new headlight

windmill

Active Member
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I replaced the OE Spanninga 10 lux headlight with a Busch Muller IQ-X E 150 lux headlight. the difference is night and day. lights up the road like a motorcycle, yet is a real headlight with a horizontal cutoff so it won't blind others. Also wired it up with a DC-DC converter to power a Herrmans H-track tail light that's in route'

https://www.bike24.com/p2193881.html
https://en.hollandbikeshop.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=170452
 
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Is that your personal output shot or off the internet somewhere?

I find it hard to believe it's only 150 lux and dumping that much light out. I'll agree that the reflector used is helping out a bit but it seems very over-rated. Our light (currently a prototype awaiting final design for manufacturing) is far higher in output that this manufacture states and I just find it hard to believe that after all of our testings with different chips (all CREE) and lenses that they can get that kind of output from only a wimpy 150 lux. My guess is that photo you posted is their marketing photo or of a different light or highly edited.

Ours will be a true wide light output setup made for e-bikes. Simple plug & play. Install takes roughly 3 minutes to swap out the factory light with ours. Uses factory wiring/function to operate.

To compare - This is the output shot of HID lights in an HID projectors running at 55w (vs factory 35w). Bulbs are genuine OSRAM CBI bulbs. The general scale is 90 lumens per watt. So we're looking at roughly 4,950 lumens per projector X 2 = 9,900 lumens estimated. Photo taken with Note 3.

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It's a borrowed shot, but as far as photo representations can be, I find it to be a reasonably accurate representation of what I see on dry, light colored concrete except for being a bit over exposed in the foreground. On wet asphalt it doesn't look nearly as bright, but that's true of any light. In a side by side comparison, it's output falls between the 600, and 800 lumen setting of my Specialized Flux Expert which is also mounted on my Radwagon.
I have no vested interest in this other than sharing my real life impression of the headlight with others who find the OE light inadequate, but desire something more appropriate for use on public infrastructure than the typical high power bicycle flashlights with crude defusers.

I'm very interested in seeing how your finished product will perform as a potentially enthusiastic customer because I consider lighting to be very important, and have been seriously disappointed by 99% of new lights not living up to their lofty claims. Lots of bright lights, but very few with acceptable optics.
 
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Now you got me curious, I will take an output shot of my $11 ebay light on my note 4!
Taking pictures of light output at night is tricky because the camera can record what is not perceived by the human eye. Used to visit the candlepower forum once in a while.
 
@BVC Does your upcoming ebike light have a horizontal cutoff like automotive projector lights?

No it does not. It DOES have defined horizontal beam but there is light leak above what would be the "cutoff". In the headlight retrofitting world we call this "squirrel finders". But regardless ours is significantly less light above the horizontal beam as compared to 99% (made up number, but..) bicycle headlights out there that are nothing more than spot beam flashlights.

Our goal is bright & wide. And it looks like we've achieved this - despite our limits of the onboard bikes controller.
 
Now you got me curious, I will take an output shot of my $11 ebay light on my note 4!
Taking pictures of light output at night is tricky because the camera can record what is not perceived by the human eye. Used to visit the candlepower forum once in a while.

It is hard indeed! It's hard to demonstrate the output of our light because.. well - it's tough to get that output in full - on digital film!

And I hate candle power forum. Good info but they are VERY oddly against retrofitting headlights. Often times they give advice which is much more unsafe than what a retrofit can provide! (As in one member asked about swapping his vehicles base model halogen headlights out with the higher end models HID projector headlights. A direct swap as far as fitment on the vehicle goes - but wiring up is the area where modification would be needed. And all those mods suggested that he doesn't swap headlights out because the base model vehicle he bought wouldn't be compatible to run the better headlights due to fitment/adjustment issues. Nothing about the wiring (which a simple relay, fuse line & correct gauge wires running OEM ballasts would solve). They are completely backwards over on that forum. I couldn't take it lol
 
www.facebook.com/1859nw

We're hoping to be in production very soon! We have our CREE chips and reflectors selected and will offer a few variations to our buyers in terms of light color & brightness! We are wrapping up our final design now and then it's off to the presses!
 
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(Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) (Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) (Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) (Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) (Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) (Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists) So here is my $11 (delivered!) ebay special. It is wired directly where the OEM one wires, so getting a 50 volt feed.
The one pic of the weeds was in a fairly dark area of the block, the other pic the vehicles at the end of the dead end are about 100 yards away. The light is MORE than adequate for our purposes, except it has no lens and thus no cutoff for drivers. That though, does not bother me too much, I want their attention, maybe get them away from texting for a bit.
Keep in mind the streets are wet and light snow is falling, so not as reflective as dry pavement.
 

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No it does not. It DOES have defined horizontal beam but there is light leak above what would be the "cutoff". In the headlight retrofitting world we call this "squirrel finders". But regardless ours is significantly less light above the horizontal beam as compared to 99% (made up number, but..) bicycle headlights out there that are nothing more than spot beam flashlights.

Our goal is bright & wide. And it looks like we've achieved this - despite our limits of the onboard bikes controller.
That's encouraging, I find the cutoff requirements of EU standards to be a bit too severe, and rather have some spill as long as it isn't disruptive. The Specialized Flux is sometimes criticized for its above horizon spill, but it seems to strike just the right balance to me.
 
And I hate candle power forum. Good info but they are VERY oddly against retrofitting headlights.
I think some of that comes from ghetto retrofits some do that are nothing more than "HID" lamps replacing the bulbs in standard headlight reflectors which cause horrendous glare for oncoming road users.
 
www.facebook.com/1859nw

We're hoping to be in production very soon! We have our CREE chips and reflectors selected and will offer a few variations to our buyers in terms of light color & brightness! We are wrapping up our final design now and then it's off to the presses!

Will there only be one setting for the upgraded light? It would be nice to have a range of light output like HI, Med, LOW, and flashing. Might be hard to do since our controller only has on/off for the headlight.

I ended up going with the Niterider Pro 3600 Enduro (450lm, 1000lm, 1800lm, 3600lm) for my bike handlebar and the Niterider Pro 1800 Race (400lm, 700lm, 1800lm) for my helmet. The lowest setting for both work perfect for city streets and paved bike paths without causing night-blindness with other bike riders (remote control on handlebars for the Pro 3600). I get 5400lm at full power for both lights at night on my single track trail rides.

It took a while of waiting and watching on eBay for lightly used lights. I got both at 35%-40% off retail price with a little patience.
 
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Wow, US$549.99 on Amazon.com! Is there tax on top of that? @mrgold35 Does that sound right? Perhaps the "Street Price" is much lower?

I'm an eBay shopper for stuff like that. A used light is about 35%-40% off retail and even 50% or more cheaper if it has cosmetic damage or missing parts you don't really need or can replace easily.

I love riding the trails at night and we have coyote, porcupines, skunks, tons of rabbits and the occasional homeless person making camp along side some of the dirt trials near the Rio Grande river in the middle of the city. I still have all that plus bears and mountain lions if I ride the +6500 ft foothills near the Sandia mountains east of the city. I like having the helmet light because I can spot the red glowing eyes of nocturnal animals from further away and all directions. Having a extremely bright light and a helmet spot light scares off a lot of wild life.

I'm 6'3" normally and over 6'6" when sitting on the Radrover and maybe plus/minus 7 foot when standing on the pedals with my helmet on. Having both bike and helmet lights with a larger/wider light beam also helps with low branches at 12-16 mph on single track trails.
 
I love riding the trails at night and we have coyote, porcupines, skunks, tons of rabbits and the occasional homeless person making camp along side some of the dirt trials near the Rio Grande river in the middle of the city. I still have all that plus bears and mountain lions if I ride the +6500 ft foothills near the Sandia mountains east of the city. I like having the helmet light because I can spot the red glowing eyes of nocturnal animals from further away and all directions. Having a extremely bright light and a helmet spot light scares off a lot of wild life.

Damn. What kind of holster do you use? :)
 
Damn. What kind of holster do you use? :)

No weapons. I just figured I would probably crap my padded bike shorts if I was confronted with a bear or mountain lion. I figure that would stop the attack as the animal loses its appetite and starts laughing at me.
 
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