Lights - is this available?

Talk about anything.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by benp1 »

Are the yindings still available/made? They were well regarded but only the proper ones and not the copies (of a copy!)

I had a Solarstorm X2 when I first started night riding. Very cheap but died. Moved onto a Nitefighter BT40s, a big upgrade and much higher quality, known as a quality Chinese light. I bought the light unit and separate battery box and some Panasonic cells. Head unit died, too much rain sadly

Ended up with Exposure bar light, I was running a Joystick or Diablo and they'd been very reliable so went with it. No turning back now. Love the lack of cables but doesn't sound like that's what James wants

James, you could try the lightest proper bar light from exposure, the race maybe? It's light with good functionality. Importantly the bar mount is ace
jameso
Posts: 5036
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by jameso »

Alpinum, that's a good idea, hadn't paid much attention to Chinese lights but something with a universal jack plus an in-out power pack with the same jack fitted could do it.

The Race does look useful Ben. I'm wary of Exposure's reliability and things like 'reactive technology'... I know that's not necessarily fair and I want to get past that. UK brand, good service etc, all good things otherwise. The Race with a P-clip adapter to mount on the fork might work. £££ though - and Evans trade discount isn't worth anything these days :grin:
jameso
Posts: 5036
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by jameso »

atk wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:28 am If you go up a few models with Exposure to the smallest Strada*, it could be quite easy** to fit to the fork crown as it'll have the screwed cleat. Break the loctite on it and you've got just enough threads to attach to various mounts***
That's a neat adaptation atk.. It'd be easier for me as the truss fork has a 10mm OD spar tube across the front and a P-clip would fit via the threads where the std bar mount goes. The fact that the threaded hole is so far fwd works really well in this case as the truss spar is ~100mm from the head tube. Could be a very neat set up, with a cable running up to the Garmin. Only advantage with a remote power pack light would be less weight on the fork, but 100g or so is not worth worrying about.
User avatar
atk
Posts: 851
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 12:16 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by atk »

jameso wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 9:14 am I'm wary of Exposure's reliability and things like 'reactive technology'... I
IME the repairs service makes up for any issues with reliability. I've only had stuff fail through my own stupidity and they've always been very quick (and cheap) to fix issues.

You might be able to steer clear of most "advancements" by getting stuff from the outlet store (which conveniently has the 600 lumen Strada for 115£, as well as a handful of slightly brighter versions!).

https://exposurelights.com/outlet-store
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by benp1 »

jameso wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 9:14 amI'm wary of Exposure's reliability and things like 'reactive technology'... I know that's not necessarily fair and I want to get past that. UK brand, good service etc, all good things otherwise.
Not disagreeing there. Service is excellent (dropped my Strada one too many times and they were great) but reactive isn't really for me. I don't think you have to turn it on, I'm a mincer and just don't need that level of light. I like night riding because I like riding at night, I don't want to make it feel like daytime. I run a Strada SB as my light, although I do like the look of the Toro. The low setting is great, perfect for my sort of pootling
lune ranger
Posts: 2380
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 7:52 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Devon

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by lune ranger »

atk wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:28 am If you go up a few models with Exposure to the smallest Strada*, it could be quite easy** to fit to the fork crown as it'll have the screwed cleat. Break the loctite on it and you've got just enough threads to attach to various mounts***

EDIT: Just realised they don't make the small Strada (600 lumen) anymore. This was shorter/thinner than the 1200+ versions.

Image

* depending on bike/angles/mount even this might not clear the HT
** with a general level of bodging and 2-3 cups of tea
*** again, maybe a little drilling/filing/swearing required
No need to bodge anything.
Get one of these

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... gLEKPD_BwE


and with a couple of washers it will attach to any standard dynamo bracket from B&M, Schmidt or Supernova
If you are going through hell, keep going.
WSC
jameso
Posts: 5036
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by jameso »

Think I might go for a new Exposure then, seems like that and a power pack plus boost cable has the function/adaptability I'm after. Odds-on this one will be faultless : )
one for @benp1 maybe - they list a 2.9A Support Cell external battery, I think if I were to use that to back up the light and the light body battery to back up my Garmin there might be a bit of efficiency loss, otherwise, is there anything wrong or beneficial with that plan vs using a generic cache battery? (apart from a cache battery being a lot cheaper..)
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by benp1 »

Nope, should be the same (efficiency of cables etc aside)

Less "nice" than using the Exposure only kit, but a normal battery pack and a USB to exposure cable will do the same. The Exposure support cells come with nice mounts to put on your lid etc but as you'll be putting it in a frame pack it won't cause you any problem

Personally, I'd go with the cache battery option. In particular something like a Nitecore F1 or F2 (that'll accept a charge and give one, don't think it's pass through though) and separate 18650 cells. You can then take as many 18650s as your trip requires. I'd also get a little Drok style USB LED light, for a few grams you get a back up light and it's a nice touch in a bothy or similar
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by benp1 »

Forgot to say, good 18650 cells have higher capacity than 2900mAh so you also have a bit spare to account for efficiency loss
Lazarus
Posts: 3598
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:49 am

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by Lazarus »

MTB batteries do an exposure pack and the later are not that much power - 1/2 power of a joystick iirc and not cheap either- and wont ship without a light !
That said i use an external power pack for mine mainly because i have this from my dynamo set up
jameso
Posts: 5036
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by jameso »

Cheers Ben, Lazarus. Cache battery saves £ then.
I'd also get a little Drok style USB LED light, for a few grams you get a back up light and it's a nice touch in a bothy or similar
:-bd Got a few, they're great.
jameso
Posts: 5036
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by jameso »

atk wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 9:51 am You might be able to steer clear of most "advancements" by getting stuff from the outlet store (which conveniently has the 600 lumen Strada for 115£, as well as a handful of slightly brighter versions!).

https://exposurelights.com/outlet-store
An update, just to say I went for this in the end, thanks. Will be ideal for my winter trainer bike as well as for BP trips on the MTB. They traded in my old Spark as it was worth the same as it would cost to fix as a trade-in discount on top of the reduced outlet store price. Really easy dealing with them to process it.
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Lights - is this available?

Post by benp1 »

Good stuff James. That's what happened with my old Strada, I dropped it too many times and it was dead. Too old to repair so gave me a decent discount on another light
Post Reply