stevage

Hi all,
Variations of this question must get asked all the time, but I'm having trouble locating one. I'm just trying to understand: what is the basic difference between the main models of Lumotec light?

For my own needs I'm looking for a really reliable light to pair with a planned Shutter Precision dynamo hub and Plug III. I do everything on one bike, commuting, touring, a bit of offroad touring (bikepacking etc). I'm more concerned with getting a rugged light that can handle the odd collision and good waterproofing, rather than counting lumens. I have other bright lights I can temporarily add for a special occasion. Wide beam definitely preferred, and the "near field" (R models?) sounds good, too. Cost is not a big issue.

I want to mount it from the headset - I have a lot of other crap to compete with (including crown-mounted front rack, GPS mount, cyclocross levers)

The Fly design looks more rugged, but is it less bright than the Cyo?

The all-in-one Luxos solution doesn't feel quite right to me - it looks big and fragile, and I really want the tidy USB charging solution of the Plug.

unterhausen

I would get the Cyo Premium because of the width of the beam. The other Cyos don't really measure up. I use the Lyt, and to be perfectly honest it only makes sense on my commuter. The Luxos is a great light, but as you say it's huge. I really like mine. I don't think the Fly is any more rugged than the rest.

PaulRivers

I agree as well, I have the original Cyo on my bike and I bought an Ixon IQ Premium which is the battery version that uses the new light pattern / reflector, and the newer wider beam is definitely worth the money in my opinion. You said wide beam definitely preferred, and you want light nearer to you - the Cyo Premium is way better for both of those criteria than previous models were.

Nothing wrong with using "the plug" separately if you want, the last time I researched it costs the same anyways. I also thought that huge light was odd looking and didn't buy. Also, the beam pattern on the Cyo Premium is better than the beam pattern on the Luxos U anyways, based on looking at the Peter White beam shots -
headlight beams from Peter White Cycles

(The "Schmidt Edelux II prototype" shots use the same beam pattern / reflector as the Cyo Premium). Less artifact, more even light, I've read people who owned both say that the Cyo Premium has better throw in lighting up further down the road as well.

All lights mentioned above mount by default at the top of the fork where the brakes usually mount, so they won't be taking up handlebar space.

In my opinion, based on what's available and your criteria, it's between the Cyo Premium and the Schmidt Edelux II. They have the same exact beam pattern, the Schmidt is made with a metal casing (vs plastic for the Cyo Premium), it's about 10% brighter, and it uses an led with a different (supposedly better) color temperature. The drawback is mainly that it also costs 90% more than the Cyo Premium, I think it's $110 vs $200.

fietsbob

there is a broad range of features in a range on the Lyt Model s

Tried the most basic one it s a fairly narrow beam .. a be seen level for cities ..

I kept the Eyc , the Lyt was returned .. in spite of a punitive restocking hit ..

I have the eDelux headlight on another bike .. they are using the same B&M IQ Reflector technology
the LEDs face down and the reflector mirror provides the beam shape,

where are you mounting the light? a bolt thru the fork crown is where they were thinking it would go, and designed it to be there .
mine are around 30" off the ground.

the Eyc is mounted lower ... It's on my Brompton..

stevage

I'm hoping to mount it on the headset, like this: (not my bike, obviously)

znomit

+1 on the cyo premium. What mount is that?

unterhausen

Union (and others) used to make a stem mount. That mount is pretty interesting, although I don't think I have any bikes where that would work.

on edit: it's a B&M, peter white has it https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/light-mounts.asp B&M471B both 1" and 1 1/8" versions

stevage

Ordered the Cyo Premium T Plus X Alpha Z Special Y from bike24. Thanks for your unanimous help!

fietsbob

The B&M 471B in both 1" and 1 1/8", versions shown above, are intended for quill stems.. there is a key tab on the inside back .. easily removed
The larger one could go between a threadless spacer stack and rely on friction to hold it straight..

I use the smaller one .. the folding steerer riser on my BiFri, fits into the threaded 9/8" fork, with a 1" quill.. and use the friction fit .. works there .

bumping the light it moves, around the tube, but it stays pointed ahead all the rest of the time..


I use the also nylon B&M471LH on my Koga WTR, a trekking bike .. there is a bolt hole in the arch of it's Modified Suspension fork .
shared bolt.. it also supports the mudguard L bracket.

PaulRivers

Huh, never seen that before, interesting...

Fyi, though, the light is designed to be mounted at the brake bridge:



Can you mount it other places? Sure. The light will still function, but I've had it mounted on the handlebars and had it mounted on the brake bridge and it works better on the brake bridge - the beam shape is more suited to the break bridge (the side light doesn't go as far down the road when mounted on the bars), and it's better at casting a shadow on objects sitting on the road which makes them stand out more when mounted on the brake bridge.

Have fun. :-)

zacster

I have the Cyo Premium too and I don't regret buying that at all. It is a fantastic light.

stevage

I believe that, but it's not an option. My front rack takes up that spot. My whole front end is totally overloaded: GPS, interrupter levers, rack, two Revelate feedbags.

hybridbkrdr

This may sound a wee bit peculiar, but even before I've completed my touring bike I decided to change my opinion on installing a Lyt on the bike. I now plan to buy the Eyc as well (even though I don't know which version to choose at xxcycle). (There are several versions of the Eyc. For those wondering, I got my Lyt from xxcycle.)

fietsbob

Eyc T the day running 2 LEDs* are the standlight at night.. Im thinking,, the other one the single LED dips in brightness when standing

and senso mode is light sensitive so turns itself off in daylight by itself ,in that mode..

*day running LEDs are underneath on the Lumotec on the black bike, in 10th post pix.

PaulRivers

You're going to let that stop you?


Of course do whatever works best. :-)

stevage

Whoa. That's, um. Um. What exactly are those lights mounted to? And...three lights? Does the CatEye point sideways into traffic or something?

You can't just post that pic without some explanation!

noglider 

I'm glad @PaulRivers showed you that, and I also hope he explains. Take a look around at your various mounting options before you mount your light so high. The fork crown is an excellent height for seeing and being seen, and I recommend you try to make that work for you.

PaulRivers

I came up with that from a quickly google image search...

It seems to be related to here and here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10533076@N08/6933395229/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10533076@N08/6933395341/

Google search for "cyo front light" and click on "images" and you'll see a lot of pics of people who mounted a Cyo on their front rack.

For the battery light, the original Cyo has a large dark area in front of the light -


Compare that to the Cyo Premium beam pattern:



Some people had a problem with the dark are before the light began - and if you mounted the light further forward than it was supposed to be mounted (like on a front rack), it would make the dark area even longer. I suspect that the battery light was there to fill in the dark spot before the Cyo light began. That's not a problem with the Cyo Premium though, so it's not something you'd have to worry about.

PaulRivers

@noglider Would let you put more gear higher up on your front rack, to. :-)

noglider 

How did you know I want to do that?

I don't currently have a front rack, so I don't face the challenge of mounting my headlight. I had one for a short time, but I found I didn't need the rack, and the light was too bouncy. I used a piece of sheet metal, probably a reflector bracket or something, mounted it to the rack, and I mounted the fork crown mount to that. Sheet metal, even with bent edges (what are those called, gussets?), prove to be too bouncy.

Here is how it was with the front rack:





And here is how it is now:

PaulRivers

It's because I'm Psychic Detective Shawn Spencer.


...if you haven't seen that episode of Psych, that's probably not going to make sense though... :-)

That's interesting...surprised it bounces more though. Wonder if it would not bounce if you have a rack more built to be attached to a bike with regular front rack mounts?

Another thought was that the Saferide is relativy a big heavy light compared to something like a Cyo. Wonder if that's part of it...

noglider 

I think my sheet metal was flexier than I expected, plus yes, maybe the light is a bit heavy. I don't think the rack was bouncing at all. It's a great light, but I'm hooked on B&M lights at this point.

I haven't seen Psych at all. Too much to catch up on!

thelonewheeler

Hi I've been reading the replies and as a Cyo Premium owner I'd heartily recommend it, mine is the full 80lux non reflector version. It certainly surprised me with respect to its light output and beam throw/width( though I'm not an owner of a 2000lumen mtb light so I may be easily impressed ). Sometimes with a purchase you worry about making a regretful decision and with this purchase I have no regrets, an excellent purchase. I too was attracted by the Luxos, the B variant on cost grounds, but unfortunately B+M remove the useful light features rather than just the USB feature hence negating why I liked it. Anyway I viewed the Cyo Premium beam pattern and felt it looked a slightly more useful beam than the Luxos. I've done a mini review of my the Cyo Premium on the link below ( with some background as to how I ended off going down the dyno route ) if you wish to view. Paul Rivers posting earlier kindly cross referenced this in another lights post on this forum. I purchased my full wheel build and light from RoseBikes in Germany ( I live in UK ) the prices were excellent being a huge dyno market over there but I'm sure there'll be low cost sources in the outside Europe too.

Link to mini review:-

WindmillsOfMyMind

Hope this helps your decision