Sunday, October 27, 2013

Xeccon lights review - part 1

Right, its been a month or so since I was given by Xeccon Geinea I light set.  So as the long nights have arrived, its time to write an initial review.

I picked the Geinea I light because I commute and could see the advantages of having front and rear lights all in one setup.  However, given the lumen output from the front light, it could easily be used on night spins.

So what arrives in the box?



  • A Battery pack (4 X 18650 rechargeable batteries) in a neoprene-type pack.  The neoprene has a velcro strap which is then used to attached to the bike.
  • A power supply.  Irish/UK plug.  Standard fare.
  • Velcro straps to help with cable routing and attaching to the bike
  • Rubber O rings for attaching the switch to the handbars
  • Extension cable
  • 1 X 850 very small lumen front light
  • 1 X 110 lumen similarly sized rear light
  • And the associated wiring loom
  • Strap for setting up the light as a head unit
The whole set arrived in a neat and attractive solid cardboard box.  Everything listed above is in the box and packed away snugly.  Though, once you get everything unpacked, it would be a struggle to get it back in!

The battery comes with a charge, so you are ready to rock straight away.  Wiring involves plugging in the front and rear lights into the main loom (which also contains the large light switch).  The lights themselves are attached to the bike using a velcro strap with a rubber backing to stop the light from slipping.  The on/off switch is attached to the bar using the rubber o-ring.  Velcro straps work well, better than I thought in fact but there's something more secure about o-rings.  It’s very important to route both lights through the switch (ie, don’t go attaching the light directly to the battery!).  The main loom has very clearly marked out which wire should be attached to which light.

The plugs are solid and well put together, so its very very unlikely one would pop out at an inopportune moment. The weight of the battery, wiring, lights and switch comes in at 462 grammes.

The lights themselves are very small units - and I mean very small.

Attaching to the bike is the tricky bit.  Understanding the best routing is dependent on your own bike frame design and size.  I’m still trying to figure out the best setup for my commuting bike, but for now, I’ve the wire for the rear light strapped to the toptube with the rear light on attached to the seatpost.

Right – battery charged, lights and switches fitted and plugged in.  What’s next?  Well, that’s it surprisingly enough.  All you need to do is switch them on!  

The switch itself has a rubber covering which seems to be sealed over.   Using switch you can:
  • Switch on front light and cycle through the modes (High, low and strobe)
  • Switch on the rear light and cycle through the modes (High, low, strobe and fast strobe)
The switch is big - certainly when you compare it to the lights it controls.  I might have preferred a smaller switch unit, but given the functionality it has, plus the practicalities of actually pressing buttons with gloves on, I can happily live with it.

So, how good are the lights?  I have no means to measure the lights actual lumen output, but I can compare to my Hope pro 4.  I'll be posting up some comparison videos in a couple of days, so based on what I've seen, its very very comparable.

Battery life and charge time will also be tested this week

So, in summary:

  • Build quality top notch
  • For such small light units they pack a serious punch
  • Wiring up the bike initially may be tricky

Official lights spec (from Exccon) below:

Geinea I is the lightest and smallest front light, and one of the brightest rear lights for your bicycle. Designed in the XECCON factory at the start of 2013, it already is Patent Protected for the exterior design and the inner structure design. The Geinea combo set contains a front light and a rear light that share the same switch and the same 4400mAh battery pack.
Geinea I - Front light:
Max output: 850 lumens
LED: Cree XM-L U2
Reflector: Orange peel aluminum reflector
Surface treatment: Normal-anodized
Three Modes: High & Low& Strobe
Geinea I - Rear Light:
Max output: 110 lumens
LED: Cree XP-E
Reflector: Optical lens
Surface treatment: Normal-anodized
Four Modes: High& Low& Strobe & fast Strobe
Geinea I - Battery details:
Power Source: 8.4V 4400mAh battery pack(front light/ Front & Rear combo set)
                           8.4V 2200mAh battery pack(Rear light only)
Runtime: Approximately 3hours for Front light set only 
                 Approximately 2.5 hours for Front & Rear combo set 
                 over 6 hours for Rear light set only

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Hello XECCON!



I'm delighted to say that Xeccon lights will be supplying me with lights for those long winter training spins which are just around the corner.  Xeccon produce a range of light suitable for both mtb night spins and also for your typical commuting needs.  I'm going to be running the Geinea I which has a max output of 2200 Lumens!  I'll be posting a full review of the lights when I get them and will be comparing them against my Hopes which I currently use (along with a few Cree lights from Dealextreme.

Xeccon have been involved in the research, development and production of LED light systems since 2007, and have developed a range of lights for cycling, diving and a range of other activities.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

2013's first post

Wow, where did 7 months go?  Last post up here was the report on the marathon champs in September.  So what have I been up to since then?  Well, to summarise - not much up until January of this year when I got off my lard arse and had a very painful month training to get back into shape.  My biggest problem was always going to be to set a target/goal which would give me something to focus on.  Unfortunately I'd plenty of distractions for the first couple of months, and did not commit to anything for various reasons.

I have taken a different approach to training this year and I'll write up more on that later.  I've also been looking at what I eat and how much of it also (more on that later too).

So thats left me with a few months of training, but not a single road or XC race done, or lined up anytime soon.  I can't make the first 2 rounds of the NPS, so that means a decent final result will be difficult.  I've not even managed a road race due to weather or other commitments.
I am getting a plan together though!  I can't make NPS round 1 in Cong, but hope to get to Stamullen on Sunday for a brute of a race.  The 'Visit Nenagh' challenge the following weekend looks like a good one.


Some more roadie stuff on the weekend of the 28th with the Waller cup in Bohermeen (if I can make it), before the Mondello series kicks off the following Tuesday.


I've holidays out wesht for the first week in May, so if anything good is happening out there, I'll sign up. Then (wait for it), and XC race on the 12th of May!!!! My first in 8 months!


You may have gathered by the plan above I'm gone all roadie. Well, I'd like to think I'm gone more racer... Road/XC - when you end up with 2 demanding kids and a busy job, you'll realise time is of the essence. And while I loved my time out on the social spins with MAD 5 or 6 years ago, if I want to satisfy my need to be able to race, I have to make the most use of my limited time.

Anyway, thats a plan to get me to early summer and the XC season proper. I will definetly be out for the XC and marathon champs and for a road goal, to get bumped up to A2 would be amazing, but we'll see.


Anyway, thats the plan, we'll see how it goes. Stay tuned.