Lights?

Mays86

Likes Bikes
Im looking at getting a good light for night riding/racing
Just posting a question as too what would be a good light for a good price. Looking for a helmet based light with bat pack.
 

AngoXC

Wheel size expert
Jump in on Nerf Herders's Ay Yup group buy. I dont think there is anything that compares to Ay Yup in terms of quality and performance for the price (short of going DIY). The basic set up will put you back around $250 from memory.

EDIT. I am an echo...
 
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DaGonz

Eats Squid
I have tested a few and for the price you can't beat Ay-ups.
http://www.hidtechnologies.com.au/index.html

For burn time and light output, the Ay-ups I tested didn't even cut the mustard by comparison. It's a competitive space though and things have moved on I will admit so YMMV. If you saw me at the 12 hour, I had a triple on the helmet and a quad on the bars.

By the way, there's a lights "sticky" over here that may be helpful:

http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=78060

Cheers
Gonz
 

mr ufo

UFO MTB Imports
I third the AYUPs ! For light output and battery size , you cant go past them.
Sure , HID s may have a higher output but the batteries are larger and HEAVIER
 

eyes

Likes Bikes and Dirt
my 2c

I have been running Ay-Ups for about 6 months and although i have not ridden any other system these things rock.

EDIT: I'm referring to HID Halogens, not HIDtechnology LEDS (which are pretty damn good also).

Sure they are not as powerful as HID, but HID is not as power as having 2x500W flood lights strapped to your bike.

The point is, HID's are lighter than flood lights, and Ay-Ups are lighter than HID full stop. The actual LED's and casing are super light and low profile. From website info the Ay-Up batteries burn significantly longer for any other battery in their weight range (when you pick up the Lithium Polymer Ay-up battery it feels empty it's so light).

I've had no problems with the Ay-Ups in the rain or in crashes.

The main point here is they are very bright for the weight and bright enough full stop, they are at their best when on both the handlebar mount and the helmet mount running together... or you just don't get good depth on the trail, so get that system if you can afford it.

They are also cheap when compared to running a dual HID setup.

I ordered mine direct off the website and they were at work the next day.

Packaging is great and all the bits in one bag makes sure you don't forget anything.

Yours truly

Eyes
 
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rpmjunky

Likes Bikes
I third the AYUPs ! For light output and battery size , you cant go past them.
Sure , HID s may have a higher output but the batteries are larger and HEAVIER
if you where refering to dagonz post then you got it wrong. he was talking about LED not HID. just made by hidtechnologies
 

ETSX

Likes Dirt
I am with DaGonz on this one. HID tech have a great system, and the light output of the quad is great they have had some great reviews on there systems with the LED's. Don't get me wrong Ayup's are great if you like to have 2 sets and be able to adjust your light to where you want it.

BTW I have a Vicious HID which is brighter than the full Ayup setup, batterys are not heavier and actually they use the same amount of power in total. Yep alot of write ups show an old version with the older heavier battery's. I have updated my battery's from HID tech for $50 each, and my 4000mA batts are the same weight as the old 2200mA batts.
 

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
AY UPs are not the best lights on the market, however, for their price they are very very good. Unless you have money to blow and want the very best, id be goinf down the Ay Up road.
 

...jim

skanky media ho
Depends on your definition of best. Brightest? I have an HID that is too bright - especially at Stromlo where the soil is so white. Sure, I can step it down - and I use a light on the bar as well as one on my head which only adds to the lumens out front (in a good way).

I've got all sorts of bits, from towball cover homemade halogens to ubber-fancy HID, but were I to start from scratch, it's be double Ay-Ups. Price, availability, lumens, weight - they tick all the boxes.
 

Spanky_Ham

Porcinus Slappius
After riding with someone who has a single 30W HID lamp set up on the handle bars.... you can have too much light...

As spanky's light technician, Ive got him over the past few years.

1) HID's .... great, but they occasionally pop ballasts and globes... and @100 bucks each.... kinda does suck. Have used Viscious HID set up and was very impressed with them....

2) AY-UP's..... simple, enough light output, and awesome batteries.

3) Halogen - great for backup lights.

He's seen a Lupine set up that was just beautiful, but way out of our price range.... still waiting to see one of those HID technologies 4 LED lights..... willing to review them for mt HID technologies... hint hint hint.... but Ive had great service and help from HID technologies trying to fix other HID lights (not HID technologies lights)

Only suggestion is to get two lights, no matter where you mount them... cause it sucks loads of arse when one light goes and your in the middle of the bush.

spanky's light tech.

Here's toic playing shadow puppets with the 30W HID..
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
I did the light buy thing about 4 months ago. After alot of research and testing I went with the Dinotte 600L and 200L. At the time the price was better then the Ay-up with much better light output plus more batteries. Now with aussie dollar its not so great. A mate just got a set and he also loves them, During the scott he got over 4 hours on full power out of 1 battery set.

I've crash tested mine and the brackets are very strong and lights are bulletproof!

heres a link: http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/product_detail.asp?RowID=28&CS=dinotte&All=
cheers.
 
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R0B0T

Likes Bikes
If u want something dirt cheap with average performance, T7 got a set of lights on sale for $80. I've got the same ones, which i bought the last time they were on sale. They give me about 3 hours of solid light. I only use them for commuting. Never used them offroad, however those with a set of helmet lights might do the trick. http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/TGLIHN815
 
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DaGonz

Eats Squid
Depends on your definition of best. Brightest? I have an HID that is too bright - especially at Stromlo where the soil is so white. Sure, I can step it down - and I use a light on the bar as well as one on my head which only adds to the lumens out front (in a good way).
I'd imagine the Cyclone(?) of yours on your helmet would be near useless! what ends up happening is the bright white on the white sand just reflects straight at you and everything looks flat. Brightest on the bars, something softer for the helmet.

I can use my vicious on the helmet if I have the HidTech Lumin8r quad on the bars (it's the first led unit I've tested that is brighter than my vicious), otherwise I have to step the vicious down too. It's the first time I've been able to do that, even the L&M ARC HID I've borrowed for races before as a bar use didn't throw enough for the hid on the helmet to be useful.

On a side note:

Coupled with advances in batteries, I think only now LED's are starting to truly surpass HID, but you end up with a similar weight, similar burn time "system" to get there.

Cheers
Gonz
 

...jim

skanky media ho
Flight, actually. No, I like bright on the head - pointed well up - as you can see where you're going and where you're making all the decisions. The one on the bar need only pick out shadows (which a helmet light won't) for last-minute absorbtion.

If the HID's aimed far enough ahead - and stopped down to low power - it works fine.
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
For those that Like It in the Dark

I've used
- halogens (Vista lights, niterider (NR) evolutions) and aside from the batteries aren't bad (ie, I survived many a ride with them).
pluses: Cheap, pretty robust ...
minuses: Battery life
I got my NR Digi Evos from ebay (US) for about $AUD120 all up

- HiDs (NR FireStorm) I think ... the narrow beam yups burn thru them bloody easily. admittedly they are floods.
pluses: heaps brighter then Halos, battery life is about 1.5hr on high and haven't run out on lows yet ... NR rated at 200Lumins
minuses: Bulbs are fickel ... the batteries are no where near lasting what NR claim (4hrs or something on High pffft).
my problems maybe due to it being old stock (but brand new) ... and my having not used them more then 6 time yet (batteries are getting better each ride).
- paid about AUD$270 all up

- HiDs from other riders
- Oddjob has a Hidtech' ... can't remember which one, but shit its bright ... and he has a habit of flashing the buggers in your eyes, whilst he is talking to you :p ... I reckon its a bit expensive for one unit ... but "shit its bright"
- Great website and everybody I know (oddjob and several of Spanky's personas ;) have rated the customer service highly) :p
- approx AUD$480 for the deathstar (not actual name of the model)

- Ayups (website rates them at +300Lumins)
- Bipyjamas has kindly lent me his yups and a few of the regular Sydney & Blue mountain night riders have them and I'm impressed / jealous with the entire package.
- Battery life, light output, features (tilting of the lamp units are great).
For Bang for buck and Light Output ... you can't really ignore them.
_ As Ango mentioned I've got a group buy running if you decide to go this way ... you'll get 7.5% discount which is better then nothing. PM me if you want to join in.
- approx AUD$480 for the MTB Kit (incl GST ex-discount)

- DiNotte.
Haven't used these yet ... but have read a few interweb reviews and comparo's now and getting very curious. I've recently emailed them and WoW.
their range goes from 200Lumins to 800L ... LEDS.
If your not in a rush and want to experiement ... PM me and I'll provide you with details on the discount they've offered me so far :cool:.
- Not sure on prices yet. (check my other thread for relevant links)

if I had to buy today ... I'd get the yups (Aussie and reliable). But I'm now thinking seriously of getting a 400L & 800L DiNotte Combo (when the Aussie Peso comes back:p)
 

davidtcr

Likes Bikes
Another light that is worth checking out is the Niterider MiNewt X2, which is comparable to the Ayup in most areas (weight, output, battery life, etc). I haven't priced them recently, but it was also around the same price.

If you want to go up in price a bit you can also go for it in a dual set up.

I have used these at the Scott and for commuting for a couple of years now and have found them to be very good.
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
But I'm now thinking seriously of getting a 400L & 800L DiNotte Combo (when the Aussie Peso comes back:p)
Ive got the 600/200 and its an almost perfect combo. If I was buying again, I'd go the 600/400 as the 200 on the helmet just is a little underpowered compared the the 600 bar light.
The 800 is just overkill, but the lights have power scaling so you can always run them dimmer if needs be!


One of the big reasons I liked dinotte is the batteries are CHEAP! unlike other lights you can get a battery for around $30 not $100's

The red tailight is bloody awesome for road riding! talk about been seen!

cheers.
 
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