Zanflare B3 Teaser ( Bike Light )

As one of the first to get a hands on to the B3 can you say anything regarding the build quality?

How is the fit, finish. Overall workmanship. Do you think it is water resistant?
I don’t ride in the rain often, but at times I end up splashing through creeks and puddles on my mountain bike.

I would use this light for single track mountain biking, this is the start of the night riding season (.eastern US).

The beam appears to be a single circular hotspot with a wide bright corona, is that how you would describe it?
I would like to see more beam shots, it you can. From what I can tell the beam may not meet certain regulations in certain countries for use on road bicycles. The beam could blind on coming automobile drivers.

Glad to see you’re working up a review as well old4570. I’m slowly gathering data and posting my review in stages (link provided in post #13 above). So far so good with the exception that there is no “programming mode”. We thought there was, but it turns out it’s just a 4th mode referred to as “Personalized Brightness Setting” (really serves no purpose). Build quality looks/feels really good, but I’ve not cracked mine open yet. I took sphere measurements last night, but haven’t calc’d up the numbers yet (they’ll be posted in my MTBR thread if anyone ones to check later - I wasn’t planning to post a review on BLF).

Remember people, there is still distaste in some of our mouths over this light since it’s connected to the “MTBR custom build” project that GearBest abandoned us on last December. I think EVERYONE needs to be aware that this is where this light started BUT they took the initial work, dropped us, and ran with it themselves.

-Garry

For me rain and reviews = good. Its raining in almost all my first videos.

I have to fix my bike i was running road tires at 100psi on my mountain bike and hit a gutter to hard and broke some spokes (being a fatty does not help). I have 2 road bikes but they are a pain to ride you hit a twig and get a flat.

This is mainly for avid mountain bikers riding singletrack in very dark conditions needing as much light as possible (flood & throw) and more runtime than a single-cell flashlight provides (I know, yes you can swap in cells, but your running down out of regulation pretty quick too). I’ve tried just a flashlight (Convoy M1), but it was nowhere near enough light to be comfortable with on fast singletrack. You’ve got roots and rocks and critters to watch out for and they come up quick.

I did a bikepacking trip on rail-trail a few years back (it’s posted in a thread on BLF) and I made due in pitch black conditions with a 150 lumen 3AAA light - that was rail-trail conditions which are much different.

-Garry

old4570 - do me a favor and post a link to your actual review thread in this thread when it’s ready so I see it via “new post notification” for this thread.

Thanks!
-Garry

I’ve been out of the loop here a bit but if this is the case, WTF are they doing wanting crowd funding for it?
Always interested to hear of a decent bike light but this sounds like a very dodgy way to do business.

My review will be posted in about 2 days …
I will try and get as much video as possible ( on the road )
It does strobe , so I don’t see why you could not run it on the road …
The light is more flood than throw … + Plenty of cars out there running their lights too high blinding people …
Just angle it down !

The video of the light against the wall is (?) a little misleading as the camera shows what the eye does not see …
The camera highlights the bright and diminishes the dark effectively lying to the viewer . ( Its mostly flood )
There are some really good things about the B3 , and some things I would have done differently …
Again I will try and make the review as detailed as possible .

80% chance of rain here tomorrow old4570 but Friday looks a bit better.
Ride safe, looking forward to your review.

Care to give an opinion on whether a different lens might be fitted to solve the “blinding people” issue and spread the beam sideways a bit?

AGREE
first they co-opt the MTBR stuff
then they want money to develop products

wle

how many actual cyclists are even on the budgetlightforum?
now how many regular night riders?

(please reply - i think the zanflaristas are wasting time posting here)

wle

You doesn’t need to be a member to read posts here, right? So it is not that important how many cyclist are members, but how many people can came across it. Of course it is up to Zanflare to decide how to do business. Not saying I agree with all, but here we are.

its not a thrower - the camera lies … The B3 is mostly flood …
The action cam highlights the brightest part and diminishes the rest making the B3 look like a thrower …

You should see how the F1 looks ( like a search light ) … Thats why I will be using a Car Dash Camera on the bike …
So tomorrow I will be mounting the B3 , a dash cam , and a action cam to the bike helmet .

  • More video …

All day I have been thinking of things to check on , make sure I have not left anything out , just 5 minutes ago I remembered something I had to check …
I was going to do it earlier but the XT60 solder problem put a halt to it ( Had to fix the XT60 coupler )
As for blinding people , just point the light down . I see bikes out there and their blinky modes are plenty bright , I dont think the B3 is any worse .

a floodish bike light isn;t going to blind drivers

i don;t know of any bike light (but i don’t study the $250 ones) that have car-like optics to cut the top of the beam off
{seems like the old HID ones may have done that, but they cost $400}

wle

Sounds like you will get some information soon! Thanks for your work. This light for some reason has really got my interest. The guys at MTBR are really doing great as well.

Its new , it’s here , it’s controversial …
And it is a light , ok not a flashlight ! But certainly interesting .
It’s 11.51 PM … This is my last post for the 23 - August … Goodnight everyone !

old4570 - take it apart and inspect for waterproofness, i had a thorfire light that had no gasket in the front, no way it was waterproof
could have been QC issue rather than design
but still
take it apart!
look for gaskets and seals
it;s hard to seal around the cable, too, look for that!

i won;t buy one of these, i have 2 lights that are working well now
one is the thorfire, though it gets way too hot
the other is a $25 amazon special

thx
wle

Yeah , I was wondering about the cable …
A tear down was not really in the plan unless I kill the light …
I want to get the basic review done , more video … The bike ride … ( video )
And then I want to test the water resistance , I have a test in mind …
But that will come last … If the light dies - then I will dissect it …

Water proof - see - I would go the way of divers in regards to that …
If you know your going to get it wet - prep it for such .
I dont know of any diver that does not PREP his diving torch .
So trusting the manufacturer is ? , yeah ! ( As I said , I have what a test in mind that should be fair and reasonable )

Tear down pictures posted on MTBR forum ….

UPDATE !

Houston - We have a problem !

I don’t own a bike - my brother on the other hand has two …
So anyhow there I was mounting cams , checking things were ok , and with everything my end sorted …
Well I had to pump up the tires , problem …. As quickly as I put air in the tires - said air leaked out !
Looks like the tubes are shot !

Now the second bike is a rather expensive electric assist that my brother dotes over !
First thing I did was to try and put air in the tires , yeah ! Leaks as quickly as it goes in … Tubes are shot …

So no bike !

I really wanted footage from a dash camera and action cam , so here is my solution .
The Viofo A118c has been attached to the B3 VIA some action cam accessories , I will have that dash cam footage ( dash cams perform better at night than action cams )
I am really disappointed …
A friend of mine has a bike , and he lives near a park , so I may be able to get that bike footage - but it wont happen tonight ( it could - maybe ) I will call him and see …

The best laid plans of mice and men !

Hmmm.

Could maybe just hold it in your hand and… you know… run?

The GACIRON Professional 1600 Lumens Bicycle Light states that they have a car like optic to focus the light down and further out.
Yes I bought one with my own money, it has not arrived yet.
Its also stated as very IPx yada yada water resistant.

Regarding this light:

Excellent photos, Now I know how this looks!
Nice fins (I bet that’s Mountain bikes guys idea)