A few weeks ago I completed a video review of the XANES XL07 LED Bike Light over on my YouTube channel. The light was sent to me by the folks over at Banggood.com.
I've been using this great little light and putting it through it's paces 2-3 times a week for the last month or so now. The light is basically a single CREE XML T6 LED element housed in a black anodised aluminum case. The build quality of the light head is very solid. It doesn't feel cheap of flimsy at all. The light is held onto the handlebars (or most anything round up to about 3/4" diameter) by a plastic mount which wraps around the bars and is secured via a small threaded thumb wheel. The light unit itself attaches to the bar mount via a simple slide-lock mechanism which is rotatable for precise aiming of the light.
In addition to the handlebar mount, the XL07 comes with an elastic headband mount which is basically the same as the headband mounts supplied with many other Chinese bike lights. The headband can be worn directly on the head, or it can be stretched over a bike helmet to be used as a helmet mount. The light is also supplied with a silicone rubber "lamp shade". At first I had no idea what the intent was for this accessory and though it was some sort of gimmick. But I soon realized that the lamp shade makes for a great diffuser that softens the light and broadens the output which in turn makes the XL07 quite useful in off the bike camping situations where an area light is needed.
One unique thing about this light is its ability to operate on various voltages from 4.2 up to 8.4 VDC. The light has a round 5521 style connector on the end of the cord, but also comes with a 5521 to USB cable as well. This makes for a very versatile light setup, able to be powered by wide variety of batteries and power supplies. The cord + USB cable is also plenty sufficient in length - With the light installed on my handlebars, I ride with the cord coiled around the top tube of my bike and then up the seatpost to a small seatbag where a USB battery is carried. There is no shortage of cable length at all.
The light is IP65 rated for water and dust resistance and has 6 different operating modes: High, medium, and low brightness, plus fast, slow, and S.O.S. flashing modes. The high and medium modes are more than adequate for any riding condition, including technical singletrack. The beam pattern throws a good amount of light far ahead - I have no problem seeing small rocks and other objects that are 45-50 feet ahead on gravel roads for example. The light pattern is somewhat narrow however, like a spotlight. While there is indeed some peripheral illumination to the sides, it isn't much. The lowest brightness setting is more of a "be seen" level of brightness and while it may work on open roads etc. it's not quite bright enough wherever the road or trail ahead needs to be well illuminated.
Power consumption of the XL07 is similar to the other USB powered lights I've tried, anywhere from 1-2A at 5V on high, around 0,8-0,9A on medium, and about 0.1A on low. Note that power consumption of the light can vary slightly depending on the battery or power supply used, but overall amperage readings show that this is a pretty efficient light that will provide some pretty long run times if paired with a suitable battery. I've gotten nearly 3 hours running the XL07 on high PLUS another non-branded CREE XML T6 light (used as a tail light) running on medium power - at the same time off the same battery. It should be noted that the XL07 is not supplied with a battery - you'll have to supply your own.
The XANES XL07 is available from Banggood.com for $28.99 although, when I very recently checked the site again they had lowered the price to $16.99. I find this to be a pretty good price for such a versatile, well made, and well performing light.
Click below to watch the full video review, or click here to view the video on YouTube.
No comments:
Post a Comment