• Which Exposure light?

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:20 am**

For equal amount of time spent in road cycling as well as mountain biking. Hopefully they've started using usb-c charging now. Think I'm coming to the end of my love of my Nitecore - needs new batteries and it's not a specific beam for road/off road anyway, though it does last long.

Cheaper the better and bulk is an issue (so the maxD types are probably not suitable) as I never take that much storage ability. Though I like to remove the headlight during day hours. If that all makes sense!

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:39 am**

" cheaper the better " and " Exposure " - bit of an oxymoron

Strada is probably the one for largely road use and usable off-road but like most things you have to compromise. I use an older (less powerful) Strada for bikepacking along with a helmet mounted Joystick but use a more powerful light for mtb blasts.

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:41 am**

One light for on and off road is a bit too much to ask for, as the beam patterns suited to each are very different. Maxx-d Vs Strada, for example.
Exposure is a good choice though...

Built in battery - no wires
Rock solid, quick release mount
Excellent customer service

My joystick and race-maxx have been going strong for over a decade - the specs of more recent models are much better, but I see no need to change, as long as they're working.

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:51 am**

Road and off-road beam patterns are quite different but a bar mounted light with a road pattern and a helmet mounted light to supplement it for off-road use would work.

Exposure ain’t cheap but you get what you pay for. I think they still use the mini jack style socket as they are more water resistant. I just wish they did something In between the Joystick/Diablo sized models and the Strava/Max-D ones.

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:57 am**

Have the Toro, great for road and ‘classic’ gravel and some easy XC stuff but does require a head light to look through corners on fast, twisty off road stuff.

Not the best picture and the light is pointing a little more down for use on road but you get the idea

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:05 pm**

Thanks all. Yes, it's the Toro I was hoping might just make the compromise for me. Have owned 3 Exposures so far (the Toro was new and I think and older Strada model worked great too) and it was a lovely experience. Hence after I sold them on - for whatever reasons - I'd retained the mounts on the bars.

Might well go for a Strada again then with the Aktiv mode which dims for oncoming traffic. Then supplement it with the MOON head torch when off roading. I always take 2 lights out with me anyway.

Best get saving I guess

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:07 pm**

I use a Strava on the bars. I road commute in the dark sometimes and it's good for that.

If trail riding I add a Joystick on my helmet. Works fine for me

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:08 pm**

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:20 am For equal amount of time spent in road cycling as well as mountain biking.

Strada.

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:20 am Hopefully they've started using usb-c charging now.

Nope.

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:20 am Cheaper the better and bulk is an issue (so the maxD types are probably not suitable) as I never take that much storage ability. Though I like to remove the headlight during day hours. If that all makes sense!

Probably not a Strada then! I've had three Stradas (MK3, Mk6 and this year a mk11) and they are superb for multi day road riding but for a single day a Race or Toro would be as good, smaller and lighter. I've mostly used a Strada on the bars with a Joystick on the helmet for BB200 type riding.

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:48 pm**

Joystick for your head and whatever you prefer for bars ( mtb batteries does an exposure battery for about £50. Joystick will last all night( 8-10 hours) on full power

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:58 pm**

Strada and joystick for me. Top combination. You can USB C charge (I think) using the Exposure USB cable and a USB down to C adapter. Not tried it though.

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2023 5:07 pm**

I use an exp race for pretty much everything these days, inc the BB300. Works fine on or off road. The strada will be better but the race is cheaper. I got mine from the outlet for about £170 - I note a few places doing them for under £200.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 12:09 am**

Dyffers wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:08 pm
redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:20 am Cheaper the better and bulk is an issue (so the maxD types are probably not suitable) as I never take that much storage ability. Though I like to remove the headlight during day hours. If that all makes sense!
Probably not a Strada then! I've had three Stradas (MK3, Mk6 and this year a mk11) and they are superb for multi day road riding but for a single day a Race or Toro would be as good, smaller and lighter. I've mostly used a Strada on the bars with a Joystick on the helmet for BB200 type riding.

I was meaning that I usually remove off the handlebars during the day for multi day rides. So a compact light would fit better in the bikepacking bags. I basically don't wanna run out of light again

and I recall enjoying ownership of both the Strada (but the newer version looks bigger) and Toro previously.

Sounds like it's gonna be a debate between a Strada and Toro!

Thanks Dyffers and everyone else.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:44 am**

Why exposure? Absolute garbage value for money IMO

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:19 am**

rudedog wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:44 am Why exposure? Absolute garbage value for money IMO

Good point. My last 2 did me realy really well. Hoping to do alot more night riding with plenty being road. Needed the reliability of a light that just keeps going!

Which were you gonna suggest. I've been making do with my Nitecore for a while (and since I moved on the Exposures as I thought the AMMP by Cateye were my go-to... turned out they weren't and keep breaking/dying!).

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:03 am**

rudedog wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:44 am Why exposure? Absolute garbage value for money IMO

For me, they’re reliable and I prefer the all in one system too. They are the only light to have lasted more than two years (I commuted daily for 15 years, so used the lights a lot)

I’ve managed to kill -
-Hope lights (disappointing to be honest)
-Bontrager
-Topeak
-Chinese style ones
-BLT
-Moon

Only lights that have lasted for me are cateye rears and exposure front and rears. Exposure may not be the brightest, have the best beam nor the cheapest but the combination of programmable output, reliability, battery, light spread etc works for me

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:20 am**

The Strada beam pattern is good for road and MTB ime. It's not got such a defined cut-off that it's no good off road (eg compared to the low, distinct cut-off of the SON Edelux II)

Ideally I'd have a dynamo and Edelux or similar on all my bikes and add/use a head torch for MTB as needed, but for the MTB currently the Strada works well and using the boost cable as a GPS charge back up is great.

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:34 am**

There are cheaper lights but they all have their cost ( reliability ot back up etc)
Exposure just work as expected and a light fail is pretty catastrophic and these just work.

My main mtb light is a troutie light and still faultless but on its third battery now

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:55 pm**

Also Exposures customer service is fantastic

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:34 pm**

I hope so, just emailed them about my 2.5 year old Joystick which seems to have died due to water ingress.

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 2:25 pm**

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:03 am
rudedog wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:44 am Why exposure? Absolute garbage value for money IMO
For me, they’re reliable and I prefer the all in one system too. They are the only light to have lasted more than two years (I commuted daily for 15 years, so used the lights a lot)

I’ve managed to kill -
-Hope lights (disappointing to be honest)
-Bontrager
-Topeak
-Chinese style ones
-BLT
-Moon

Only lights that have lasted for me are cateye rears and exposure front and rears. Exposure may not be the brightest, have the best beam nor the cheapest but the combination of programmable output, reliability, battery, light spread etc works for me

That’s some list !

Things I don’t like about exposure lights:

Fiddly button and ‘Tap’ technology wasn’t reliable
No way to set custom modes/brightness (available programmes have some big gaps)
Unimpressive beam pattern, throw and burn times (compared to other lights)
Can’t replace batteries
Bloody expensive

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 6:33 pm**

I'm unimpressed with the Strada

My mk14 joystick is ace

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 7:17 pm**

riderdown wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 6:33 pm I'm unimpressed with the Strada

My mk14 joystick is ace

Which version of the Strada and was it the super bright or road bright version pls RD.

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2024 7:17 pm**

Asking cos I've narrowed it down to a Strada RB in the latest model.

Posted: **Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:41 am**

It's a mk11 SL

I think, I'd have to check the box and I'm not at home

Posted: **Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:45 am**

Thanks for that RD. I've found a m12 SB with the big battery at a good price. Will order that soon

Which Exposure light?

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