Wayne Pein wrote:
> Wheatstraw wrote:
>
>
>>
>> I have one and love it. Cars definitely see me--maybe even a bit too
>> much, as they frequently flick their brights. The illumination of
>> the road is a bit better than a 10W halogen, plenty for my nighttime
>> commute. The mounting bracket holds in place just fine. And I can't
>> tell you how nice it is to not have to carry a big, bulky extra
>> battery. And also that you don't have to choose between charging for
>> exactly 14 hours 22 minutes to avoid total battery meltdown OR
>> spending an extra $75 for a smart charger. Well thought out, easy
>> to use product. Burn time is 2hr on the brightest setting, so
>> long-duration night riders will want to run the dimmer settings
>> except when the brightest one is needed. Oh, and the back of the
>> light starts flashing to let you know when you have 15 min of burn
>> time left. Worth every penny.
>>
>
> Thanks for that illuminating reply.
>
>
> The light level/whiteness and durability of an LED, the ease of a self
> contained handlebar unit, and the smart charging are features which
> appeal to me.
It looks good to me too, just expensive. But I don't mind that if it's exactly
the right thing -- truly powerful enough, and self-contained so I can easily
take it with me while my bike is parked.
Currently I'm using a Cateye Micro for riding around town, but it isn't bright
enough. I have to slow way down, and I still fear hitting potholes and other
stuff I can't see. I don't dare take better lights for fear they'll disappear,
and they're too much trouble to mount/dismount. With modern battery technology
there's no reason a really bright light can't be self-contained like a Micro.
One thing worth experimenting with is a modded Micro, with a more powerful bulb
and NiMH AAs. Cateye sold a 6W version with an external battery pack, but that
bulb really isn't suitable for 4 AAs.
Matt O.