Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Electric Bikes
Reload this Page >

I need a headlight. Who makes good ones?

Search
Notices
Electric Bikes Here's a place to discuss ebikes, from home grown to high-tech.

I need a headlight. Who makes good ones?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-27-18, 02:22 PM
  #1  
3speed
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 3,473
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
I need a headlight. Who makes good ones?

Mods, feel free to delete this thread.

Last edited by 3speed; 07-27-18 at 02:30 PM.
3speed is offline  
Old 07-27-18, 03:50 PM
  #2  
2old
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: socal
Posts: 4,260
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 880 Post(s)
Liked 817 Times in 617 Posts
My wife and I have 750 or 900 (can't remember) lumen Lezynes; about $100 with a rechargeable battery and easy on/off mounting. They perform well for night MTB or eMTB, but there are many other options.
2old is offline  
Old 07-27-18, 06:23 PM
  #3  
slomoshun
Senior Member
 
slomoshun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: 98059
Posts: 182

Bikes: Treks and a Moulton

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
Any of these are good. I don't need to ignite foliage or melt retinas, so the 140SL is sufficient. Illuminate according to your intended road speed, you don't want to override your lighting.

​​​​​​https://www.planetbike.com/store/pro...ke-lights.html
slomoshun is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 03:57 AM
  #4  
3speed
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 3,473
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
I ended up finding one on amazon that is stupid cheap if it actually performs 80% of what it claims. I’m gonna give that a shot. The problem I’m running into is that lumens are so general of a measurement, and that one 500 lumen might might be great and then another 500 lumen light barely lights up the road. Lumens tells you nothing about beam pattern(if there even is one) and people seem to claim whatever they want for lumen output. In any case, I’m a huge fan of the lux measurement, and I think I’ll just fork over the cash for a Busch and Müller if this amazon cheapo doesn’t do the trick. I have a B&M on my touring/commuting bike and my friend has one. I know they make Fantastic lights, and use the lux system and very directed beam patterns, so you actually have an idea of light on the road versus just a blast of light out into the world of some random number of lumens. I’m also not looking to blind oncoming traffic.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079Z...ZEFH7SO2&psc=1
It does say it’s rated for 6-80v. I’m thinking the 100lux rating is probably just at 80v. I guess I’ll find out soon.
3speed is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 07:43 AM
  #5  
unterhausen
Randomhead
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,392
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,690 Times in 2,513 Posts
looks like it has cutoff optics, so that's good. I had a cheap dyno light with a similar design, it worked okay, but the case was too cheap to survive life in a bike rack
unterhausen is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 08:42 AM
  #6  
Robert C
Senior Member
 
Robert C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kansas
Posts: 2,248

Bikes: This list got too long: several ‘bents, an urban utility e-bike, and a dahon D7 that my daughter has absconded with.

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 66 Times in 48 Posts
I went with this setup. You can run it straight off the e-bike battery.

From here
Voltage: 12V-80V



from here

with this switch

When finished it had a very OEM look to it. The only odd thing was that the lens on the light is a bit larger than the generic magic-shine clones. As such, I had to glue (epoxy) the defuser to the lens to get the shaped light that I prefer.
Robert C is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 03:55 PM
  #7  
3speed
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 3,473
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by unterhausen
looks like it has cutoff optics, so that's good. I had a cheap dyno light with a similar design, it worked okay, but the case was too cheap to survive life in a bike rack
That’s what I was thinking, regarding the cutoff optics. On the one picture diagram it looks like it might actually have some thought put into it. And I think it’s an aluminum housing too. I’m not expecting much at this price, so it with either meet my expectations or be a very surprisingly decent light. At this price, the best value on the market if the optics are good and it performs half as well as claimed.
3speed is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 03:56 PM
  #8  
3speed
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 3,473
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by Robert C
I went with this setup. You can run it straight off the e-bike battery.

From here
Voltage: 12V-80V



from here

with this switch

When finished it had a very OEM look to it. The only odd thing was that the lens on the light is a bit larger than the generic magic-shine clones. As such, I had to glue (epoxy) the defuser to the lens to get the shaped light that I prefer.
Awesome with the switch wiring. I’m definitely using that. Thanks!
3speed is offline  
Old 08-05-18, 01:20 PM
  #9  
angerdan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Europe
Posts: 431
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 126 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Lightbulb

Busch & Müller, Supernova Lights and Lupine Lighting does make good headlights.

Trelock too, they did present a whole new 5.000lm headlight which is StVZO-approved too
elektrofahrrad24.de/Trelock-und-Haibike-machen-die-Nacht-zum-Tage
pedelec-elektro-fahrrad.de/news/trelock-skybeamer-bringt-haibike-flyon-durch-die-nacht/180486/

Last edited by angerdan; 08-06-18 at 12:11 PM.
angerdan is offline  
Old 08-05-18, 08:54 PM
  #10  
BigTFlyer
Newbie
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 2old
My wife and I have 750 or 900 (can't remember) lumen Lezynes; about $100 with a rechargeable battery and easy on/off mounting. They perform well for night MTB or eMTB, but there are many other options.
I love the Lezynes as well!
BigTFlyer is offline  
Old 08-06-18, 06:06 AM
  #11  
MikeyMK
Cycleway town
 
MikeyMK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Milton Keynes, England
Posts: 1,402

Bikes: 2.6kw GT LTS e-tandem, 250w Voodoo, 250w solar recumbent trike, 3-speed shopper, Merlin ol/skl mtb, 80cc Ellswick

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 569 Post(s)
Liked 169 Times in 117 Posts
Originally Posted by Robert C
I went with this setup. You can run it straight off the e-bike battery.

From here
Voltage: 12V-80V



from here

with this switch

When finished it had a very OEM look to it. The only odd thing was that the lens on the light is a bit larger than the generic magic-shine clones. As such, I had to glue (epoxy) the defuser to the lens to get the shaped light that I prefer.
I use that, but the projector version. Same unit inside, just a half sphere lens.

Really good beam pattern, nice spread for cycleways without loss far to the side or too much of a focused central beam.

Ridiculously bright on full but has three brightness modes. Strobe is only any use for causing epileptic seizures, and it's impossible to ride at night on strobe because it makes it appear like you're not moving!

Rigged direct to my e-bike's computer light output so is fully intergrated, runs off the full 40-54v range my battery management allows.

MikeyMK is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
corrado33
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
1
10-28-14 01:50 PM
corrado33
Commuting
50
12-14-13 10:22 PM
smurray
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
92
11-21-13 04:08 PM
northerntier
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
71
11-12-13 11:05 AM
jsdavis
Advocacy & Safety
11
11-27-11 11:15 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.