Hello. Just got my BLF A6. What a great light for 20 bucks. Love all the modes, and it’s pretty floody. Actually thinking of getting another as a backup. Anyway, I was wondering if the light will hold up as a dedicated bike light? The roads can be a bit bumpy at times and I will be running it with a flat top Samsung Q30. Don’t know if it can take a little abuse and the battery would be okay inside. I have one of those two fish lockblock holders. Any input/experiences are appreciated. Thanks!
Used on my mtb. No problems so far
Yup, I used it for a year on my bike, and it held up well. Last year, I upgraded to a Zebralight SC600w IV Plus, so I could get a more efficient and regulated output.
The problem with the BLF A6 is that output dims as the battery declines. I found that I would have to change the battery at least once per hour, when using it on level 3 (of 4). And it was really only decent output for about 30 minutes. The battery still had lots of juice left, but the A6 couldn’t take advantage of it. Output dropped by a least a third.
With the Zebralight, it’s fully regulated, so I get almost 3 hours at 700 lumen output. That’s a little brighter than what I was using the BLF A6 at, with a fresh battery.
However, if you use the BLF A6 at a lower level (level 2 of 4), it does stay regulated and it will run for many hours. It’s just too dim for my use, but it would be fine in the city where you just want to be visible.
^ Thanks! Good to know.
Wow, 3 hours of 700 OTF lumen sounds very long, even for the best XHP50.2 bin around.
The BLF-A6 benefits from spring bypasses, it will last a bit longer than 30 minutes at 700 lumen. But will still not be regulated and dim over time.
It’s a bit less. 2 hours 45 minutes, using a freshly charged Sanyo GA (3500mAh) cell. Then it steps down to low.
700 lumens is actually a thermally controlled PID mode, so it’s possible that it ramps down during that time. However, I don’t think that’s very likely, since I tested it in coolish weather while cycling, so the breeze should keep it from getting hot. And since the (fully regulated non PID) mode of 350 lumens gives 5 hours 40 minutes, I think it matches up well with the 700 lumen measurement.
Yeah, it’s an impressive light with a high-drain fully charged cell. I have a couple of them that I still use around the house, mainly as ceiling bounce lights for soft room lighting when watching TV. In those situations, regulation isn’t as important.
And if regulation isn’t important for someone when cycling, the BLF A6 makes for a great light. Decent floody beam so you can see well around you, and on turbo it gives some nice throw when going downhill.
Maybe but you can get a decent 4x18650 bike light for $30.
I would not want to be moving the a6 on and off every time i wanted to ride.
Also with only 1 battery, it will run about 15 min on 500 lumens, then start getting dimmer.
Obviously 4 is better.
Also when you have to charge the battery, you have to unscrew and remove or swap, a reg bike light will just have a plug in charger to the light connector.
Many of them also will mount on a helmet, AND come with a head band mount for your own head, for riding or just wearing around to work hands free.
Plus the mounting will prob not be great, it may wobble or slip.
I tried a flashlight at first, about 10 years ago, and a bike light is way better.
Ummm……I have a question.
Why would you put a flashlight with a narrow beam on a mountain bike?
Wouldn’t you want a nice wide beam to pick a path through the trees?
Well, the advantage of the A6 and S2+ is that you can put a strip lens easily on it, creating a well centered car light beam pattern.
the a6 is fairly floody - at least my astrolux s1 is, and they are supposed to be the same
i agree though, just one more reason to get a real bike light
but you could add a half-strip of frosted stuff, so half beam would be really floody and the other half ‘normal’
the floody part though would be dimmer and make you want to run ‘high’ more, further increasing the annoyance of short run time from 1 cell
wle
\
Back a half millennium ago, in the old country, I remember this stupid kid running his bike at break neck
speeds through 3 foot wide foot paths that were lined with stone walls and really thorny plants. The lighting weapon of choice was a flashlight that probably put out 20 lumens for about an hour. But then again, he was invincible.
Then he mounted a generator. Remember the tire side contact generators? Now he had REAL lighting at about 40 lumens.
Memorizing the path is the only reason he can write about it 50 years later.
We have come a loooooong way in bike lights.
In the EU bike lights have to meet standards. Beam pattern, sideways visibility, flashies regulated to avoid photosensitive epilepsy triggering etc…
Sadly the A6 meets none of these requirements. Better than nothing, but if involved in an accident here at night there might be consequences in any investigation.
Best get a proper bike torch.
I live in a city so will only need it once in a while if it gets dark. What kind of light setup do you have in that pic? Looks fantastic.
Yes, but that adds weight, and the mount must be bigger and takes up more room.
That’s another reason I upgraded to a floody Zebralight. But, the BLF A6 isn’t a narrow beam, it’s more of a traditional semi-floody EDC beam. Not perfect, but it’s decent for cycling.
Is there anything in the EU that doesn’t have laws about it? 
But if you are a cyclist in NL these laws cannot be enforced (standard statement of the police).
tsouzee,
I think the A6 will work, it has two springs so the battery should remain in contact. What you could do is have two, use one at a time, when the first one drops to too low , turn on the second one. that would save some inconvenience of swapping cells mid ride.
If you are truly in an urban environment, a decent budget bike light is the Lumintop CO1 again pair this with the A6 for extra lighting
EXACTLY MY POINT
good bike lights that last 4x as long, are super cheap
they mount on and off very quickly, if you don;t want to leave it all the time
wle
the A6/S1 does have 2 springs, so bouncing and intermittent power, should not be a problem
wle
anyone riding at night, usually isn;t racing, so weight should not be an issue
imho
the bike lights usually have the 4-cell battery pack in a separate little bag with a velcro/strap hanger, so it doesn;t technically make the light bigger
you can hang it off the stem, bars or top tube.
wle