YMMV. If you are used to riding with a single light, then the answer is yes. The Diablo's medium mode is above the ~200 lumen threshold which I think is necessary for a single light. Heck, even the low mode is almost that bright.
2. It does work with both external batteries, quoted time with the 3 cell is +3 hours, no experience with it.
3. Well, again IMO, but this MAY not be your perfect 24 hour race light. For that purpose I would get a light with an external battery pack, the Lupine Piko, for example. But I don't do 24 hour races, so don't listen to me ;-)
4. The Toro is way too heavy to be put on helmet.

For the 2-3 hour rides I'd say this is a perfect light, even more so if you dim it when you don't need the full power.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

I just had a revelation. The Diablo Mk.2 at medium level is about the same as Diablo Mk.1 at high (30 lux vs. 33 lux)

Thus running the Mk.2 at medium is about equal to what I had last year with the Mk.1 and I get 3 hours of run time instead of 1.

I'm running the light right now at medium til it dies to measure run time. It's cool that the light hardly gets hot since it's at medium and the whole case is a heat sink.

fc


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## lanpope (Jan 6, 2004)

francois said:


> I just had a revelation.


So have you been using the Diablo as a stand alone light on actual trail rides?

I assume as a helmet mount....

Satisfied?

LP


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

lanpope said:


> So have you been using the Diablo as a stand alone light on actual trail rides?
> 
> I assume as a helmet mount....
> 
> ...


I've used the 33 lux light last year by itself. It was pretty good.

The new one at 63 lux is outstanding!!! Definitely can use that by itself and descend well.

As always, it helps when I'm solo and there's not thousands of lumens from my friends.

fc


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

Ok, run time at medium level is 3:24 hours. At that point, it stepped down to 'low' mode. Starting light meter reading was 29 lux. At the end, it was 25 lux. All these lights dim as the battery charge decreases..

At high, run time was 1:08 hours with an initial brightness of 63 lux

Rear indicator light turns red then flashing red before stepping down. A piggyback battery is available and recommended but I don't think I need one for the Mk.2 version.

This is awesome! Great run time and brightness at medium power for a 110 gram light.

fc


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

You ran it for 3 hours without a fan!?!?!?!??!


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

gticlay said:


> You ran it for 3 hours without a fan!?!?!?!??!


No fan. It couldn't even keep my cold hands warm.

fc


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

francois said:


> No fan. It couldn't even keep my cold hands warm.
> 
> fc


That's cool - my MTE-15 flashlight gets way hot at full with a runtime of 1:05 and it doesn't put out the lumen/lux you are posting for the Diablo MK2.


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## woodyak (Jan 20, 2004)

Well the Diablo came in tonight. I picked up the Diablo with the 1 cell battery so I can get 3 hours on high w/o having any wires coming from the helmet. I plan on picking up the 3 cell battery this spring when the 24 hour racing gets closer for extended burn times. I did get a quick rip in on my local trails and here are my thoughts:

Background: 
I've been night riding in the Boston area for about 10 years now. I started out with a Halogen head lamp and bar light. I later moved on to a Trailtech HID light then onto an Iblaast II using the Trailtech battery and then the MagicShine light. None of these lighting systems have been very reliable so I'm hoping to change my luck with this light. My trails are very technical with a mix slow and fast areas. Around here bar lights are only used to augment the helmet light. Running a bar light alone would be very dangerous on these trails. I should know I've done it with bad results  We ride year round and in all conditions. I should also mention that I'm a minimalist who does not like having to deal with multiple chargers and light mounts and such. So one light for me please.

Packaging:
Very professionally packaged. The case is large enough to fit the light, helmet mount, charger, wires, spare batteries, and manual without having to force things to fit. The light itself looks pretty slick with the laser etching. Another bonus was the light came fully charged! No waiting to try it out.

Helmet mount:
Loving the helmet mount. There is a good amount of flexibility in how you can mount the light. Every other light I've used had a mount system that involved tweaking velcro straps which limited where you could mount things, leading to an unevenly weighted helmet. I found the light to ride much lower off the helmet than any of the other lights I've used. The eyeball style joint lets you point the light wherever you want and it's sticky enough that it won't slip when you get jostled. I love how you can just pop it on and off the helmet w/o dealing with velcro straps. The only downside to this setup is that you can't transfer the light to another helmet w/o tools. I picked up a 2nd helmet mount for my wife's helmet. That way there's no fuss.

The 1 cell battery mounts to the back of your helmet with a velcro style strap. Not a great system but it works. This is actually more flexible because the back of the helmet is kind of a funky place to mount things. The 1 cell battery is really light. I barely noticed a difference with it on there.

Functionality:
The system is pretty simple to understand. The manual is short and easy to follow. Turning the light on and off and bouncing around the various modes is a no-brainer. The status lights make sense on both the light and the charger. I was able to use the light switch with my winter riding gloves w/o any problems. The charger uses a USB connection, which I'm assuming allows me to charge the light from my laptop if I had to. The listed charging times seem pretty quick. I also like how this thing is the size of a normal flashlight. This will come in handy around the house and the campsite. 

Lighting:
Wow this thing is bright! Both the Iblaast and the MS lights were rated the same as the Diablo at 900 lumen but the Diablo blows them both away in all categories. 1st off it's way brighter. The other 2 lights are slightly brighter than the Diablo's medium setting but not even close to the Diablo on high. The spread is excellent with a nice depth and width range and no terrible bright spots or peripheral blobs. The color is a nice soft white light and is very consistent. I found myself hitting little kickers and rock stunts that I would never hit in the dark before.

Medium:
Running the light on medium was my biggest question with this light. 3 hours of wireless use-able light seems like a dream. Well, I'll need to spend more time to really give an honest opinion on medium. Like I said earlier the light almost matched the brightness of my other lights while on medium. I actually liked this light better on medium than the others because the spread is better with more consistent light. The slow techy stuff was fine, the medium speed flowy stuff was fine, and the fireroad grind was fine. But when the trail turned fast I found myself avoiding hitting those little kickers and drops. I needed more light. I plan on going for a full 2.5 hour ride tomorrow with my buds. This will be a better test with actual adrenalin going and 5 or 6 various lights bouncing around the trail. I will say one thing is that I feel that I can do the majority of my race courses on medium. This will greatly expand the hours I get out of the light.

Overall I'm very excited about this light and can't wait to put it through its paces.


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## lanpope (Jan 6, 2004)

woodyak said:


> Well the Diablo came in tonight.
> 
> Overall I'm very excited about this light and can't wait to put it through its paces.


Great review. Keep us in the loop as you use the light more. I am considering your exact set up as my light for rest of 2010/2011.

LP


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

That is some great information - thanks for taking the time do do that. I have one on backorder. I'm kind of freaking out having spent $325 on a 'flashlight' 

You are sort of complaining about the exact same thing I like to complain about. High is nice and almost no lights have a good mid-high 4th setting. Something that is brighter than medium and has way better run time than high. Something that maybe runs for 1:45 or 2:00 with the single cell it comes with that you can use for everything except the faster trails.



woodyak said:


> Well the Diablo came in tonight. I picked up the Diablo with the 1 cell battery so I can get 3 hours on high w/o having any wires coming from the helmet. I plan on picking up the 3 cell battery this spring when the 24 hour racing gets closer for extended burn times. I did get a quick rip in on my local trails and here are my thoughts:
> 
> Background:
> I've been night riding in the Boston area for about 10 years now. I started out with a Halogen head lamp and bar light. I later moved on to a Trailtech HID light then onto an Iblaast II using the Trailtech battery and then the MagicShine light. None of these lighting systems have been very reliable so I'm hoping to change my luck with this light. My trails are very technical with a mix slow and fast areas. Around here bar lights are only used to augment the helmet light. Running a bar light alone would be very dangerous on these trails. I should know I've done it with bad results  We ride year round and in all conditions. I should also mention that I'm a minimalist who does not like having to deal with multiple chargers and light mounts and such. So one light for me please.
> ...


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## damnilocano (Oct 23, 2009)

This light is on my list with a budget of about $200.

Since the run time on high is 1hr, does it just die? I've only owned the Magicshine but never really kept track of run times.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

damnilocano said:


> This light is on my list with a budget of about $200.
> 
> Since the run time on high is 1hr, does it just die? I've only owned the Magicshine but never really kept track of run times.


I tested it and it runs to 1:10. The indicator light turns red then flashing red. Then at 1:10 it steps down to medium, then low. There's about 10 minutes left I think.

On medium only, it ran for over 3 hours.

fc


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## damnilocano (Oct 23, 2009)

Thanks for the information!


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## woodyak (Jan 20, 2004)

gticlay said:


> That is some great information - thanks for taking the time do do that. I have one on backorder. I'm kind of freaking out having spent $325 on a 'flashlight'
> 
> You are sort of complaining about the exact same thing I like to complain about. High is nice and almost no lights have a good mid-high 4th setting. Something that is brighter than medium and has way better run time than high. Something that maybe runs for 1:45 or 2:00 with the single cell it comes with that you can use for everything except the faster trails.


I get the impression that they designed this light to run on medium as an augment to a super bright handlebar light. It would be cool if they offered that 4th setting to give you a hair over 2 hours of light. What would be really cool would be if they made a software app that let you program the light to control your options and when it steps down. That would be sick!

As an aside I tested it over the weekend with the "wee piggy" battery. I got about 2:50 minutes running it on high the whole time. I left it on at the end of my ride as I got home early and I did not notice it step down before it went out. I was under the impression that once the headlamp battery got below 50% that it would step down to medium with the piggy plugged in. This did not happen (which I'm happy about), but I also didn't see it step down to low at the very end. I'll have to give it another test to make sure it steps down properly at the end. I'm also contacting Steve to see what he thinks. I've had lights go black on me too many times in the past. Besides, that little issue I think this will work perfectly for me as my 1 light. I did not notice the extra weight of the battery at all. The battery is really tiny and light. Besides, I mounted it on the back of my helmet which helps distribute the weight more evenly. This is how I plan on running the light for the majority of my riding. Yeah, it's "semi-wireless" but It was still pretty cool to not have wires coming out of my Camelbak or jersey pocket.


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