MrJames67 

Hello everyone,

I need a super-bright daytime-only bright white front flasher, one that pulses quickly.

I've seen one or two each week on oncoming cyclists that really stand out by being bright and having a fast pulse, not strobe but fast, about every 2 seconds. And they catch my attention from quite a distance with the sun out. So someone makes such a thing. Size or weight are not important.
I appreciate any help with this.

Happy riding

raqball 

While I've never used their front lights, Dinotte makes stellar and very bright rear lights.

Here is one of their options for a front light. It's a bit expensive but Dinotte makes high quality lights..

https://store.dinottelighting.com/xi...tery-p213.aspx

SpedFast

I use one of those tactical style you see advertised where the tank runs over it and is so bright it burns people that attack you haha. I've gotten yelled at by people during bright sunny days to dim my $#% light so I know they can see it. They make a front handlebar mount for them and sometimes on the bay you can find them sold together. They use 3.7V lithium rechargeable batteries and have a life on high beam around 2 hours. On flash they last much longer. In reality they test out around 1200 lumen according to utube vid reviews. Best part is how much cheaper they are than 'bike specific' lights.

Iride01 

Those lights you see may not be as bright as you think. They probably just have a proper lens to focus the flash as it need to be. So don't worry so much about lumens.

Just get something that says it's intended for daytime flash. I have some very old rechargeable Bontrager Flares. The ones that are just little somewhat square little cubes. They seem to fit all my daytime needs.

IMO, when distant you just want enough flash to let others know you are there. When close up, you don't want to blind them so they run into you because you disoriented them with a bright flash. Besides, for close up, I feel bright clothing and bicycle that doesn't blend in with the surroundings does a better job.

raqball 

I also have and use the Bontrager Ion 200 RT and it works great as a DRL but the OP asked for bright so that's why I didn't include it in my recommendation. The Dinotte I linked to is 1200+ lumens whereas the Flare is 200.. The Ion 200 does have a very nice flash pattern and focus.

Polaris OBark

I have the front one, and i think it is brighter. It has a variety of modes, the brighter of which drain the battery faster.

Also Cygolite is good.

MrJames67 

Any details on the name and model? Thanks.

John Valuk

It doesn't use ultra-bright pulses, but the Fenix BC30 V2.0 headlight has a mode where it alternates between 600 lumens and 50 lumens. This happens at about 2 Hz, so each high-low cycle is about 0.5 seconds.

SpedFast

Here you go. They use the 14500 3.7V rechargeable lithium bats. I liked these lights so much after buying one for each of my bikes I bought a 6 pack of them for under $20.US and have them stashed all around my place. They also have a zoom feature that will light things up at night like you wouldn't believe. In combination with my helmet light, they work great for night rides. They have a dim, bright, and bright flash. If you zoom the flash at someone you will get their attention, but not always in a good way. I have no vested interest in these, but I love them. My oldest one sees almost daily use for more than 2 years now in all kinds of weather with zero problems.
HTH You might have to cut and paste the links into your browser. These are available other places, this was just a quick search to give you an idea of what I'm referring to.

Light- https://www.ebay.com/itm/23460904686...RoC2_EQAvD_BwE

Holder- https://www.ebay.com/itm/36399714250...Bk9SR9bc1u_xYA

MrJames67 

Thanks everyone. I'm trying several of your suggestions. Waiting for their delivery. This is a great forum no matter what you need help with.

wayold

Many front lights seem to try to limit the brightness of the flasher so as not to annoy drivers. The Magicshine RN-3000 I use suffers no such restriction and blasts out 3000 lumens in a steady pulse (not a fast strobe, more like a 50% duty cycle). It uses a pair of 21700 batteries and lasts 5+ hours between charges in this mode (lots longer if you crank the power down a bit).

SpedFast

Please let me know what you think if you try the ones I recommended. Thanks, Smokey

rumrunn6

original Magicshine

rumrunn6

keep in mind you can use more than one light at a time. last winter I enjoyed using 3. 2 on the bars & 1 on the helmet

VegasTriker

If you use a flashlight, look for one that can be focused and has a CREE XML-T6 (1050 lumens at max) or XML-L2 LED (1198 lumens max). You can find both in pretty inexpensive flashlights that use the 18650 Li-ion battery. The “360 degree flashlight holder” shown in the link above was designed specifically for flashlights using the 18650 battery and that have a 1" (25mm) OD at the barrel where the flashlight clips in. I've used the flashlight for several years and never had it come loose. Pair the light with an NCR/Panasonic 18650, 3,400 mAh battery and you get long run times. Last time I looked the one shown below was available on eBay from a US seller for $8. I've used this exact model for several years https://www.ebay.com/itm/222401132783 It is one of many similar priced T6 flashlights.

Why not use the flashlight that uses 14350 li-ion batteries? The reason is run-time, or how often you will need to recharge the battery. If you compare the same high quality Panasonic 18650 battery with the Panasonic 14500 battery the difference in battery capacity is 3,400 mAh compared to 850 mAh. If you use the same LED, the larger battery is going to run four times as long at the same lumen output. It pays to buy a good quality battery too. I've compared run-time for Panasonic versus Trustfire or Ultrafire batteries rated as high as “5000” mAh. The Panasonic 3,400 mAh ran the two cell bike headlight for 16 hours while the Chinese batteries lasted from two to four hours.

SpedFast

I use the 14500 battery which is just a tinch smaller in diameter than the 18650 only because I wasn't aware of the larger option of flashlight/battery back then. I do have 2800 mAh bats though after going through a dozen of the cheaper Ultrafires--all of which eventually just quit over time and wouldn't even accept a charge. Quality does pay dividends over time ( I keep telling my wife that when she's upset with me)

rumrunn6

I try to sidestep Wifey when it comes to bike purchases

Troul 

that MONTEER 8000S GALAXY V2.0 Light would def get some attention.

MrJames67 

Now that I have them,
1. This is exactly the flasher I've seen occasionally here coming toward me, and which I hoped to find through this thread. It has a fast pulse rate, much much higher than 2 seconds, as I said when I started this thread. That number was from memory. This thing strobes.

2. With the 3.7 battery it really is waaay too bright to oncoming cars if pointed at a driver. Outright disturbing. Especially on wide zoom. I don't think drivers would hit me over it but I can see why they'd want to. And not good for those people who are sensitive to seizures from strobe lights and have drivers licenses.

But, with an ordinary AA Eneloop rechargeable or AA alkaline battery, is still awfully bright -- hence usable in my opinion, although still annoying. Point it such that it's not directly at any oncoming drivers.

It's the most attention-getting bike light I've ever seen. They cannot avoid seeing it. What's interesting is that on a full non-flashing setting, as bright as it is, the strobe seems to increase the perceived brightness level to the viewer.

Here are 3 of them, not knockoffs, genuine Ultrafire ones with Cree bulbs, for $14.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Turned out that my nephew has three of these. He bought them almost ten years ago off Amazon, they came with a charger and two 3.7v batteries. He had 4 but one stopped working. The other three are fine.

Hope this helps. Be cautious with these lights and use good judgment. I definitely want to be seen, especially in the USA, one of the few countries in the world where an auto driver can kill a cyclist while intoxicated, even from behind, and not get put to sleep. Or serve long jail time. Especially when sober, all they have to say in court, accompanied by tears (onion slice in the hankie ploy), "I just didn't SEE him." Boo hoo hoo. American juries and judges swallow this excuse. It may explain but it does not excuse. And doesn't in most countries, when a sober auto driver hits a cyclist from behind.

A red celluloid/piece of photo gel film over the lens would make this small flashlight an ideal rear bike light. At any rate, don't anger drivers with overkill, especially such as on rural roads where I ride with many rednecks in trucks who toss their beer cans out in the ditches. Some of these characters deliberately drive their trucks over woodchucks, possums, turtles, young turkeys for fun and brag about it.

rumrunn6

oh yeah haha I don't have that one!
not for public use, mostly for the forest, I have an MJ906 on the helmet (the beam is actually kinda narrow for MTB use)

on the bars I like 2 heads, 1 w/ a wide angle diffuser & 1 w/ a DIY reflective beam cutoff hood
& regarding the "original magicshine" I think it is/was a 900 lumen. looks like the newer XP-L V5 3-Mode version has a higher rating. the other head on the bars is likely this RioRand 4 Mode 1200 Lm Cree Xml T6

so 3 heads & 3 batteries, plus a 4th battery for when the helmet battery is exhausted

these pics might be w/ just 2 heads


last winter I was also mounting a 4th light on a camera stick to get pics like this



that little light is actually something I got to ride with on public roads & bike paths because it is modest & has a good beam pattern. it's an Allty Mini 300 Lumen Headlight
another link for that one

wayold

With 5 emitters that looks a lot more like an MJ-906 than a 900. I prefer a lower profile (and lower weight) helmet light. I used to run a Magicshine 900s, but recently upgraded to a Gloworm X2 - in both cases with the battery offloaded to a small hydration pack.

SpedFast

Yes, with these lights you would only be angering drivers if you pointed it up at them. I have on occasion used the narrow beam on flash to get someone's attention that cut me off. It must have worked because they waved their apologies with one finger haha. In my defense, I was left unsupervised.

rumrunn6

YES! Thank you! I corrected myself, good catch! I was thinking about putting the battery elsewhere, but the jacket pocket I tried, wasn't comfortable, especially since sometimes I take my helmet off, especially when changing the battery on long cold rides. & in the winter I wear so many layers as it is, I didn't want to add a hydration pack. But I totally understand & appreciate that use!

rumrunn6

hehe totally, when I'm out on the roads I have just 1 light on the bars, w/ the beam cut off hood, & aimed down

or actually I just got that other little one (it has a modest light & very good beam pattern right out of the box) if there is street lighting, or on a paved bike trail w/ other ppl
Allty Mini 300 Lumen Headlight
another link for that one

if I'm out in a snow storm, I bring everything, cuz I'm alone, w/ rare exception

rumrunn6

yikes! how do those monsters feel about cyclists?