What's your favorite Bike Light for night riding?

I would like to know what your favorite Bike Light is for night cycling and what kind of LED or Filament bulb you use. Also I would like to know if narrow or wide beam is preferable when cycling at night. Do you prefer an LED bulb or filament bulb?
Thanks!
led-replacement

 

Depends - I use a flashing LED that basicly is to make myself visable. Riding through Chicago streets, one doesn't need any more illumination. (An interesting side effect of this is night glow that I see when looking south from my backyard in Evanston.) A light that is strong enough for you to actually see will cost ya, and you will have the weight of a bulky battery.


Also, don't forget to get a flashing rear light.

 

That all depends on how much (and how fast) you want to ride at night.

I use a NiteRider Moab, which is their top of the line HID system. It is bright enough for me to see the road when going 25+ MPH. And the burn time is long enough for me to complete a full century after dark... It's a great system but fairly expensive. It only makes sense to buy something like that if you will use it enough to justify the expense.

 

I only ride at night when I get caught out due to poor planing or a shift in the wind.

I have a small LED from performance that can be set for constant or flashing. It's not *quite* as bright as I'd like, but it does cast a pale blue light far enough ahead to keep me on the road. Keep it in the seat bag with the multi-tool all the time.

LEDs are much more energy efficeint than filament bulbs, more robust, too. I've thrown away all my filament flashlights.

 

Lupine

 

I use a DiNotte 5w UltraLight LED up front, and the matching 3w LED flasher in the back. I started out with the versions that runs on AA rechargeables last year (get about 1.5 hours on the headlight on high), and recently upgraded them to the ones that run on Lithium Ion rechargeable (get about 6-7 hours on the headlight on high).

They are:

• light in terms of weight
• really small
• plenty bright for me (I ride in total darkness on the road at about 20 MPH, descend at up to 35 MPH before I think about backing off due to visibility)
• easy to mount and remove
• durable (I use them almost every day in all kinds of conditions with no bulb or mounting failures. They have never shut down on me)
• long lasting (I get 6 hours on a single charge - one battery for both lights)
• tail light is daylight visible (at night it's really quite something)
• well shielded - they don't interfere with the HRM signal to my PowerTap the way a lot of other lights did
• DiNotte support ROCKS!

That said, they were not cheap, and if I didn't rely on them so much due to my crazy schedule, I wouldn't have spent the money on them. If you're in the same situation, I would strongly recommend them.

Have fun!

Edit: linkage - http://www.dinottelighting.com/ProductLines.htm

 

In the winter we train in an office park with a 6 mile loop. Even though there are overhead lights, you still need a headlight in addition to a rear red blinker. You might have a car coming out in front of you that is unable to see your backside. I like the CatEye Opticube.

 

Blackburn Quadrant and Mars 3.0 Combo Bicycle Light Set .

I payed $28.00 for the set & they are VERY bright & battery friendly.

http://www.blackburndesign.com/lights.html#quadrant

 

After getting sick of dealing with inconveniently timed bulb burnout, I also got a 5W DiNotte (rechargeable) and am very happy with it, although I'm not sure I would descend at 35 mph in darkness. For 20 mph, I agree that it's quite sufficient. The design is brilliant...small, secure and stable mounting, easy to remove quickly (and no mounting bracket to leave on the bars). I find the beam relatively narrow, but I don't have a lot of experience with other bright headlights. If you already have rechargeable batteries, you can ask DiNotte to send you the light without the batteries and charger at a lower price (about $150). Their service is indeed top notch.

In the back, I have a Planet Bike Blinky Superflash, which I think is more than sufficient for nighttime visibility, having seen it from a car driver's perspective a number of times. I like Planet Bike as a company, too.

 

Yeah, that might have been a wee bit optimistic on my part. Checked my max speed from this morning, and it was 29 MPH. I guess in the dark it feels like 35. I don't really look at speed anymore because I can either have that or cadence showing all the time on my computer, and I find the cadence more useful.

Happy riding!

 

do you want to illuminate the path/road or be seen!! I use a BLT Ultra Doppler DX (front)/Wazoo DX (rear) for riding in the city. I don't ride where I need anything more. For good illumination of the path, you'll need to go to a dedicated battery-type like NiteRider or others.

 

http://www.foxfury.com/products/pro_series/bike/bike_3watt.htm


This looks nice and pricy

 

hello to all!!I don't understand nothing of what tou have written....i'm italian!!ahahahahaha!!!i have understood a little for!!!! bye....!!!

 

Can't beat a HID for brightness or clarity especially if you ride routinely at night or do enduros. I use the Light and Motion ARC Li. 8 hr burn time, dual level, literally brilliant.

 

Cygolite Dual Cross 300 li-ion

 

Agree 100%. Great tai light.

 

A mate has one of these. The only problem he has is the clamp is not terribly durable. Puts out a fair bit of light - more than a 15W halogen.

Look at these - not tried them but likely to get the Cree version:

http://www.ayup.com.au/

 

LED is the future and it here and now, with companies like NiteFlux producing the hoton Max lighting kit that is putting out 800Lumen at 12watts, provides LED lighting that blows all 10watt -13.5watt HID's completely out of the water! Most HID's are around 450Lumens - to 550Lumens



LED's last up to one hundred thousand hours HID is the next best at 1000 hours and filiment/ Halogen 100 -400hours on adverage depending on there intensity.



As a rule of thumb the faster you go a bike the less peripheral vision you use so wide is good if you go slow - but you loose intensity with a wide beam, narrower can be better for faster riding less distractions and more concentration and brighter intensity for less wattage.



I was looking at the NieRider TriNewt as they advertise it as there brightest light yet 480Lumens but when I compared to NiteFlux Photon Max at 800Lumens there was no contest - the Photon Max is actually brighter on the Medium beam at 530 lumens with a 5 hour run time that 1:30min longer runtime at more intensity than NiteRider!



Anyway I know when I have a few more coins stashed away which light I will buying.

 

hei don't trust this guy? he is everywhere in the forum promoting BLACKBURN QUADRANT? hei what are you up?