I like night time rides, however I hadn’t ridden any current lights till I received the MB6 from Full On Lighting this spring. With a most output of 6000 lumens, I used to be questioning if it might be an excessive amount of! My older setup is a 1500 and a 500 lumen gentle combo, which I used to be at all times pleased with. I used to be stoked to see what the MB6 can be like with its spectacular output.
I puzzled if this highly effective gentle would really take a few of the enjoyable out of night time driving, however it didn’t. Even at full energy, the MB6 doesn’t dilute the distinctive feeling of shredding at night time – it simply provides higher visibility. Functionally, the MB6 was virtually excellent, however its solely weak point was not attaining its claimed run time in its highest output mode.
Full On MB6 Mild – In The Field:
The MB6 gentle comes with a full equipment of the whole lot you want to mount the sunshine to your stem or helmet. Within the field, you’ll discover the MB6 gentle, battery, and a wall charger. You additionally get two 48” lengthy USB-C cables, one 21” USB-C cable, a GoPro-type mount for the sunshine, an aluminum steerer tube mount, a strap for mounting the battery, two adhesive mounting plates, and two adhesive cable clips. There’s additionally a one-page fast begin information, with fundamental directions and a QR code you may scan to entry extra particulars.
At 115g, the MB6 gentle itself is sort of light-weight, so it’s nice for a helmet gentle in that regard. The battery weighs 401g, and the entire equipment, as ridden (together with mount, cable, {hardware}), got here in at 568g.
Operation:
Working the MB6 gentle is easy. The one button on prime of the sunshine acts as the ability change and mode selector. One press of the button turns the sunshine on, then subsequent presses toggle between modes. A protracted press shuts off the sunshine.
The MB6 provides 4 gentle output ranges: Hangout mode (275 lumens), Guide Low (1500), Guide Excessive (3800), and Energetic Mild Management (ranges from 1500-6000 lumens robotically). Hangout mode makes use of solely the small gentle under the highest three, and all different modes use all 4 lights collectively. A small LED gentle on prime of the sunshine modifications colour to point what setting you’re in.
The battery encompasses a small display screen that reveals its life by share. The show could be very simple to see and perceive, with the battery mounted in your prime tube. Nonetheless, if the sunshine is in your helmet and the battery is in your backpack, you clearly can’t see the show.
After a number of battery expenses, I can guarantee you that Full On’s declare of a two-hour cost time is correct.
Trip Impressions:
First, I’ll confess: I climbed, however by no means descended with the MB6 in Guide Low mode. That mode’s output solely matches my older Serfas True 1500 gentle, and the MB6 can do significantly better. Nonetheless, 1500 lumens is satisfactory to journey with, particularly when climbing or when paired with a second gentle, so it’s nice to have the choice of extending the MB6’s battery life with this mode.
MB6 on Helmet:
On my first journey, I rode to the trailhead with my Serfas True 500 gentle on my handlebars and the MB6 on my helmet in hangout mode. Even on this mode, the sunshine brightens up a pleasant space round you, so it was ample to get me by city and to the path.
Coming into the forest, I switched the MB6 to Low mode. On my helmet, I discovered the MB6 supplied sufficient gentle for climbing at simply 1500 lumens. I had greater than sufficient path visibility for low-speed pedalling, and the MB6’s broad beam lights up a broad space. Since a helmet-mounted gentle at all times shines the place you’re wanting, I discovered this setup preferable over working the MB6 on my stem in the identical mode.
On condition that Low mode is already adequate for climbing, it’s apparent that the Guide Excessive and Energetic Mild Management modes present higher and even higher visibility. Guide Excessive mode will increase the short-range definition, distance, and general space you may see significantly vs. Low, and going to Energetic Mild Management (ALC) mode offers a ton of sunshine. All modes from Low to ALC illuminate the identical broad space, however the brighter modes undoubtedly improve your peripheral visibility. To make sure nice path visibility, the MB6’s heart beam is a bit brighter than the facet beams.
ALC mode may very well be referred to as overkill for climbing, however in order for you all the sunshine accessible, it does an awesome job of exhibiting you each element of the path forward. The MB6 additionally initiatives fairly far in ALC mode – I may simply see issues 70-80 ft away. Utilizing the MB6 by itself, I believe Guide Excessive mode is your best option for climbing.
Descending in Guide Excessive with the MB6 on my helmet simply supplied sufficient gentle for correct path shredding at night time. 3800 lumens will permit you to journey with out hesitation, exhibiting you loads of path forward and illuminating a pleasant space round you as properly. Having the sunshine in your helmet naturally offers earlier visibility round corners, and might illuminate path obstacles which might be under you as the sunshine goes straight the place you’re wanting.
The MB6’s full energy ALC mode is tremendous vibrant and makes driving in pitch black situations no downside in any respect. Quick-range visibility is great, and you may simply see far sufficient down the path for any driving pace. The sunshine just about covers your total subject of view, so that you don’t really feel such as you’re following a highlight down the path. On a helmet, the MB6 alone in ALC mode ought to permit you to journey something you’d journey within the daytime, at 100% pace!
MB6 on Stem:
Now I’ve already famous that driving with a light-weight (or the brighter of two) on my helmet is my desire, however I did a number of rides with the MB6 on my stem as properly. On the stem mount, the sunshine can’t look upwards or downwards, and it lights up no matter your handlebar is pointed at. Fortunately, the MB6’s beam is broad sufficient that many riders could also be completely pleased with it on their stem. At the same time as your handlebars sway left and proper throughout technical uphills, you may at all times see the place you’re headed.
Even in Low mode on the stem mount, the MB6 is vibrant sufficient for climbing, however well-defined path visibility is restricted to about 20-30 ft. I used to be impressed after I seen the MB6’s broad beam lights up the whole lot from my fork to properly above head top on the path forward, with timber lit up simply 50-60 ft away.
Stepping as much as Guide Excessive mode, I simply had sufficient visibility fairly far up the climbs. On this mode, I may clearly see obstacles within the path from at the very least 40-50 ft away, and once more, the elevated output brightens up the MB6’s facet beams significantly better than Low mode. To no shock, ALC mode will increase general visibility much more, and even fastened on the stem, it lights up sufficient space that it’s hardly needed for climbs.
Now, again to the enjoyable half – descending! I discovered Guide Excessive mode on my stem greater than ample for full pace downhill runs. 3800 lumens is loads of gentle, so regardless of the sunshine’s fastened place, I used to be comfy driving full tilt within the darkness. Whereas a second gentle can’t be beat on this regard, the MB6’s broad beam did gentle up corners properly sufficient to get me by with out hesitation.
Driving downhill in ALC mode is noticeably brighter than Guide Excessive mode, and is well ok for full tempo runs. In most situations, any rider can be pleased with the visibility afforded by ALC mode from the stem mount.
I solely discovered one occasion the place I made a decision in opposition to driving a complicated function with the MB6 on my stem. On pretty degree terrain, the MB6’s beam will gentle up the path instantly under you, however I got here to a rock slab with a small step-down hole within the center. As I crept down the slab, I nonetheless couldn’t get gentle on the touchdown, which was properly under me. I opted to not hit the hole, however I believe if I had the MB6 on my helmet, I’d have accomplished it. From the next angle, and tilting with my head, the sunshine would have been capable of shine downwards on the touchdown. After all, you possibly can simply skip gnarly options like this at night time… however the place’s the enjoyable in that?
My solely challenge with the stem mount is that the sunshine does shake round lots whilst you’re driving rougher trails. The MB6’s beam is broad and vibrant sufficient that you just don’t actually lose visibility, and might undoubtedly nonetheless journey full tilt in pitch black. However, working the sunshine in your helmet reduces the shaking. The sunshine’s beam doesn’t dance round practically as a lot and is much less distracting to the eyes.
One Mild vs. Two:
Though the MB6 has greater than sufficient gentle output to journey with by itself, I nonetheless choose driving with a second gentle. No matter whether or not you run the extra highly effective gentle in your head or handlebars, two is solely higher than one. Cornering is the obvious benefit; The sunshine in your head can look into them sooner, and can illuminate the path higher than the periphery of 1 broad beam gentle. I additionally seen that even with the MB6 on Guide Excessive, I may nonetheless clearly see the place my Serfas True 500 was shining when it wasn’t lined up straight with the MB6’s beam.
Whereas 1500 lumens from the MB6 did the job for climbing, including my smaller gentle at 400 lumens nonetheless made a giant enchancment. It reduces the sensation of specializing in one gentle supply and permits you to go searching whilst you climb. It additionally helps me really feel a bit safer after I’m out driving solo in the midst of the night time, and I believe it’s loopy to not journey with a backup gentle in case one shuts down on you!
Battery Life:
After I examined the MB6’s battery life in Guide Excessive mode, it really barely outperformed Full On’s claims. They are saying it ought to final two hours, and after one hour of driving, I went down from 100% to 56%. Nonetheless, after 1.5 hrs, I used to be nonetheless at 36%. Good!
That mentioned, I didn’t obtain something near the two.5 hours most Full On claims for ALC mode. On a number of rides with totally different modes in play, it appeared ALC mode was draining the battery fairly rapidly. I did one check journey fully in ALC mode, and after 1:25, I had used 85% of the battery. On one other journey, ALC mode killed the battery from 31% in roughly 35 minutes.
Since Low mode takes 6 hours to empty, and I couldn’t bench check the sunshine because of it heating up, I didn’t do a full check in Low. After climb testing in Low mode, I can verify it doesn’t drain the battery a lot. About an hour of climbing solely ate up 13% of the juice.
Except for the battery’s show, the MB6 doesn’t give any form of low-power warning earlier than shutting off. The show’s numbers begin flashing at 5%, and on my check run, the battery died rapidly after.
When you run the MB6 in your helmet, it’s a must to keep in mind that the battery life can’t be monitored with the battery in your pack. It will be nice if the MB6’s beam maybe flashed to warn you of low energy, or even when the sunshine beeped to let you understand.
Mounting:
For my helmet-mounted rides, I used my Endura MT500 lid to check the MB6 gentle because it has a clip-on GoPro mount (see photograph above). I had no points in any respect with the MB6’s helmet mount – it held the sunshine securely. Additionally, the longer cable is well lengthy sufficient to achieve the battery deep down in your pack.
Full On’s steerer tube mount did nice, and I like the way it facilities the sunshine over your stem! The MB6 didn’t budge in any respect after a number of rides on tough trails. Even with the shorter cable, I twist-tied up a portion of it as my body permits the battery to sit down fairly near the sunshine. My bike’s cables/hoses are within the gentle’s path, however they don’t wind up being a distraction. The sunshine shines round them sufficient that their shadows are simple to disregard.
The battery’s mounting strap permits some sideways wiggling, however the battery didn’t transfer round or slip backwards on my body whereas I rode. Initially, I introduced a spare strap with me, however I by no means wound up utilizing it. My Knolly Chilcotin’s body does have a flattened prime tube, so it was a perfect mounting state of affairs.
After a number of rides with the battery strapped to my prime tube, there isn’t any injury to my body’s paint or end. It’s secure to say you’d must do a variety of driving with the battery on the body earlier than paint put on would even doubtlessly be a problem.
Different Observations:
One thing I seen and favored instantly was how the MB6’s gentle could be very white. It’s a lot whiter than my Serfas True 500’s beam, which seems extra yellow.
One factor I discover odd is that the MB6 can solely obtain its full 6000 lumen output when in ALC mode, and also you by no means actually know the way a lot output you’re really getting. Apparently, I by no means seen the sunshine output altering whereas I rode in Energetic Mild Management mode, regardless of its functionality of starting from 1500-6000 lumens. Fortunately, ALC mode was at all times simply vibrant sufficient for full tilt night time driving. I nonetheless surprise, although, why not provide a guide mode that stays at 6000, and even 5000 lumens?
When mounted to your helmet, the button on the MB6 isn’t tremendous simple to search out with gloves on. It’s not terribly tough, however having a extra outlined edge round it might be nice. On one journey, I did pull my glove off after fumbling round on the lookout for the button. With out gloves, your fingers can discover the button simply.
I felt across the MB6 after a two-hour journey, and even with my naked arms, I couldn’t discover something too scorching to the contact. I think about the cooling fins may doubtlessly get fairly scorching, however the plastic-covered elements of the sunshine had been simply barely heat. Nonetheless, I ran the sunshine in Guide Excessive mode on my desk for only a few minutes, and when it’s not uncovered to wind, it heats up quick! The cooling fins received extremely popular rapidly, so this gentle may get dangerously scorching if left working whereas not transferring.
Replace:
Simply earlier than I wrapped up my overview, Full On knowledgeable me that they had made updates to the MB6. Fortunately, they didn’t change a lot, as this text was 99% completed! Whereas they by no means mentioned it was really an issue, I used to be instructed some clients had been involved concerning the energy cable popping out of the sunshine on the path. In response, Full On added a lip to the sunshine housing the place the cable connects, and barely enlarged the cable ends. After receiving an up to date gentle and cable, I’ll verify this did make for a tighter match. Nonetheless, I by no means had any points with the cable disconnecting on my gentle. To alleviate taller riders’ considerations, in addition they added 10cm of size to the longer cable. At 5’10”, I discovered the 48” cables lengthy sufficient, however it’s good to see Full On actively responding to buyer suggestions.
MSRP for the Full On MB6 gentle equipment is $355. The sunshine is roofed by a three-year guarantee.
fullonlighting.com
