new Dinotte Quad RED Taillight ?

[gasman]

Let's not jab others for their choices in lights. Whatever you like and works for you is great, just use something when it gets dark. Don't be like a lot of the college students in this town who ride with no lights .

[velomonkey]

Originally Posted by Aaron O

You are perfectly entitled to feel that way and you are perfectly entitled to prefer whatever light you like. Where you are incorrect is in implying that people who prefer other options do so only on price.

There's a third kind of person - the type that thinks the dinotte is obnoxiously bright for urban conditions (I think they make more sense on higher speed, less used roads), unnecessary, and inferior due to charging. Key words - for where/when I ride.

Wait . . . I'm sorry, a bit to clear up here. I know you're reading - so I'll respond.

1. I never, even remotely implied that people preferred other lights based on price. You said that, not me. Period. Yes, Dinotte is more expensive - they are also direct and don't go through the local bike shop. My point was people don't know - not people can't afford. Please, keep it on task.

2. "dinotte is obnoxiously bright for urban conditions" - um, that is a significant variable. You never said that until now. Now, to show I'm fair - would I ride a Dinotte on the Capital Crescent trail in Washington, DC and MD - a rails to trails that has no cars and only other bikers and pedestrians (DC does classify as urban, right). No, no I wouldn't. It would be obnoxious. Guess what, though, there is ZERO ambient light and bikers, for example, are always looking around their physical surroundings - pot holes, rocks, other riders - these are just some of the things we keep an eye out for. Drivers. They have to deal with tons of ambient light - other cars, stop lights, street lights - and they don't give 2 squats about pot holes or rocks - so add a blinky in there and, well, it better be substantial. Again, a variable you never pointed out.

3. "due to charging" - well, again, your preference - I myself like my batteries to be chargeable, but I digress.


So, in the end, I did a totally scientific experiment. Tonight I had drinks at a bar - rode the half mile from my house, mostly downhill, through town (totally lit up with lights) to the bar. I dusted off the old planet bike superflash (not the turbo, but it works). I went to the bar and met my friends before dark. Drank 3 beers and got buzzed. Sun was down. Rode my bike home with super flash. Went through town, albeit not urban, but a road, not a trail. Rode up the hill to my house, no lights on the road, totally dark - totally slow (and I was buzzed). Dinotte wins - for sure - well unless you don't like to charge batteries - there is literally no competition - it's science, but I digress.

I'm buzzed, that's my take and I shall see you on the road with a bright strobe!!!!!

[bluesea]

My experience with both the Dinotte 300R and 400R, is they are the only rear lights that have illicit praise from cagers at traffic stops. Have also driven behind Dinotte rear lights at various distance and light conditions, and have never felt they were too bright. On the contrary, I'll be ordering the more powerful Designshine rearlight when it becomes available. Your own riding and traffic conditions may vary.

[shovelhd]

I've had several compliments on my Magicshine taillight. I don't know who made it, but it is fairly large and bright. It was an option from Geomangear when I bought my headlight. Well worth it.

[Lanternrouge]

From the limited time I spend driving, I can say the differences between the various tail lights are quite noticeable. There are the lousy lights that I notice mainly because I am paying a whole lot more attention than the average driver. There are the decent lights that I see because I'm not completely distracted. When I run across someone who has a really good one, which is not that often since most people don't have them and I don't drive much any way, I really notice.

For what it's worth, I use a knog blinder as my current tail light, which I think is somewhere between the pretty good and really good (though not in the really good) categories.

If I rode much during the dark, which I do not any more, I would go all the way and get a Dinotte and then on the Design Shine waiting list. My own opinion is that you cannot be too visible.

[Ahneida Ride]

The Dinotte resembles more of a Police light then a Bicycle light.
It's that good.

Cars can spot you 1 mile back.

Excellent quality and superior customer service.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by gasman

Let's not jab others for their choices in lights. Whatever you like and works for you is great, just use something when it gets dark. Don't be like a lot of the college students in this town who ride with no lights .

Yup-when riding home one night, on a frontage road, me with lights, I just 'feel' the guy that passed going to other direction, didn't even see him. I'm kinda on the fence about lights during the day. I don't ride anywhere during the week w/o a shoulder. Too much traffic. I wear bright-ish jerseys/vests/jackets. No lights(and I have been nailed from behind while riding by a lady in a Dodge Dakota..she was asleep-10am on a Saturday).

My determining factor was ease of putting on/off and USB. And what I sold in the shop(duh)..Cateye, Blackburn, L&M..kinda like a helmet, 'may' help, never hurt.

[znfdl]

I just ordered one. As SAAB said the Dinotte Tailights are in a class all by themselves. I commute a lot in the dark, where I use the Dinotte when on the road and then a switch to a Solas for the bike path.

[pakora]

Not to threadjack, but can one convert an old 200L to a taillight by just putting a piece of red plastic over the lens? Is there some kind of special plastic or glass I'd use?

I bought a head/taillight package years ago and felt totally confident riding in full on night with it. Not like a blinky at all - you can see a long tail of bright red light trailing 25 feet behind you.

Unfortunately it bounced off unnoticed one day when I headed out in daylight on a ride that would continue beyond sundown. I never went back to night riding, even with a way brighter front light (besides timing it so that I would hit well-lit city streets by the time twilight passed).

[Birddog]

Originally Posted by pakora

Not to threadjack, but can one convert an old 200L to a taillight by just putting a piece of red plastic over the lens? Is there some kind of special plastic or glass I'd use?

I bought a head/taillight package years ago and felt totally confident riding in full on night with it. Not like a blinky at all - you can see a long tail of bright red light trailing 25 feet behind you.

Unfortunately it bounced off unnoticed one day when I headed out in daylight on a ride that would continue beyond sundown. I never went back to night riding, even with a way brighter front light (besides timing it so that I would hit well-lit city streets by the time twilight passed).

Call Rob at DiNotte. He might give you a trade-in deal for a tail light. To answer your question, I don't think it will work and it would be totally ghetto.

[Pyramor]

Originally Posted by bluesea

My experience with both the Dinotte 300R and 400R, is they are the only rear lights that have illicit praise from cagers at traffic stops. Have also driven behind Dinotte rear lights at various distance and light conditions, and have never felt they were too bright. On the contrary, I'll be ordering the more powerful Designshine rearlight when it becomes available. Your own riding and traffic conditions may vary.

+1 for the Designshine lights. I have both front and rear. Wouldn't ride without them, especially in daytime. Liked them so much that I bought a second pair for my better half. The rear is 800 lumens and can be seen more than a mile in daylight. Just as important as uber bright daytime mode is the flash and steady-state modes which can set be to necessary brightness for night riding and daytime group rides. I only use low power flash for my group rides.

My research suggests that flashing modes should not be used at night, especially for high power lights. It can be annoying and distracting to drivers and one's distance perception is impaired by flashing. RUSA, which sanctions brevets and other long distance randonneuring, prohibits flashing rear lights. They apparently know something about the issue. Steady read is best or perhaps steady red with a slow low-power flash.

I also really like the off-the-shelf Cateye mounts. Very inexpensive and highly adaptable. All in all a great design.

[Don49]

Originally Posted by Pyramor

+1 for the Designshine lights. I have both front and rear.

How much to the Designshine lights cost? I can't find that info on the website.

[Pyramor]

Originally Posted by Don49

How much to the Designshine lights cost? I can't find that info on the website.

I don't know what the new price will be yet. I expect Stephen will post them when he starts build number 4. Hopefully soon. I would suggest that you email him to get an idea when they will be available.

[gdw]

"Not to threadjack, but can one convert an old 200L to a taillight by just putting a piece of red plastic over the lens? Is there some kind of special plastic or glass I'd use?"


Yes, a red lens will tint the beam but I'm not aware of any commercial lens or optic that can be easily added to the 200l so you'll have to make it yourself. If you can solder it might be easier to replace the old Seoul led with a red Cree XP-E2.

[mvrider]

A red filter would of course work, but would be less efficient. Such a filter would absorb all the other colors (wavelengths), converting them to heat. If you have plenty of light output and battery capacity to spare, then all is fine. Just keep in mind that a dedicated red LED would be more efficient.