Two twin Lightsets, see here for light shell colour gallery, Two Half EPIC Batteries, one Epic Battery one Headband Kit, complete set of Mounts including the Gecko system, Dual charger, 12V car adaptor, 110 /240V AC adaptor, one 1.2 metre extension lead, neoprene battery pouches with neoprene battery lock down straps, cable ties and a pair of Saxons, all this packed inside the new Ay Pod.
Mtbr Bike Lights Shootout - over 50 bike lights reviewed, photographed and measured here.
I have been enjoying the Ay Up V4 Adventure lighting system, which has excellent batteries, innovative lights and great mounting systems. Its entities are lightweight, compact, easy to use, and the kit comes with just about every accessory required, all packed into a nice plastic pod. The helmet system is a breeze to use, and the trick twin lights can be adjusted independently giving one a variety of usages. Continue reading →
Submitted by
skitodie
a Cross Country Rider
from Farmington, NM
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2012
Strengths: Absolutely Reliable and Bombproof. Easy set up and easy to transfer between different bikes. Batteries last longer than anything else I have used. Kit comes with accessories to use camping, climbing and other outdoor sports.
Weaknesses: Not a single one. These guys know their products and build a great product. Some claim that the price is a weakness but when you can use them as headlamps and with other sports/ uses they are a bargain.
Bottom Line:
Nothing better that i have used or seen on the market that is so universal, light weight and exceeds expectations. Dont hesitate to purchase any Ay-Up products. They are the real deal and i have had no buyers remorse in the 2 years that i have owned them.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon, stans wheels, Race Face, Fox shocks, Selle Italia seat, Chris King, 1x9 Sram drivetrain (built myself) Geax Saguaro tires
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Submitted by
Larflander
a Cross Country Rider
from Foothill Ranch, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2011
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is this is one of the best light manufacturers in town. Could they be a little brighter or have a little better light pattern? Yeah, maybe but no one is perfect. They are a little expensive but you get what you pay for. Ay-Ups attention to detail from light bar mounts to battery pouches, all the way to the warranty is the best you can ask for. After my experience with their product and customer support, I would never ride with another light unless they were able to offer a better quality for a cheaper price. Think about it, the Aussies do everything outdoors and this product reflects just that.
No better kit on the market. Everyone seems to be caught up in the amount of lumens their light system has. Ay Up has done the research and designed a system that simply works and works well. Not the brightest but as much light as you need and the pattern that works and eliminates shadows. Light enough to wear on your helmet and on your bike for a 12 hr race or 24 hr race so you don't have to stop and mount your lights. Low setting on large battery will run 12+ hours and over 6 on the small batteries. I had a Moab light for years and it was great but the Ay Up with all 3 batteries and 2 sets of lights as well as all mounting equipment weighed less than 1/2 of just the Moab and battery. The kit is unbeatable, headband for hiking/camping, Saxon caps for commuting etc. My Girlfriend has seen me use the for 2 years, she borrowed them for several adventure races and swears by these lights for lightweight and reliability. She asked for a set as her Christmas present. They have been great and I've had zero issues for over 2 yrs. Highly recommended.
Similar Products Used: Night Sun, NiteRider, Cateye, Fenix
Bike Setup: Lynskey Pro29SL, Formula R1, Crank Brothers 11 Ti pedals, Reba XX fork, Easton EC90XC wheels etc.
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Submitted by
m3gman
a Cross Country Rider
from Vail, AZ
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2011
Strengths: AMAZING beam, wide,intermediate, narrow, all throw a wicked pattern. EXTREMELY light-weight.Packing is 5-Star, charging 2 batteries at once. Hold a great charge, mounts are solid. Dozens of colors to choose from. MANY kits to choose.
Weaknesses: Price $$$$$ (but worth it)
There is no tail-light mount. You have to use your other handle bar mount but it work fine.
Bottom Line:
The are hands down the brightest lights on the trail...I can throw a beam THROUGH any one with up to 600 lumen. I can shine at least 100 yds with the helmet light, the handlebar lights are 30yds wide and just as deep. You have to see it to belive it...Rugged and wont move when jumping, dropping in or crashing...Solid mounts with plenty of versatility. If you ride with these they are brighter and last longer than anyone on the trail...I have been asked everytime I ride where I go tthem and what kind. I even have cars stop me and ask where I got the tail lights. (normal lights w/ the red caps over them and on flash mode).
You can light up a stop sign over 200 yds away...Honestly you can ride as fast at night as you can in the day! Only 4 chilis cause at $500 its a bit expensive for ANY bike "enthusiast"...Worth it, yes...Just expensive.
Submitted by
freebird31
a Cross Country Rider
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2011
Strengths: Low weight, minimalist system, bright light, many mounting options, look and fell, custom colors, NOT made in China
Weaknesses: No battery indicator
Bottom Line:
Delivered in an absolute stunning package including ekstra batteries, all types of mounting devices for handlebar, helmet and headstrap. Even multible charger adapters for EU and 12 volt car charger. You can immidiately feel that this is not made in China :-)
I got the new 2011 (40 % brighter) model and it works perfectly. I am sure you can find system with better LUX but then much heavier. I just did a local "Night rider cup" including alot of fast unknown singletrack. During lap 2 I almost forgot it was not daylight.
I mounted the Epic battery on the back of my Giro Atmos helmet and it did not feel heavy at all.
Submitted by
gearjunkie88
a Racer
from San Antonio, TX
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2010
Strengths: Bright, lightweight, individually adjustable beam direction, and longer than advertised burn times. Being able to charge 2 batteries at the same time is great.
Weaknesses: The 6-hour "Epic" battery is a bit heavy when mounted on the helmet for rides lasting 2+ hours. Put it in your pack and this problem is solved.
The special case is cool, but re-packing it is a bit of a hassle.
Bottom Line:
I used the Ay-Ups in a 24-hour solo mtb race, a couple 24-hour adventure races, and some night riding on my local trails. They are awesome. It's like having the sun mounted on my helmet. I typically mount the spot light on my helmet and the flood on the handlebars. When running the spot on the high setting, it's so bright that I have no need to use the flood at the same time. For non-technical sections of trail, I can run the spot on low setting (with the flood turned off) and can see everything really well. For more technical sections, I can run both lights on low setting and everything is illuminated quite well and I can get even more battery life. For super-technical sections, turn everything on high and put on some sunscreen, because it's bright!
The batteries are light and compact, but the 6-hour "Epic" battery is a bit heavy for long rides when mounted on the helmet. So, I throw that battery in my pack for anything lasting 2+ hours. The only problem with putting the battery in your pack is that you can't easily get to the power/on/off switch, which is located on the battery. The 3-hour "Mini-Epic" battery is fine when mounted on the helmet. Both batteries have given longer than advertised burn times. The batteries charge quickly, too. I encountered a little rain during the 24-hour solo, but it didn't bother the lights at all.
The headband is a nice addition and I've used it for trail running.
Some folks complain about the zip-tie mounting system, but it holds well and is easy to install and remove.
Much better than my old NiteRider (HID) and JetLite lights.
Submitted by
witty
a Cross Country Rider
from Tasmania
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2010
Strengths: Excellent light, easy to use and install, very light and a well finished product. How the mtbr review could list cable tie mounting as a weakness for the handlebar mount gives you an idea how how hard they had to look for a weakness.
Weaknesses: None come to mind
Bottom Line:
Would recommend to anybody looking for a simple light setup that you can customize to lots of different sports.
At least 5 friends have also purchased the same product in different beam widths.
Bike Setup: AUYP Narrow on Helmet and Intermediate beam on bars.
09 Stumpy Elite, 1x9, Nukeproof 760 flats and Nukeproof seat, Joplin 4 seatpost.
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Submitted by
NA
a Weekend Warrior
from Nevada, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2010
Strengths: Light Weight, Long Battery Life, Most aspects very well designed, Bright but not too bright for road use, comes complete with lots of mounting options, Fast shipping from Brisbane arrived in three days
Weaknesses: The bike mount could be a little better for my needs. I'd like the handle bar attachment to be more than just cable ties. I'd also prefer that the light snap into the mount ( like the helmet mount ) instead of being held in by a rubber strap. That said, the mount is designed for quick release and that is appealing to some folks. The case that comes with the lights makes a great shipping container, but is too compact to easily use for storage, not quite bright enough for extream downhill use
Bottom Line:
This is a great product. I checked out allot of lights and these guys seem to have put allot of thought into every aspect of their product. The weight / brightness / batter life combination is the best available. These lights are not cheap, but for what you get they are cheaper than competing lights.
Simple, robust, and well designed. Hope to report better info. after a years worth of use.