Ayups users please.

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
At only 700 lumen do they throw enough light if you're running a head and bar unit? Looking for Ayup users opinions
 

Ackland

chats d'élevage
If you're out riding on your own, and you don't need heaps of light, they're OK.
I stopped using mine after a demo of an exposure set up.
Personally I have never thought that AyUps actualy produce 700 lumens.
If anyone around has a brighter light, all you get are shadows.

10 years ago they were awesome but their R&D stopped there (I bought mine using K-Rudd's $1000 bike parts stimulus package)
 

Cardy George

Piercing rural members since 1981
If you're out riding on your own, and you don't need heaps of light, they're OK.
I stopped using mine after a demo of an exposure set up.
Personally I have never thought that AyUps actualy produce 700 lumens.
If anyone around has a brighter light, all you get are shadows.

10 years ago they were awesome but their R&D stopped there (I bought mine using K-Rudd's $1000 bike parts stimulus package)
What he said ^^^^

I'm out rural and when there's no street lights my single light set was enough. Always wondered how much better a twin set would be.

But like Ackland said, they stopped developing them. My Gloworm Alpha set (still only two LEDs) puts out twice as much light and was only a third of the price. I'd happily run them on my helmet and get a bigger set for the bars.
 

DeBloot

Feeling old
I just updated the battery on my pair as the other turned itself off mid ride

Yes, they do throw enough light to ride single track at a reasonable pace running a head and bar unit
I know the trail pretty well, so that helps

Would i buy them if I were looking for a new light setup?
I would look around - as mentioned above, the lights for sale now are the exact same that I bought about 10 years ago when they were the shizz
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Mine are 2009 with the LEDs upgraded around 2013, still using the helmet mounted light on every night ride, race and commute. Still the original batteries, mounts and charger. Definitely got my money's worth out of them.

The bar mounted light is terrible with whats about these days... stick a 2000 chi lumen light on the bars for $100 or sell a kidney and buy an Exposure SixPack.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
10 years ago they were awesome but their R&D stopped there
Gotta agree with this. They are a rock solid bit of kit but well under powered for the money in the current market.
I only use my 10yo set as a camping head torch setup now. I did get a bulb and 'power' upgrade at one point but they are still under gunned.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Thanks folks. Love Exposure, but soooo expensive. Prepping now for the 24hr in Nov in Armidale. The problem being my wife likes a lot of light. So even with exposure you're up for extra battery packs etc to get 2000 lumen for 12hrs ish.... I'll check out Gloworm too.
Any other recommendations other than Exposure?
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Cleanskin 2200 duo from MTBdirect, 2200 chi lumens for 3.5hrs at $99 and bought 2 extra batteries.
Great light output for the price.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Cleanskin 2200 duo from MTBdirect, 2200 chi lumens for 3.5hrs at $99 and bought 2 extra batteries.
Great light output for the price.
Got a mate running that set up. Not bad at all for the price, but has a sort of dead spot in the middle and not super wide beam. Would just like a nice flood effect.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
Got a mate running that set up. Not bad at all for the price, but has a sort of dead spot in the middle and not super wide beam. Would just like a nice flood effect.
AyUp won't give you that flood effect.

I quite like my Ayups as they still work after nearly a decade while my Exposure Race Mk10 decided that one year was enough and it no longer functions...and Exposure never responded to my email... probably should chase them again.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Random hijack, are 'twin' lights supposed to be a wider spread or something? More efficient?

I have a gemini olympia 1800 as the bar mount and it seems quite wide spread already
 

mtb101

Likes Bikes and Dirt
ayups, they simply aren't bright enough anymore, weather mine have faded or the current lights are just super bright, dunno.

I use rockbro now. 2 of these light up the darkest trails - usb rechargable, run time on high 1 hour.

you also need light penetration when other commuters approach.


might try these next for 199. not bad.
 

RichJS

Likes Dirt
AyUp won't give you that flood effect.
I would definitely call their widest (I think for a while it was called "medium") beam a flood. I and lots of other people bought the widest beam for handlebars + narrowest for head. They probably sold a number of them to runners too.

Random hijack, are 'twin' lights supposed to be a wider spread or something? More efficient?

I have a gemini olympia 1800 as the bar mount and it seems quite wide spread already
No, just twice as much light by using two LED chips instead of one - particularly if there is no chip available that's twice as bright. Probably easier to dissipate heat from two chips spaced apart with their own optics vs two chips close behind one optic, as well.

The beam width is entirely determined by the optics they put in front of the LED.

Yes, the Olympia beam width is 19 degrees - that's a fairly broad design. To compare, their Duo is 15, and the Xera comes with both 14 and 16 degree optics. Just going on those numbers, the Xera with a 14 degree lens running at 900 lumens is landing only a tiny bit less light on the ground as an Olympia at 1800 lumens, but in half the area. Of course the real world appearance is a little more variable than that ..
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Xera with a 14 degree lens running at 900 lumens is landing only a tiny bit less light on the ground as an Olympia at 1800 lumens, but in half the area.
I used to run the narrow lens xera on the helmet but the heavy battery was a bit crap. Now just use my commuter volt 800.

Works now, but was seriously considering a dual led light. How does the power consumption compare?
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
got the cleanskin, also the azur azur 2000lms from pushes, both are similar, i like using gopro mount on azur . use a 900lm on my head usually also

i think ayup are tested & deliver full lumens, battery quality is what you’re paying for
 
Last edited:

rangersac

Medically diagnosed OMS
Do they throw enough light? Personally with the 700lm LEDs it's still enough for me. I do a once a week 2-2.5 hour group night ride with usually around 10 blokes, and have been part of that group for five years. The group probably has a loose membership of 25 people and the vast majority either still run Ay-ups or have done in the past. Those that have changed have done so chasing extra lumens. Despite the possum fryers that other blokes now run I can still take a turn at the front of the group and don't feel like the lack of light slows me down.

There's no question that compared to modern setups Ay-ups are under powered. However in the five years riding with group I have never seen an on trail issue with Ay-ups, but have seen plenty of others with other light brands, e.g. busted mounts, batteries dying prematurely, or piggy back cables and connections failing. My helmet mount Ay-ups still run the original half epic battery from the kit I bought back in 2006. The missus had a warranty issue with a half epic battery, and Ay-up replaced it, no questions asked with a full Epic battery before we sent the original back in. I guess what I'm trying to say is if bombproof and great support means a lot, they are still right up there. Need a mini personal sun on your bars, then go elsewhere but don't expect longevity.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I'm liking the looks of the Gloworm lights. Prices aren't bad and look good quality
 
Top