First off, I'd like to say I own both Planet Bike Beamer 3 and 5.I bought them both from Amazon when they were both priced at about 16 bucks. I've taken both lights out to compare how they would perform.Both lights are very bright and will force cars, joggers, and anyone to notice you.I would say they are the perfect light for urban use and a minimum for suburban use.They light up the road relatively well from 10-20 feet away from you. They both have flashing and constant on modes.Flashing in both models seem to be brighter than constant on.
I do prefer the Planet Bike Beamer 3 over the 5 though.When comparing the two, the 5 seems to scatter the light a little bit.Let me try to explain; when using both lights shining against a wall, they both project a circle, same size and brightness.But with the 5, the outer edge looks fuzzy.With the 3, the circumference of the circle is very solid and sharp.Also the light color on the 3 is more white colored light, while the color on the 5 is slightly blue(er).This gives the 3 more usable light on the streets.From my own perspective, the 5 isn't necessarily brighter than the 3 either.Battery life, I have not tested.I do recommend the 3 over the 5, especially for people looking for a bike light under 20 bucks.Thanks for reading, I hope this helps.
I also wanted to note that both of the products were bought at the same time and the batteries were fresh (from factory).
Edit: After a few weeks of swapping between the 5 and 3, I have noticed the 5 to be slightly brighter than the 3.They both use the same type of mounts so you can swap back and forth like I did.
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Planet Bike Beamer 5 HeadlightProduct Description: It?s getting dark and you don?t want to piddle around with tools to attach your headlight to your bike. No worries?the Planet Bike Beamer 5 Headlight uses a Quick Cam bracket mount to attach illumination in mere seconds (no tools needed). Nichia eXtreme LEDs light your path in either flashing or steady modes and run for up to 100 hours on 2 AA batteries.
Product Features
Bulbs: 5 Nichia eXtreme V 2.0 LEDs
Modes: Flashing & steady
Lumens:
Batteries: 2 AA (included)
Battery Run Time: Up to 100hr
Weight:
Recommended Use: Biking in the dark
Manufacturer Warranty:
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When these were actually in use on my bike they worked great; the problem came when you wanted to take them off and disable the light to conserve batteries.The insides are loosely held together and you'll have it come apart on more than one occasion, and once that happens the motion sensor works very spottily and will sometimes turn off mid-ride until you pop it open and reassemble it.There are better quality valve lights to be found in the same price range.
