headlight recommend?



N

Nate Nagel

Guest
Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
this:

http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2..._Code=mini-newt&Category_Code=&Store_Code=pbs

Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as
much as I paid for my bike! (granted, it cost a good bit more than that
new... but I *am* trying to maintain some semblance of a budget here.)

Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something "acceptable"
for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can anyone recommend any
products in particular?

BTW riding with a computer for the first time is a really humbling
experience. I had never gone on a real ride with one before today...
My average speed is slow, my cadence is pathetic... I guess that's why
they sell the darn things, so you can find out what you need to work on.
I *really* need to get my leg speed up - I don't even feel comfortable
over about 70 RPM. Maybe I should take the 53 off and put the 46 on to
force me to pedal faster if I want to maintain a reasonable speed?

Thanks,

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
 
Per Nate Nagel:
>Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something "acceptable"
>for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can anyone recommend any
>products in particular?


Lowe's "Task Force" flashlight - the one that takes 2 C cells and
contains a Cree 4w emitter. http://tinyurl.com/4ev9ly

About thirty bucks.

Puts out an astonishing amount of light and the batteries last a
long time. I accidentally left one on for one or two days (not
sure which) and it was still putting out light when I discovered
it was on.

For comparison, I have an officially-sanctioned, European
something-or-other safety standard halogen headlight on my bike
whose light output is just totally pathetic compared to the
Lowe's flashlight.

Before the OP (understandably....) dismisses this as someone's
ravings, maybe somebody else can chime in on how much light this
thing puts out.
--
PeteCresswell
 
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Nate Nagel:
>
>>Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something "acceptable"
>>for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can anyone recommend any
>>products in particular?

>
>
> Lowe's "Task Force" flashlight - the one that takes 2 C cells and
> contains a Cree 4w emitter. http://tinyurl.com/4ev9ly
>
> About thirty bucks.
>
> Puts out an astonishing amount of light and the batteries last a
> long time. I accidentally left one on for one or two days (not
> sure which) and it was still putting out light when I discovered
> it was on.
>
> For comparison, I have an officially-sanctioned, European
> something-or-other safety standard halogen headlight on my bike
> whose light output is just totally pathetic compared to the
> Lowe's flashlight.
>
> Before the OP (understandably....) dismisses this as someone's
> ravings, maybe somebody else can chime in on how much light this
> thing puts out.


Actually I'm not dismissing anything at this point, although I was
hoping for a more, um, aesthetically appealing solution. How do you
mount it? I'm envisioning a small piece of softwood or plastic shaped
with a hole saw and then cut apart to allow the flash, er, headlight to
be held firmly on the handlebars...

At this point, I'm about ready to take the headlight mount for the light
I've already bought and do something to it with a hose clamp; it's
worthless to me as it is, so... so long as I don't damage my
handlebars, and nobody looks too closely (and by that time they're
already laughing at my extra-Freddy pedals, another budget concession)
who cares?

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
 
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Nate Nagel:
>
>>Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something "acceptable"
>>for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can anyone recommend any
>>products in particular?

>
>
> Lowe's "Task Force" flashlight - the one that takes 2 C cells and
> contains a Cree 4w emitter. http://tinyurl.com/4ev9ly
>
> About thirty bucks.
>
> Puts out an astonishing amount of light and the batteries last a
> long time. I accidentally left one on for one or two days (not
> sure which) and it was still putting out light when I discovered
> it was on.
>
> For comparison, I have an officially-sanctioned, European
> something-or-other safety standard halogen headlight on my bike
> whose light output is just totally pathetic compared to the
> Lowe's flashlight.
>
> Before the OP (understandably....) dismisses this as someone's
> ravings, maybe somebody else can chime in on how much light this
> thing puts out.


this one?

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=225285-50584-FT-NS-2C 3W&lpage=none

looks tempting, if nothing else I could always use another decent
flashlight (I have two cars, a pickup truck, and a company car...)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
 
Nate Nagel wrote:
> Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
> use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
> opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends -
>


Got an message today from Marty Goodman (the Sheldon Brown of
flashlights -- google him) describing the brightest LED light he has in
his testing lab. You may want to modify it a bit because it is not a
bicycle light and it seems none of the best ones are. Maybe liability
problems?

I'll paste in what he said:

Report on Romisen RC-T5 regulated 4 Cree LED flashlight:

This is the brightest LED flashlight I have. AND it cost a bit under
$50, with the four CR123 batteries it runs off, and a holster, at
DealExtreme.com.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10452

Regulation:

Here are voltage vs current and watts drawn tables for the hi and low
modes (it also has an intense strobing mode)

high power low power
volts amps watts amps watts
----- ---- ----- ---- -----
6.0 .25 1.50 .11 .66
6.5 .48 3.12 .20 1.30
7.0 .73 5.11 .30 2.10
8.0 .75 6.00 .32 2.56
8.5 .78 6.63 .33 2.64
9.0 .78 7.02 .33 3.00
9.5 .76 7.22 .32 3.04
10.0 .73 7.30 .31 3.10
10.5 .70 7.35 .29 3.05
11.0 .68 7.45 .28 3.08
11.5 .64 7.36 .27 3.11
12.0 .61 7.32 .26 3.12
12.5 .59 7.38 .25 3.13
13.0 .56 7.28 .24 3.12
13.5 .55 7.43 .23 3.12
14.0 .53 7.42 .22 3.08
14.5 .51 7.40 .22 3.20
15.0 .49 7.35 .21 3.15


Thus, regulation is EXCELLENT between 9 and 15 volts in (I didn't
test beyond 15 volts, since this flashlight was designed to work off
either a 9 or 12 volt set of batteries (3 or 4 CR123 cells).


The thing is made of rugged metal.

All in all, while obviously NOT a high end product with carefully bin
picked emitters and ultra sophisticated circuitry driving the LEDs ultra
hard (in fact, this drives them VERY gently... presumeably resulting in
manageable heat to dissipate and slightly greater efficiency, perhaps,
too) this seems to me a VERY good value in a rugged, highly regulated,
high power flashlight.

And the head DOES unscrew, for those wanting to make neat backpacking
headlamp or bike light projects out of it.

---marty
 
"Nate Nagel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
> use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
> opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
> this:
>

http://www.dinottelighting.com/

you will thank me later.

J.
 
On Apr 26, 2:55 pm, "(PeteCresswell)" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Per Nate Nagel:
>
> >Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something "acceptable"
> >for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can anyone recommend any
> >products in particular?

>
> Lowe's "Task Force" flashlight - the one that takes 2 C cells and
> contains a Cree 4w emitter. http://tinyurl.com/4ev9ly
>
> About thirty bucks.
>


Costco has a similar flashlight with the same emitter, also cheap with
a nice alu case. Should be easy to mod a mount for it.

It all depends on whether you need to see or be seen. I just have a
cheap Sigma LED JB welded under my front platform rack. Plenty for the
city.
 
Nate Nagel wrote:
>
> PeteCresswell wrote:
> >
> > Before the OP (understandably....) dismisses this as someone's
> > ravings, maybe somebody else can chime in on how much light this
> > thing puts out.

>
> this one?
>
> http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=225285-...


That's the one-- the best value in a flashlight that you don't have to
buy online from Hong Kong. It's shockingly bright, and it uses real
voltage conversion unlike most other low-budget LED lights. It even
comes with decent batteries.

But it makes a much better bike light if you buy some replacement
optics from Hong Kong:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1919

I got a pack of these optics, and they convert the beam from a small,
intense round spot to a broad horizontal band that is just right for
general road use.

The catalog page says they are glass-- they are in fact made of
plastic-- and it says they're diffusers, when they are actually
collimators.

I think TwoFish Cyclopblocks work with lights the size of the Task
Force 2C light, at least if you pull off the rubber sleeve. Another
thing to consider getting is a pair of AA-to-C battery adapters so you
can use cheap and convenient AA rechargeables.

Chalo
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:

> Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining
> desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often
> have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they
> recommended this:
>
> http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_C
> ode=mini -newt&Category_Code=&Store_Code=pbs


Good grief. How long are you planning to ride after dark? An hour? Two
hours? Four? This is an important factor in your decision.

> Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something
> "acceptable" for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can
> anyone recommend any products in particular?


No, no and yes.

The first question IMHO is whether you want a battery light or a
generator light. If you're going to be doing long rides at night, get
the latter so that you don't have to worry about batteries. But if
you're looking for, say, light for an hour or so after sunset then a
battery light can be a good choice.

If you're riding longer at night- say over two hours- or just really
like dead-simple convenience, I would recommend a hub generator. There
are several from Shimano that are very good and one from Schmidt which
is superb (but it'd be about $400 to get it built into a wheel, etc.;
the Shimano options cost much less). And you can keep the wheel and
lamp and use it on your next bike, too- it'll last for years if not
decades. I have a Schmidt hub and a Lumotec headlamp- other than
replacing bulbs a couple of times, this setup has served me very well
for 5+ years and I expect it to last for another 20 years.

With the rapid changes in LEDs and battery technologies, battery powered
lights have really started to get useable- more light and longer run
times. Several participants in this newsgroup have reported good
results with certain flashlights bought at Home Depot and places like
that, which have a 5W Luxeon LED, are compact, use normal batteries,
etc. With a TwoFish mounting block they are easy to mount to a bike.
This might be a more flexible arrangement than buying a "bike headlight."

> BTW riding with a computer for the first time is a really humbling
> experience.


No accessory that you can install on your bike will slow it down as much
as a computer.
 
Tim McNamara wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
>>difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining
>>desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often
>>have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they
>>recommended this:
>>
>>http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_C
>> ode=mini -newt&Category_Code=&Store_Code=pbs

>
>
> Good grief. How long are you planning to ride after dark? An hour? Two
> hours? Four? This is an important factor in your decision.


Probably at least an hour, maybe more. Not so important now, that it's
staying light later... not to get all windy, but my goal is to get my
bike set up so that I can use it for real transportation. I can't
commute on it for various reasons, but I *would* like to be able to use
it for light store runs, running to the post office, etc. - all the
stuff that I normally do in my car but is within a mile or two of my
house. Two reasons - I finally live in a somewhat bike-friendly area,
and I feel mildly guilty about using my car so much. Also, I'm turning
into a fat sack of **** - I'm about 15 lbs. over what I'd feel
comfortable weighing, and I'd be lying if I said that I still had all
the muscle mass that I did in high school or college. So I may simply
choose to go for a ride even if I don't have an errand to run, esp.
seeing as there's an intersection with the W&OD trail less than a mile
from my house so I have somewhere to ride if I don't feel like dicing
with traffic. The major impediment to me doing this seems to be
daylight, therefore my query - it's a problem that can easily be solved
with just a little (?) cash.

>>Am I silly in thinking I ought to be able to find something
>>"acceptable" for less? or should I suck it up and buy it? Can
>>anyone recommend any products in particular?

>
>
> No, no and yes.
>
> The first question IMHO is whether you want a battery light or a
> generator light. If you're going to be doing long rides at night, get
> the latter so that you don't have to worry about batteries. But if
> you're looking for, say, light for an hour or so after sunset then a
> battery light can be a good choice.
>
> If you're riding longer at night- say over two hours- or just really
> like dead-simple convenience, I would recommend a hub generator. There
> are several from Shimano that are very good and one from Schmidt which
> is superb (but it'd be about $400 to get it built into a wheel, etc.;
> the Shimano options cost much less). And you can keep the wheel and
> lamp and use it on your next bike, too- it'll last for years if not
> decades. I have a Schmidt hub and a Lumotec headlamp- other than
> replacing bulbs a couple of times, this setup has served me very well
> for 5+ years and I expect it to last for another 20 years.


That sounds like an ideal setup for me, but it isn't in the budget now.
(your hypothetical front wheel costs about what I paid for my whole
bike, and I seem to be finding that buying all the little must haves -
water bottles, blinky, frame pump, multitool, seat bag, etc. are adding
up) Plus it appeals to my engineering weenie/must last forever, no
maintenance, no changing batteries etc. preferences. Maybe down the road.


> With the rapid changes in LEDs and battery technologies, battery powered
> lights have really started to get useable- more light and longer run
> times. Several participants in this newsgroup have reported good
> results with certain flashlights bought at Home Depot and places like
> that, which have a 5W Luxeon LED, are compact, use normal batteries,
> etc. With a TwoFish mounting block they are easy to mount to a bike.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> This might be a more flexible arrangement than buying a "bike headlight."


Thank you! That's what I was missing... after the first couple
responses to this thread I was figuring how to fab that exact part in my
head, but I see someone's already saved me the trouble, which is good,
'cause I'm lazy :) I gotta get me one of those; even if I do upgrade to
a "real" headlight, that's a handy little thing to have around in a pinch.

>>BTW riding with a computer for the first time is a really humbling
>>experience.

>
> No accessory that you can install on your bike will slow it down as much
> as a computer.


I'm not sure here if you're making a joke, imagining me with a tower
case bungeed to a rack, or if you're actually making a point about
paying too much attention to the numbers...

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
 
Per Nate Nagel:
> How do you
>mount it? I'm envisioning a small piece of softwood or plastic shaped
>with a hole saw and then cut apart to allow the flash, er, headlight to
>be held firmly on the handlebars...


I just hold it in one hand. There have, however, been a number
of home-brew mounting systems shown by others in other threads.

--
PeteCresswell
 
"Nate Nagel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
> use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
> opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
> this:
>
> http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2..._Code=mini-newt&Category_Code=&Store_Code=pbs
>
> Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much
> as I paid for my bike!
>

How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by
ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike
headlight?!

An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR
bill.

If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance
coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED.

There is NO FREE LUNCH.

J.
 
Jay wrote:
> "Nate Nagel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
>>difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
>>use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
>>opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
>>this:
>>
>>http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2..._Code=mini-newt&Category_Code=&Store_Code=pbs
>>
>>Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much
>>as I paid for my bike!
>>

>
> How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by
> ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike
> headlight?!
>
> An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR
> bill.
>
> If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance
> coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED.
>
> There is NO FREE LUNCH.
>
> J.


I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier,
larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money. I'm not
talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight
(cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than
buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do
you?)

I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight
options. I've seen several presented that look appealing. Apparently
this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose
made mounts since I started this thread.

Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend
$180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people
not to ride...

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
 
Jay wrote:
>
> How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by
> ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike
> headlight?!
>
> An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR
> bill.
>
> If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance
> coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED.


Funny that so many of us have ridden so long and so far with nothing
more than the most rudimentary, cheap lighting-- or even just
reflectors and no actual lights at all.

I have figured out a whole bunch of ways to get hurt on my bike, but
using inadequate illumination has not been one of them so far. Good
(or good and expensive) lighting is something I'd put in the "nice to
have" category.

Anyway, a $30 Task Force light or a $20 Hong Kong LED light is a way
more serious piece of bike lighting equipment than you used to be able
to buy for less than $100.

Chalo
 
On Apr 26, 6:59 pm, Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:
> Jay wrote:
>
> I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier,
> larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money.  I'm not
> talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight
> (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than
> buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do
> you?)
>
> I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight
> options.  I've seen several presented that look appealing.  Apparently
> this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose
> made mounts since I started this thread.
>
> Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend
> $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people
> not to ride...
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
>
>

I commute 5,000 miles yearly in Chicago every day of the year
regardless of weather or darkness. In the winter it is in the dark
both morning and night. 5am mornings, 6pm at night.

I ride no more than 15 MPH. Even so, it is easy to ride faster than I
can see in the dark.

I do know one thing: One cannot impart wisdom. Wisdom must be either
experienced or otherwise embraced.

Wisdom CANNOT be learned by Usenet or any other means.

J.
 
On Apr 27, 12:59 am, Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:
> Jay wrote:
> > "Nate Nagel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...

>
> >>Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> >>difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
> >>use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
> >>opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
> >>this:

>
> >>http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_....

>
> >>Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much
> >>as I paid for my bike!

>
> > How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by
> > ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike
> > headlight?!

>
> > An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR
> > bill.

>
> > If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance
> > coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED.

>
> > There is NO FREE LUNCH.

>
> > J.

>
> I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier,
> larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money.  I'm not
> talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight
> (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than
> buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do
> you?)
>
> I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight
> options.  I've seen several presented that look appealing.  Apparently
> this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose
> made mounts since I started this thread.
>
> Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend
> $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people
> not to ride...
>
> nate


I tend to agree with Jay, though I haven't actually gone as far as
buying Dinotte lights.

But then I'm not a commuter, more in your position of occasionally
wanting a nighttime ride because the day has been awful for one reason
or another. If find dynamo and hub generator lights, both of which I
have on various bikes, to be not quite good enough for riding even
gently along known but unlit (blacktop) lanes, and quite useless for
riding onto the estates of friends. If you want to see, and especially
if you ride fast, a battery light is essential. Those torches
recommended in this thread are not available here, so I bought a set
of Electron EHP315 simply because I make it a practice never to go
into even the least friendly bike shop without buying something. I've
found them very good, though of course the promised endurance of the
battery is a joke; but at around an hour they do have a margin over
the normal time taken for my shortest ride, even on full blast. They
cost me eighty euro but that's from Victoria Cycles, a shop known to
charge like a famine is coming; I saw them at Chain Reaction the next
day for 60 and in the States they are probably much, much cheaper. The
two lights make enough light to see properly by on unlit roads, and
will get you seen in town, and can be directed one nearby and one a
bit up to show the width of the road and far enough along to ride at
speed down hills even on less than perfect roads. With careful use,
you can get nearer two hours of use but I like just blasting all the
light I can get on the road.

If you ride through motorized traffic, you also need a flashing rear
light, and the cheapest that actually works is the Cateye TL-LD1100
which, compared to a Dinotte, is a bargain.

Andre Jute
http://members.lycos.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE & CYCLING.html
 
On Apr 26, 7:37 pm, Andre Jute <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 27, 12:59 am, Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Jay wrote:
> > > "Nate Nagel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > >news:[email protected]...

>
> > >>Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike,
> > >>difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired
> > >>use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the
> > >>opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended
> > >>this:

>
> > >>http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_...

>
> > >>Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much
> > >>as I paid for my bike!

>
> > > How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by
> > > ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on yourbike
> > > headlight?!

>
> > > An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR
> > > bill.

>
> > > If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance
> > > coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED.

>
> > > There is NO FREE LUNCH.

>
> > > J.

>
> > I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier,
> > larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money.  I'm not
> > talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight
> > (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than
> > buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do
> > you?)

>
> > I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight
> > options.  I've seen several presented that look appealing.  Apparently
> > this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose
> > made mounts since I started this thread.

>
> > Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend
> > $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people
> > not to ride...

>
> > nate

>
> I tend to agree with Jay, though I haven't actually gone as far as
> buying Dinotte lights.
>
> But then I'm not a commuter, more in your position of occasionally
> wanting a nighttime ride because the day has been awful for one reason
> or another. If find dynamo and hub generator lights, both of which I
> have on various bikes, to be not quite good enough for riding even
> gently along known but unlit (blacktop) lanes, and quite useless for
> riding onto the estates of friends. If you want to see, and especially
> if you ride fast, a battery light is essential. Those torches
> recommended in this thread are not available here, so I bought a set
> of Electron EHP315 simply because I make it a practice never to go
> into even the least friendly bike shop without buying something. I've
> found them very good, though of course the promised endurance of the
> battery is a joke; but at around an hour they do have a margin over
> the normal time taken for my shortest ride, even on full blast. They
> cost me eighty euro but that's from Victoria Cycles, a shop known to
> charge like a famine is coming; I saw them at Chain Reaction the next
> day for 60 and in the States they are probably much, much cheaper. The
> two lights make enough light to see properly by on unlit roads, and
> will get you seen in town, and can be directed one nearby and one a
> bit up to show the width of the road and far enough along to ride at
> speed down hills even on less than perfect roads. With careful use,
> you can get nearer two hours of use but I like just blasting all the
> light I can get on the road.
>
> If you ride through motorized traffic, you also need a flashing rear
> light, and the cheapest that actually works is the Cateye TL-LD1100
> which, compared to a Dinotte, is a bargain.
>
> Andre Jutehttp://members.lycos.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE%20%26%20CYCLING.html-Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
>
>

Andre is, of course, essentially correct:

(1) Any cheap piece of Chinese s*** will work for a taillight;

Headlights come in two distinct flavors: Be seen; or illuminate the
pavement.

For 'be seen' headlights, see (1) above;

For 'illuminate pavement' headlights, see DiNotte headlights: Simply
the best, brightest, and best customer service, by far.

J.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Nate Nagel <[email protected]> wrote:

> Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend
> $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people
> not to ride...


Well, you know, there those who encourage riding, and those who
encourage spending lots of money at the LBS, with riding being quite
optional, so long as the money gets spent - and not at any of your
hardware stores or evil on-line places.

Put on a tail-light and some side markers as well, preferably. You can
get the standard 3 red LED tail unit for $2.95 + shipping from
www.sciplus.com (just a happy customer). They also have a bigger one
(with 6 times the LEDs) for $8.50. At least you'll know how much your
LBS is extorting (above the commodity price) for this sort of thing if
you shop there.

If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can cobble tail and marker
lights up yourself, though you would have a difficult time breaking even
for the above price on a tail light with a nice lens and mount.

Don't bother with their 9 white LED "bike & head lamp", other than as a
possible side marker light, with a little yellow on the lens. Beats no
light at all (I got one for the headlamp function), but is shamed by the
low-end single emitter light mentioned below (which I got later on).

If you'll be riding a lot, a NiMH rapid charger and a pile of NiMH AA's
will cost a lot less than disposables. If you don't use them much,
disposables are cheaper. Best price I those I found last year was for a
20-pack at Adorama camera (also just a happy customer, and a very price
sensitive one for "commodity" items like this). Some other place may
well have them cheaper this week. Avoid coin-cell lights for regular use
- coin cells are expensive unless you buy thousands at a time.

I've got one of the less exciting super-duper LED lights (Terrralux
lower-end conversion for a 2AA minimag I already owned) and it's very
effective for being seen (by oncoming cars - I use it when walking along
the road at night - there's no sidewalk here), and pretty darn good for
seeing, though I'd suggest getting one of the better/brighter units (as
others have suggested) for that purpose on a bike. Goes a very long time
on a set of AA rechargables (I have yet to run it all the way out before
I decide to recharge for the sake of the batteries). Changed a dim
battery-eater into a useful light.

Be careful about aiming the bright LED lights - they are painfully
bright to look at and can blind/dazzle the same as a car high-beam if
aimed too high. That can help get you IN an accident.

Riding at night can be a hairy proposition - but that's regardless of
how much or how little you've spent on lights, and daytime does not
remove the hairiness in many places. Every route out of town here
involves long stretches of too many cars and not enough space for bikes
(one even has a goodly stretch of concrete retaining wall on the inside
of a corner - no place to go AND no visibility) - I'm surprised there
are not more accidents. Once out of town the bike-lane program on the
highway bills has had a noticeable positive effect on room for bikes -
getting there is not half the fun, however. At present, I try to stick
to riding during daylight.

When I lived in a somewhat more developed area, I rode at night on the
sidewalks, and got off and walked across the intersections. Faster than
walking the whole way, and safer than sharing the road with obliviots
who would run you over with or without lights. On the rare occasion I
encountered a pedestrian, I'd pop out into the road (for the space
between driveways needed to bypass the pedestrian) if there were no
cars, or dismount and walk by if there were, so as not to be an obliviot
on a bike hogging the sidewalk.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
 
"Chalo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1f2894eb-c1fb-470c-981b-3bf058b7ef53@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> Funny that so many of us have ridden so long and so far with nothing
> more than the most rudimentary, cheap lighting-- or even just
> reflectors and no actual lights at all.
>
> I have figured out a whole bunch of ways to get hurt on my bike, but
> using inadequate illumination has not been one of them so far. Good
> (or good and expensive) lighting is something I'd put in the "nice to
> have" category.
>
> Anyway, a $30 Task Force light or a $20 Hong Kong LED light is a way
> more serious piece of bike lighting equipment than you used to be able
> to buy for less than $100.
>
> Chalo
>
>

Here's an idea! Don't use a headlight at all. Keep that $20 in your pocket.

Just say a prayer before you ride. And tape a plastic Jesus to your
handlebars.

J.