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Trail Tech MR16 30 Watt $
Light Meter charts and comparison table available here.
Description:
At its core, the MR16 light is a motorcycle light. That's why it is so big. The light head is about as wide as a waterbottle and weighs almost a lb. The whole system weighs in at 2.2 lbs compared to most high end LED systems now at 1 lb.
That's why it's so bright at 1850 lumens. It's designed so you can go offroad on the motorcycle at 50 mph. And that's why it's so cheap. The economies of scale in the motorcycle industry are a little better and I don't think they would dare sell a light over $500 for fear of retribution.
MR16 | MR 16 w/ Bag | MR 16 w/ Battery:
Mounting:
This is where it all breaks down. The battery is mounted on the stem on a top cap mount. It works but it is an odd place for such a big battery. The battery can be mounted on the frame too but laying flat on it's base, it is too wide and gets in the way of pedaling.
The light itself mounts with a small plastic mount that clamps on to the bar. Ours is not compatible with a 31.8 bar that is supposedly available by press time. There is some side to side movement that allows aiming the light.
Light Meter Measurements:
So here's the good news. The light is bright with a Lux reading of 121 on our test bed. This is almost double the reading we got on the very expensive second place finisher, the Lupine Betty 12 at 64 Lux.
Trail Tech claimed 1850 lumens and they were not exagerating.
Run Time and Beam Pattern:
Run time was about 2:10 hours. It's not great but it is understandable considering a light this bright. But since it is HID, there's no way to dim the light to extend the battery life.
We tested the 'flood' version with a 36 degree beam angle. We feel this is the way for a bike application since the rider can utilize more of the available light. The beam pattern is incredibly bright and wide. It seems to punch a huge white hole into the dark night.
At the center of the beam pattern, there is a little bit of a dark spot effect. This is the farthest point in the trail and the beam does not light it up as much as it does the surrounding area. A helmet spotlight might complement this system but it has to be a very bright helmet light to make a difference.
This is one of the few handlebar lights that doesn't require a helmet light for high speed riding. So in the end, maybe the heavy weight is offset if the rider uses just one light instead of two.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Bottom Line:
If you want the brightest, widest, best value light, this is it. But if you want a light with great mounting, features, design and flexibility, this is not the best choice. This light can be great for hobbyists who want to tweak and build their own mounts, battery placement, etc.
Purchasing the light and getting support for it may not be the easiest too since Trail Tech is a motorcycle parts company and they don't have a lot of retailers for these bicycle versions.
Beam Pattern Photos:
Beam Pattern rollover and side by side comparison page available here.
Value Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
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Overall Rating:
4.50 out of 5 Stars
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Read or write reviews:
https://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/lights/trail-tech/scmr16-helmet-light-kit-li-ion/PRD_417415_130crx.aspx
Mtbr Lights Shootout Main Page | https://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/Mtbr Lights Reviews | https://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/Mtbr Lights Forum
Trail Tech MR16 30 Watt $
| Light | Price | Claimed Lumens | Runtime | Battery Type | Light head weight | Battery Weight | Installed Weight | Lumens per gram | Lumens per dollar |
| MR 16 30Watt | $429.00 | 1850 | 2:10 | Lithium Ion | 388g | 618g | 1006g | 1.84 | 4.65 |
Light Meter charts and comparison table available here.
Description:
At its core, the MR16 light is a motorcycle light. That's why it is so big. The light head is about as wide as a waterbottle and weighs almost a lb. The whole system weighs in at 2.2 lbs compared to most high end LED systems now at 1 lb.
That's why it's so bright at 1850 lumens. It's designed so you can go offroad on the motorcycle at 50 mph. And that's why it's so cheap. The economies of scale in the motorcycle industry are a little better and I don't think they would dare sell a light over $500 for fear of retribution.
MR16 | MR 16 w/ Bag | MR 16 w/ Battery:
Mounting:This is where it all breaks down. The battery is mounted on the stem on a top cap mount. It works but it is an odd place for such a big battery. The battery can be mounted on the frame too but laying flat on it's base, it is too wide and gets in the way of pedaling.
The light itself mounts with a small plastic mount that clamps on to the bar. Ours is not compatible with a 31.8 bar that is supposedly available by press time. There is some side to side movement that allows aiming the light.
Light Meter Measurements:
So here's the good news. The light is bright with a Lux reading of 121 on our test bed. This is almost double the reading we got on the very expensive second place finisher, the Lupine Betty 12 at 64 Lux.
Trail Tech claimed 1850 lumens and they were not exagerating.
Run Time and Beam Pattern:
Run time was about 2:10 hours. It's not great but it is understandable considering a light this bright. But since it is HID, there's no way to dim the light to extend the battery life.
We tested the 'flood' version with a 36 degree beam angle. We feel this is the way for a bike application since the rider can utilize more of the available light. The beam pattern is incredibly bright and wide. It seems to punch a huge white hole into the dark night.
At the center of the beam pattern, there is a little bit of a dark spot effect. This is the farthest point in the trail and the beam does not light it up as much as it does the surrounding area. A helmet spotlight might complement this system but it has to be a very bright helmet light to make a difference.
This is one of the few handlebar lights that doesn't require a helmet light for high speed riding. So in the end, maybe the heavy weight is offset if the rider uses just one light instead of two.
Strengths:
- daylight inducing brightness at 1850 lumens or 121 Lux
- Great value at $430 with an off the charts lumens/dollar rating
- beam pattern is nice, wide and usable
Weaknesses:
- mounting options are lacking
- size and weight are overkill for most bike applications
- HID weaknesses - low run time, no dimming, switching on takes a while, color is a little harsh
- it gets hot and needs motion to keep it cool.
Bottom Line:
If you want the brightest, widest, best value light, this is it. But if you want a light with great mounting, features, design and flexibility, this is not the best choice. This light can be great for hobbyists who want to tweak and build their own mounts, battery placement, etc.
Purchasing the light and getting support for it may not be the easiest too since Trail Tech is a motorcycle parts company and they don't have a lot of retailers for these bicycle versions.
Beam Pattern Photos:
Beam Pattern rollover and side by side comparison page available here.
Value Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
Overall Rating:
4.50 out of 5 Stars
Read or write reviews:
https://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/lights/trail-tech/scmr16-helmet-light-kit-li-ion/PRD_417415_130crx.aspx
Mtbr Lights Shootout Main Page | https://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/Mtbr Lights Reviews | https://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/Mtbr Lights Forum
