Marvel Pro 900 Lumen Light - good or bad?

[duanelr]

Hi hubbers,

 

Currently this light is on special on ChrisWillemseCycles for R320.

 

https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/marvel-pro-900-lumen-light

 

Is this a good deal? How is the light? Anyone have any reviews / thoughts / comments?

 

Thinking of buying one.

 

Thanks in advance

Duane

[dannygirl]

I recently bought the Marvel 1800 from CWC on the CTCT special for R600, and am quite happy with it - saw it was on special yesterday for R550 (grrrr...), but for some reason can't find it on their website today. 

 

The light is good, considering the price.  The battery pack ties to the top tube with a Velcro strap - would have been nice to have it in a pouch, but so far so good. 

 

TBH, I would consider buying the 1800 instead of the 900 if you can afford it (and if its still available on special) - one can never have enough light, and you can use the 1800 on 25%, giving many more hours on the battery. 

[thisismyotherbike]

I have one, bought at CTCT expo. For the price you can't go wrong really.

 

I've done 4am rides in total darkness with confidence. Far superior to the cheapies I used to own.

 

It doesn't come with any instructions and it took me a minute to figure out how to mount the (very chunky) battery pack. Bright, not-so-bright and pulse modes. I don't know when the battery ends but my longest on bright mode was 2.5 hours and it still hadn't died. For something like a Transbaviaans I'd get a second as they don't sell the batteries separately; then ride in not-so-bright mode which is entirely adequate even in total darkness. Although for that you should probably splash out on the 1800 model mentioned above.

 

Works well, great value

Edited April 12, 2018 by thisismyotherbike

[lechatnoir]

very similar (IMO) to the one sold by Extreme Lights which is the one I have. Had it 4 years, and still going strong. Yes, the beam's a bit sharp with a 'hot' centre, but for the money, it's a no-brainer. 

[ABrooks]

I have one and ride with it regularly. It is bright enough, but as mentioned get the 1800 lumen one if possible. I usually secure the battery pack with some insulation tape as well as it has slid off once, it didn't fall off but, I don't want it sliding around.

 

The only problem I have with the light is that it doesn't indicate when the battery is low so I just charge it up before each ride.

[CharlesZ]

for road riding is it not bad.especially for the price

 

Won't take it out on the trails for night riding

[matthieup]

I also bought the 1800 at the last special and bought the 900 yesterday to put on my helmet for trial night rides. I'm going to go pick it up today

 

The 1800 is very bright with 3 led, so it has a good light dispersion without dead spot which i suppose the 900 being single led might have 

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

Got one, can't complain about the light and functioning thereof, satisfied. The battery pack strap thingy magig is not so cool. Prefer that padded velcro pack of extreme lights that I'm using on my other bike.

 

For that price, it is still value for money

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

For R 320, why are you asking? The batteries alone would cost more than that, normally...

 

FWIW - had one for ~ 18 months and it's going strong. 

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong. It's a light straight from china branded with "Marvel" but might as well be branded CWC. Extreme lights could be made in the same factory but they offer a whole lot more than just the product.

 

I would rather go on Aliexpress and buy the exact same light than support this. (I won't buy K-way for the similar reasons  ). Better yet, go on to Alibaba, find any manufacturer, and get a sample with your own name under the pretense that you are starting your own 'brand'. Chat in some broken english and pay only shipping and have the same light with your own name or logo on it. 

 

It's just a lazy product with no local R&D or any value add. Even the logo has no thought behind it. My 2c. 

 

Edit: If you want a light straight from China buy it straight from China (https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/High-Quality-Powerful-Bright-Rechargeable-LED_60699661520.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.144.15b72acfn06nTc)

 

It might not be the exact same battery, but you can see everything else matches, even the headlamp bit.

Edited April 12, 2018 by Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[dee_biker]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong. It's a light straight from china branded with "Marvel" but might as well be branded CWC. Extreme lights could be made in the same factory but they offer a whole lot more than just the product.

 

I would rather go on Aliexpress and buy the exact same light than support this. (I won't buy K-way for the similar reasons  ). Better yet, go on to Alibaba, find any manufacturer, and get a sample with your own name under the pretense that you are starting your own 'brand'. Chat in some broken english and pay only shipping and have the same light with your own name or logo on it. 

 

It's just a lazy product with no local R&D or any value add. Even the logo has no thought behind it. My 2c. 

 

Edit: If you want a light straight from China buy it straight from China (https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/High-Quality-Powerful-Bright-Rechargeable-LED_60699661520.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.144.15b72acfn06nTc)

 

It might not be the exact same battery, but you can see everything else matches, even the headlamp bit.

 

Who cares where it came from? It works! I prefer the distribution of the light of my Extremelights light unit, and primarily bought for the battery, as the battery that came with this Marvel light lasts longer than the one I had, same cells. So as someone said, just the battery somewhere else much more.

 

For R320 you cannot go wrong!

 

*edit*. At least you know what you are getting. Open the box, and see. My experience Alibaba is that more often than not, what is in the photos / images is not what is in the box.

Edited April 12, 2018 by dee_biker

[Meezo]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong. It's a light straight from china branded with "Marvel" but might as well be branded CWC. Extreme lights could be made in the same factory but they offer a whole lot more than just the product.

 

I would rather go on Aliexpress and buy the exact same light than support this. (I won't buy K-way for the similar reasons  ). Better yet, go on to Alibaba, find any manufacturer, and get a sample with your own name under the pretense that you are starting your own 'brand'. Chat in some broken english and pay only shipping and have the same light with your own name or logo on it. 

 

It's just a lazy product with no local R&D or any value add. Even the logo has no thought behind it. My 2c. 

 

Edit: If you want a light straight from China buy it straight from China (https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/High-Quality-Powerful-Bright-Rechargeable-LED_60699661520.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.144.15b72acfn06nTc)

 

It might not be the exact same battery, but you can see everything else matches, even the headlamp bit.

 

 

Who cares where it came from? It works! I prefer the distribution of the light of my Extremelights light unit, and primarily bought for the battery, as the battery that came with this Marvel light lasts longer than the one I had, same cells. So as someone said, just the battery somewhere else much more.

 

For R320 you cannot go wrong!

 

*edit*. At least you know what you are getting. Open the box, and see. My experience Alibaba is that more often than not, what is in the photos / images is not what is in the box.

 

yes and yes!

[ChrisF]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong. It's a light straight from china branded with "Marvel" but might as well be branded CWC. Extreme lights could be made in the same factory but they offer a whole lot more than just the product.

 

I would rather go on Aliexpress and buy the exact same light than support this. (I won't buy K-way for the similar reasons  ). Better yet, go on to Alibaba, find any manufacturer, and get a sample with your own name under the pretense that you are starting your own 'brand'. Chat in some broken english and pay only shipping and have the same light with your own name or logo on it. 

 

It's just a lazy product with no local R&D or any value add. Even the logo has no thought behind it. My 2c. 

 

Edit: If you want a light straight from China buy it straight from China (https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/High-Quality-Powerful-Bright-Rechargeable-LED_60699661520.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.144.15b72acfn06nTc)

 

It might not be the exact same battery, but you can see everything else matches, even the headlamp bit.

 

Uhm ja ....

 

Same could be said for all the MARVEL products at CWC ... 

 

It is the exact same business concept as the large retailers that buys in bulk and has "their name" added onto the box, ie their own "house brand".

 

 

Sure one could then just buy directly from china ....

 

 

The "value add" is in the convenience of being able to buy cheap stuff locally.

 

 

 

The conundrum being .... when is it "good value", and when is it just plain "cheap stuff" ....  (general comment regarding the concept of house brands)  I have bought some house brand items that proved to be good products, and I have bought some real lemons ....

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Uhm ja ....

 

Same could be said for all the MARVEL products at CWC ... 

 

It is the exact same business concept as the large retailers that buys in bulk and has "their name" added onto the box, ie their own "house brand".

 

 

Sure one could then just buy directly from china ....

 

 

The "value add" is in the convenience of being able to buy cheap stuff locally.

 

 

 

The conundrum being .... when is it "good value", and when is it just plain "cheap stuff" ....  (general comment regarding the concept of house brands)  I have bought some house brand items that proved to be good products, and I have bought some real lemons ....

Yeah i'm just not a fan of it. If it was branded CWC it would sit a lot better with me as it's far more honest. If I get a CWC promotional pen I understand it is a branded item that wasn't made and developed by CWC. 

 

I obviously haven't said anything about the quality as I have no idea. 

[shaper]

Yeah i'm just not a fan of it. If it was branded CWC it would sit a lot better with me as it's far more honest. If I get a CWC promotional pen I understand it is a branded item that wasn't made and developed by CWC. 

 

I obviously haven't said anything about the quality as I have no idea. 

So you are trashing a product without even having used it yourself? 

 

CWC using Marvel as it's in-house branded name is no different to Chain Reaction Cycles selling their in-house Vitus bikes or Wiggle selling their in-house COSINE wheels

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

I'm not trashing it. The product itself can be bought from many places as I have linked. I do a huge amount of research before buying and I looked at Marvel. CWC is well respected brand and Marvel isn't. Also why I said I would feel more reassured if it was branded CWC.

 

I am also not trashing CWC (Which I know is Hub suicide anyway). Just my 2c on a light that someone asked about and just my personal opinions about the branding thereof.