# Self Contained / Rechargeable / Removeable-Replaceable Batteries



## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

So what's out there right now in the world of bike lights that has a self contained removeable/replaceable battery that is also rechargeable with the batteries left in the light?

I have an Ituo Wiz20 that does all of this but wondering what other lights are out there that might be similar.

I HATE self contained lights where the battery isn't replaceable or if you do try to get at the battery you run the risk of damaging the light.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

prj71 said:


> So what's out there right now in the world of bike lights that has a self contained removeable/replaceable battery that is also rechargeable with the batteries left in the light?
> 
> I have an Ituo Wiz20 that does all of this but wondering what other lights are out there that might be similar.
> 
> I HATE self contained lights where the battery isn't replaceable or if you do try to get at the battery you run the risk of damaging the light.


The only bike light *that I know of* that uses normal cells that are field replaceable is the Magicshine Monteer 1400.

https://www.magicshine.us/product/monteer-1400-one-usb-bike-light/#reviews_summary

There a a few more that use proprietary batteries or battery packs (Magicshine Allty 2000, Cygolite Expilion 750/850, Gloworm CX, Moon Meteor Storm series).

If your willing to include flashlights there's and endless number of options. UI's have gotten a lot better and they offer some superior emitter options to what's typically used in bike light designs but I've not really found a mounting design I would describe as more than just functional.

If extending the usage time is all your looking for there are a few that can be charged while in operation (Gloworm CX, Outbound Hangover, and all the newer Ravemen lights) but then they are not really self-contained. Maybe classify them as self-contained RIO (recharge in operation)?

In the end it's pretty hard to beat an old Ituo Wiz20!
Mole


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks!!! That looks like the kind of light I'm looking for.


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

prj71 said:


> Thanks!!! That looks like the kind of light I'm looking for.


Hold on! You might like this better;  Fenix BC30 v2, 2200 lumen dual beam with wireless remote..$90.45. This link is for the one without batteries or charger. The full version includes charger and batteries and goes for about $139. This lamp is using two of the Luminus SST-40 N5 emitters. Not sure but I think these might be the 5000K version emitters. Need to check with Fenix to be sure. Run times are based on the two 2600mAh cells sold with the full kit version. I would imagine if you run two Panasonic or LG cells over 3400mAh that you will get even better run time. Damn, tempted to buy one of these myself!


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Hold on! You might like this better;  Fenix BC30 v2, 2200 lumen dual beam with wireless remote..$90.45. This link is for the one without batteries or charger. The full version includes charger and batteries and goes for about $139. This lamp is using two of the Luminus SST-40 N5 emitters. Not sure but I think these might be the 5000K version emitters. Need to check with Fenix to be sure. Run times are based on the two 2600mAh cells sold with the full kit version. I would imagine if you run two Panasonic or LG cells over 3400mAh that you will get even better run time. Damn, tempted to buy one of these myself!


I agree, that looks like a nice light! I have a Convoy S2+ with the 5000K SST40 and think it would make a great emitter for this application. Compared to similar XP-L lights I have it makes a few more lumens and more importantly has a longer runtime while doing it. I was just chatting with the CS people at Fenix and unfortunately the emitters used are the 6500K version. I'd have bought one if it weren't for that! Still a nice option and 6500K great for road use. Nice to know this light exists, Thanks Cat!
Mole


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

Hopefully the above suggestions are made with bar use in mind. Too heavy for helmet use.


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

MRMOLE said:


> I agree, that looks like a nice light! I have a Convoy S2+ with the 5000K SST40 and think it would make a great emitter for this application. Compared to similar XP-L lights I have it makes a few more lumens and more importantly has a longer runtime while doing it.* I was just chatting with the CS people at Fenix and unfortunately the emitters used are the 6500K version.* I'd have bought one if it weren't for that! Still a nice option and 6500K great for road use. Nice to know this light exists, Thanks Cat!
> Mole


Oh shoot! Since most Fenix lamps typically use NW emitters I thought maybe, just maybe they got hold of some NW SST-40's. Yep the SST-40's are quite efficient, can produce quite an output and unlike the Cree XHP series are one single die. If it had of been NW I might of bought one for MTB. Then again I'm still holding out for emitters in the 4500K range. The 6500K version should be fine for the road though and yes (* @ Vancbiker* ), the lamp is designed for the bars as it is using a version of cut-off optic lenses. Nice to see though that others are interested in a lamp with field serviceable batteries.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

fenix bc30 or bc30r is ten times the quality of magicshine


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Oh shoot! Since most Fenix lamps typically use NW emitters I thought maybe, just maybe they got hold of some NW SST-40's. .


That's exactly what I was thinking when I read your first post!



> Yep the SST-40's are quite efficient, can produce quite an output and unlike the Cree XHP series are one single die. If it had of been NW I might of bought one for MTB. Then again I'm still holding out for emitters in the 4500K range.


I'd have been happy enough with the 5000K SST40's to push the purchase button. I've been wondering how the SST40's would work in a bike light application and if the Fenix performance claims aren't overstated it looks pretty impressive. I still have a couple of extra basically unused Wiz20's that Ituo sent me last summer which might make a good host if it's feasible to reflow the SST40 emitters in place of the stock XM-L's:idea:. Time to do some research!
Mole


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Cat-man-do said:


> Hold on! You might like this better;  Fenix BC30 v2, 2200 lumen dual beam with wireless remote..$90.45. This link is for the one without batteries or charger. The full version includes charger and batteries and goes for about $139. This lamp is using two of the Luminus SST-40 N5 emitters. Not sure but I think these might be the 5000K version emitters. Need to check with Fenix to be sure. Run times are based on the two 2600mAh cells sold with the full kit version. I would imagine if you run two Panasonic or LG cells over 3400mAh that you will get even better run time. Damn, tempted to buy one of these myself!


I'm aware of that light. Problem is you have to remove the batteries to charge them. I don't want to do that every time the batteries need to be charged.

More or less looking for a replica of the ItuoWiz20. The MagicShine light meets all of the criteria.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Cat-man-do said:


> Oh shoot! Since most Fenix lamps typically use NW emitters I thought maybe, just maybe they got hold of some NW SST-40's. Yep the SST-40's are quite efficient, can produce quite an output and unlike the Cree XHP series are one single die. If it had of been NW I might of bought one for MTB. Then again I'm still holding out for emitters in the 4500K range. The 6500K version should be fine for the road though and yes (* @ Vancbiker* ), the lamp is designed for the bars as it is using a version of cut-off optic lenses. Nice to see though that others are interested in a lamp with field serviceable batteries.


Yeah...none of this matters to me. It's just tech nerd stuff.

The light will work for both mountain and road.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Vancbiker said:


> Hopefully the above suggestions are made with bar use in mind. Too heavy for helmet use.


That's a given. I have a Cateye volt for the helmet.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

prj71 said:


> I'm aware of that light. Problem is you have to remove the batteries to charge them. I don't want to do that every time the batteries need to be charged.


I just wanted to point out that the runtimes on the Magicshine are quite a bit shorter (45 min. in the high mode for the same battery size) so depending on how long your ride duration is or if you ride in extremely cold weather you'll have to switch batteries a lot more often.



> More or less looking for a replica of the ItuoWiz20. The MagicShine light meets all of the criteria.


What happened to your Wiz20? The Magicshine does have field replaceable cells but I wouldn't call it a replica. You lose the mode programing, changeable optics, NW emitters, and a bit of runtime (mostly because the Ituo comes with larger capacity cells). One thing you may like better is the bar mount. It so simple/easy to use but it is made of plastic so could also prove a liability used in colder weather. None of this may make a difference to you but there it is just in case.
Mole


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

My Wiz20 is fine. But always like to have a backup.

I don't care about mode programming, changeable optics, NW emitters (whatever that is) etc. These are bike lights. They will work at night during summer or winter. Not into over analyzation of something so simple as a light.


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

prj71 said:


> My Wiz20 is fine. But always like to have a backup.
> 
> I don't care about mode programming, changeable optics, NW emitters (whatever that is) etc. These are bike lights. They will work at night during summer or winter. Not into over analyzation of something so simple as a light.


I'm pretty sure your Wiz20 is using NW ( neutral white ) emitters ( LED's ) ( I own a Wiz XP3 ). Sure, any light works for either road or MTB, that's a given. However many here on this forum have discovered that NW emitters ( in the 4000 to 4500K ( Kelvin ) temperature range help bring out the natural color and definition in trail surfaces because the tint is closer in spectrum to natural light. ( NW emitters also have the advantage of having less reflective glare than cooler LED's ) After having seen beam tints between 5000K and 4000K, in my personal opinion 4500K is likely the sweet spot. The only down side to using the warmest NW emitters is for one, sometimes they are hard to find and second that the lumen output for those LED's is not as high as the ones in the >6000K range. Not a big deal though if you're using multi-LED's in a single lamp. My Wiz XP3 on the helmet with three NW XP-L2 Leds is just about perfect, beautiful beam pattern, perfect tint, just have to run it with an external battery though because at 2300 lumen it does use a bit of battery juice. Real shame you can't get the Wiz XP-3 any more . That said if I wanted another helmet lamp that used external batteries for the helmet I'd likely go with the Gloworm ( three LED ) XS. Jim at Action LED will fit the lamp with the emitter type and tint you want as long as it is compatible with the lamp body and electrical characteristics of the lamp you want. The GW XS is still on my wish list but lately I've been using very good ( single battery ) LED torches for the helmet and have been very satisfied. . If you can mount a torch to your helmet and don't mind switching batteries every 1-1.5 hours you can buy a nice self contained lamp with the emitter you want if you are willing to shop around and know what you want and know what websites offer the type of stuff you want. Most of the regulars here on this forum use a variety of lights because it is our hobby and we are always on the lookout for the next best thing.

Just for the record, two other people on this forum have DIY lamps that use the Cree XP-L HI emitter. I tend to favor the XPL HI as well. Can be had in Cool white or NW. I would buy NW ( for MTB'n ) but there are brighter emitters other than the XP-L Hi...I'm impressed with the one torch I own that is using an SST-40 but just wish it could be had in a temperature ( tint ) range under 5000K. Eventually the Chinese sites will start selling those but it takes time before they get around to offer those as an option.



prj71 said:


> ..Not into over analyzation of something so simple as a light...


Well, that's pretty much what this forum is all about. In order to get what you are looking for it helps to know a little about the tech and what options are all ready out there. Used to be all that was available is your basic white LED lamp. Then people starting openly articulating, _"What they would like to see in a bike light"_. People were listening. As a results you have many more options and features than ever before. You just have to know what options mean the most to you and then buy the light you want. Would be terrible to buy a $$$ high powered lamp only to discover you don't like the beam pattern, weight, User interface or battery run time. So, I guess this means that bike lights are not so simple any more but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. More options are always better, at least from my POV.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks for your help, but really too much mumbo jumbo about a light for a bike. I don't need to know that much. Anything from one the respected brand names is going to work just fine.


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

prj71 said:


> I'm aware of that light. Problem is you have to remove the batteries to charge them. I don't want to do that every time the batteries need to be charged.
> 
> More or less looking for a replica of the ItuoWiz20. The MagicShine light meets all of the criteria.


You say you want something simple from a name brand bike light but from what you have said the type of bike light you are asking for is very hard to find as few manufacturers seem to make a lamp with field removable batteries with a built in charger. There are some but most are very torch-like and use a single cell.

From what you said in your last post, you want removable batteries but want to be able to just plug in the lamp to charge the batteries. This begs the question, "Why do you want removable batteries if you feel it's too much of an inconvenience to remove them in order to charge"? If you are removing batteries in the field, that means you are using back-up cells. At some point you will need to recharge those batteries too. That said it just makes sense to have an extra charger that will charge your extra 18650 cells or else you will have to charge all the cells in the lamp ( which means more work and a longer wait when it comes to recharging. A two-bay external battery charger for 18650 cells can be had for a song and is well worth owning if you use loose 18650's.

I should also add that there is a potential disadvantage to owning a lamp with the batteries contained ( or just stored ) within the lamp. Since the batteries are connected to the circuitry within the lamp ( even when off ) there is always going to be a degree of parasitic drain. How much pretty much depends on the lamp. That being said there is an advantage to being able to remove the batteries when not in use. This is one of the reasons I don't like having lamps with self-contained batteries that are not user removable ( even though I own a few of those as well ). Sure, great to be able to charge the batteries while inside the lamp but being able to remove the batteries ( from my POV ) is the feature that would make the lamp more of a value.

( Note; One of lamps I own with self-contained batteries that could be recharged just by plugging a USB-micro connector to the lamp eventually developed a problem. Seems the female micro-USB port on the lamp just wore out just after a year or so of use. The lamp still worked but I couldn't recharge it so I had to buy a new one. In order to not repeat this problem I bought a couple short USB-micro cord extenders and just left the extender in the lamp. That way if the extender wears out I just buy a new extender for a couple bucks. This works for me because the cord is also used with a remote button when not being used for charging. If you don't have a wired remote this might not be an option you would be willing to use since it would mean wrapping the extra cord around something when not in use. Just pointing out that plug ports sometimes wear out if plugged and unplugged a bunch of times. )


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Serfas E-LUME 1600 and 1200

https://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/serfas-lights/products/serfas-e-lume-1500
https://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/serfas-lights/products/copy-of-serfas-e-lume-1200

I have zero experience with either...and, looking at the user manual, I don't see how easy it is to replace the batteries (despite the claim of being user replaceable)


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Gloworm CX
https://www.action-led-lights.com/c...19-gloworm-cx-1200-lumen-self-contained-light

"The Gloworm CX takes innovation to a new level. The CX is much more than a well-priced commuter light - the CX takes all-in-one lighting into the future. The CX uses custom replaceable optics to produce a beam perfect for the desired application, for convenience it is USB chargeable and can be mounted seamlessly on the bars or helmet.

Weighing only 200 grams, the CX can be charged whilst being used meaning it can be charged using a dynamo USB device. The CX is OTG (On The Go) capable and can be used to charge other devices, such as your phone or GPS.

The CX has a replaceable battery for extended runtimes and utilises common mounting sytems for ultimate versatility."

Again, I have no personal experience with this light, but have had good luck with their Alpha headlamp.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Cat-man-do said:


> This begs the question, "Why do you want removable batteries if you feel it's too much of an inconvenience to remove them in order to charge"?


1.) Because when the batteries get old and no longer take a charge I can just go to Amazon and order some new 18650 batteries for about $30. Can't do that with the proprietary battery pack that the other manufacturers offer. Usually you have to throw the light away and buy a new one...which is what they want you to do...just like the cell phone manufacturers.

I had contacted Fenix once asking them what am I supposed to do on their BC30R light when the battery no longer takes a charge. Their answer: Send it in and for a charge (which costs more than 18650 batteries) we'll change the batteries for you and send it back. In addition to their charge, I would still have to box it up and ship it and pay postage fees. Then I'm out of a light until they ship it back. Dumb.

2.) In the event I'm on a ride at night, that will last longer than 2-3 hours, I can carry an extra set of 18650 batteries with me in my pocket and change them in the field.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

baker said:


> I have zero experience with either...and, looking at the user manual, I don't see how easy it is to replace the batteries (despite the claim of being user replaceable)


Looks fairly easy.

https://www.serfas.com/shop/replace...-lume-series-headlight-replacement-batteries/


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## spoonrobot (Dec 18, 2013)

The lumintop B01 runs on 21700/18650 or cr123. Charges in light via microusb and can also run all levels on a USB battery pack. It's a good light but doesn't really have a high brightness setting - turbo is 850 lumens but has a hard 3 minute timer due to the design of the led/optic. Max sustained is 450 lumens.

Beam shape, tint, and runtime are excellent.



















Lumintop B01 850 Lumens 21700 Bicycle Headlamp


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

baker said:


> Serfas E-LUME 1600 and 1200
> 
> https://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/serfas-lights/products/serfas-e-lume-1500
> https://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/serfas-lights/products/copy-of-serfas-e-lume-1200
> ...


I looked at those over on the Serfas website and it seems the battery ( for the 1600 ) is a proprietary two cell with a wire and connector coming off of it. Likely not field replaceable unless you are willing to carry tools and take the thing apart.

Not sure but I think the Gloworm CX uses a proprietary battery as well but MrMole owns one and he would know for sure. I looked on the ActionLED website and didn't see a replacement so maybe I'm wrong about the CX.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Not sure but I think the Gloworm CX uses a proprietary battery as well but MrMole owns one and he would know for sure. I looked on the ActionLED website and didn't see a replacement so maybe I'm wrong about the CX.


CX has field replaceable battery pack but the downside is it's $80. Still a very nice light with a 2.5 high beam runtime and can be configured (spot/spot) to out throw the Wiz20 if max. throw is what your looking for.
Mole


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Ugh, that is quite the markup for 2 panasonic cells, a circuit board, and some shrink wrap. Reminds me of the good old days of 24 hour racing in the 90's when you'd get reamed for an extra nimh battery pack from the big manufacturers.


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

spoonrobot said:


> The lumintop B01 runs on 21700/18650 or cr123. Charges in light via microusb and can also run all levels on a USB battery pack. It's a good light but doesn't really have a high brightness setting - turbo is 850 lumens but has a hard 3 minute timer due to the design of the led/optic. Max sustained is 450 lumens.
> 
> Beam shape, tint, and runtime are excellent.
> 
> ...


I almost bought one of those just last week. Very tempting but not sure I'd like the beam pattern. Still, they are inexpensive and can be used with 21700's which is a big plus. I'd of bought one if it had a 600 lumen mode.
I have a feeling the beam pattern is likely not as wide as I'm accustomed to when riding on the road. Good bang for the buck though.


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

MRMOLE said:


> CX has field replaceable battery pack but the downside is it's $80. Still a very nice light with a 2.5 high beam runtime and can be configured (spot/spot) to out throw the Wiz20 if max. throw is what your looking for.
> Mole


Hmmm...close but no cigar.  Too much money for the extra battery and you can probably only charge it inside the lamp. Still, you can program the modes and vary the optics. If you have the money makes for a nice setup.

Have you ever tried using it on the helmet?


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Hmmm...close but no cigar.  Too much money for the extra battery and you can probably only charge it inside the lamp. Still, you can program the modes and vary the optics. If you have the money makes for a nice setup.


I agree cost too high + with its very good runtimes I'm guessing they don't sell too many CX battery cartridges. Still not as expensive ($107) as the quick change pack (I think this one requires tools) for the Cateye Volt 1300/1700 series lights but quite a bit more than the very similar cartridge ($43) for the Magicshine Allty 2000.



> Have you ever tried using it on the helmet?


No, beam would be great for helmet use but 200 gram weight too high for this application IMO.
Mole


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

Cat-man-do said:


> I almost bought one of those just last week. Very tempting but not sure I'd like the beam pattern. Still, they are inexpensive and can be used with 21700's which is a big plus. I'd of bought one if it had a 600 lumen mode.
> I have a feeling the beam pattern is likely not as wide as I'm accustomed to when riding on the road. Good bang for the buck though.


I wouldn't worry about the "only" 450 lm constant output of the Lumintop B01. Unless the road is very wet or it is pouring down, it is plenty of light. Here are some useful beamshots. I tested the B01 for a day, i didn't like the light distribution (too much light in front of the bike, if used really glare fee). it has a beautiful homogeneous beam, if the cut-off is aimed to 3-4m height in the distance. (another reason why i didn't keep it was my SL-F and my outbound road...)

Plenty and reasonable good distributed light for any road use, especially for the price.


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

biking_tg said:


> I wouldn't worry about the "only" 450 lm constant output of the Lumintop B01. Unless the road is very wet or it is pouring down, it is plenty of light. Here are some useful beamshots. I tested the B01 for a day, i didn't like the light distribution (too much light in front of the bike, if used really glare fee). it has a beautiful homogeneous beam, if the cut-off is aimed to 3-4m height in the distance. (another reason why i didn't keep it was my SL-F and my outbound road...)
> 
> Plenty and reasonable good distributed light for any road use, especially for the price.


I looked over those beam shots. Unfortunately most did not show the complete distribution of the beam pattern. To do that you need to take the photo from behind the bike. There was one though that did give indication of what the beam pattern is like. To me it looks as though there is not enough light down close to the front wheel. While there is some light close to the bike to my eyes it looks too dim and makes too stark of a transition from the main portion of the beam pattern. If it was more of a gradual transition I would be buying one in a heartbeat. Of course this judging from photos is not always going to show an accurate representation of what the eyes actually see when using the light. Wish I had one to play with. 

The Raveman CR-900 I use on my road bike I mostly use the 450 lumen mode. Works for me fine at that output and puts a lot of light down right in front of the bike although I could always wish for a little more distance throw. The Raveman beam pattern is very wide and very even / smooth and has little ( if any ) noticeable artifacts in the beam pattern and is devoid of any dark spots. This works great for me as I want more light directly in front of my wheel than what the Lumintop B01 looks to produce. Now with all that said I'm beginning to really prefer the Fireflies E07 I bought about a month ago when riding on the road bike. Bought it for MTB'n but since I ride more road now that MTB I couldn't help but try it out on the road to see how it might fair.

The more I use the E07 for road the more I love it. Doesn't have a cutoff beam pattern like the Raveman lamps but since I bought the E07 with warm ( 4000K ) NW emitters it doesn't seem to bother on-coming motorist I encounter even though the throw is much better / brighter than my CR-900. With the E07 I also see debris and road cracks better than with my Raveman lamps. The more natural tint of the emitters just seems to bring out more contrast between objects / cracks and the road surface, something I never expected when riding on the road. Not to mention I can use the exact amount of output I want because of the great UI which allows me to dial in the exact intensity I want to use. I still use both lamps for road use only the CR-900 I now use mostly when on the paved Multi-use trails in my community. Since the CR-900 has a remote handlebar switch I can more easily power it down so as not to blind any people I encounter when on those trails.

With the Fireflies E07 on the road bars I never have to worry about running out of battery power as the E07 uses 21700 cells and I can carry as many of those along as I think I might need. Of course with most of my night road rides lasting no more than an hour I rarely would need more than just the one cell.


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

Cat-man-do said:


> I looked over those beam shots. Unfortunately most did not show the complete distribution of the beam pattern. To do that you need to take the photo from behind the bike. There was one though that did give indication of what the beam pattern is like. To me it looks as though there is not enough light down close to the front wheel. While there is some light close to the bike to my eyes it looks too dim and makes too stark of a transition from the main portion of the beam pattern. If it was more of a gradual transition I would be buying one in a heartbeat.


Here ya go, a beamshot with the light held in the hand. and here another one mounted on a handle bar (only the last picture shows the b01 alone).
Yes there is a darker area in front of the bike, but there is still plenty of light to see all obstacles there. And if you notice an obstacle for the first time 2m infront of the wheel, it is mostly too late anyway


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

biking_tg said:


> Here ya go, a beamshot with the light held in the hand. and here another one mounted on a handle bar (only the last picture shows the b01 alone).
> *Yes there is a darker area in front of the bike, but there is still plenty of light to see all obstacles there. And if you notice an obstacle for the first time 2m infront of the wheel, it is mostly too late anyway*


Sometimes there are small objects, cracks or indentations in the road that at distance are not always clearly seen until you are right up on them. Depending on your speed at the moment, how focused your attention is on the road, you might not see the hazard until it is 10-15 ft. from the front of bike . Can't even begin to tell you how often this happens when I'm riding the roads in my neighborhood at night. Lately I've gotten very good at what I call,_ "The sudden last second swerve"_.  Also keep in mind the brain doesn't always identify and process what turns out to be a hazard "instantaneously". If I was using something like the B01 and I don't see the hazard before it enters the darkened area of the beam pattern ( your photo #2 last post ) I might not even see it at all. Depending on what type of hazard I'm about to ride over that could just be something as simple as an unexpected jolt to my butt or worse case scenario something that might give me a flat or cause me to lose control of the bike. The B01 forward beam pattern looks very nice. If you have good distance vision, are rarely distracted from looking at the road and ride roads that are well maintained the B01 should make for a very nice affordable road lamp. As for me personally, I need that last 15ft. to be brightly illuminated or I'll be hitting all kinds of stuff.


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

Cat-man-do said:


> [...]If I was using something like the B01 and I don't see the hazard before it enters the darkened area of the beam pattern * ( your photo #2 last post )* I might not even see it at all.


only photo#3 of that post, shows the lumintop B01. the first one shwos the B01 together with a Lezyne StVZO light, the second one the lezyne alone and the third one the B01.
Perceived by the differences in brightness are much smaller than on the photo, imho enoough to recognize any hazard there.



Cat-man-do said:


> As for me personally, I need that last 15ft. to be brightly illuminated or I'll be hitting all kinds of stuff.


You need an Outbound road edition then, a mass amount of light infront of the bike


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

You guyz iz getting all nerdy on my post. Fercripesakes it's just a light!!!

Can we keep to responses that answer the question?


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## zapotec (Jul 21, 2020)

Hello guys, just joining. Recently I am addicted to night riding, starting from 2018. I do not epic rides so my light setup are mostly self contained model since it enough to illuminate trail for two-three hours run.

Tempted by removable battery and wireless switch I take the plunge, just bought new Fenix BC30 V.20 last week, but unfortunately color tint isn't my cup of tea :madman: knowing older BC30 had neutral white, more warm, this SST 40 Luminuos white is too cold for my taste. I can say tinting is quite weird...

I coming from Ravemen PR1200 and BL70s 4000K, color tint mixing is good, grass and plants are more pleased to view since it less glare and more natural color on the trail.

Still quality lights...but this make newer BC30 falls into generic majority budget bike lights with standard white /slightly cold. I heard some BC30 clone had XM-L2 with U2 emitters which is had 5500K tints, anyone knows?

I would post some ride testing comparison, for now this is how it's look at glance :

From left : Ravemen PR1200, Fenix BC30 V2, Nitenumen X8 (lens replaced with more soft spreading beam), Gaciron V9D-1600



















UI wise, PR1200 and V9D-1600 have smooth transition when switching brightness, where X8 and BC30 v2 are behave more like traditional flashlight.
BC30 V2 is the heaviest, V9D-1600 is the most light, PR1200 is the most compact footprints, and X8 is everything between.

*Overall I cannot really recommended newer BC30 v2 if you're after neutral, warmer tint.* Compared with my all collection, I consider BC30 v2 is my most expensive bike light in my addition, not mention they doesn't came with batteries.


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## Randstad (Nov 5, 2020)

zapotec said:


> Hello guys, just joining. Recently I am addicted to night riding, starting from 2018. I do not epic rides so my light setup are mostly self contained model since it enough to illuminate trail for two-three hours run.
> 
> Tempted by removable battery and wireless switch I take the plunge, just bought new Fenix BC30 V.20 last week, but unfortunately color tint isn't my cup of tea :madman: knowing older BC30 had neutral white, more warm, this SST 40 Luminuos white is too cold for my taste. I can say tinting is quite weird...
> 
> ...


Hi Zapotec, awesome post, thanks.

I am considering buying the same Gaciron you are posting about here, the Gaciron V9D-1600.

I have researched quite a bit but I am mostly looking for honest opinions and also a reference on price (I am looking at around 45-48 Euros from Aliexpress).

Cheers!


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Update on this thread.

I ended buying the Fenix BC30. Not exactly what I wanted but at least I don't have a light with a proprietary battery pack that will be useless once the battery no longer holds a charge such as the Fenix BC30R, Ravemen lights or something similar.

The BC30 requires me to pull the batteries and put them in a charger instead of just plugging the light into a USB cord to charge it. The tradeoff is I'll never have a useless light. Can buy 18650 batteries all day long.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

prj71 said:


> I ended buying the Fenix BC30.


Would love to hear what you think of your new light and how it compares to your old Wiz20?
Mole


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

It lights up the trail at night so I can see where I am riding. Really not much different than the Wiz20. I'm not all geeky like the rest of you about lights. 

I still have the Wiz20 but the on/off switch is broke. It won't turn off. So if I want to use it I have to take out the batteries when done. I'm hoping someone comes out with a light similar to the Wiz20 again. My hopes aren't high though. Bike light manufacturers want to make light with a proprietary battery pack so that you either A.) dispose of it when it no longer takes a charge and you have to buy a new one from them or B.) They offer a battery pack replacement at an insane price.


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## zapotec (Jul 21, 2020)

*Found some new light with in field replaceable battery*









22.73US $ 52% OFF|Towild Br800 800 Lumens Bicycle Headlight Glare Flashlight Usb Charging Headlight Mountain Bike Riding Equipment - Bicycle Lights - AliExpress


Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com




www.aliexpress.com





Interesting, this light have rotatable head body which can be used upside down with usual front out mount without messing with beam pattern due inverted lens. Should be appealing for gravel and roadie with common front out combo mounts.










Other interesting features :

Garmin quarter style mount. Great many light makers start to adopting existing standard.
USB-C
Side visibility cutout
Off the shelf replaceable battery (main show here)
New lens, pretty resemble Ray series left lens
Removable battery is pretty rare feature today, great some makers put some effort developing certain model with this feature.

I have an older Towild healdlight with triple emitters which quite decent, the only downside is the stock crappy mount. But with this newer BR800 model employs Garmin style it should be better compared with their original mounts.


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## MonolithNZ (Aug 26, 2021)

Thanks very much for posting this! I have been searching for a user replaceable single cell bike light for some time.
I was about to purchase the light but I translated one of the Russian reviews:

"The complete battery produces only 1700mAh instead of the declared 2000. The luminous flux is noticeably less than 800 lumens compared to 2 other flashlights. The current consumption in the maximum mode is 1.7-2.0 A, on average 0.72 A, minimum 0.31 A. The swivel mount is not very tight, the flashlight is slightly movable in it. In general, I did not like it even for its price."

I intend to use the light for a 3000 kilometer bikepacking trip and reliablity is paramount.


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## Zeroselect (Aug 12, 2021)

I am currently running a Fenix E35 v3.0 EDC Flashight on a Fenix ALB-10 Mount. The flashlight runs a 21700 battery and is 3000 lumens.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

MonolithNZ said:


> Thanks very much for posting this! I have been searching for a user replaceable single cell bike light for some time.
> I was about to purchase the light but I translated one of the Russian reviews:
> 
> "The complete battery produces only 1700mAh instead of the declared 2000. The luminous flux is noticeably less than 800 lumens compared to 2 other flashlights. The current consumption in the maximum mode is 1.7-2.0 A, on average 0.72 A, minimum 0.31 A. The swivel mount is not very tight, the flashlight is slightly movable in it. In general, I did not like it even for its price."
> ...


Of course you could always just use higher capacity 18650 cells that would increase the runtime and might help the output and consistency but I think you'd be better off going the flashlight/torch route. The mount mentioned in the above post looks solid and flashlights would allow you to choose your preferred tint and something with higher efficiency emitters that would make the most out of the batteries. XHP50.2's or XHP70.2's should almost double the runtimes you'd get with a typical xm-l bike light for whatever batteries you choose and therefore require you to lessen the number of batteries you'd need to bring along. Additionally picking something anduril equipped would give you a more bicycle friendly UI program. High output ratings of the flashlights won't be sustainable for long periods of time but you should expect to be able to get approx. 1000 lumen stable output for 2 hours from a good 3400mAh battery from a setup similar to what I've described. Lastly round beam pattern of a typical flashlight is not ideal for cycling but for most flashlights easily and inexpensively modified (ask if interested).
Mole


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## MonolithNZ (Aug 26, 2021)

Hi Mole, thanks for the thought provoking and detailed response. 
Would you care to recommend an 18650 powered NW flashlight/torch that runs anduril and would be a reliable companion on long bikepacking trips? Your knowledge and assistance is much appreciated! 
(I'm also very interested in learning how to modify the beam pattern).

Thanks, Monolith


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

MonolithNZ said:


> Hi Mole, thanks for the thought provoking and detailed response.
> Would you care to recommend an 18650 powered NW flashlight/torch that runs anduril and would be a reliable companion on long bikepacking trips? Your knowledge and assistance is much appreciated!
> (I'm also very interested in learning how to modify the beam pattern).
> 
> Thanks, Monolith


29.99US $ 25% OFF|Sofirn SP33V3.0 3500lm Powerful LED Flashlight Type C USB Rechargeable Torch Light Cree XHP50.2 with Power Indicator|LED Flashlights| - AliExpress

Replacement O-Ring/Set

Wide Angle Lens for Magicshine 808 (all Ver.) CREE XML T6 Single LED Bike Lights for sale online | eBay

https://www.amazon.com/Vonpri-Flash...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584138857484387&psc=1

OLIGHT Bike Mount Flashlight Bike Lighting Mount Accessories FB-1 39mm Universal | eBay

Here's some links for the setup I was talking about. The lens linked is from another source but I'm guessing it will give similar results. I also linked a small mount from Olight that I've not tried but looks like it's worth considering as the other mount I link (and am currently using) works fine but is kind of big and clunky. The Sofirn I linked will accept 18650/21700/26650 batteries and its body diameter is to large for that Fenix mount. Silicone orings linked may be necessary if you try the Olight mount as I've found that most orings used for light/bar retention aren't strong enough to prevent the light from bouncing around. Lens cover diameter will be slightly large and will require sanding down to fit the flashlight (it took about 20 min. on the lens I used). Sorry I couldn't list the exact lens I used but was very surprised my long time source for these no longer carries them. I'm guessing you may be overestimating my expertise with flashlights. I actually have very little experience with the different flashlights available and am just sharing what worked for me from what I've tried. Inquiring over at the "budgetlightforum" would give you access to people with more flashlight experience and maybe some better suggestions.
Mole


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## MonolithNZ (Aug 26, 2021)

Thanks once again! I've ordered all the bits you recommended, excluding the mount/orings as I have a 3d printer and I may explore the possibility of a custom mount. Much appreciated, I'll let you know how I get on.


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## gregers05 (Jan 30, 2013)

MonolithNZ said:


> Thanks once again! I've ordered all the bits you recommended, excluding the mount/orings as I have a 3d printer and I may explore the possibility of a custom mount. Much appreciated, I'll let you know how I get on.


let me know what you do on the 3d printed mount, I may be interested also as I have access to a 3d printer.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

MonolithNZ said:


> Thanks once again! I've ordered all the bits you recommended, excluding the mount/orings as I have a 3d printer and I may explore the possibility of a custom mount. Much appreciated, I'll let you know how I get on.


Important note: When you get your light you'll have to refer to your instructions (youtube video's are available) and set the ambient temperature and upper temperature threshold to get the light to perform at its best for cycling use. The ambient was set incorrectly on all my Anduril spec'd lights and the upper threshold was set very low making the light go into thermal protection way too often.
Mole


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