Brompton Accessories #7 - Akslen Headlights

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BROMPTON ACCESSORIES #7 - AKSLEN HEADLIGHTS

(This blog is not a review, it's more on my foray in purchasing accessories for my 3rd Foldie - a Raw Lacquer Brompton P6R)

I had asked my friend, TH Tan, in Bangkok to get me one of those brass bells made for the Brompton. He posted the bells photos to me and also added another photo that got my attention.

A headlight that fits just under the bag-block. Looks good and fits nicely with the Brompton concept of fold-ability, nothing sticking out. So I asked him to get one for me, together with the brass bell.

When the parcel came, I was anxious to see the bells and also the lights..

Yes, they were all there. The lights and the bells (... see blog on bells).

The front of the package is the light, it's the Akslen HB-112 headlights with 10 lux brightness. Made by Taiwan HAOLI company, it's the two bulb model. Cost is 950 Bahts per unit.

The back of the package were the mounting brackets. Great! They included two AA Panasonic batteries too.

The cardboard piece that came with the packaging showed mounting instructions on one side...

... and batteries installation instructions on the other.

Impatiently, just like a kid unwrapping his Christmas present, I took the lights out from it's package.

Swell! It looks like the head of Wall-E the robot - just what I wanted for Christmas!

At the top is a red press-down button switch (water-proofed) and a flip bracket to lock in the unit after battery installation.

From this angle it looks even more like Wall-E, add a body and it will probably walk around.

The mounting assembly that came is not suitable for the Brompton  or more precisely not suitable for where it should be mounted. Thankfully, Tan had sent over a mounting bracket (also made by Akslen) that will do the trick. This cost me an additional 220 Bahts.

Another round of eager un-wrapping.

The above photo shows the bracket bottom view actually, for mounting it should be turn up-side down from what the photo shows.

To the left is the oval slot for screwing onto the Brompton handle shaft, (it's the same bolt that holds the front brakes. Ensure that when installing, push the bracket as far out of this oval so that it does not interfere with the handle turning). The front is the slot for the light and behind it, a turn screw for tightening after getting the shine angle correct.

The unit, opened up. The flip lever is on the left and the batteries goes on top of the green colored PCBs. On the right, a white gasket can be seen going round the cover, these ensure water tightness.

The light installed onto my Brompton.

The light below the mini-Ortlieb Bag, with still good clearance so that it does not interfere with the bike's turning.

But when Tan saw the photo I posted to him, he said that I have installed it wrong. The red switch should be on top.

A bit of fiddling with the brackets and the "Akslen" headlight in now mounted the right way up on my bike. The red switch is on top.

The switching mode is Off>1 bulb on>2 bulb on>2 bulb alternating blinking>Off.

Only thing is, installed this way, the flip locking-lever has to be flip upwards to be able to slot the light in & out the holding bracket.

Overall, I am satisfied as the light subscribes well to Brompton's concept of fold-ability - fitting snugly without protruding out even when the bike is folded.

The shine with one bulb switched on, i.e. at 5 lux.

The shine with two bulbs switched on, i.e. at 10 lux.

Christmas came early for me, it will definitely be a brighter one!

You may also like :

Brompton Accessories #6 :
Brass Bells
A cute looking polished brass bell, and it sounds great too.

Brompton Accessories #5 :
Leather Pouch
A nice, rich-looking leather pouch that fits well onto my Brompton handle bar.

Brompton Accessories #4 : Personalizing My  Brompton

A simple way to personalize the Brompton - name stickers!

Brompton Accessories #3 :
Bagging The Brompton

Ways of bagging the Brompton, making travelling on trains & planes convenient..

Brompton Accessories #1 :
Modifying The Brompton Saddle Bag

Some simple changes to the saddle bag for easier storage
and sliding the water bottle in/out.

Buying My 3rd Foldie

Looking to ride overseas, why not get a compact bicycle - A Brompton!

You are at - Jotaro's Blog / AhPek Biker / Bikes & Accessories / Brompton Accessories #7 - Akslen 10-Lux Headlights
If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog
(comments most welcomed below. if you like this pls share via facebook or twitter)

Accessories #4 - Rear Laser Light

You are at - Jotaro's Blog / AhPek Biker / Bikes & Accessories / #4 - Rear Laser Light
                     AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures                 
MY BIKE - ACCESSORIES #4 - REAR LASER LIGHT

(Disclaimer - all prices mentioned are list prices. For more accurate pricing please contact the relevant people. This blog is not a review, it's more on my foray in purchasing accessories for my 2nd Foldie)

My rear light that I got was good (see Buying The Accessories #2), but cycling with my bike buddies I notice that they had bigger rear lights - all the more noticeable. Or like the Big Bad Wolf says "All the better to see with!" And I had also seen bikes with laser lights too.

So when Kenny of THI Creative Solutions posted on the FB Group Malaysian Foldies that they had rear lights AND with lasers, it was a 2-in-1 bonus to me.
Seems like I was fated to get these lights as Kenny was in Penang, and I was coincidently go up there from Petaling Jaya the following day.

I frequently go up to Penang by the 5-Star bus, leaving from the 1-Utama Transportation Hub, Petaling Jaya and arriving at Penang's Komtar. I like to use them when I travel by bus, as my Dahon Dash P18 can fit into the bus hold without even folding. Just need to lower the handle, secure with some garters and protect the Rear Deraliler with bubble wrap!

On reaching George Town Penang, I easily unloaded my bike, raised the handle and was ready to go! Cycling, I reached the road where THI's office is in less than 10 minutes. Looking, high and low I could not find a bike shop along that street. So, I had to give Kenny a call and he directed me to his shop - no wonder I couldn't find it; it was not a bicycle shop!. It was a shop dealing in commercial laser lighting equipment. Kenny, an avid biker himself saw these laser rear lights on an overseas trading trip, and knew that there is market for them and imported them in.

The unit was from Hoyou Sport, China. Now then, I am apprehensive about products from China, but this one was not one of those gadgets that many get from the night markets for less than RM20-00. And the feel of it was solid with fine quality finishing. Dimensions are 3 inches long, 2 inches wide at top tapering to 1-1/2 inches at the bottom.

Satisfied with the unit, I had Kenny install it just below the rear of the seat.
Looks good!
Now wonder they sold out within the day. Kenny of course was kind enough to hold back a unit for me as I had contacted him via FaceBook the day before.

Now the Test of Fire!
I tried the rear light function first, it has 5 nos. medium sized LED lights - two on top horizontally and three vertically below those.
Looks even better now!

In the dark, the medium-sized lights shone even brighter.
Best!
There are three modes cycling through each press of the LED switch : All 5 LEDs solidly on> All 5  blinking > Blinking, cycling through each LED from top to bottom>Off.

Now for the interesting one, the lasers. The unit emits out two long laser trails, shining onto the ground. Even in dim light, the lasers are noticeable.

Whoa! In the dark, the lasers are even brighter and more noticeable.
Outstanding!
They are sure to get the attention of motorist, now worries about them not noticing you.

The lasers are emitted through two eyelets at each side of the bottom of the unit. Setting for each press of the laser switch : Laser On>Laser On Blinking>Off.
Also at the bottom is a small hole for the charging jack.

At the top are two switches, "LED" for the LED lights, and "LD" for the laser lights.

The kit came with the installing brackets and a USB charger for the built-in rechargeable battery.  I tried out the unit with full charge, riding for 3-hours with both LED lights and laser turned on and there were not decrease in brightness. Probably, the battery should be able to last at least 6 hours with both lights on, and even much more in only the LEDs are on.  
It's all written in the kit box, but in Mandarin. I will have that translated and update the info accordingly.
List price for the  kit is RM95-00.


This will be one accessory that I will love to use, especially at night.



You are at - Jotaro's Blog / AhPek Biker / Bikes & Accessories / #4 - Rear Laser Light
If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog
(comments most welcomed below. if you like this pls share via facebook or twitter)