After doing our recent night ride, I decided to get some new lights.
I had ordered some cheap Chinese lights in November of 2011, and they are rated at 900 Lumens.
I did use them for almost 3 years for hiking, camping and night riding. They worked great and they still do work great. The batteries hold a charge, the lights are bright and they last 2-3 hours on the brightest setting. So my experience with the cheap Chinese lights have been good so far. I want to get another set, but better than the current ones I have.

My Chinese lights from 2011 used at Noble.



This is how the lights look.






At first I was hesitant to order another set of Chinese lights, because the price difference between Nite Rider (~$400) and the Chinese lights (~$45) are huge, so there must be something that makes the Nite Rider more expensive.

http://www.bikebling.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=nite+rider

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cree+XM-l2+bike+lights&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acree+XM-l2+bike+lights

I did some research on the Chinese lights and a little on any other companies' lights. This is what I found.

The LED lights are all made in the same factory, and the circuits are made in a couple different factories. These factories will put any name you want on the lights and you can sell them however you want. If all the LED lights are made in one factory, so what the difference between each light. If you search "CREE Bike Lights" on Amazon.com, you'll get hundreds of lights to choose from them. Some look identical, but one will be $20 while another will be $45. Why are they different in price when they look identical.
This is what my research has produced.

There are two sets of LED lights, one is XM-L1 and the other is XM-L2.
XM-L2 is about 10%-20% more efficient than XM-L1 lights. Most lights that are sold are CREE XM-L1 T6, but you can also find XM-L2 U2, which are just as cheap, but more efficient than the other lights.
I only found one light that is XM-L2 U3, the most efficient. To see the testing and data for the Cree lights, please click on the "Cree XM-L2 datasheet" on the following link. The light output (lumens) for the current can be found in this link too.

http://flashlightwiki.com/Cree#XM-L2



The two best lights I can find on the market right now that are a great price and efficient are:

1] http://usd.dx.com//product/ultrafire-lzz-u3-2-x-cree-xm-l2-u3-4-mode-1800lm-white-bike-light-headlamp-black-4-x-18650-901285659#.U6cQX7FgEeJ

This light is only 1800 lumens, but it is an XM-L2 U3 light and the most efficient. The battery should last about 2 hours and 51 minutes at full brightness.
The light uses ~2800mA and the battery is 8000mAH. This light should be cooler and more efficient than any other light on the market right now.

2] http://www.amazon.com/Specialfire%C2%AE-Waterproof-Bicycle-Headlights-6400mAh/dp/B00HEY6PAO/ref=sr_1_22?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1403424461&sr=1-22&keywords=SpecialFire

this light is 2800 Lumens, likely due to it being pushed over 3000mA, so the battery will not last as long as the one above. It will produce more heat, that's why it has fins, and the efficiency is about 10% lower than the one above.
It still is much more efficient than other lights on the market, it is brighter than the above light, and it is waterproof unlike the light above.

When looking at lights look at the label: This is from most efficient to least.

Model Of Cree LED light
A]XM-L2 U3*
B]XM-L2 U2
C]XM-L2 T6
D]XM-L1 U3*
E]XM-L1 U2
F]XM-L1 T6


These are the two lights that I would recommend if anyone is interested. I'm ordering a set of #1 soon.
*** I don't race 24 hour races, so I don't know how these will do in those situations.

This has to be one of the best posts I've read in quite awhile. Good read and thanks for doing the research Abdullah! Very informative.

+1

I use two of those red cheapy lights on the bar, one pointing close in and the other down the trail
Then I have a Cree flashlight on my helmet
If I rode more at night I would see the use for a better set but this setup works great for me for about $100

_________________
You never know what tomorrow will bring so go ride your EBike today or walk your pooch
Fear the Yeti
"Go ride your bike today, don't let the old man in.."

Mike

Dittos...

Given very similar light-heads, the cost difference can very often reflect the capacity, circuit design, and durability qualities of the battery.

For the bars, I wanted to go in-between cheapo Chinese and bend-over NiteRider products - I've had good performance (including my all too regular OTBs) out of a: Magicshine MJ-880U ~ 2200LM ~ 2xCree XM-L U2. Cost was approx. $175... I use a Cygolite on the helmet - also a good-quality in-between brand. I've seen brands advertised at $1200... for a bicycle light... say what??? Dwill has 2.

Sounds like Abzillah has had very good luck with Chinese... this is not the case with most of my friends using them... However, at that low pricepoint, one could argue that you might as well use 'em up and get more.

I've seen brands advertised at $1200... for a bicycle light... say what??? Dwill has 2.


HAHAHAHA

Great post Abdullah! Ive also had pretty good luck with the 45$ lights. I dont do night rides much but when i do they work great.

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I want my Mtb!!!!

Seriously. Get a nomex bag for charging the batteries

There was a guy at the Fair last year selling a, one 3 watt bulb CREE bike light, for 60 bucks, it puts out about 800 lumins, and, he was throwing in a AAA powered LED camping headlight for free with purchase. I have used the bike headlamp a bunch of times and I have actually had better luck with the light I bought at the fair than I had with the Magic Shines. Last year he was in Bing Crosby Hall. I'm going to the Fair tomorrow Ill let you know if he is selling them again this year.

_________________
"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and
feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize
fishing is stupid and boring."
--Desmond Tutu

Fellow dirt treader C.E.P. has a website and sells lights. Mostly magic shines. I have bought a number of lights/batteries from him, he has been great to deal with including a warranty issue or two.

http://bikeempowerment.com/

For a long term magic shine review - I bought a double pack around 4 years ago - a helmet light and a triple bulb handlebar light. The single helmet light is still going strong. The triple bar light has an electrical disconnect and switches off constantly. Bulbs are still good. If I were better at electronics it would probably be an easy fix. The 3' extender cable seems to be having an issue too recently. But for a $130 light set I don't have much to complain about. I'm sure the chinese knockoffs would last as well.

Have Magicshine lights as well and they have been flawless for the several years that I have owned them. I recommend them to everybody I know and would buy them again tomorrow for double the price I paid w/o hesitation. They have been that reliable!!

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If you don't go this year, you'll only be a year older when you do - Warren Miller