So, last night, the nice man from the factory gave me a box, inside I found several of these…

Little helmet lights.
🙂

Brilliant. Have a cookie.

…or alternately send me a free sample.

big box to fit that helmet in, not looking too bright though

Luminous – I like it a lot!

A few questions:

Any price indication?
Any output estimates?
What LEDs?
Can it be bar mounted if needed?
Okay on a rather fragile Spesh 2D helmet?
Any idea what battery you'll use and battery life?

When will they be for sale?!

Looking good!

LoL @ Jamie's comment, great 😀

RD.

I got home last night at around 9pm with a box of bits, no way I could have built up a light yet.

But will do so as soon as. Baring in mind I have another light coming soon, and theres lots of testing and other stuff going on.
😉

Its just that recently I've been telling people that I'm working on a light, and I just wanted to give an inidication of what it is.
🙂

i'm just joshing in the trad ST way chap 😉

A few questions:

Any price indication? No not yet, I haven't even been invoiced for the box of bits yet alone the other finishing processes 🙂

Any output estimates?over 1300 paper lumens, I have plans to get the light indenpendantly measured in a lab, as with my other lights

What LEDs? 3 or 4 Cree XP-E/G and possible others as the design is adaptable to fit differing LED / optic combos.

Can it be bar mounted if needed? Yes

Okay on a rather fragile Spesh 2D helmet? No idea, I use the bell in the picture.

Any idea what battery you'll use and battery life? several battery options will be available, giving extended runtimes, etc.

When will they be for sale?! wouldn't have thought for 2-3 weeks yet, finishing like andodizing and lasering yet to do.

Cheers

🙂

RD, yeap, cool 😉

Luminous – sounding very positive – it looks neat and compact which is a major plus. 1300 lumens would be superb.

Looking forward to the next 3 weeks updates!

Hi.

I managed to finish the first helmet light during the weekend just gone, and I’ve just managed to break out the camera and make my best attempt at photographing the little beauty.

1400 paper lumens, from 4 XP-G LEDs
113g for the light unit itself.
Remote switch compatible
Has all the usual refinements of a luminous light.

I will try to get some beam shots tonight.

That looks lovely. ‘Ow much?

Luminous-Like that mate.How much?

Would want a battery that lasts about 4 hrs on full.

MrS.

(love that ID 🙂 )

I haven’t sat down and crunched the numbers, I’ve only just received the bill for the anodizing, and only have a quote for the engraving which has yet to be done.

But guessing between 250 and 300 for a complete lightset

Cheers

Luminous

4 hours ?, yeap, can be done. Two ways.

Run the light at a lower setting (Doh ! over looked the “on full” comment), or go to a larger battery.

Only drawback with the option of a larger battery is that it will take longer to recharge.

If like me, you’re happy to wait a little longer for the battery to charge, then runtime of 4 hours is an option.

Luminous-Any chance of one anodized orange for me?

Would pay extra

Nice – very nice!

Nicolaisam – left my email addy on the “other” thread as I couldn’t find yours!

surf-mat will email you thanks mate

Colours are Black, Blue and red.

And limited numbers available.

I would love to do a wider range of colours, but I’d have to hit higher production numbers to do that I’m affraid.

Cheers
😉

That looks very impressive Luminous, Nicely taken pictures as well with nothing to detract from the light.

Beam shots will finish it off nicely 8)

Luminous-Could you supply the bare casing or front bezel and i will get it Anodized orange?,And then send it back to you for assembly.

Smudge.

Thanks. Camera work is a chore for me. Beam shots uploading to flickr now.

Nico.
I’m not sure if I have an non-anodized housing left.
You are or know an anodizer ?.
I believe some colours can be removed/coloured over may be ?????

Basically, all housings were sent off for colouring in one job lot, so I don’t think I can do much.

Mail me and I’ll see what we can do.

Cheers

Looks very nice James , the old playing card photo 😉

Ok, my attempt at some beam shots….

Firstly though. These new LEDs are so powerful, that on my camera, they cause image burn / white-out or whatever it is.

So I’ve deviated from the original:
WB – Day
F4
6 Sec

Instead, I’ve had a play with the pics trying not to mislead on the light levels / outputs, but to match what I’m seeing while I’m standing there.

For tonight, I have chosen:
WB – Day
ISO – 200
Aper – F8
Exp – 2.5 sec
Meter – centre spot

So, without any further ado.

Model 401 on Low:

Obviously not an attack speed setting for the DH riders, but more than enough to have you seen on the commute to from work.

Model 401 on Normal

Model 401 on Maximum

I have to admit to being very pleasantly surprized by this little light.
Just 4 LEDs, but with the particular optic I have selected, they punch the light from the notorious flood monster that the XP-G can be, a lot further down the trail.
Good range, lots of light.

Cheers

8)

Trout.

Hello, the playing card was your idea, IIRC, and a good one it was.
😉

As you can now see from my attempt at beam shots, those optics appear to work quite well. You’ll have to give them a go.

Ta

Is that playing card 6″ x 4″ 🙂

Looking good

Luminous earlier today

LOL @ Bruneep.

You know, when I read Nicolaisam’s post, thats exactly what I was thinking of.

Top marks for finding that picture of Ole Brucey.

Higher, higher

😆

XPGs rock…! Good work Lum!

Yeah. Looks like the optic I have chosen tightens up the beam from the XP-G, and gets light further along the trail.

Cheers

Not intended as a criticism but the helmet mount you have the light looks to stand a long way proud of the helmet? Could that be reduced? Would it breakaway if caught on a branch

I ask ‘cos I wrenched my neck getting a much lower profile light caught on a branch – now velcroed on not cabletied for that reason.

Looks a mighty fine light tho – 4 x xpg should be plenty of light really

Luminous (and Trout if you’re reading)

i know that being the experts you are i might be suggesting something you’ve heard a million times, so if this post is annoying then forgive me.. its written with the best intentions.

i love the idea of helmet mounting lights, however the 2 helmets i own consist of 1 p1sspot bmx/skating/snowboarding style helmet, and 1X full face mtb helmet.

the p1sspot helmets seem to vary dramatically with the venting on offer and as you move towards the ones made by mainly snowboarding based brands the venting becomes less and less but the possibility for extending a range of lights that can be mounted to SB helmets would be awesome… but i’m rambling….

in all the photos i’ve come across that show helmet mounting of lights its shown on a nice expensive “normal” mtb helmet with lots of vents…. can i suggest/request that helmet mounts are tested and have photos taken on full-face and p1sspot helemts as well as the normal ones?

again… apologies if this has been done before and i’m just being annoying!

TJ.

Hi 🙂

Its an age old dilema. How do you secure something to withstand rigorous use, yet is capable of breaking away at a moderate force during an accident ? or if it is snagged ?.

The mounting solution shown above at the begining of this thread, is the bar mount fitted to a helmet mount.

There is a helmet mount being machined as I write, which will better suit the helmet attachment, and for want of a better way to describe it, its similar to a Lupine solution, employing a rubber O’ring.
I’ll reveal that, when its complete.

This thread is advanced preview of whats about to become available.

Its only my opinion, based on my experience. But I would have thought that a velcro attachment method for a light, is still going to provide significant pull, before the velcro released the light, in the event of a snag ?.

Some helmet mounted lights shown on forums and other places have a metal base plate strapped to the helmet itself, with a bolt passing through the plate and the light unit. Little chance of break away or rotation there.

I think that its fair to point out that like many sports, Mountain biking carries with it, its own unique risks and rewards.
But nothing that should deter us from pursuing it, so long as we exercise some sensible degree of caution, on an individual basis.

If someone is concerned with the tiny risk of snagging a helmet light on something they hadn’t seen in time, and what that might do, then I’d suggest they invest in a good bar light and see how they get along.
Provided that they didn’t snag that on some low hanging foliage, or clip a tree trunk with a bar end, or hit a rock or small tree stump with a pedal, etc.
😉

Ta

🙂

PC.

I can certainly consider it.

🙂

Ta luminous.

Velcro will break away easier than cable ties but is not a perfect solution as you point out

I like the idea of using a mount securely on the helmet then an O ring to secure the light to the mount – sounds like good compromise. I shall investigate this for my own lights.

I mention it as its a point to consider. I have snagged a light and I know others who have. Sounds like you have considered it tho.

Ta

A secure mount for a FF or PP helmet is a hell of a challenge!

I suggest a suction device like this:

😆

a challenge that lumi/trout could take up maybe?

either that or i’m going to have a play and see what i can create, then make MILLIONS!!!!

dragons den wont know what hit them when i turn up wearing full body armour, full face helmet and turn on a liberator held on with pipe-cleaners and a hair scrunchy 😆

I did manage to mount my light on a pisspot helmet – using velcro straps thru the vents.

TJ.

No worries. Once I have the completed O’ring solution, I may be talked into selling you one, if you can integrate it into your light design.
Watch this space.
😉

PC.

Fantastic, we all await your world conquering solution.

Oh, and the look on Duncan Bannatyne’s face when he sees you in all that get-up.

I’m in
😉

Well I just made up a mount using cable ties and a o ring that holds the light secure, will breakaway easily if hit and can be left on all the time.

Ta luminous. Dunno why I didn’t think of that before DOH!