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Old December 19th 17, 12:35 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Oculus Lights[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 48
Default New B&M 100lux headlight.

On Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 8:30:50 AM UTC-8, sms wrote:
On 12/15/2017 7:40 PM, Oculus Lights wrote:


That's not too helpful. In any case, there is no way to remove a Usenet
posting.


agreed.


I would respectfully suggest that you put that information on your web
site. Also, glaringly absent from your web site, is a "Specifications"
button, i.e. What is the output at each setting?


I get very few inquiries about burn times, compared to other questions.

With five settings, its less important than saying there are five settings. Knowing five settings tells the reader that the light should have a setting for any use they need instead of needing to wonder if it will be as bright enough as they need for as long as they need it for.

On the 1800 1 hour, ~70 56 hours, ~275 10 hours, 525 5 hours, 925 2:10
on the 3000 52 mins, ~150 36 hours, 500 6:30 (or 650 for 5:50), 1100 2:40, 1800 1:20
with out of the box power tables. The "test" or "race" power tables give longer burn times with slightly less power that the eye doesn't notice. Seven different power tables to either remove the bottom or top, with narrower ranges in between.
Currently shipping the 3000 with the "race" power table that removed the 36 hour, and gives ~500 @ 6:30, ~950 for 3:00+, 1700+ for 1:30+, and ~2500 instead of 3000 etc.
Race table on the 1800 is ~45% of brightness on the 3000.


When I was evaluating integrated-battery lights, I chose the Lezyne
Decadrive 1500XXL. The Oculus looked good also, but I liked some things
about the Lezyne better. Ended up buying two of them, along with extra
aluminum mounts for other bicycles.

1500XXL Positives
-----------------
1. Metal enclosure. Being an engineer, and dealing with thermal issues
on a continuous basis for 25+ years, and having experienced LED failures
from heat, the Lezyne design appealed to me more due to their thermal
solution, even though it adds weight,


Oculus' cool polymer main body carries heat as well as aluminum weighing half as much. Oculus doesn't "bury" heat on the inside like metal housings. Thermal dimming lower to medium setting at 65C. Takes ~8 minutes at 20C sitting still to reach that. In motion, 6mph+, never gets over 45C.


2. Mounts. Leyzne offers an aluminum handlebar mount
http://www.lezyne.com/product-led-acc-alhandlebrmt.php. You can have
these mounts on each bicycle and it's faster reattaching a strap every
time it's removed (and unlike lights with separate battery packs, you
remove integrated-battery lights a LOT).


How much extra are you paying for that? Oculus' field replaceable battery design removes the need to r&r the whole light. That Lezyne mount doesn't fit an MTB bar, wingbar, aerobar, anatomic bar, helmet. Only a bare unwrapped section of standard round handlebar. Also, aluminum is brittle, it snaps, doesn't flex like Oculus' polycarbonate mount + Velcro mount.

3. Specs. Lezyne specifies the lumens at each setting. Their web site is
very informative.

What any big company with a fully funded marketing budget can do.
You're biking with a headlight, not buying a website. My sales conversion % is good given my limited time and resources.
I'm limited by getting hits to the site, not by what people do when they get there.
Wan to operate my web and social marketing? Want to pay someone to put up every spec of technical minutia? I would love it!!!!! If I took every suggestion how I could spend my time I would get nothing done that needs to be.



4. Beam pattern. Sufficient side spill and sufficient top beam.


Doesn't, the design can't, come close to how far and bright the side projection of an Oculus. Oculus shines up in the center in your own lane, stays low on the sides so it doesn't blind oncoming drivers.


5. Micro USB rechargable, high-current charger available.


Oculus goes one better. Has micro USB, high power barrel input, and
https://www.barrybeams.com/store/p27...a_charge..html
you can use any phone charger/car USB supply with a USB to 2.1mm barrel jack cable for a true high power charge if you don't have the high powered charger that Oculus includes in the box, doesn't charge more for. The 3000Extreme also comes what the Phone charger/car USB adapter cable included at no extra charge too.


6. Price. The Lezyne Decadrive 1500XXL sells for under $100.

http://www.masherz.com/products/lezyne/superdrive1500xxlheadlightblack.htm

$130 actually, plus the cost of your mounts and high powered charger make it higher than an Oculus 1800Ultra, if compared apples to apples.
Plus how much are you paying extra for the high power charger that you get for free with an Oculus, and the aluminum mount that still isn't as resilient as the "guaranteed unbreakable" polycarbonate mount and 500# pound test Velcro strap that comes with the Oculus?



1500XXL Negatives
-----------------
1. Can't swap batteries in the field. While it's not that difficult to
take it apart to replace batteries that have lost capacity, you would
obviously not do that while out on a ride. However their newer model,
the Decadrive 1500i (not the one I have) has an option for connecting an
external power pack
http://www.lezyne.com/product-led-acc-infinitelightpwrpk.php to extend
the range. Still, that's a lot more expensive than carrying an extra
18650 or 26650 cell.


You can plug an external power pack into the Oculus right now, right into the charging jack using Oculus' supplied or any standard USB to barrel jack adapter cable.

https://www.barrybeams.com/store/p27...a_charge..html


2. DRL flash lumens is only 150.


Oculus has six extremely high attention getting daytime flutter and pulse modes, of three to five steps and varying brightnesses each. Some hit full power, other at lower levels for longer battery time. Also includes two standard blinking settings for those who want it, one brighter, one dimmer for longer battery time.


3. Mode switch is difficult to get the light into the preferred mode.


Oculus ships with a triple click safety switch mode. A combination of switch presses programs it back to a single click on/off, with press to dim and shut.


4. Heavy at 267.6 grams (9.4 ounces).


Oculus true scale weight on my Park gram scale:
lightweight battery: 205 grams
with high capacity battery: 255 grams.

Compare with L&M Taz at 215 and Cateye Volt at 255 or higher.

All weights include the mount and strap.


5. Charger not included.


Oculus comes with high power charger. Light has both high power barrel jack and standard power micro-usb.
Oculus 3000 also includes USB to high power barrel jack cable allowing any phone charger or car USB supply to charge at full power.


Oculus Positives


++ lifetime limited warranty
++$99 no fault repair or replacement, including against theft.

----------------
1. Swappable batteries.


Thank you, an inexcusable amount of money went into making that design work..


2. Excellent beam, though I like the upward spill of the Lezyne better
because in my area there are a lot of low hanging trees near the road
shoulder.


Try mounting the light inverted, sounds like you might like that view better. Most TT and mant MTB racers prefer the inverted view of the road or trail.


3. Slightly lighter than the Lezyne, at 1/2 pound (according to one
review--specs not available on Oculus site), due to plastic construction.


Oculus true scale weight on my Park gram scale:
lightweight battery: 205 grams
with high capacity battery: 255 grams.
Compare with L&M Taz at 215 and Cateye Volt at 255 or higher.
All weights include the mount and strap.


4. High-current charger included.


3000Extreme also includes the phone charger/car USB adapter cord at no extra cost allowing car and phone adapter charging at the same shorter charging times.


5. Option to use either 26650 or 18650 battery.


Christoph Strasser asked if I could make it lighter. The Panasonic 3500mAH 18650 reduces 50 grams off the battery weight (43g vs 93grams), and still give 2/3 of the burn time as the 26650 battery. The rubber spacers were not a standard o-ring and density to spec and find in quantity.

Oculus Negatives
----------------
1. Plastic construction.


Is all plastic alike? Are all condoms the same?

Oculus top and bottom covers and mount is the same plastic is polycarbonate, same as hockey boards and basketball backboards. More resilient than other plastics and much less prone to crack under high shock and vibration than aluminum.


2. No permanent mount available, you have to strap and unstrap it every
time.

3. Unknown specs. If the specs are on that gawd-awful web site
somewhere, I can't find them.


Battery specs on the user guide. Same comments about the website as above.


4. Charger is not Micro USB, so a need to carry a separate charger on tours.


Really?
What about:

https://www.barrybeams.com/store/p27...a_charge..html

and, there is a micro-USB jack built in.


5. 50% more expensive.


I love a good math argument. (-:

Add the link you posted plus add on mounts and chargers, and you're paying the same or higher. Also, locals can pick up or I meet people locally for direct delivery and setup.


I also have to say, with all due respect to Barry, that the Oculus web
site almost certainly scares many potential customers away. It's very
poorly done and unprofessional.


See comments above about the website.
Most startups end up under-funded for marketing, and Oculus is not exception.
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