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Night-riding lights


mack_turtle

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22 hours ago, fontarin said:

Picked this up a week or two ago.  Works well!  I've only used it on the road bike so far, but seems very bright.

Note:  When you get it, it won't power on.  You have to hold the button down for 7 seconds to clear the factory lock before the light will work.

Got the same, but HAVE used it on trail. Works well.

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  • 3 months later...
On 10/10/2019 at 12:39 PM, Tree Magnet said:

The only thing I worry about with a diving light used for biking is the cooling design. My little Gemini overheats and drops into low power mode if I’m not hauling ass or riding in the winter. I don’t apparently haul enough ass because it happens to me almost every time I use it.

Interested to hear a ride report on that beast!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm now having problems with my Duo 1500.  Got it just a year ago after my 4 yo Xera fell off the car on 360 (found it - still worked! But couldn't mount it anymore).  With 2-cell battery from Xera, it worked great.  Once it crapped out I tried a cheap Amazon 4-cell, but that didn't last.  Went back to Gemini for an OEM 4-cell but after not too long it plug crapped and it wouldn't charge.  Had to pay shipping to return it.  The exchange I got worked fine over the winter, but this week it was overheating even on reduced setting and dimming significantly. It'd do it when I stopped and I'd have to start moving to get it to cool off, but like yours, it would throttle even when going slow...

Did you try get relief from Gemini? So far they've been very slow - with previous inquiries - and now they're likely to be even slower...

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I haven't contacted Gemini about it.  Basically, I think that we have to consider the battery a consumable and not expect more than a season (or two) out of it.  My newish Gemini battery has some intermittent plug issues just like the old one it replaced.  I trust it enough to go on a night ride with it but I make sure I have a back-up on my bars.  If I was a serious night-rider (summer time/corona crowds might force that) then I'd have to find another solution.  Maybe a Light & Motion light or something?

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  • 6 months later...

Reviving an old thread in leu of starting a new one.

With the time about to fall back, I'm interested in purchasing some night riding lights.

So right now I'm gravitating towards two different Gloworm products mainly because they look solid AF, come with a GoPro mount and they review very well. Definitely a premium product though and is going to run me at a minimum $350. I typically am in the "buy once, cry once" camp so this seems to the bill. What I'm not sure on is if this is over kill. I don't need to light up the trails as if the sun was out, but I do want to make sure my lighting system is adequate enough to safely right at a semi-spirited pace.

First option would be a double Gloworm X2 adventure adventure set up. One for the bar and one for the helmet.

Pros:

  • Includes the wireless remote which can pair with both lights at once
  • GoPro mount compatible as I already have a GoPro mount on my helmet 
  • Ability to change out the type of lense (Flood, spot, ect.)
  • A full 1,700 lumens of output per light.

Cons:

  • $424!
  • Battery run time of 1.5 hours which is about my typical right length but could potentially be limiting

Another option to save a little cash would to be one X2 adventure for the bars and then a Gloworm Alpha on the helmet.

Pros and cons are similar with a few exceptions

  • $351 total (Still kind of a con, but a pro in comparison to the aforementioned setup)
  • The alpha is not compatible with the wireless remote
  • While you can change out the lenses on the alpha, the lenses are paired together and can't be changed independently
  • The alpha only throws out 1,200 lumens

For those of you with night riding experience is this over-kill? Just right? Not enough? In an ideal world I'd like to spend $200 for both lights but I'm just not sure if that price point will get me a set up that 1. has a good light spread and 2. will have enough lumens. Maybe I'm wrong though so if you have any recommendations I am open to it.

 

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4 minutes ago, WLemke said:

 

Cons:

  • Battery run time of 1.5 hours which is about my typical right length but could potentially be limiting

That's only if you run it on max brightness the whole time. I don't even have a light that blasts up to 1700 lumens and I almost never run that at maximum. it will probably last much, much longer on the medium setting and that will be sufficient lighting for most rides. Around here in the woods, you can't see more than 15 feet in front of you due to trees and twistiness of the trail anyways.

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On 3/30/2020 at 2:46 PM, Tree Magnet said:

I haven't contacted Gemini about it.  Basically, I think that we have to consider the battery a consumable and not expect more than a season (or two) out of it.  My newish Gemini battery has some intermittent plug issues just like the old one it replaced.  I trust it enough to go on a night ride with it but I make sure I have a back-up on my bars.  If I was a serious night-rider (summer time/corona crowds might force that) then I'd have to find another solution.  Maybe a Light & Motion light or something?

I have a Nitetrider Minewt or something that's over seven years old. the 2-cell li-ion battery is still going strong, but I might not have used it as much as many people who commute or ride in the dark several times a week.

PSA: don't throw those rechargeable batteries in the trash! drop them off at one of many places that take rechargeable batteries for recycling (Best Buy, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Batteries Plus, etc).

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48 minutes ago, mack_turtle said:

I don't even have a light that blasts up to 1700 lumens and I almost never run that at maximum.

Thanks. So in your opinion, how many lumens do you feel are adequate? Would 500 lumens for each bar and helmet light be good? That would definitely help drive the price down a bit. 

While I don't know for sure due to lack of experience, logic tells me that my bar mounted light should be more spread focused and the helmet light should be a spot beam. What are your thoughts on this?

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1 hour ago, WLemke said:

I don't need to light up the trails as if the sun was out,

You don't need to, but it's nice to be able to. 

I don't think there is such a thing as "too bright" when it comes to lights on a trail. I ride with four lights, 4,000 lumens total.

Edited by The Tip
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32 minutes ago, WLemke said:

Thanks. So in your opinion, how many lumens do you feel are adequate? Would 500 lumens for each bar and helmet light be good? That would definitely help drive the price down a bit. 

While I don't know for sure due to lack of experience, logic tells me that my bar mounted light should be more spread focused and the helmet light should be a spot beam. What are your thoughts on this?

very subjective. might depend on how good your eyesight is and how well you know the trail. also trail conditions, how many other riders are around you also illuminating the trail, moonlight, how fast you're going, if you took a dump before riding, etc. "lumens" are not as easy to demonstrate as it appears, either. I'd prefer something that is probably brighter than 500 lumens, assuming output is what the specs on the manufacturer's website say they are. more than one light at full blast 1700 for the entire ride seems excessive to me. start the ride with the light on low–medium mode and bump it up when you hit a tricky segment of trail, get separated from the group, or the pace picks up. drop it to low mode (but not flashing mode) for road segments, mostly so cars can see you.

trying to keep up with a group in the dark sounds like a good reason to get something with handlebar-mounted controls! that is high on my list of priorities for my next light because stopping to adjust brightness while other people are behind your (or disappearing in front of you!) or taking a hand off to fiddle with a light on your head with thick, warm gloves on is NOT easy.

IME, a more spread out light on the bar and a spot on the helmet sounds good.

Edited by mack_turtle
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@mack_turtle has nailed it.

I got lights for 24hr racing so one criteria for me is they have to last a while b/c I don't want to hassle with charging lights during a race.  This is probably overkill for casual riding.

Beam patterns IMO are hugely important.  For me weight is very important for the helmet mounted light.  What I ride with is Ay-Up and they are max 700 lumens each.  I think at that brightness they last 2.5 hours.  At the lower setting  can go >6 hours on them so 2 battery sets are perfect for night racing.  This is adequate for a well known trail and especially when you're doing laps, but for new trail exploring at night I'd want to go full 700 or maybe even higher.  I also like the battery being separate from the light for the helmet.

My lights and batteries are about 10 years old now and they are still awesome.  I'm also a big believer in spending for quality from a financial perspective, but also from a green perspective.  I just hate that we have become a throwaway society.  Somewhat germane:  A co-worker and I were talking about this, and he was telling me he remembers going to radio shack and using the vacuum tube tester to figure out which tube was bad on his parents' TV.

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2 minutes ago, skinned elbows said:

I just bought a cheap $20 handlebar mount 800 lumens off Amazon seems a little spotty shining in backbyard but we'll see how it performs on trail ... probably combo it with a cheap headlight I have

Sent from my SM-A115AZ using Tapatalk
 

For budget lights in that lumens range, look into the brand-name lights from Cateye, Serfas, and others.  They make fairly cheap ($50 at Buck's IIRC) lights with a really good diffusion pattern.  This is what I got for my youngest son.  For his helmet light I went with a budget Amazon light and I'm very disappointed in the build and design quality, as well as it weighs a ton.

Edited by AntonioGG
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2 hours ago, WLemke said:

Thanks. So in your opinion, how many lumens do you feel are adequate? Would 500 lumens for each bar and helmet light be good? That would definitely help drive the price down a bit. 

While I don't know for sure due to lack of experience, logic tells me that my bar mounted light should be more spread focused and the helmet light should be a spot beam. What are your thoughts on this?

Hey

So after tons of reading a few years ago ('16) I went with Glow Worm (Action Lites) I bought the previous models of X2 and X1

I run X2 on my bars with at the time a advertised lumens of 1500 Lumens

I run the X1 on my helmet with an advertised lumen of 950. These are pre wireless remote so I have the button to turn on and off and adjust. 

The kits were not cheap , I paid back then $417.   But I really believe in getting what I pay for if it is quality. 

In all my rides I have never once had my lights go out except for once and that was due to a broken solder connection inside the battery. I normally ride 1.5- 2 hours for night rides and no issues.

As far as the solder issue. At the time my lights were out of warranty so I reached out to see to my options and the dude said no problem and sent me exactly what I needed, even out of warranty. He stood behind his product.

Last April I saw they were clearing out older models so I bought another X1 and battery for $80. 

I cant speak to the remote wireless of course but the over all product has lasted me. They take some brutal beatings riding BC at night and have so I am sure that isnt great but to me 100 buck a year for someting I depend on is worth it.

I dont agree that more light is better, there are still shadows whether you are rocking 900 lumens and 4000 , which is obnoxious imo. 

You are welcome to borrow my set for a ride if you want to 

 

 

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silly theoretical question: if the lights in this thought experiment are as bright as advertised, would you rather ride with two 1000 lumen lights, or four 250-lumen lights? the numbers don't matter, the question is: would you rather have two bright lights or multiple less-bright lights? There are some pretty slick 750-L self-contained lights that could be mounted in tandem on each side of your handlebar and more than one on your helmet. I'm wondering if a kind of binocular effect would be preferable like this.

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49 minutes ago, mack_turtle said:

silly theoretical question: if the lights in this thought experiment are as bright as advertised, would you rather ride with two 1000 lumen lights, or four 250-lumen lights? the numbers don't matter, the question is: would you rather have two bright lights or multiple less-bright lights? There are some pretty slick 750-L self-contained lights that could be mounted in tandem on each side of your handlebar and more than one on your helmet. I'm wondering if a kind of binocular effect would be preferable like this.

It's my understanding that lumens are additive. So in theory 4 250 lumen lights will equal 1000 lumens as long as none of the light beams are overlapping. So a 1,000 lumen light will be brighter over its total throw, but 4 250 lumen lights will allow you to throw 1,000 lumens over a wider area. 

I would say havinge multiple lower powered lights to help illuminate a wider area than having a single very bright light right in front of you would be more practical. Boy would it look silly to have 4 lights on your handle bars though. lol. You'd start to look like one of those BMW GX adventure riders with a million "farkles" on their handle bar.

23972123804624123615316.jpg

Edited by WLemke
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2 hours ago, skinned elbows said:

I just bought a cheap $20 handlebar mount 800 lumens off Amazon seems a little spotty shining in backbyard but we'll see how it performs on trail ... probably combo it with a cheap headlight I have

Sent from my SM-A115AZ using Tapatalk
 

Fair warning - always keep an eye on them when they're charging.  I've seen lots of stories about cheap lights and the batteries catching on fire when charging, usually in regards to the cheap stuff you get from china on ebay.

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1 hour ago, Cafeend said:

Hey

So after tons of reading a few years ago ('16) I went with Glow Worm (Action Lites) I bought the previous models of X2 and X1

I run X2 on my bars with at the time a advertised lumens of 1500 Lumens

I run the X1 on my helmet with an advertised lumen of 950. These are pre wireless remote so I have the button to turn on and off and adjust. 

The kits were not cheap , I paid back then $417.   But I really believe in getting what I pay for if it is quality. 

In all my rides I have never once had my lights go out except for once and that was due to a broken solder connection inside the battery. I normally ride 1.5- 2 hours for night rides and no issues.

As far as the solder issue. At the time my lights were out of warranty so I reached out to see to my options and the dude said no problem and sent me exactly what I needed, even out of warranty. He stood behind his product.

Last April I saw they were clearing out older models so I bought another X1 and battery for $80. 

I cant speak to the remote wireless of course but the over all product has lasted me. They take some brutal beatings riding BC at night and have so I am sure that isnt great but to me 100 buck a year for someting I depend on is worth it.

I dont agree that more light is better, there are still shadows whether you are rocking 900 lumens and 4000 , which is obnoxious imo. 

You are welcome to borrow my set for a ride if you want to 

 

 

Your sentiments on Gloworm’s products seem to be fairly universal. It’s hard to find a true negative opinion on some aspect of their lights other than the slightest niggle here and there. This is why I’m gravitating towards them  

Too make thing better (but still not good in reality) for my wallet, I just found a 15% off coupon...for all Gloworm products.

 

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6 hours ago, WLemke said:

Reviving an old thread in leu of starting a new one.

With the time about to fall back, I'm interested in purchasing some night riding lights.

So right now I'm gravitating towards two different Gloworm products mainly because they look solid AF, come with a GoPro mount and they review very well. Definitely a premium product though and is going to run me at a minimum $350. I typically am in the "buy once, cry once" camp so this seems to the bill. What I'm not sure on is if this is over kill. I don't need to light up the trails as if the sun was out, but I do want to make sure my lighting system is adequate enough to safely right at a semi-spirited pace.

First option would be a double Gloworm X2 adventure adventure set up. One for the bar and one for the helmet.

Pros:

  • Includes the wireless remote which can pair with both lights at once
  • GoPro mount compatible as I already have a GoPro mount on my helmet 
  • Ability to change out the type of lense (Flood, spot, ect.)
  • A full 1,700 lumens of output per light.

Cons:

  • $424!
  • Battery run time of 1.5 hours which is about my typical right length but could potentially be limiting

Another option to save a little cash would to be one X2 adventure for the bars and then a Gloworm Alpha on the helmet.

Pros and cons are similar with a few exceptions

  • $351 total (Still kind of a con, but a pro in comparison to the aforementioned setup)
  • The alpha is not compatible with the wireless remote
  • While you can change out the lenses on the alpha, the lenses are paired together and can't be changed independently
  • The alpha only throws out 1,200 lumens

For those of you with night riding experience is this over-kill? Just right? Not enough? In an ideal world I'd like to spend $200 for both lights but I'm just not sure if that price point will get me a set up that 1. has a good light spread and 2. will have enough lumens. Maybe I'm wrong though so if you have any recommendations I am open to it.

 

I have the Gloworm X2 and they rock. Only use it for the R&I and only need it for the back half of the ride, but they are plenty bright, typically run on low, occasionally on medium, never on high. 

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