Flashlight for my bike

Janko's question is 100% valid ... if you had a neutral emitter in any of your lights you wouldn't say what you're saying .

yes ..i'm absolutely suggesting you cough up 7% of the lumens for an emitter that placed side by side with a cool white light makes the world come alive ,makes colors pop .

7% is imperceptible ..and yet the differance in what the world looks like is huge . you want stupid cool white lights ?? they are everywhere .Why build a light and use the same trash emitter everyone else does .. you could just go buy one of those ..if you're a flashaholic you have 20 of them already .

saying the R4 is the crap emitter ...is just silly .. people come to this forum thinking sheer numbers and output is the only measure of a good light .. that's just wrong. it's ten year old boy thinking ..by that logic a loud car is a fast car.

Boaz is right it took me a while to "see the light" and it is neutral.

It is most important to me to see as much as possible. Be seen is also an aspect but not this important as I mostly ride off-raod.

So should I take R4 into consideration or not?
Pics comparing both emitters would be fine.

Will I see more with a natural instead of cold teint with 7% more lumens?

And what about the KD C8 compared to the 18650's 50B/504B?
The head seems quite large (t00 large?) for carrying in a pocket.

While I think neutral tint is nicer, I dont use neutral lights on my bike.

When I'm on my bike, I want as much light as possible, and neutral tint takes away lumens.

I don't own a KD C8, but i have read great things about it...but it looks as if it would be too big for pocket carry.

It would probably make an awesome bike light though.

After I’ve thought too hard about which flashlight to order I opted for 504B because of the seize.
Non-18650s can’t be pocket carried while giving the same light.
Is there any alternative to the 504B with regard to light outpue an also to price, maybe with 2 18650?

The flash light should fit at least into a bigger side pocket. I don’t want to wear a holster even if such lights have a better throw.
Are there any flashlights with 2x18650 and XP-G R5 or XM-L (why under-driven?)? Or isn’t there such a big difference to 1x18650?
Thanks for linking this XTAR deal. I’m already following this XTAR group buy.

I just want to let you know the last couple people that bought the 504B had trouble fitting the Xtar batteries in them. I have 4 504Bs and I love them but I do not have any Xtar batteries I use the Trustfire flames or the Samsungs. I just want to save you the trouble of ordering this stuff and waiting weeks only to find out they won't work together.

Thanks for your replies.

So the XTAR 18650 has some bigger diameter as standardized?
Where can I get the Trustfire flames and an Euro charger at a good price?

I have seen this Solarforce L2 before. But this flashlight also is only 1x18650.
Is the L2 better than the 504B regarding light output and build quality?
L2 has XP-G and 504B has XM-L. I think the XM-L is the better emitter.

But both flashlight are onlyy 1x18650. Are there any interesting 2x18650 models - which are better, but at the same time not so much more expensive?

This are good 18650 batteries and charger I have both and recommend them they work good.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-tr-001-multi-purpose-lithium-batt...

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-protected-18650-3-7v-true-2400mah...

I have this 504B light and it is really good quality it pulls over 3 amps on high with the batteries I recomended so 8oo lumens is about right.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-wf504b-xm-lt6-5-mode-510-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-57099

I do not recommend to buy 504B from DX now :) I can compare two samples - one bought in march and one ordered about month ago. Older one fits all batteries well - XTAR 18700, blue trustfires, black trustfires... Is even brighter and came without any scratches. That new one is a bit junk - dropin and reflector is a bit different, some scratches on body, and it is impossible to fit almost all blue trustfire batteries (from 4 ONE fits), black trustfire battery fits tight :)

It is showed here https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2676 and here is video with blue trustfires :) http://vimeo.com/26288185

Okay, so should I go for Solarforce L2 as bulid quality is better and consistent? Or any alternative? But no 2x 18650 flashlights?

The L2 comes "only" with a XP-G. But isn't the XM-L emitter the one which delivers more light?
So should I take into consideration to mod the L2 later? Is there a fitting XM-L emitter available?

you could consider http://www.lightake.com/detail.do/sku.L2_Flashlight_Body_Tube_with_Extension_Tube_Silver-30640 with http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=11106 -mine was too cold, so I replaced the led with t4 (lots warmer and nicer)

colder tints are better for beeing seen but warmer (or neutral) leds make you see better

it isn't that much powerful, it draws ~2A from 18650 and ~1A from two 18650

and my hi-max cells fit without a problem (nie je to na picu ako tvoja, patrik :D )

The post you linked is a picture of Simplemans 504B he bought from Manafont not from DX and the over sized batteries he used XTAR18700s do not fit a lot of lights there is no problem with Simplmans light and he did not buy it from DX so I a not sure what your point is.

I would really like to see your picture of your 2 samples because my 4 504bs are all the same 2 from Manafont 2 from DX all purchased at different times over the last 6 months all identical all work with Trustfire 18650 flame batteries.

The DX drop in I got in May has changed it used to be limited to 1.4 amps on high the new one pulls over 3 amps on high so it is better than the old one I bought in January. So I stand by my recommendation and I would really like you to post some pictures if these alleged defects.

Please post pictures of your DX lights as mine are all identical four samples from 4 different dates 2 different suppliers all identical.

A lot of people on here have reported problems with Lightake including them spamming the sight repeatedly so i would avoid that site.

L2 body with extension tube? Is this from Solarforce or at least a clone with a good build quality?
The XM-L emitter generally isn't that powerful? Or are you talking of the T4? Is the XP-G the one with more power?

Do I understand right that the only difference between 1x and 2x18650 flashlights is the run time? There is no difference in the light output?

504B still an alternative? But where to buy to avois a flop?

E1320 - I did not say that s1mp13m4n has that body from DX, but it has the same problem like newer 504B (1-mode) that I bought for my friend I do not own that light right now, but I can write about it: newer one looks like they advertise http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-wf504b-xm-lt6-510-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-57097 . Older one (ordered 19.3.) has smaller hole in reflector near LED, red PCB on drop-in and reflector look like "more textured"

the one from lightake is a clone (504B?) with a nice shiny finish :)

xm-l is powerful, about 50% brighter than xp-g.. just that dropin with 18V max isn't driving it to the full potential, which is not bad (considering the heat sag in p60 dropins)

I can have my fake L2 short (~1+ hour of runtime) or long (~2+ hours of runtime) and it is the same brightness

oh and it is fairly waterproof ;)

I have neutral white xm-l t4 (bin) 5a3 (tint) from cutter

But the XM-L driver with 18V max is still brighter than a XP-G?
So this is what Be-Seen Triker meant with under driven XM-L?

18V max is good for longer run time and also for longer last of the emitter beacuse of the reduced heat (btw how long will the XM-L last in this configuration?), right?

Well, 1 hour at max power shall be sufficient. How many modes does this XML T6 dropin have and what will be the run time in medium/ low mode?
Is there a clone body for 1x18650, also or should I directly take the original L2 body then?
And waterproof is a very useful feature for biking!;)

Here are my 4 504Bs all excellent quality. I cannot tell them apart they are all identical. I bought 2 from DX and 2 from Manafont the newest one I bought was from DX in May with the 5 mode XML drop in it pulls 3.5 amps on high about 800 lumens with the Trustfire flames from DX. This would be a great combination for a biker.

I cannot guess what the problem was with Patricks sample but I can tell you mine are all of excellent quality and I think it is safe to get one from Manafont or DX as long as you don't try and fit the Xtar batteries in them.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-wf504b-xm-lt6-5-mode-510-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-57099

E1320 - so it is normal that Xtar batteries will not fit? Then the newest sample is not junk but OK and that older is "special" Here is video with XTAR 18700 2600mAh http://vimeo.com/26715338 (on right in "more" is older video with blue trustfires too...).