OT? LED bike headlights - can these be for real?

[Rich Grise]

I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html

But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!

Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Joerg]

I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html

But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!

Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?

That's all pretty much in line with regular bicycle lamps. After all,
they've got to compete or everyone would stay with incandescent light bulbs.

 

[PeterD]

I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html

But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!

Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?

Thanks,
Rich

Just gotta love those e-Commerce in a box kits... <g>

 

[Martin Riddle]

|I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
| instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
| http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html
|
| But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
| worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
| scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
| for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!
|
| Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
| last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?
|
| Thanks,
| Rich
|

Its a toy, You need something like this...
http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?ID=BPC307590

Cheers

 

[David L. Jones]

I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html

But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!

Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?

I can assure you that these lights are complete rubbish, it will barely
light the ground in front of you.
They are exactly the same as the headlamp version available 10-for-a-10
bucks.
You get what you pay for, it ain't even worth 5 bucks.
The LEDs are the lowest grade junk, and the output is hopeless. WAY less
than a single real Luxeon 1W led for example.
My Princeton Tec EOS headlamp with a single 1W Kingbright LED (also
available with bike mount) beats the pants of this rubbish - no comparison.

The plastic is brittle and cracks at the slighest bump, the thing will fall
apart in your hands before the LEDs fail or the crap contacts corrode.

I've got a Fenix L2D CREE torch with a bike mount:
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=335
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_38&products_id=388
I recon it's the cheapest way to get a HUGE light output for a bike, high
output purpose designed bike lights are very expensive. The light output
easily lights the road 20m in front of you.

Dave.

 

[David L. Jones]

I can assure you that these lights are complete rubbish, it will barely
light the ground in front of you.
They are exactly the same as the headlamp version available 10-for-a-10
bucks.
You get what you pay for, it ain't even worth 5 bucks.
The LEDs are the lowest grade junk, and the output is hopeless. WAY less
than a single real Luxeon 1W led for example.
My Princeton Tec EOS headlamp with a single 1W Kingbright LED (also
available with bike mount) beats the pants of this rubbish - no
comparison.

Forgot the link:
http://www.princetontec.com/products/index.php?id=37&type=&use=4

AAA battery capacity is fairly small though.

Dave.

 

[Jim Yanik]

That seems consistent with what my housemate paid for his; he
spent more on NiMH batteries and charger. The lighting is
usually operated in flash mode, which doesn't appear to have
shortened the life of the LEDs.

Both units are detachable (to prevent theft) and the headlight
makes for a pretty good flashlight.

--Damon

I use a 1W Luxeon 2 AA flashlight by Ray-o-Vac I got at Wal-Mart for
$18,use a couple of spring clamps to hold it to my handlebars.
It's also a nice flashlight for the home.

What I'd like is a pair of 1W LuxeonLEDs in a single housing and drive
current supplied by a couple of D cells/inverter.

 

[Don Klipstein]

|I use my bike a lot and I'd be a lot more comfortable if it had lights
| instead of only reflectors. So I went on a google, and this is one hit:
| http://www.b2cshop24.com/en/19-led-4-mode-bike-bicycle-headlamp-torch-headlight-sil.html
|
| But, FIVE BUCKS? For a headlight? How would I find out if they're
| worthwhile, without plunking down the five plus S&H - and plus, just
| scroll down a little and the first one in the table includes a taillight,
| for THREE SEVENTY_NINE!!!!!?????!!!
|
| Is this really possible with today's LED technology? Or would they
| last about a month before the LEDs cook themselves?
|
| Thanks,
| Rich

Its a toy, You need something like this...
http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?ID=BPC307590

I think I achieved not too much less than that with a hot-rodded Cateye
HL-EL 5200.

That is a maybe $40 4-AA LED light with a Luxeon.

So...

I use NiMH rather than alkaline. The lower voltage causes additional
need to hot-rod the driver.

There is one resistor - I somewhat remember being 15 ohms. I replaced
it with two 10 ohmk 1/2-watters in parallel.

I painted the heatsink with a Sharpie to inctrease its ability to
radiate heat. (Other exreriments since then gave me results that outright
paint works better than such a thin coating.)

I replaced the LED. If I did that now, I would use a Luxeon
K2-with-TFCC "emitter". However, I used a Seoul Semiconductor P4. I had
to add spacers somewhere (I forget exactly what and where), and I had to
omit the LED "clamp" and glue the LED onto the heatsink with epoxy, since
the P4 has its optical center in a slightly different location than a
Luxeon does.

Result: I widened the beam about 50% and roughly doubled its intensity.
The souped-up HL-EL5200 makes a heckuva flashlight - gives a 4-D-cell Mag
a run for its money.

The effective intensity outdoors at night at distance was increased
maybe only 40-50%, since the Seoul Semi P4 had a lower scotopic/photopic
ratio than the Luxeon that I replaced with the P4. Nowadays the Luxeon
K2/TFFC is available.

OK, so it's not quite half a 20 watt halogen. But then again there is
the Osram Ostar LE UW E3B-PZQZ-4C8F, available at Digi-Key. That one
requires a substantial heatsink!

- Don Klipstein ([email protected])