New Fenix BC30 Bike Light Review - Dual distance beam -Twin XM-L2 T6

[gofastman]

Definitely contact Fenix, could be a design flaw they overlooked. Might prevent a casualty or two

 

[Skyraider59]

Getting ready for a ride, i mounted my BC-30 and the external switch onto my bike, i pressed the remote button a few times to ensure it was working. Turned it all off and went inside for about 30 minutes, returned to the shed to find the light stuck on the 1800 lumen boost mode. I tried to turn it off but it was way too hot to touch, i got some gloves but the power switch was unresponsive. Had to pull the batteries to make it shut down.

thermal protection didn't kick in a drop the brightness, im hoping i haven't damaged the eagletac 18650s that i got 2 days ago.

problem seems to be in the external button, i put a fresh set of batteries in and it went straight back to boost mode. Disconnected the switch and its back to normal.

Not sure where you have got yours from, but would I try your retailer first but with CC your email To Fenix. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Skyraider59]

Regarding unable to switching it off: using the switch with gloves is virtually impossible, I get very frustrated with the switch operation during the winter, in the summer while wearing finger less gloves, no problems, in the winter I keep pressing it and nothing happen!

Take the gloves off and fine again!

This is a major flaw and need redesigning! Is anyone else suffering from the same issue with the switch?

 

[idleprocess]

Getting ready for a ride, i mounted my BC-30 and the external switch onto my bike, i pressed the remote button a few times to ensure it was working. Turned it all off and went inside for about 30 minutes, returned to the shed to find the light stuck on the 1800 lumen boost mode. I tried to turn it off but it was way too hot to touch, i got some gloves but the power switch was unresponsive. Had to pull the batteries to make it shut down.

thermal protection didn't kick in a drop the brightness, im hoping i haven't damaged the eagletac 18650s that i got 2 days ago.

problem seems to be in the external button, i put a fresh set of batteries in and it went straight back to boost mode. Disconnected the switch and its back to normal.

Sounds like a defective switch. By design, the BC30 will activate "turbo" if the external switch is actuated; since all the switch seems to do is short the two terminals together I'd say yours failed in the closed position.

Regarding unable to switching it off: using the switch with gloves is virtually impossible, I get very frustrated with the switch operation during the winter, in the summer while wearing finger less gloves, no problems, in the winter I keep pressing it and nothing happen!

Take the gloves off and fine again!

This is a major flaw and need redesigning! Is anyone else suffering from the same issue with the switch?

I have few problems with gloves, but I've only worn fairly light gloves with it thus far.

 

[b0wz3r99]

I agree that this is a great handlebar light. As a commuter, I find the remote button to be very useful. It serves as my "light horn" to signal motorists. For most of my utility/commuting rides, the BC30 is the only headlight I need. When I need additional light, I use a Convoy S2 tube light on my helmet. The neutral XP-G2 emitter in my S2 makes a great complementary beam to the BC30 on the bars.

I've been using my BC30 for regular, almost daily, commuting and recreational riding for about 18 mos. now. It's the best dedicated bike light I've ever used. I find the 200 and 500 lumen settings to be the ones I use most. I also like having the handlebar mounted switch for turbo mode, as sometimes motorists flash their high beams at me because of the light; they quickly turn them back down when I hit the turbo switch. I too think it would be nice if the handlebar switch would change modes; ideally I'd like to have it changes modes with a short click and go to turbo mode with a click-hold.

I also use a Zebralight H600w Mk II on my helmet, attached with a pair of TwoFish LockBlocks, which I typically run on the 330 lumen setting in the high mode. It's not a truly throwy light, but compared to the beam spread of the BC30, it's throwy enough that it complements the BC30 very well.

I'm considering replacing it with a BT20 mounted to fork crown bracket because I'd like to start running a handlebar bag for commuting and day trip purposes; I often find myself alternating between the 200 and 500 lumen settings of my BC20 so the 300 lumen medium setting on the BT20 would be a good compromise so hopefully I wouldn't find myself having to switch between levels so often.

 

[pmath]

Great to hear such a good review after some serious use. Thanks.

PMath

 

[blah9]

I've been using mine since August now for commuting a couple times a week on average and am completely happy with the BC30 still.

 

[Bazar]

umm, whether it's up in the air or on the road depends only on how you mount the light. How narrow or broad the beam is, now that's a different question and here's where most reviewers agree the BC30 has an exceptionally wide beam, illuminating the surroundings at the expense of possibly a greater throw. I really doubt the 220 lumen 4xAA Philips comes anywhere close to what the BC30 is capable of - those lights are in a totally different league.

btw, "precision engineered reflector" is the same marketing hogwash as the "dual distance beam" that Fenix prides itself in

As an elite cyclist, I don't think anything other than lumens matters. I road bike 10,000 miles per year, and if more light hits incoming traffic, then good, they need be able to see me and hitting my face on trees hurts, so having sufficient light hitting the atmosphere is also critical. Wide beam or not (and I have an elastic band I use to permanently turn on the burst mode) 1800 lumens is plenty of throw even for a road cyclist going on a 55 mph canyon downhill. Great light and 18650s work great if I need them.
Also it does have visors limiting up-light
I. E. 300 lumens from the BC30> 300 lumens from any other light I've seen or used.

 

[harro]

Correct me if i'm wrong, please, does the light actually come with a removable, clip on visor, or is it the slightly longer, top of the light that people are referring to. There is no such reference to it on Fenix's BC30 page. I've just bought one as a runout special, for everyday commuting use. I like the removable 18650's and the overall simplicity of the light, and hope it will last as long as the old Xeccon 1210 I used till now. For commuting every day, the 500 lms and slow flash are ideal outputs for me.


A footnote to the above. I have the BC30 now, and so far with the little its done, it appears to be very good. More focused than the old Xecon 1210' which just spewed light everywhere. Beautiful NW tint for around town, with the 200lm output being plenty in a streetlight area. I am using flat top WolfEyes LRB168A's, and they push out of the carrier with ease. I can see how a button top cell could be an issue. Longevity? Who knows, time will tell.

 

[kj2]

You mean the top of the light? It does stick out a little bit. But there is nothing to remove or clip on.

 

[harro]

Thanks kj2, that must be what others are alluding to. Easy to aim down for commuting duties and be a bit motorist aware.

Btw, you take a really top notch closeup pic :thumbsup:

 

[kj2]

Thanks kj2, that must be what others are alluding to. Easy to aim down for commuting duties and be a bit motorist aware.

Btw, you take a really top notch closeup pic :thumbsup:

And that with a mobile phone camera :laughing:

The extra plastic lens on top, does help aiming the beam down, but I still had to slightly aim the light towards the ground. Specially with the higher modes.
I used the 200 lumens mode, most of the time. 1200 lumens mode only when there was nobody coming-up.

 

[NPL]

Has anybody modded their bc30 with different LEDs? If not, would anybody be kind enough to take a picture of the front end with optics removed?

 

[kj2]

Has anybody modded their bc30 with different LEDs? If not, would anybody be kind enough to take a picture of the front end with optics removed?

*found on BLF - not my photos

 

[NPL]

Thank you kj2

 

[harro]

After a few weeks of using this thing for commuting duties, I reckon its a pretty nice light. No complaints from motorists, although its only 200 and 500 lumens that get used for the commute. 1,200 lumens is a bit too much for round town, although I could see it being used out of town no worries. Haven't even bothered to hook up the burst mode switch yet. The WolfEyes LRB18650a's are easy to remove, although i'm sure that any flat top would be similar, in that regard. A pretty nice light, all in all.
To me, the only thing Fenix needs to do, is be a bit more honest in their marketing. Its a 1,200 lumen light with a momentary 1,800 lumen output, not an 1,800 lumen light.

 

[lumen aeternum]

I'm a bit confused, the Fenix store site is saying "pre-order" so did they upgrade it from the features discussed in this thread, which started years ago?
Anybody know the horizontal beam width for Fenix lights? I need to illuminate corners as soon as possible. Wish there were actual "cornering lights" for bikes...
The preorder price is without batteries, so you have to spend at least another $20 which brings the price to $120. Which means you are only $10 less than their other premium lights. So is this light still competetive?

Fenix makes lights with 2 LEDs and lights with only 1 LED. Wondering if the 2 LED lights have a wider horizontal beam width?

 

[Keitho]

I use a "cornering light"...

Wish there were actual "cornering lights" for bikes...

 

[lumen aeternum]

No I don't want the light moving around following my head, I want to "look towards" the light. Balance & kinesthesia.

 

[Keitho]

I understand, just being a wise guy. I believe that the Fenix beam shape comes mostly from their optics--if you look at their product photos, you'll see that the two-LED lights like the BC30 have very similar-looking optics as their single-LED lights. I think that the BC30 would be a perfect bar light, but I just haven't found a reason to "need" it with a bunch of other options I've been using on my bar.

Even though I was being silly, I do actually find it useful to know that there is light both where my bike is pointed and where my head is pointed. By running a bar/helmet combo, each of those lights can be a little lower power (meaning lighter, smaller) than if I was going to rely on a single bar light. I run my helmet light even during the daytime--I like being able to direct a few unexpected lumens into a driver's peripheral vision when they're not looking my way. And, it is built-in redundancy, and an excuse to buy more lights--win-win!