mountain_lion

For those into using / mod-ing flashlights for bike lights... Have a look at these deals on Kaidomain: http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4896 http://www.kaidomain.com/UploadFiles/633477206244568750_med2.jpg http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4060 http://www.kaidomain.com/UploadFiles/633350096361078750_med2.jpg You might not even need to mod it, just get a mount like this: http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4130 http://www.kaidomain.com/UploadFiles/633391577572115000_med2.jpg You could get both flash lights deals above (one includes a charger and the other an extra battery) and still be under R1000! I am not sure what run time you would get since they do not state the capacity of the batteries supplied with the lights, but you could always add an external battery if you want. mountain_lion2008-07-12 13:46:40

Interesting to know that the Seouls fit the Luxeon optics. Unfortunately, the Cree LEDs are not compatible with Luxeons optics.

How long did it take for the order to be delivered and what costs did you pay extra. Can you pay by c/card. Do they deliver to your local post office. Thank You It took 2 weeks to arrive by registered post from Hong Kong to my post office. Came as a normal parcel (marked as gift!?) so I did not pay anything at the post office; no VAT or duty. I have another order on the way from them. I do most of my online payments via Paypal rather than doing a direct transaction with the supplier. Difficult to know who you can trust with your credit card details these days.

I will try to take some beam shots within the next few days. I am using the same Luxeon LEDs on the helmet as in my bar mounted light, for which I have posted beam shots earlier in this thread. Only difference is that the bar light uses 3 LEDs with a triple spot lens, so is brighter with less side spill and can be aimed further ahead.

Here is my latest DIY creation to complement my bar light. 2 Luxeon III LEDs, one spot and one medium lens in 22mm copper end caps attached with velcro to my helmet peak + toggle switch for control. Close up: Battery pack (8x AA) and driver is carried in camelback or shirt pocket. I used some plumbers tape around the lens holders to get a tight fit in the end caps. 3 position toggle switch selects high, low or off. The copper end caps work reasonably well as heat sink and on a cold evening I think driving the LEDs at 1A will be OK, but to start I have set the high beam at 0.75A to be safe. The LEDs are more efficient at this current and I do not like a very bright helmet light. I use a helmet light mostly for tight single track corners and for seeing on the bar. Also useful when forced to do a trail side repair. I have the low beam set at 0.2A, which still gives plenty light, but much longer run time (and might not blind riding partners as much when talking to them ). The helmet peak provides easy mounting, but does limit vertical aiming of the light. My typical riding position aims the light relatively close to the bike which is a problem at higher speed. However since this is not my primary light, it works fine for me. The bar light takes care of lighting up the road ahead. I did a short test ride earlier this evening; works very well when swerving through the trees. I still need to take the light for a proper single track test ride... mountain_lion2008-06-28 14:59:46

night tider, will be very interesting to see. Not exactly sure of my plans for tomorrow yet, but will PM to arrange. I have some 6 & 8 AA battery holders if you want to borrow for a test. I have just finished a 2x Luxeon LED helmet light to compliment the bar light. Will upload some photos to the DIY thread later.

With tubeless you eliminate pinch flats. The sealant in the tyre (similar to slime in tubes) takes care of the smaller punctures. You can still get a cut (mostly sidewall) which is to big for the sealant to seal, but that does not happen often. Depending on the damage you can repair some holes which the sealant does not seal on its own with a plug. Else you can still put in a tube. I have been using tubeless for approx 18 months now. Only had to do one repair during that time. Sealant took care of the rest, including a night time encounter with a porcupine!

Brighter-Lights thread

Anything with big knoblies. Expect a muddy ride.

I use Maxxis Crossmark in the dry in summer and Kenda Karma in the muddy Cape winter. Sorry can't vote in this poll!

If the bike feels right, you should seriously consider getting it. You could still swap the components between the 2 bikes and then sell the old bike. At the right price, I am sure you will find a buyer. Try the classifieds here on The Hub.

My wife and I both use the Edge 305 on our MTBs and road bikes and all 4 brackets are still fine after almost a year of use and abuse especially on the MTB, which we use most. I have taken a fall or 2 as well . Recently came off the MTB at 30km/h. Front wheel was a total write off, but the Garmin stayed put without a scratch. Don't know what you are doing to yours...

Welcome to TheHub karenb! As I said on KevinV's thread, you need to test ride the bikes on your short list so that you can see what feels right for you.

It is very important to feel comfortable on your first bike. A reputable bike shop should be able to advise you about basic sizing and setup to get you on the right size frame. After that it is up to you to test ride a few bikes of approx that size and see which bike feels right for you. As a minimum try the parking lot outside the shop; some shops even have loan bikes that you can take out on a trail. If you are considering Giant and can get to Stellenbosch this weekend: from http://www.dirtopia.co.za 28 June: Giant Demo Day @ Trail Centre. Come test the Giant bikes like the Anthem amongst others for free! Bring helmet, pedals & ID book. From 09h00. http://www.dirtopia.co.za/images/demoday2.jpg mountain_lion2008-06-23 12:08:27

Most of the drivers on the Kaidomain site are more suited to single LED flash lights. I did order 2 of the Kennan drivers, which have received good reviews on the forums. They are still shown as "in stock" on the site, but they were not shipped with my order. Only after I ordered, I saw comments on the Candlepower forums that many people have been waiting for months for these drivers. This is the risk you take when placing orders on sites like this... My order was placed on 2008-06-18 and was indicated as "shipped" the next day, excluding the drivers. I think it will be minimum 2 to 3 weeks before it arrives. So it is early days... This is not a commercial exercise so I don't mind waiting to get my toys. It is hobby rather than building a cheap light. If you just want to get a cheap bright bike light to ride with, order from Brighter Lights; extremely good value if you consider what you get. I am still looking for a nice handlebar / stem mount to use with my next light. Any suggestions?

Problem with those is that the beam angle is only 8 degree which is a bit narrow for a bike light. A medium beam (20 to 30 deg) 3-in-one lens will be nice. Construction is much easier with a 3-in-one lens. Single lenses do have the advantage that you could mix medium and spot and say have 2 mediums and one spot.

I ordered 5 Cree Q5 WC stars from kaidomain. http://kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4760 I took the free shipping option. Will have to see how long it takes. Website say it has been shipped. Hope I recieve it OK; still has to go through the SA customs and postal service etc... I did not order lenses from them since they only have the Quad lens that is specified to be Cree compatible. An SA supplier sounds good. Let me know when you have your stuff from Cutter. Would like to see.

Yes, I am in Stellenbosch. I am also considering getting some stuff from Cutter. If I had known you were ordering from them, we could have shared shipping costs. Not sure if I should get one of their kits or only some drivers and lenses. I have some Cree XR-E Q5s on order from Kaidomain. Will have to see how long it takes to get here. They are cheaper than Cutter, but customer service is not great, info on their website is incomplete and they don't stock the better drivers which Cutter has.

Where did you order what from?

Fully agree DR. While I encourage technical debate rather than just accepting what ever is posted, these personal attacks are not called for. If it has to be a public fight, rather than resolved by PM or other medium, go start your own thread!