I find High (throw only) very useful when biking at high speeds on the road (yes I think its suitable for commuters) especially when I need to travel for a longer time (long rides) and have to save my batteries. For MTB on trails, its Low (wide flood) most of the time.
Nightbird95, for MTB trails wide beam with this light is more suitable only for ascending parts. For descending (at least faster ones) I would use both wide and throw. But it also might be dependant on terrain and flora surrounding. My opinion, though.
I think I agree with you because the faster your speed is, the more you need to see what’s farther ahead of you. 
Actually I haven’t tried doing high speeds on trails at night yet and I don’t think I have the skills to do it so I guess I’m stuck to wider beam in the meantime. :bigsmile:
I wonder if you could swap an SSX2 driver into this light and then get L-M-H modes with both LED's lit at the same time. The drivers seem to be the same exact shape. Or do you think the modes as is are better (being able to have flood only, throw only, or both)?
-Garry
I didn't think of it. Good idea Garry. Will take a look if the dimensions fits. About using, both can be convinient. It depends on cycling style and personal preferences.
When you do MTB during ascending all you need on the bars is wide beam and you can see further away with narrow beam from your helmet light. When descending you have much more speed and you would like to have all the lights on full. Long beam only can be suitable for horizontal mid speed.
When commuting you mostly run at even speed. You can have both lights on all the time and only adjust brigtnes according to surrounding. High on rural and low/mid in urban where you already have some street lights. In case of commuting one light on the bar with two beams will cover the whole vision. Light on the helmet is not necessary.
I'm not telling those preferences are suitable for everybody, it's just my opinion.
EDIT: Measured the size of SSX2 driver back plate and it is same size like HD-016. So I think they can be interchanged w/o problems. Good to know if anyone would prefer different type of operating
Thanks ledoman! That's awesome, though now I'd have to buy a cheap SSX2 just for the driver. I do like the ability to run the HD016 on 4.2v though (per Lagman).
-Garry
The last cheap SSX2 one I've got hands on few days ago had leds in paralell. The light was powered by usual 2S2P packet. So be aware what you might get.
So are you saying that unit would run with 4.2v input? And where did you get it?
My SSX3 emitters are in parallel but I never tried 4.2v input.
-Garry
Interesting light really. I don’t like the 18650 format too much though. I would prefer AA powered lights. One thing, for trailing, I think a neutral light is better.
Garry, no. I've said it is powered by 2S2P (ie. 8.4V) pack, but normaly in SS2X leds are connected in series The last one was not.
Selle was bonlighting2014 at ebay. Must say it si not good. I pulls only 0.9A from battery pack A had to add R500 sense resistor to improve output a bit.
Well, you can build your own AA 6S battery pack. I'm working a lot with Li-Ion 18650 and they are very good regarding energy density. They are also safe enough if you treat them right. AA is of course even safer.
I wonder what the driver is like in the LightMalls head only (currently $12.99). Any idea? Can't remember if it was posted about at MTBR or not.
-Garry
No, I don't have a clue.
Actually I'd probably chance the $15.99 one on Amazon first.
-Garry
If you do, please let us know about its internals. At least there over at MTBR
As posted over at MTBR, I just ordered the "SecurityIng" version of this light from Amazon ($32.99). Then the next thing I knew my finger slipped and I also ordered an SSX2 
(due to ledoman confirming that the SSX2 driver will mount in this HD-016). This would give both LED's on (wide & narrow) at the same time with Low-Med-High modes and a hidden strobe. Lagman's review confirmed that the original driver also runs on 4.2v input, which really appeals to me (to use unprotected cells in parallel), so I am torn between keeping the original driver or swapping the SSX2's driver. (I really just bought the X2 for the driver.) I will post back with my findings.
I really think this HD-016 will be the perfect light for me! I can finally stop accumulating all these lights! (Yeah right! 
).
Thanks Ledoman! I should send you the bill!
-Garry
You might be able to run the X2 driver on 1S cells if you wire the LED's 2P.
I tried to run my X2 with 1S cells while is still had the stock 2S LED wiring. I didn't expect it run, but was curious if it might possibly had a booster circuit in it. It didn't run. It would flash once every time I hit the momentary switch though.
Today I've got information from Gearbest you can use coupon for this light.
So the link is: UniqueFire HD-16 Cree XM-L L2 2400lm LED White Bicycle Headlight Flashlight 4 x 18650 with Head Strap Battery Charger-32.41 and Free Shipping| GearBest.com
Coupon: HD16
Price:$27.99
Will update the original post, too.
Just received my HD-016 "SecurityIng" version from Amazon. Battery had enough juice to run through the modes one time before it died. Will test it out later. First impressions is that it looks good!
(That's my SSX2 package on the left.)
The box is just a generic bike light box. It says "XM-L" and "Natural White" which are both lies. It came with cool white XM-L2's.
BTW - I also received my SolarStorm X2 from Amazon. It did come branded as an X2 and not blank (I know that doesn't mean much, but I like to see it branded). First impressions on it - doesn't seem very bright on high. More testing and teardown on that one to come too, though I won't post it in this thread. In fact, I will just post further details on both lights in "My Bike Lights Thread" linked for your convenience in my signature :) . No promises though on when I'll get to tear downs.
-Garry
I have three different versions of the SolarStorm X2 from three sellers of eBay. One has 720 mA tailcap reading on high, one has 860 mA and one has 2190 mA (obviously the brightest). They all have SolarStorm X2 marks but when I opened them, they have different drivers (though the 860 mA and the 2190 mA are somewhat similar).
I added 2x R100 resistors to the sense resistors of the 720 mA and changed its lead wires to AWG 22 and it now does 1567 mA. Added an R100 resistor to the sense resistors of the 860 mA and it now does 2883 mA. 
BTW, after reading your thread on diffusing bike lights, all my three X2s now have DCFix on their left lenses. 