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Light and Motion Taz 2000 - thoughts or feedback?

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Light and Motion Taz 2000 - thoughts or feedback?

Old 11-11-17, 06:25 PM
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Seattle Forrest
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Light and Motion Taz 2000 - thoughts or feedback?

I have an opportunity to get this light at a big discount. Since I don't know much about lighting, I'd appreciate any advice.

Intended use is mostly city riding. I'll also use it for gravel rides that occasionally end after dark. My thinking is low power mode will be plenty bright enough for city use and the battery will last long enough on low for Monday through Friday riding. Brighter will be nice to have for those gravel rides. I like the idea of side lights to make me more visible at intersections.
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Old 11-11-17, 09:00 PM
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TimothyH
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I can't provide feedback on the TAZ but I own two other Light & Motion products.

The Urban 800 fast charge is excellent. Beam pattern is second to none and construction is top notch. Gets warm but not hot. GoPro mount makes it very versatile. The Vis 360 Plus helmet mount light is with me every night ride. Beam pattern is also excellent and makes the 250 lumen model seem closer to a 500 lumen light. My only gripe with the Vis 360+ is that the wires are somewhat delicate.

Beam pattern is just as important as lumens but 2000 is a lot. You will want to be careful in traffic with 2000 lumens. I own a 1200 lumen Exposure Strada and it is blindingly bright but the beam is too diffuse making it seem like a lower power light. Anyone can make an LED lamp which throws an insane amount of light but not everyone gets beam pattern right. A flood is better for the trail while a strong spot with moderate flood is good for the road.

Bottom line is my experience with L&M products is that they are extremely well made and have excellent beam pattern. Hopefully someone can give feedback on that exact model.


-Tim-

Last edited by TimothyH; 11-11-17 at 09:06 PM.
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Old 11-11-17, 09:20 PM
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i just placed an order for the taz 1200. i'm sure that the optics may be the same except with greater output.

i expect to receive this light on monday. i'll post a review for you if interested when i get it.
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Old 11-13-17, 02:23 AM
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The local REI carries a full line of L&M lights so I've had an opportunity to compare the Taz 1200 with other L&M small barrel, single LED models. Surprisingly, the Taz 1200 didn't appear significantly brighter than the Urban 800. But the beam was broader and more even, so it's definitely worth considering at the right price.
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Old 11-13-17, 04:52 PM
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I have the 1500. It's a great light. The low power mode will be plenty of light for urban riding, and the high power will give you the light you want on trails. The amber side LED's are particularly nice in traffic. You'll want a quality power supply to charge it. The lights are power hungry, and something like a iPad adapter that can provide a reliable 2 amp output is ideal.
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Old 11-13-17, 07:27 PM
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If you get it at a big discount, I'd buy it. Worst case you don't like it and can resell it on ebay at the same price or more.

Every light I've had has had tradeoffs and none of them is perfect.

Taz 1500:
- Very wide beam pattern, if you're afraid of animals jumping into your path this is the way to go
- Does a good job of shaping the beam so that it's even over the road (this is a lot more helpful than it sounds)
- The neutral-white-ish led's they use I find both my own eyes prefer them and they're far less blinding for oncoming bikers / traffic
- Does a decent job of putting most of it's light output on the road. While a true shaped beam light does that better, the taz is a bit more natural in that you can still see the upper parts of peoples bodies with the light.

Negatives:
- The biggest drawback of the Taz was that it didn't go down the road as far as I would have liked. To really enjoy riding with it at decent speeds (above 15mph) I found I needed to add a 2nd light that punched down the road further.
- Aesthetically, on the 1500 I preferred my Fenix who's light was a little more yellow. The Taz 1500 was closer to a whitish/moonlight color. This might not even apply to the 2000, who knows.

Overall it's a good light. If a friend needed a light and could get a discount on one I'd say go for it. It's drawback is that what you gain in it having a wider beam pattern, you lose a bit in how far down the road it illuminates.
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Old 11-13-17, 07:51 PM
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Thanks, everybody, for sharing your thoughts and advice. Very much appreciated.
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Old 11-13-17, 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
... Gets warm but not hot. ...
Any guess whether I could get away with occasionally putting this on double duty as a backpacking flashlight? I realize the bike provides a cooling breeze.
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Old 11-13-17, 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
Any guess whether I could get away with occasionally putting this on double duty as a backpacking flashlight? I realize the bike provides a cooling breeze.
It would be fine at low and medium. It might not run at high.

They built temperature sensors in case someone leaves it running on a workbench or something without moving, it will autodim if it starts to get to hot. You don't need nearly as much light backpacking as you do biking at 15-20mph so it should be good.
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Old 11-14-17, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I have an opportunity to get this light at a big discount. Since I don't know much about lighting, I'd appreciate any advice.

Intended use is mostly city riding. I'll also use it for gravel rides that occasionally end after dark. My thinking is low power mode will be plenty bright enough for city use and the battery will last long enough on low for Monday through Friday riding. Brighter will be nice to have for those gravel rides. I like the idea of side lights to make me more visible at intersections.
Should be a solid light. My kids have a Taz1500 that I bought for them. It's really a great light. I tested it out on a couple of my high speed rides in the rural, twisting and hilly area in which I live. I thought it was fine, beam pattern was good and reach was fine for descents at up to 30mph - more would be better but it was adequate at 1500 lumens so 2000 should just be better.

My kids were using it around the university (campus in an urban area). We actually found that using it at full bright was better in the city than low bright. There are too many other competing light sources and it's important to stand out from them. The light is bright enough that it competes with car headlights which is a good thing.

Downside is that the battery is internal and that gets you in two ways. When you have an empty can, you're done. Check to make sure the run time works for the times you'll need it and carry a backup that gives enough light you can get home. Too, when the battery dies of age, if L&M won't replace it then it is a a paperweight.

J.
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Old 11-15-17, 12:31 AM
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6 hour run time at 500 lumen setting. I want one too.... where is the good deal?
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Old 11-15-17, 08:37 AM
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Originally Posted by trailangel
6 hour run time at 500 lumen setting. I want one too.... where is the good deal?
Long run time is the main benefit of high power lights.

Many will argue that a high power light isn't needed or overkill but they miss the point that a higher powered light will run longer than a low power light when both are at the same output.


-Tim-
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Old 11-15-17, 11:06 AM
  #13  
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This thread just reminded me that I needed to order a new front light. I just ordered an Urban 900 Longfin light. Will see how it goes when I receive it!
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Old 11-15-17, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ptempel
This thread just reminded me that I needed to order a new front light. I just ordered an Urban 900 Longfin light. Will see how it goes when I receive it!
You are going to love it.
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Old 11-16-17, 08:51 PM
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i just posted a review of a Taz 1200 in this forum. i wanted one but then this post about a taz2000 just put me over the edge so i bought it.

you're right, its a great light with a good beam and throw. i got the 1200 so i can imagine how much more the 2000 is.

either way, if you've not made up your mind - get it. its great.
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Old 11-21-17, 08:13 PM
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I remember the Taz 1000 making a little noise when it was on and I just loved it...it was ridiculously powerful at the time. Now I see it as a better practicality at lower settings since you can run a higher low setting for a lot longer then smaller lights. That is why I am considering a Cateye 6000 just to run it at low settings and not recharge it for a long time. 500 lumens for 12 hours sounds pretty cool and if I ever need to burn through stuff I can go up to 6000. However it is an expensive light and would be a rather silly purchase just to max out at 1000.

Granted I am also super interested in dynamo stuff so I might not be buying USB lights for a while the only bike I would ride at night that I wouldn't put a dynamo on is my Ti road bike at this point.
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Old 11-23-17, 10:17 AM
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So I bought one of these TAZ 2000. Haven't ridden it yet. Charging with a 3.4 amp USB charger... took a little over 4 hours... first charge. Light was hot during charging, but not unlike other batteries on a charger. Light is BRIGHT. wide beam with long spot... two spots really. Also has white light compare to my L&M Urban 700... that one has green tint to it.
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Old 11-23-17, 10:43 AM
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I have a Dinotte XML-3. It's 2000 lumens on high, 1000 on medium, and 500 on "low".

The 2000 lumens is too bright for dark country roads, unless I'm on a downhill. Reflective street signs are way too bright with this much light. So I usually run it at 1000 or 500 in dark areas.

City streets are bright enough to see even without much light. But I normally use the 2000 lumen setting in the city, and aim it more downward. Then the area in front of my bike is brightly lit, competing very well with car headlights. Cars can wash out my view of the road if they crest a slight grade and send light into my eyes while the road is in shadow. And the bright pool of light on the ground makes me a lot more visible to drivers.

For night group rides, it's on 500 and aimed way downward, unless I'm at the front, then it's usually 2000.

overheating
Modern lights should run at medium or low settings without getting very warm. My much older Dinotte from 8 or 9 years ago was 200/100/50 lumens, and the 200 setting would only last a few minutes without airflow before it automatically went to lower lumens. The case got very hot. Newer LEDs are way more efficient, staying a lot cooler.

Last edited by rm -rf; 11-23-17 at 10:46 AM.
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Old 11-23-17, 12:51 PM
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"How its made" (a CDN show on Science Channel) had an episode including a Light And Motion product.. showing them making a sample.


Optics; each LED in the center of a common parabolic reflector means it is not going to have a shaped beam , so you will light the trees and the road..


One of their many products apparently ..





....

Last edited by fietsbob; 02-22-19 at 12:35 PM.
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Old 11-23-17, 03:17 PM
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The Taz lights have more of an oval shaped beam, but no cutoff at the top.

I homebrewed a diffuser/hood for my L&M Urban 500. Just trimmed a white translucent HDPE pill bottle to shape. Black tape across the top to minimize spill into my eyes, but left some white plastic uncovered on the sides to glow like a light bulb for enhanced visibility.

The hood provides a sharp cutoff along the top edges so it's less likely to blind pedestrians, joggers and oncoming cyclists on the MUP or in my own neighborhood. Seems to enhance beam spread along the path immediately in front of the bike was well, and doesn't interfere with the concentrated central spot beam created by the parabolic reflector.

Works great. Cost about 15 minutes of time to cut and trim to shape. It snaps into the recess just behind the front of the Urban 500. The hood can be rotated to suit any mounting of the light -- right side up, upside down or sideways on the head tube, stem or fork.

Unfortuately the oval shaped Taz barrel would make it difficult to fit a homebrewed hood.
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Old 11-23-17, 09:01 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
"How its made" (a CDN show on Science Channel) had an episode including a Light And Motion product.. showing them making a sample.


Optics; each LED in the center of a common parabolic reflector means it is not going to have a shaped beam , so you will light the trees and the road..

want that? OK, enjoy your discount..

....
Not sure what model you are talking about but I actually own a Light & Motion Urban 800 and the beam shape is the best I have seen. Construction is top notch. It is a top shelf product.


-Tim-
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Old 11-24-17, 12:12 AM
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With 2000 lumen the 500 setting is good. Each LED has it's own reflector. Might not have enough cutoff, as it does light up signs a bit... but just point it down a little. 6 hours at 500 is good run time. And can be put on different bikes easily. Light can be taken off and used as a flashlight.
TAZ 2000 216 grams, $240.
SON Hub and Edelux light 450 grams, $400, plus new rim and spokes....add another $150, plus labor to build the wheel.
Take you pick Fietsbob... what's the problem
L&M is not junkie china stuff.
Don't tell me the SON hub has resistance when turning the axle, but it's not perceivable....that's BS.
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Old 11-25-17, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I have an opportunity to get this light at a big discount. Since I don't know much about lighting, I'd appreciate any advice.

Intended use is mostly city riding. I'll also use it for gravel rides that occasionally end after dark. My thinking is low power mode will be plenty bright enough for city use and the battery will last long enough on low for Monday through Friday riding. Brighter will be nice to have for those gravel rides. I like the idea of side lights to make me more visible at intersections.
I own the TAZ 1500 and the Urban 800 fast charge lights. Both are great lights. The TAZ 1500 is plenty bright. On the brightest setting, however, battery life is not as good as I’d have expected.
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Old 04-04-18, 12:34 PM
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Great Beam Pattern (When it Works)

If you buy a TAZ, keep your receipt as you will likely need to warranty. They are notorious for failing. I have two that died - they dim, then go black and will not take a charge after that. I suspect it is poor heatsink design affecting the circuit board.

I own both a 1200 and a 1500 (both dead). I own an Urban 850Trail and an Urban 1000 (both working).

Light&Motion make the best beam pattern, but I calculated cost/ride for my Taz @ $2/ride. . .

If you lose your receipt or are out of warranty, they will fix your light for $70+shipping - maybe not a bad deal. . or give you 30% off the retail on a new light (that comes with another 2 year warranty). . . They do have good customer service, I just wish I hadn't had to use it so much.
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Old 04-07-18, 01:20 AM
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4 dead L&M lights. Sounds like operator error
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