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Hello! Thought I would join this forum to get some help that I can’t seem to google the answer for.

I need a headlamp for my push bike, but I don’t want a spot/flood light, I’d like one a bit like a car headlight that cuts the beam off so it doesn’t blind oncoming cars as most of my riding will be round country lanes.

I have found plenty of CREE XML T6 headlamps on eBay, but these appear to all be flood lamps, could I get a new lense that would cut the light off?

Thanks.

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Welcome to the forum. I have one of the Cree’s like you listed on my bike. The one I have is more of a throw than flood. Of course if you are mounting on your head. All you have to do is turn your head when a car comes! J) No seriously. The ones I have seen have a rather focused beam. I don’t find any cars getting mad.

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welcome aboard :beer:

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Oh, so they would be worth the risk even if they don’t state being a focused or flood beam?

Also is there any certain model I should go for? Heard some of them only have a 4.2v battery pack instead of the 8.4v as advertised…

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Welcome to BLF, DreamEater, and happy new year. I do not much cycling down country lanes (city mainly) but I don't think a xml headlamp will blind the oncoming traffic much unless you point it directly at it (which can have its use at times ). I think you must avoid the zooming lights because the cut-off of the beam is so sharp that you can not see what is around you anymore.

But perhaps a more experienced cyclist should have a better answer.

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009QX8B2Q/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I purchased. It is amazing on a bike. The only issues, if you will, I have had over the year I have owned it. Are: The cheesy rubber band mounting system. I added a few plastic zip ties and solved the wiggle. I have a cruiser bike that I ride on smooth roads, and it still shook around too much. Then, I miss treated the battery pack and it died. So, I would advise having a spare battery pack. Of course I could have gotten some bum batteries too?? But I did run it down all the way a few times. Where I live if you don’t have proper lights on your bike at night, the cops can & WILL write you a heafty ticket! So on longer rides…say 2 plus hours, I would bring a spare. Lesson learned.
You will also need a place to “stow” the battery pack on your bike. Size wise, the battery pack is a bit smaller than of small can of tomatoes and the weight is about the same. Just to give you idea.

Edit: It shows you can use it for a headlamp. I never have, its a bit cumbersome and I have several other dedicated headlamps.

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Hi, welcome to the forums, your pocket may not thank you for coming here though :wink:

You could try a lens that has a wider horizontal spread than hight,
example here
The link is for information only and I have had no dealings with them, besides their in the USA, you will be better finding a UK source for less postage.

Cheers David

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If you consider one of those cheap 18650 battery xml headlamps, they may have some concerns, my review of one here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/19703 pretty much sums up what may be right and wrong about them. Since you are in England, I would mainly worry about waterproofness.

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Brilliant! Just that little bit of info has helped!

39mm Wide Angle Lense found this on eBay and it’s in the UK, might buy one of these lights now!

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Told you that your pocket will not thank you for coming here

Cheers David

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This is your new family, DreamEater!

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Hi and welcome!

Don't do pedals myself - but have fun here.

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I don’t usually either, it’s my drunk bike, got to get home somehow :smiley:

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Welcome to BLF, DreamEater! :party:

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Part of why I like flood to throw zoomys is that in the city they don’t blind others unless I point at them. They have rings of stray light but not much spill. A Sipik SK73, for example would make a good bike light, with a proper mount. It is compact, which limits cooling, but in the air stream that is not an issue in anything like stock form.

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Thanks for the advice, the other half hates torches, so as a Xmas stocking filler I bought her this (still hasn’t arrived) I think I might give it a go, but how would I mount it?

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Hello and welcome DreamEater.
Keep your hand on your wallet and be prepared to want stuff, more stuff than you (or your wallet) knew existed.

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I bought a mount for my daughter, but I can’t find the order right now, not sure how well it worked. There has been discussion on other threads of how to mount lights to handle bars, and you can search for brackets and straps for sale. For a quick fix while I waited for hardware I would try strapping tape or even duct tape (if no one will see you) and Nylon ties. My addition is that if you mount it near its center of gravity, so it does not tend to tip forward or backwards, then it will turn less when you go over bumps.