Best cheap headlight?

[veggieburger]

Considering a cheapo light for VERY easy (straight) trail/pathway sections at night. It's getting dark early here, and I just want to have the option of seeing what's in front of me without buying something that mounts on my helmet and puts a battery in my jersey.

So we are clear, this is about me seeing the ground, not cars seeing me.

Thanks!

[Nooch]

how cheap is cheap? Anything in the 800+ lumen category from Light & Motion, Cygolite, Bontrager or Niterider will do you solid. For a little more, i just picked up a taz1500 from excelsports for $148. The others will come in around the $60-95 range..

[veggieburger]

Originally Posted by Nooch

how cheap is cheap? Anything in the 800+ lumen category from Light & Motion, Cygolite, Bontrager or Niterider will do you solid. For a little more, i just picked up a taz1500 from excelsports for $148. The others will come in around the $60-95 range..

Yeah, thinking $60-75 or thereabouts. Thx!

[Nooch]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

Yeah, thinking $60-75 or thereabouts. Thx!

at that, I'd go Metro 850

or this Urban 650 will probably be enough for you if it's just path riding

[AngryScientist]

the L&M headlights are excellent. the "urban" series will be perfect for what you describe, and fits the budget.

[jghall]

3rd the L&M lights. As mentioned the Urban series will be your friend.

[TunaAndBikes]

4th for L/M, + they get pretty cheap through their website when they're on sale / on Nashbar

[m_sasso]

I am a Cateye lover and suggest the Volt 800. Clean, tidy, compact appearance, easily movable and unfailing reliable mounting, effortless spin off interchangeable battery, 5 modes of operation, established manufacture and some of the best battery life and light output ratings in the industry. In your price range when often on sale.
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL471RC/

[m_sasso]

Hard to beat this deal, Light and Motion Urban 650, $48.00, https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...ajor=3&minor=6

[cderalow]

I like my cygolites personally.

a dash pro 600 will run you $50-65 on amazon and is more than enough for typical paved/MUp trail riding i've found.

For non-paved you might want stronger.

[dougefresh]

I have a CygoLite Metro 700 that I have been very happy with. Different modes allow for seeing and being seen.

Paid ~$70 for a combo front/ rear on Amazon

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by cderalow

I like my cygolites personally.

a dash pro 600 will run you $50-65 on amazon and is more than enough for typical paved/MUp trail riding i've found.

For non-paved you might want stronger.

Second this. I'm also a cygolite guy.

I'm sure it's me, but 2 of the 4 L&M products I've owned have had weird QC issues. I don't see a lot of other reports of this so its probably random.

[gospastic]

www.wetestlights.com/ (run by L&M but seems to be unbiased) is a good place to see how lights actually perform on their highest setting vs what the manufacturer claims. A lot of lights, especially the self contained ones, hit their rated lumens for maybe a couple of minutes or so, and then end up at close to half the light output or even less by the time the light dies. It's very interesting.

I have a Taz 1500 which is not in your price range but is an excellent light and I would buy another one again in an instant. On the highest setting, it will maintain 1400 lumens for the rated 90 minutes. I used to use an Urban 800 which was okay, but it seems there are better options at that price point.

[Marc40a]

Originally Posted by dougefresh

I have a CygoLite Metro 700 that I have been very happy with. Different modes allow for seeing and being seen.

Paid ~$70 for a combo front/ rear on Amazon

4th Cygolite vote, here.

[pitonpat]

Another L&M vote here... My son gave me the Urban 500, and its plenty of light for road riding. I don't even use the highest setting either. L&M 650 would be even better!