Review of Planet Bike Super Spot 1-Watt LED Bicycle Light

Planet Bike Super Spot 1-Watt LED Bicycle Light
By: Planet Bike Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 14
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Nothing special, can't recommend it

On: 2008-04-23

The light is bright, but the beam has an odd pattern of vertical stripes that makes it hard to see anything. The bracket is too small for the handle bars on my road bike (about 32mm).

Great light for the price

On: 2008-04-19

I bought this light for my kids bike. It was easy to install and provides great visibility to car drivers even on well lit residential streets. If the street is not well lit, the light is barely adequate for riding at night, but it will get the kid home.

The only negative is the switch. The switch is very difficult to operate. You have to get a firm grip on the light and press hard with the finger nail to switch it on. my kid has less difficulty with this than I do since his fingers are smaller.

Over all it is a great value!

Nice, bright front light, but doesn't blink

On: 2008-04-14

This front light is bright, provides a great field of vision at night, and is a nice value. My major problem with it is that it doesnt blink. Enhancing motorists ability to see you from both the front and the back is important. Ive been hit twice during the day by people left turning into me when they clearly didnt see me from the front. A back blinker doesnt help here, and a front white light that doesnt blink doesnt help much either. If you do a lot of road riding and you use this front light, you should also invest in another front light that blinks for daytime riding (Planet Bike Superflash Blaze is EXCELLENT and can mount on your front fork). Also, if your drop down handle bars have a large diameter on top, as many of the new handlebars do, this lights mount wont fit around your handle bars.

Good, bright cycling light

On: 2008-03-09

Im a commuter cyclist who finds himself traveling after dark frequently, and I have found this light to be well suited to my needs. It is compact and light weight, easily mounted, and surprisingly bright (although not quite bright enough if you plan on biking in an area where it would be the only source of light). I mainly bike on roads and a lighted bike path, and for these purposes, it gives me more than enough light to make cars aware of me with a very long battery life. One caveat though is that if you need a light to see where youre going or are biking in an unlighted area, a brighter light would probably be necessary.

Fairly bright considering what it costs

On: 2008-01-03

Amazons ad talks about using this for 24 hour races. I wouldnt do that. If I was racing 24 hours Id definitely want something brighter than this. But if you are commuting its fairly bright and lasts long enough certainly for must commutes to and from work.

I do love that its made by Planet Bike which donates 25% of its profits to bike advocacy groups.Down Low Glow Lighting Kit - Two Tubes -Ice(blue)

Fantastic Commuter Light-Great Company

On: 2007-12-28

Ive been in the bike business for years and have had opportunity to use a majority of the different brands of bike lights on the market. This Planet Bike LED light is one of the best commuter models Ive used. For night MTB riding Niterider is still the best, but these lower power LED models are entirely easier to use and maintain for most commuter use. Its a great light from a great, socially responsible company. Thanks Planet Bike!Planet Bike Super Spot 1-Watt LED Bicycle Light

Very affordable bright white LED but no flash mode.

On: 2007-12-20

Summary: Decent quality *very* bright LED headlight at a good price, no flash.
Pros: Decent quality construction. Very bright white LED with okay lens gives some "stripes" of light out to about 30 degrees left/right of smallish center bright spot. *Very* easy to get working: simple top on/off switch, easy snap-on/off tube mount, and the battery cartridge snaps in and out as a single unit. Battery cartridge is pre-loaded with 4 AA alkaline batteries - just pull out insulating tab and light is active.
Cons: No flashing mode! Lens pattern only adequate, as off-centerline lighting appears as vertical bright stripes rather than more even area coverage. Holes on the bottom and a lack of gaskets on seams (except for the battery cartridges end cap) mean use in wet conditions will likely result in some moisture inside; this should not immediately prevent the light from operating, but may lead to corrosion and operating problems over time.
Overall: Even with its low price, I gave it only 3 stars because of the lack of a flashing mode.

Upgrade the Super Spot

On: 2007-12-18

I did as Daniel Ulanday did. I bought four of these lights from Amazon with free shipping and replaced the one watt Luxeon III emitter (40 lm output) with a Seoul Semiconductor part with 100 lm. output. I have not altered the resistor to increase the power consumed but the light output at one watt seems brighter and wider than that from a 3.5 watt xenon bulb in a Planet Bike 5000X which I also own.

I posted a full description with photos of how this was done at a web site called www.bcks.com. Just go there and search on "Improving the Planet Bike Super Spot". Also posted are photos with direct comparisons between a modified and unmodified Super Spot and the modified Super Spot versus the 3.5 W xenon of the 5000X and the standard Super Spot versus the 5000X.

Two of these lights on a bike should compare favorably with a 10 watt halogen for a total investment of about $50 ( includes the price of two new Seoul Semiconductor emitters and two Super Spots ) with run time the same as standard Super Spot or boost the power to the LED like Dan did for shorter run time but more light for the cost of two resistors (less than a $1 for two).

Cheap, decent 1W LED bike light which you can upgrade to 4W!

On: 2007-12-07

PROS:
This is a terrific value for a 1W LED bike light, especially one which uses a Luxeon 1W emitter. Im surprised they didnt advertise the fact that its a Luxeon emitter all over the packaging.

The beam itself is quite bright, but not well focused (see Cons). Its good enough for biking slowly at night, but dont go too fast! Its not THAT bright. You may want to mount two of them at this price.

It uses standard AA batteries. I find this a HUGE plus since I can use standard rechargable AA NIMH batteries. The way the batteries eject from the back is pretty neat as well.

It has a VERY long run time - certainly much longer than I ever intend to ride. At 1W power consumption, the batteries will last about 8 hours at full brightness. The stated 30 hour run time is misleading, however. Its an unavoidable physical fact because four AA batteries only have about 10 watt-hours of energy, and you lose a few W*h due to the regulator. The remainder of the 30 hours you will get a very dim light, enough to be seen but nowhere near enough to see with.

The mount is secure, but its still a snap to remove the light. I love using this as a hand held flashlight as well.

CONS:
The focus is not very tight, BUT its adjustable! Disassemble the light and you will see that you can rotate the heatsink/LED module. I backed mine out about two turns and now the focus is MUCH better.

It uses a simple but inefficient resistor to regulate the current. I was hoping for a more sophisticated switching current regulator, but then the price probably would have been two or three times as much. Still, the resistor does an acceptable job since it doesnt have to drop too much voltage.

The plastic is somewhat flimsy. I dont think it could survive a fall from the bike at high speed, but then again, the mount is very secure so theres no reason you should be dropping it onto the pavement.

The switch is very firm. You really have to press it to turn it on. I find this a bit annoying.

OTHER:
This is such a low price that I decided to risk it and swap in a 4W Seoul Semiconductor LED emitter. Its relatively simple to unsolder the 1W emitter and the SSC 4W emitter just drops right in (with some fresh thermal compound of course). However I found out that the heatsink is tied to ground while the back plate of the Seoul is positive, so I had to swap the positive and negative leads on the LED circuit board to avoid a short. I then replaced the 5.6 ohm resistor with a 2.0 ohm resistor to increase the current. Its now MUCH brighter and its a PERFECT light. A comparable light would have cost three times more than this!

Cheap, decent 1W LED bike light which you can upgrade to 4W!

On: 2007-12-06

PROS:
This is a terrific value for a 1W LED bike light, especially one which uses a Luxeon 1W emitter. Im surprised they didnt advertise the fact that its a Luxeon emitter all over the packaging.

The beam itself is quite bright, but not well focused (see Cons). Its good enough for biking slowly at night, but dont go too fast! Its not THAT bright. You may want to mount two of them at this price.

It uses standard AA batteries. I find this a HUGE plus since I can use standard rechargable AA NIMH batteries. The way the batteries eject from the back is pretty neat as well.

It has a VERY long run time - certainly much longer than I ever intend to ride. At 1W power consumption, the batteries will last about 8 hours at full brightness. The stated 30 hour run time is misleading, however. Its an unavoidable physical fact because four AA batteries only have about 10 watt-hours of energy, and you lose a few W*h due to the regulator. The remainder of the 30 hours you will get a very dim light, enough to be seen but nowhere near enough to see with.

The mount is secure, but its still a snap to remove the light. I love using this as a hand held flashlight as well.

CONS:
The focus is not very tight, BUT its adjustable! Disassemble the light and you will see that you can rotate the heatsink/LED module. I backed mine out about two turns and now the focus is MUCH better.

It uses a simple but inefficient resistor to regulate the current. I was hoping for a more sophisticated switching current regulator, but then the price probably would have been two or three times as much. Still, the resistor does an acceptable job since it doesnt have to drop too much voltage.

The plastic is somewhat flimsy. I dont think it could survive a fall from the bike at high speed, but then again, the mount is very secure so theres no reason you should be dropping it onto the pavement.

The switch is very firm. You really have to press it to turn it on. I find this a bit annoying.

OTHER:
This is such a low price that I decided to risk it and swap in a 4W Seoul Semiconductor LED emitter. Its relatively simple to unsolder the 1W emitter and the SSC 4W emitter just drops right in (with some fresh thermal compound of course). However I found out that the heatsink is tied to ground while the back plate of the Seoul is positive, so I had to swap the positive and negative leads on the LED circuit board to avoid a short. I then replaced the 5.6 ohm resistor with a 2.0 ohm resistor to increase the current. Its now MUCH brighter and its a PERFECT light. A comparable light would have cost three times more than this!

UPDATE 1/11/2008:
In an effort to extract maximum brightness, I tried reducing the resistance to 1.67 ohms by soldering a 10 ohm resistor in parallel to the 2.0 ohm resistor. Using freshly charged NIMHs, the LED current increased from 0.7A to 0.9A and voltage went from 3.2V to 3.5V. Watt-wise, this means an increase from 2.2W to 3.2W. This is still within the electrical limits of the SSC P4 LED, but the LED was now overheating! The color of the beam started turning blue, which happens when the yellow phosphors get too hot. At this point I shut it off and removed the 10 ohm resistor to prevent further damage. It looks like youll need to upgrade the heatsinking of the Super Spot if you want to extract the full power and brightness from an SSC P4 LED.

One other thing I have noticed is that Planet Bike has discontinued the Super Spot, so buy them while they last!

Excellent Bicycle Light

On: 2007-12-03

I bought this light for use on my scooter and bicycle. It uses 4 AA batteries and produces an excellent pattern of light that is designed well for use on a bicycle. Because of the reflector design, the light provides excellent light ahead of you, but also provides good light almost directly below the light as well.

I recommend using Eneloop low-discharge rechargeable NiMH AA batteries, which have a 1-year shelf life after charging.

Excellent Bicycle Light

On: 2007-12-02

I bought this light for use on my scooter and bicycle. It uses 4 AA batteries and produces an excellent pattern of light that is designed well for use on a bicycle. Because of the reflector design, the light provides excellent light ahead of you, but also provides good light almost directly below the light as well.

I recommend using Eneloop low-discharge rechargeable NiMH AA batteries, which have a 1-year shelf life after charging.

One of the best for commuter

On: 2007-11-16

If you need to bike in the evening like me, you need one of these.

You may feel it to be a bit weak in fully dark road but it is very good on any partially lighted road--I guess thats all you can ask for a 4AA light. The white light feels brighter than cars to the oncoming traffic or pedestrian, so you would be very safe with it. The best part is the design--super easy install and, of course, one button to detach (like other brand). And it is one button to release the batteries for change.

One of the best for commuter

On: 2007-11-15

If you need to bike in the evening like me, you need one of these.

You may feel it to be a bit weak in fully dark road but it is very good on any partially lighted road--I guess thats all you can ask for a 4AA light. The white light feels brighter than cars to the oncoming traffic or pedestrian, so you would be very safe with it. The best part is the design--super easy install and, of course, one button to detach (like other brand). And it is one button to release the batteries for change.

You get what you pay for

On: 2007-11-10

Well, I give this three stars because it really wouldnt be fair to give it the two stars that my instincts say it deserves. It is afterall a very inexpensive little light, and within the price point that it competes it is probably a four star light...maybe five. But within the scope of me being confident that I might see the winding path in front of me on a moonless night...one star...two stars max. But this is of course no fault of this little light that probably does as well as such a little light might do.

I find myself really unwilling to go out to ride with this light in truly dark areas because it just doesnt cut it. It certainly helps to be seen over no light at all. I just ordered a rather lavish Lithium Arc Ultra by Light and Motion so that I will actually feel safe riding in the dark, though my new light will cost me $500, so there really is no fair comparison to be drawn between the two.

If you can only afford a few dollars on a light, this one is probably as good as any. Dont expect to light up the night however and for your sake wear reflectors and dont rely solely on this light to get you home. If you can afford a bit more look into the rechargeable high lumen LEDs or halogens, if you really want to invest in safety consider an HID (high intensity discharge) such as the light and motion models...some of which are far cheaper than the one I am buying.

This may be one area where spending a bit more up front can save your life. I am not sure this light (meaning this class of light) should be anyones best choice...but it is better than nothing at all.

Ride safely.

You get what you pay for

On: 2007-11-09

Well, I give this three stars because it really wouldnt be fair to give it the two stars that my instincts say it deserves. It is afterall a very inexpensive little light, and within the price point that it competes it is probably a four star light...maybe five. But within the scope of me being confident that I might see the winding path in front of me on a moonless night...one star...two stars max.

I find myself really unwilling to go out to ride with this light in truly dark areas because it just doesnt cut it, though it certainly helps to be seen over no light at all. I just ordered a rather lavish lithium-ion Arc Ultra by Light and Motion so that I will actually feel safe riding in the dark. Though my new light will cost me nearly $500, so there really is no fair comparison to be drawn between the two.

If you can only afford a few dollars on a light, this one is probably as good as any. Dont expect to light up the night however, and for your sake wear reflectors and dont rely solely on this light to get you home alive (get a tail light and some blinking leds).

If you can afford a bit more, look into the rechargeable high lumen LEDs or halogens, if you really want to invest in safety consider an HID (high intensity discharge) such as the light and motion models...some of of these various options being far cheaper than the one I am buying, yet all far more effective than the light being reviewed here.

This may be one area where spending a bit more up front can save your life. I am not sure this light (meaning this class of light) should be anyones best choice...but it is better than nothing at all.

All of this notwithstanding, One great thing about Planet Bike as a company is that they donate a full 25% of their profit to bicycle promoting causes. That is well deserving of respect.

Ride safely.

Planet Bike Super Spot 1-Watt LED Bike Light

On: 2007-06-01

I just purchased this product and am extremely happy with it. I bike early in the morning when it is very dark and this product literally lights up not one spot on the road but the whole road, even the sides. I would highly recommend this light as a relatively inexpensive way to see where you are going in the dark.

Great Light

by: Anonymous On: 2007-01-09

This is a great lightweight self-contained headlight. If youre a roadie or triathlete who just needs an hours light to get home in the dusk this is your light. Its not a power beam for bad weather commuting or an endurance light for 24h MTB competitions. But it is surprisingly bright for an LED and it doesnt eat batteries like a halogen.

Highly recommended.