lights

[RThompson]

I ride in the mornings. I have lights let cars see me, but I need a light system to let me see the road. any suggestions? I tried to search previous posts - wihtout any success. thanks in advance

[54ny77]

[this is copied from a similar thread on another forum that i posted to, on this exact topic...]

I've been looking around for awhile on a nice light that wouldn't break the bank. Enduro (the Maxx2 or the Strada) was the light I was most likely going to get. However, on a fluke, and after reading several good reviews, I took a flyer on something called a "Magicshine" off of ebay. It was $90 shipped. Claimed output is 900 lumens on max, but who knows. It's really, really bright, that much I know. Has three modes: high, low, and flashing. The flashing seems to be done in the "high" mode, and is painful to look at head-on--which might be the point for getting noticed, depending on where you're riding.

There's a simple big clicker mode button on the back that lights up green so long as battery is good (which you'll see in the picture), turns red when it's about to shut down. Looks like the clicker button will be easy to handle with thick winter gloves (itself a depressing thought, now that winter is arriving...). Super easy install (takes about a minute or two), clean setup (small & not bulky) and it's lightweight.

I'll try & get some pics in "the field" shortly, but for now, here's what it looks like as mounted. I put the battery pack (which is housed in a handy cordura pouch that has velcro on the back) underneath the tops of the bars. It can mount under the stem too, but I thought I'd try this mounting place for now.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/IMG_0672.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/IMG_0685.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/IMG_0687.jpg

[fiamme red]

I tried to search previous posts - wihtout any success.Here are a few old threads.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=48824

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=49849

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=64508

[climbgdh]

I highly recommend Light & Motion lights. I've had one of their high end models for 4 years now. It is incredibly bright. I use it everyday during daily commute in late fall, winter & early spring months. It has worked flawlessly for 4 years of daily use for about 4 months out of the year. Expensive but in my mind worth every single penny. Cars can easily see me & plus I can easily see the road. I have the Li-Ion battery pack and it gives about 6 hours on a charge. Their new LED lights look very very nice as well although I haven't seen in person.

[paulrad9]

I'll put a plug in for a US company, Dinotte (http://www.dinottelighting.com/) of Hampton NH. There are few options nowadays where you can buy something not made in China and Dinotte products are proven both for performance and end user support.

[Acotts]

I highly recommend Light & Motion lights. I've had one of their high end models for 4 years now. It is incredibly bright. I use it everyday during daily commute in late fall, winter & early spring months. It has worked flawlessly for 4 years of daily use for about 4 months out of the year. Expensive but in my mind worth every single penny. Cars can easily see me & plus I can easily see the road. I have the Li-Ion battery pack and it gives about 6 hours on a charge. Their new LED lights look very very nice as well although I haven't seen in person.

I just got a Light n Motion Salle 200l. Its amazing. Tiny, bright and blingy.

Its the sexiest of all bike lights.

[spiderman]

i ride quite a bit with these...
i aim one a little lower, one stretched out farther
with the nice tail running
and get a full lane with passing vehicles.
they light up the road great
which is essential
and extends the riding season considerably!

[protege55]

The NiteRider MiNewt systems work great - depending on the model, you can get one that gives you a good 30 feet or so in the dead of night, or you can get one to light up the night like Clark Griswold on Christmas - plus as an added bonus, some of them have a great "flash" alternative that allows you to use it both as a light and disco strobe effect...

Only bit of concern I have with them is that it sometimes screws up my wireless CatEye computer when its on "flash" - not sure why, but its worth it.

You can also pick them up fairly inexpensively on eBay...

[Ahneida Ride]

I'll put a plug in for a US company, Dinotte (http://www.dinottelighting.com/) of Hampton NH. There are few options nowadays where you can buy something not made in China and Dinotte products are proven both for performance and end user support.


Another shameless plug for DiNotte.

Love DiNotte ... Customer service is unbeatable.

[dekindy]

You did not specify a budget, but here goes. If you have a budget and specify your need/want/opinion on headlight I could get very specific on what I would recommend. I have spent a lot of money on lights and have been reviewing the current market so I think I could help you. If you choose a specific setup post it here and I can comment the pros and cons or possibly suggest a better value. I would generally suggest 400 total lumens plus for headlights that you cannot easily outrun. Helmet lights are good for seeing into turns and for off road varmints since bar lights can only see straight ahead. Light and batter technology have literally improved at warp speed the last two years and there are many competitors so you can get a lot of value for your money now.

The Magicshine already mentioned is a good value. GeoManGear.com is the best combination of price and service. The owner frequents many cycling lighting forums and responds promptly to customer website requests made directly to his website and solves problems expressed in forums also. You cannot go wrong there and the price is right. The first generation that came out has been disassembled by experts and it was considered a good light for the price but with some flaws. GeoManGear has been working with the manufacturer and many of the recommendations to improve the quality of the light have bee made and current versions are considered better. They are sold out and presold so you will definitely get the latest and greatest on GeoManGear. You can't go wrong here so this is a good option for the price.

Another can't go wrong option is Dinotte. Customer service and quality of product are second to none. Their tail lights are without peer for brightness and they have added many higher powered model headlights. If you already have a battery recharger and the run times are adequate then get the Pro Series. 200 lumens is enough for commuting unless you are riding 20 miles per hour in which case you would need two or a brighter single. The Endurance Series has Li-Ion batteries with much longer run times. Dinotte is also the only manufacturer to offer upgrades in the past for both batteries and lights. The ideal package would be the Endurance Series for $419 that comes with two 200 lumen lights-bar and helmet, and a tail light. If you need more headlight then get one of their higher powered packages.

Other high quality, high volume manufacturers are Exposure, Lupine, Light and Motion, Jet Lites, Ay-Up, BR Lights, NiteFlux.

There are lots of light reviews here that are generally very accurate.
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/lights/PLS_130crx.aspx

Light Shootout review here:
http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/

Beam Shots here:
http://www.mtbr.com/beamcomparisoncrx.aspx


I would use these Dinotte packages as benchmarks and the Exposure Light options I listed.

http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=365871608&Count2=283012032

http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=365871608&Count2=283012032

http://estore.websitepros.com/1939518/-strse-232/2010-Exposure-Lights-STRADA/Detail.bok

http://estore.websitepros.com/1939518/-strse-185/Exposure-Lights-MaXx-D/Detail.bok

http://estore.websitepros.com/1939518/-strse-189/2010-Exposure-Lights-RedEye/Detail.bok

[54ny77]

that beam shot page on mtbr.com is awesome. i was looking at that quite a bit while shopping for lights.

[ClutchCargo]

another plug for L&M.

great products -- these guys have been in the business a long time and know what they're doing. my old Cabeza Logic is still plugging along and is perfect as a headlight supplement for my newer HID on road rides and mtb rides.

great customer service, too.

DiNotte has lots of fans -- especially for that tail light -- and nothing against them, but my question on the tail light has always been, where does the battery pack go? seems like a pain to have to deal with a battery pack for the tail light.

happy shopping

[dekindy]

another plug for L&M.

great products -- these guys have been in the business a long time and know what they're doing. my old Cabeza Logic is still plugging along and is perfect as a headlight supplement for my newer HID on road rides and mtb rides.

great customer service, too.

DiNotte has lots of fans -- especially for that tail light -- and nothing against them, but my question on the tail light has always been, where does the battery pack go? seems like a pain to have to deal with a battery pack for the tail light.

happy shopping

To get lots of lot you need lots of power so a battery pack is a necessity. The Vetta that I purchased is the closest thing to a Dinotte that I have found. But it uses 4-AA's instead of 2-AAA's to power those lumens. I compared it to my neighbor's Dinotte and the Dinotte on low is about the same but on high the Dinotte blows the Vetta away. Still the Vetta is a cheap alternative and better than any other light besides the Dinotte.

http://vetta.com/product_show.asp?ptype=whole&id=60

[jeffinCT]

I'll put a plug in for a US company, Dinotte (http://www.dinottelighting.com/) of Hampton NH. There are few options nowadays where you can buy something not made in China and Dinotte products are proven both for performance and end user support.

I 2nd this recommendation. I have the 600L and it is fantastic.

[jpw]

Get a Lupine (Germany) system...if you can afford it. It's the best there is. I've had one for seven years and it has never failed me in any way whatsoever.

[soulspinner]

wow...another great thread. gotta love this place... :)

[salem]

Another option to consider if you'd like an always-ready light (good if you are riding every morning), is a generator front hub. They put out 3 watts, which with modern LEDs is good for about 300 lumens. Shimano makes a nice Ultegra quality unit that is harder to find in the US, but Harris Cycles (Sheldon Brown) has them.

Also, if you don't feel you need super high power, I have been very please by the amount of road spill I get from the NiteRider Ultrafazer. The 3 led version I have lights the road a little, and the 5 led unit I convinced my girlfriend to buy throws a convincing amount of light for something that lasts 40 hours on 2 AA batteries. Two of these might be an interesting option (personally, I'd avoid the "max" version as this gets into a "power" led that requires heatsinking, and the run times drop significantly and you are creating more heat). Also, these are well and truly downpour proof.

[jpw]

Another option to consider if you'd like an always-ready light (good if you are riding every morning), is a generator front hub. They put out 3 watts, which with modern LEDs is good for about 300 lumens. Shimano makes a nice Ultegra quality unit that is harder to find in the US, but Harris Cycles (Sheldon Brown) has them.

Also, if you don't feel you need super high power, I have been very please by the amount of road spill I get from the NiteRider Ultrafazer. The 3 led version I have lights the road a little, and the 5 led unit I convinced my girlfriend to buy throws a convincing amount of light for something that lasts 40 hours on 2 AA batteries. Two of these might be an interesting option (personally, I'd avoid the "max" version as this gets into a "power" led that requires heatsinking, and the run times drop significantly and you are creating more heat). Also, these are well and truly downpour proof.

With a hub light make sure the light stays on when the wheel stops rotating.

[paulrad9]

Get a Lupine (Germany) system...if you can afford it. It's the best there is. I've had one for seven years and it has never failed me in any way whatsoever.

I've had a Wilma for a couple of years and it's great. Small, easy to install and remove and great options for light settings (you can program the controller to work the way you want, including the voltage for low battery power cut-off). The Betty is still the brightest light you can buy

[Bob Ross]

I was in the same position as OP a couple years back, was commuting on a MUP that I discovered -- too late -- didn't have any lights for a half mile stretch! Absolute pitch blackness all around. I vowed to get an actual headlight that could light up the road, did some research, read a lot of websites, blah blah blah... eventually chose the NightRider MiNewt X2 Dual.

Ever look out the window of a jumbo jet at the tarmac during a night landing? That's what these lights look like. I cannot even use the high beam mode when riding in populated areas or I will kill oncoming drivers! Low beam is sufficient to light up a huge swath of road like a Broadway follow spot. Highly recommended.

I've also heard very good things about the Dinotte from friends who use them.

[Birddog]

I own a DiNotte 200L and couldn't be happier. It does all it is supposed to do and the CS from DiNotte is terrific. If I were buying today, I'd give the Magicshine a look, but it would be hard to beat the fit, finish, and engineering of the DiNotte system.

Birddog

[mo3039]

Yet another plug for L&M. I have the Solo Logic, w/ Turbo charger. Several years of use, good experience with customer service when I wanted a second bar mount. Love how fast it charges, solid connectors, battery mount, etc. Very happy.

[Ozz]

I've had a L&M ARC HID for many years now and it is still going strong...plenty of light (675 lumens??). Only knock is the HID occasionally generates interference with wireless computer / HR monitor

If I was shopping now, I would start with L&M, but also look into Dinotte, Lupine and others. The newer LED models look interesting.....

However, I will be hard pressed to ever give up light output of the ARC. Probably more than I need, but it is cool when cars actually wait until you pass before pulling out of side streets.

[CPP]

Check out the Exposure Light line. Not cheap but great quality and BRIGHT!!

[BengeBoy]

I am another happy Dinotte owner.

One nice thing about Dinotte is they have a trade-in program that gives you a credit on old gear when you want to upgrade.

Two years ago I got the dual 200L headlight package with a 200L tail light, plus two batteries. I recently upgraded to a 400L headlight - I mailed them one of my old lights, I got partial credit, and then plugged the new light into my existing battery/cable system.

So now I have a 400L plus a 200L light up front; I like having dual lights so I can aim them appropriately or use only one light when I'm on a MUP.

LED technology is moving pretty fast so I appreciate the opportunity to keep upgrading as it moves.

And, as mentioned, their customer service is amazing.

[Ozz]

Does anyone know if the L & M Seca & Stella lights are compatible with the batteries for the ARC?

[sjbraun]

Are your new light heads compatible with my old batteries?

Yes! One of Light & Motion's strengths is that we've consistently used the same connectors, ensuring that our batteries are backward-compatible to almost any product purchased after 2003. If your system is 2004 or older, we recommend that you consider replacing the battery anyway due to the normal degradation that occurs (loss of capacity/run time).
Are your current batteries compatible with my old light head(s)?

Current replacement batteries are backward-compatible to product purchased after 2003. Systems purchased prior to 2003 require a cord update to be compatible with our current batteries. To verify compatibility examine your light connector. A connector with 3 pins is a current cord, while a connector with 2 pins will need to be updated. Contact your local authorized Light & Motion Dealer to return your light for an update.

Steve a quite satisfied L&M Stella owner

[xjoex]

I have been using a Light and Motion Vega 200 to commute with. No battery pack, charges in 2 hours, very bright and has a blinky mode.

I actually will use two when it gets really crappy, one on blink and one on full.

The only improvement I could think of would be a regular screw on mount instead of the rubber strap, no problems yet though...
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=61751&stc=1
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=61752&stc=1
-Joe

[slugbottle]

If you're thinking dynamo, or even battery such as the Ixon IQ, very nice comparisons here:
http://peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

[Ken C]

I just purchased the Cygolite Milion 200 USB for $129. It works great and looks well made. 200 lumens, no wires or seperate battery packs. The Li-ion battery is contained in the light unit. You can charge it through a USB port which is nice if you work on a computer during the day, or there is a wall plug mode as well. It has a run time of about 3 hours on high and 6 hours on low. The light pattern is nice.

For the price it is hard to beat.

[sand fungus]

I have the Dinotte 600 front light and the 400 rear light and I couldn't be happier. Cars have completely changed how they behave around me. When I was riding with my old cateye light cars would cut in front of me because they could tell I was a bicycle. Now with the Dinotte the light is so bright they don't know if I am a bike or a motorcycle and they stop and wait for me to pass. I have had people walking on the side of the road comment on how bright the light is. I love my Dinotte and highly recommend it.

[54ny77]

old thread....but fwiw, if you need a bar-mounted light (fully contained, no external battery pack) at a decent price, competitive cyclist has a clearance on the light & motion taz 800 for 99 bucks.

[Keith A]

old thread....but fwiw, if you need a bar-mounted light (fully contained, no external battery pack) at a decent price, competitive cyclist has a clearance on the light & motion taz 800 for 99 bucks.Thanks for the heads up. Is anyone using (or have used) this light?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/light-motion-taz-800-lgiht?ti=UExQIENhdDpMaWdodHM6MToxOmNjQ2F0MTAwMDQ2&skidn=LTM0083-ONECOL-ONESIZ

BTW, Amazon has it for the same price...
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Taz-Lumens-Bike/dp/B008KKNNBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441366645&sr=8-3&keywords=taz+light

[joosttx]

Get a Lupine (Germany) system...if you can afford it. It's the best there is. I've had one for seven years and it has never failed me in any way whatsoever.

I switched from Dionette to Lupine. The piko is excellent .

[93legendti]

There has been a quantum leap in power for the dollar since this thread was started. I just picked up a Cygolight 800 at Performance on sale for $109.

I can't recall what I paid for my Vygolite Trident X Led Li-ion 5-6 years ago, but it was probably double that price and it only gives out 600 lumens.

[54ny77]

i'll tell ya in a couple of weeks after i get it & use it. :beer:

i needed another light like this (portable, single unit w/no battery pack), for travel convenience.

Thanks for the heads up. Is anyone using (or have used) this light?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/light-motion-taz-800-lgiht?ti=UExQIENhdDpMaWdodHM6MToxOmNjQ2F0MTAwMDQ2&skidn=LTM0083-ONECOL-ONESIZ

BTW, Amazon has it for the same price...
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Taz-Lumens-Bike/dp/B008KKNNBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441366645&sr=8-3&keywords=taz+light

[tuxbailey]

I am also a user for the Magicshine lights described in the second post.

It is a really bright light. They are cheap and they are made in China.

$75 in Amazon. Last about 2 hours at full of medium brightness.

http://www.amazon.com/MagicShine-MJ-808U-Bicycle-Improved-1100-Lumen/dp/B009GSLUR4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441372545&sr=8-1&keywords=magicshine+lights&pebp=1441372583556&perid=1H7TWBZCFE3K69HPXPVD

[54ny77]

agreed, that's what i normally use. great light, super bright. and cheap. battery life not that great, i'm due for a new one (it's about 5 yrs old) since i only get about an hour on blinking and/or medium setting. it's supposed to be 3 hrs on high power.

I am also a user for the Magicshine lights described in the second post.

It is a really bright light. They are cheap and they are made in China.

$75 in Amazon. Last about 2 hours at full of medium brightness.

http://www.amazon.com/MagicShine-MJ-808U-Bicycle-Improved-1100-Lumen/dp/B009GSLUR4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441372545&sr=8-1&keywords=magicshine+lights&pebp=1441372583556&perid=1H7TWBZCFE3K69HPXPVD

[tuxbailey]

agreed, that's what i normally use. great light, super bright. and cheap. battery life not that great, i'm due for a new one (it's about 5 yrs old) since i only get about an hour on blinking and/or medium setting. it's supposed to be 3 hrs on high power.

Usually only the first hour I ride is in total darkness so I use high but will switch to medium or low. It can usually last a full 2 hrs. Since I ride with a back pack I will bring the charger with me as daylight period shortens.

When I bought this 4-5 years ago it was one of the best deals in terms of price/performance.

[93legendti]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJZ015Y?psc=1

$42 shipped.

I have this one. Nice light.

[Tickdoc]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJZ015Y?psc=1

$42 shipped.

I have this one. Nice light.

I have two of these, $30 from merit line. One for helmet/ headband and one for handlebars. The connectors are a little weak, and they are of questionable quality to most others listed, but they are super bright, and I don't feel bad about them failing/falling getting lost, etc.

Also really good for hiking/hunting,........spelunking?

[93legendti]

I have two of these, $30 from merit line. One for helmet/ headband and one for handlebars. The connectors are a little weak, and they are of questionable quality to most others listed, but they are super bright, and I don't feel bad about them failing/falling getting lost, etc.

Also really good for hiking/hunting,........spelunking?
+1
If mine had been $45 or more I wouldn't have bought. Purely a price play and I have a few other lights.

[MattTuck]

Perhaps this deserves its own thread, but here's a question for those of you who use lights.

Over crappy and/or dirt roads, what speed could you ride and still feel safe? I am mostly concerned about descending hills (which can be long and steep around here), and that is the main reason I haven't bought a light yet.

Any lessons about this kind of thing?

[jghall]

[QUOTE=Keith A;1819025]Thanks for the heads up. Is anyone using (or have used) this light?

Keith,
I've used the Taz. Very nice light. Very good beam pattern. +/- 90 minutes on full. A tad bulky. So-so mount. The mount works great on my L&M Urban, though the Taz is an extra 100g or so.

The other nice light CC has on sale now, is the Lezyne Deca. It's probably a toss up which I prefer more.

I'd not hesitate recommending either at $100 or less.

[ofcounsel]

Perhaps this deserves its own thread, but here's a question for those of you who use lights.

Over crappy and/or dirt roads, what speed could you ride and still feel safe? I am mostly concerned about descending hills (which can be long and steep around here), and that is the main reason I haven't bought a light yet.

Any lessons about this kind of thing?

I tend to ride MTB at least one night per week (not so much this month due to lots of work). Looking at my Strava data, I tend to reach about 28-35mph on the longer downhills with small jumps/ruts/sand. That's about as fast as I want to go, but that's only a few MPH off the speed I'd take the same areas in the day. Lights are so good now that you can pretty much ride at without much fear. I generally use a NiteRider Lumina 750 on my bars and a NiteRider Lumina 350 on my helmet.

I also have a Serfas True 1500, but rarely use it because it's overkill and my friends get really annoyed when I point it at them :)

[MattTuck]

I tend to ride MTB at least one night per week (not so much this month due to lots of work). Looking at my Strava data, I tend to reach about 28-35mph on the longer downhills with small jumps/ruts/sand. That's about as fast as I want to go, but that's only a few MPH off the speed I'd take the same areas in the day. Lights are so good now that you can pretty much ride at without much fear. I generally use a NiteRider Lumina 750 on my bars and a NiteRider Lumina 350 on my helmet.

I also have a Serfas True 1500, but rarely use it because it's overkill and my friends get really annoyed when I point it at them :)

Much appreciated. That sounds pretty reasonable. I was afraid I would be dragging my brakes on descents, trying to stay below 20mph.

Thanks.

[gdw]

You definitely need two lights, one on the handlebar and the other on your helmet, if you want to push the pace at night.

[Keith A]

jghall -- Thanks for your input.

[ofcounsel]

Much appreciated. That sounds pretty reasonable. I was afraid I would be dragging my brakes on descents, trying to stay below 20mph.

Thanks.

Not at all! Just try toget a minimum of 700 lumens on your handlebar, and at least 300 lumens on your head. You'll be fine.

[93legendti]

I am tempted to try this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PWSEJ1G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A15MD58ELY2BCA

[ofcounsel]

For those who might be interested, MTBR does a pretty good job of comparing various lights: http://reviews.mtbr.com/2015-lights-shootout

[Keith A]

For those who might be interested, MTBR does a pretty good job of comparing various lights: http://reviews.mtbr.com/2015-lights-shootoutI had forgot about their review, and yes they've been doing a good job with this for several years.

[93legendti]

For those who might be interested, MTBR does a pretty good job of comparing various lights: http://reviews.mtbr.com/2015-lights-shootout

No Cygolites tested...:confused:

[ofcounsel]

No Cygolites tested...:confused:

A note on the 2014 MTBR light shoot out test stated: "Note: Cygolite refuses to participate in any independent testing of their lights so we are unable to review them."

http://reviews.mtbr.com/2014-mtbr-bike-lights-shootout

[93legendti]

Missed that. Thanks.

[93legendti]

I have two of these, $30 from merit line. One for helmet/ headband and one for handlebars. The connectors are a little weak, and they are of questionable quality to most others listed, but they are super bright, and I don't feel bad about them failing/falling getting lost, etc.

Also really good for hiking/hunting,........spelunking?

Fwiw, I just compared mine to my Cygolite 600 and Cygolite 800 and the cheapie is significantly brighter than the Cygolite 800, which is significantly brighter than the Cygolote 600. I don't know if it is 1200 lumens, but it is at least 1000 lumens (assuming the Cygolites are anywhere the stated power).

[weisan]

I understand the fascination with lumens, it's like talking about the caliber of a bullet or horsepower of a car...but how about some reports on real-life runtime for some of these lights. I got a third-party (read: china) superbright light from amazon a while back for pennies, I mean this sucker is so bright, I have to set to the lowest setting or else it will blind motorists or mistaken as a car on the road. But even with an upgraded battery pack, I was only able to get about 45 mins or so of real use out of it.

[ofcounsel]

I get about 1 1/2 hours on my NiteRider Lumina 750 and 350 while riding full blast. After that they drop to lower settings on their own. If I'm planning on riding any longer than 1 1/2 hours at night, I will swap to medium power on climbs and back to full power for downhills.

If I have now idea how long I'll be out, I take my Serfas True 1500. It can run at about 700 lumens for about 4-5 hours.

[93legendti]

I get about 1 1/2 hours on my NiteRider Lumina 750 and 350 while riding full blast. After that they drop to lower settings on their own. If I'm planning on riding any longer than 1 1/2 hours at night, I will swap to medium power on climbs and back to full power for downhills.

If I have now idea how long I'll be out, I take my Serfas True 1500. It can run at about 700 lumens for about 4-5 hours.

I get about the same 90 minutes on high settings for Cygolites. Can't recall the cheapo's run time, I haven't used it in a while, but if I had to guess at least 90 minutes.

[wasfast]

One side comment around the "lumen fascination". The lens and thus the resulting pattern is at least as important as overall light output. Lots of light spread out over a big area may not be good enough.

Road and MTB have different requirements for seeing. Road benefits from specific lensing, especially reducing the upper side since it's nearly useless with the flat angle of a bar mounted light. It's also can be a visual impairment to the rider.

Researching a light these days is rather daunting and there are lots of good options. The whole Magishine thing pushed the price point down to nearly disposable. My own preference is still the high priced Exposure line. I have a MaxxD from at least 7 years ago that is near bullet proof. One of the selling points in general with Exposure is the lack of separate battery packs. Very helpful.

[93legendti]

Valid points. I just took a look at Exposure lights, the Maxxd looks awesome, but that's more than I want to spend on a light. Otoh, the Diablo Mk6 is very tempting.

[Davist]

I bought a light off of Amazon for $20, it's now down to $10 (!), be sure to add the beam spreader lens (another $5), not sure if it's 1200 lumens or not, but plenty brighter than just about anyone else I ride with, separate battery pack, though. Lasts about 4 hours on high as shown.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KUXRAW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

[54ny77]

10 bucks?

wow.

that looks like (or is?) the magicshine light, albeit not branded.

what does that "beam spreader" lens do?

[Tin Turtle]

I have ran a Lumina 750 since 2012 and it is still going strong. Nice and bright. Bright enough to get pedestrians to jump out of the bike lane in Beijing.

[Davist]

10 bucks?

wow.

that looks like (or is?) the magicshine light, albeit not branded.

what does that "beam spreader" lens do?

The beam spreader turns a "cone" shaped beam from the LED to a "bar" shaped beam that is more useful for you. Old car lights had something similar, looked like corduroy on the old sealed beams. The pix here explain better than I can (this is a 2 pack for 8 bucks though!)

http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Eyes-2-Pack-DIFFUSER-LENS/dp/B00RKP6GZG/ref=pd_sim_468_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YB1KSJP28J0E493Z4QF&dpSrc=sims&dpST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_

[jghall]

Valid points. I just took a look at Exposure lights, the Maxxd looks awesome, but that's more than I want to spend on a light. Otoh, the Diablo Mk6 is very tempting.

The Diablo is a great light. A tad pricey, but great build quality, good beam pattern, etc. Has a great helmet mount. Downside, maybe 60 minutes cycle time on high.

As others have mentioned, a light choice is somewhat conditioned on riding desires/intent.

[tuxbailey]

10 bucks?

wow.

that looks like (or is?) the magicshine light, albeit not branded.

what does that "beam spreader" lens do?

It does looks like the Magicshine. These are getting cheaper and cheaper. I am going to get it just for the spare battery alone.

Edit: Maybe not. http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/exploding-battery-pack-cree-xm-lt6-led-bicycle-light-837382-post10132836.html

I think I will stayed with the Magicshine one since the battery was replaced by the vendor to a better quality one.

[93legendti]

The Diablo is a great light. A tad pricey, but great build quality, good beam pattern, etc. Has a great helmet mount. Downside, maybe 60 minutes cycle time on high.

As others have mentioned, a light choice is somewhat conditioned on riding desires/intent.

Well, it looks to be about the same price as the Cygolite Trion1300, except lighter and doubles as a flashlight. I don't need 1300 lumens-car headlights are about 800 lumens, but I thought I read the 2nd highest setting was ~900 lumens for 3-4 hours, which would be great.

[54ny77]

I remember when the magicshine battery issue cropped up, it was circa '09 or '10, and I contacted the seller "Geoman" who was selling the magicshine lights at the time. I bought a replacement battery because I was concerned about it.

Maybe that $10 light contains the gazillions of battery/charger packs that were rejected for QC issues?

Last thing I want to worry about is a battery pack that could catch fire while charging. :crap:

It does looks like the Magicshine. These are getting cheaper and cheaper. I am going to get it just for the spare battery alone.

Edit: Maybe not. http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/exploding-battery-pack-cree-xm-lt6-led-bicycle-light-837382-post10132836.html

I think I will stayed with the Magicshine one since the battery was replaced by the vendor to a better quality one.

[93legendti]

I just charged mine 2 days ago...yikes.

[jghall]

Don't get me wrong Adam, I absolutely love my Diablo. Great all purpose light. Probably my favorite out of the 4 or 5 various lights I own.

Mine's a mk5, so can't speak to the newer version, but Depending on the setting, I get somewhere between 2 to maybe 3 hours at reduced lumens. The chart says 770 for 2 hours, 540 for 3.

Which is probably a little embellished, since I'm not sure they truly hit their specs in the first place. Light & Motion and Lezyne are a little better in this regard.

Believe most halogen car lights are around 1400 lumens. With hid stuff being closer to 3000.

[jemoryl]

I remember when the magicshine battery issue cropped up, it was circa '09 or '10, and I contacted the seller "Geoman" who was selling the magicshine lights at the time. I bought a replacement battery because I was concerned about it.

Maybe that $10 light contains the gazillions of battery/charger packs that were rejected for QC issues?

Last thing I want to worry about is a battery pack that could catch fire while charging. :crap:

I own a Magicshine from the era of the battery replacement issue and a cheapo $20 knock off (looks like the $10 Amazon above). They are not identical, with the Magicshine being a bit better in the reflector department (you can take the 'orange peel' reflector out of the Magicshine and put it in the cheapo one for an improvement in the pattern).

The battery pack on the cheap lights is definitely less well done than the Magicshine (MS). I have the replacement battery pack provided by Geoman (the recall eventually put him out of business) and it is a solid unit. These packs have four 1.2V batteries and a circuit that manages the charging. The problem with the original MS pack was that they used 'generic' Chinese batteries and some of them were not well matched because of inconsistent QC. This is a situation that can lead to some sort of runaway problem when charging. The replacement uses 4 Panasonic cells, which along with Samsung, were considered the best quality at that time (don't know about now). If you look at the current MS site, some of their better lights claim the pack uses Samsung cells.

BTW, I get at least 2 hours on my MS on high with the 'good' battery pack.

[93legendti]

Don't get me wrong Adam, I absolutely love my Diablo. Great all purpose light. Probably my favorite out of the 4 or 5 various lights I own.

Mine's a mk5, so can't speak to the newer version, but Depending on the setting, I get somewhere between 2 to maybe 3 hours at reduced lumens. The chart says 770 for 2 hours, 540 for 3.

Which is probably a little embellished, since I'm not sure they truly hit their specs in the first place. Light & Motion and Lezyne are a little better in this regard.

Believe most halogen car lights are around 1400 lumens. With hid stuff being closer to 3000.

Ok, I thought I read cars were 800. 1400 seems more likely. If I could get 770 for 2 hrs or 540 for 3 hrs, I'd be happy...

[93legendti]

Ok, well I found. A Diablo Mk6 from Amazon Warehouse (Prime) $203.96 shipped.

Anyone need a new in box Niterider Lumina 700? :D

[Davist]

It does looks like the Magicshine. These are getting cheaper and cheaper. I am going to get it just for the spare battery alone.

Edit: Maybe not. http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/exploding-battery-pack-cree-xm-lt6-led-bicycle-light-837382-post10132836.html

I think I will stayed with the Magicshine one since the battery was replaced by the vendor to a better quality one.

I've been using it off and on for about a year now, no issues, doesn't get hot while charging or discharging, no "memory" issues with the battery.

[tuxbailey]

I own a Magicshine from the era of the battery replacement issue and a cheapo $20 knock off (looks like the $10 Amazon above). They are not identical, with the Magicshine being a bit better in the reflector department (you can take the 'orange peel' reflector out of the Magicshine and put it in the cheapo one for an improvement in the pattern).

The battery pack on the cheap lights is definitely less well done than the Magicshine (MS). I have the replacement battery pack provided by Geoman (the recall eventually put him out of business) and it is a solid unit. These packs have four 1.2V batteries and a circuit that manages the charging. The problem with the original MS pack was that they used 'generic' Chinese batteries and some of them were not well matched because of inconsistent QC. This is a situation that can lead to some sort of runaway problem when charging. The replacement uses 4 Panasonic cells, which along with Samsung, were considered the best quality at that time (don't know about now). If you look at the current MS site, some of their better lights claim the pack uses Samsung cells.

BTW, I get at least 2 hours on my MS on high with the 'good' battery pack.


Yeah I have the same replacement pack from Geoman. It is a good unit that use when I commute. Good to know that there are quality cells inside.

[na3s]

Love my magicshine

[93legendti]

Don't get me wrong Adam, I absolutely love my Diablo. Great all purpose light. Probably my favorite out of the 4 or 5 various lights I own.

Mine's a mk5, so can't speak to the newer version, but Depending on the setting, I get somewhere between 2 to maybe 3 hours at reduced lumens. The chart says 770 for 2 hours, 540 for 3.

Which is probably a little embellished, since I'm not sure they truly hit their specs in the first place. Light & Motion and Lezyne are a little better in this regard.

Believe most halogen car lights are around 1400 lumens. With hid stuff being closer to 3000.

So mine just came. Been charging with the included charger for at least 4 hours and the green led on the light is still flashing.

How long does yours take to charge?

The beam pattern is stunning - the entire circle/spot seems to be the same brightness and it is wide. The Cygolites and niteriders I have seem to have a bright inner spot and then the outer ring is less bright and diffused.

Edit- 2 minutes after posting the light turned solid green on the light. Charged.

[54ny77]

mine arrived, it's compact, light, and boy that thing is bright on high setting.

i like the "soft" blinker feature for areas where a fast/insanely bright blinker is too much. it has two blinker settings: 1) bright and harsh/fast, and 2) softer brightness, slower flash.

hopefully this unit is durable and long lasting. the portability and good brightness is what sold me on it.

Thanks for the heads up. Is anyone using (or have used) this light?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/light-motion-taz-800-lgiht?ti=UExQIENhdDpMaWdodHM6MToxOmNjQ2F0MTAwMDQ2&skidn=LTM0083-ONECOL-ONESIZ

BTW, Amazon has it for the same price...
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Taz-Lumens-Bike/dp/B008KKNNBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441366645&sr=8-3&keywords=taz+light

[Anarchist]

I have a pretty complete set of Gemini lights that are very bright and actually throw a useful beam pattern.

Having said that I have finally decided to go one step further and ordered a Shimano Dynamo hub and a B&M headlight.

Will be interesting to see how that stacks up.

[Keith A]

mine arrived, it's compact, light, and boy that thing is bright on high setting.

i like the "soft" blinker feature for areas where a fast/insanely bright blinker is too much. it has two blinker settings: 1) bright and harsh/fast, and 2) softer brightness, slower flash.

hopefully this unit is durable and long lasting. the portability and good brightness is what sold me on it.Thanks for the input...I may have to give this a try too. I like Lights & Motion products and am currently using a L&M Urban 500, but I wouldn't mind having a little more light for our evening rides during the winter months.

[54ny77]

i'll try & get a pic of how it lights up at night to show how bright it is.

by the way the competitive cyclist and amazon ads are the same. amazon is selling through backcountry (or perhaps that's vice versa).

[cv1966]

I have had a couple L&M lights including Stella 300. Great quality and still work well after several years. I have been using a NiteRider Lumina 750 for about 6 months and am pretty satisfied with it. The first one I got had a bad charger connection and the company replaced it with no issues. The handlebar mount is fine for road riding but I don't think it would hold up for MTB use. Battery life is close to what is advertised.

[jghall]

Thanks for the input...I may have to give this a try too. I like Lights & Motion products and am currently using a L&M Urban 500, but I wouldn't mind having a little more light for our evening rides during the winter months.

Easy for me to say, but just go for it Keith. The Taz 800 will be a good improvement over your Urban. I also have a Urban 700 and I think the beam pattern is much better on the Taz models. You'll pay $100 for a 700/800 now, so the T800 isn't much of a stretch.

[93legendti]

The difference between a 500 and 800 lumen light is noticeable. In addition, a 800 lumen light's 2nd highest setting will likely be close to the high setting on a 500 lumen light, but will have more run time.

[unterhausen]

I probably posted on this thread before, but putting dynolights on my bikes has revolutionized my riding. I can ride any time as far as I want and not worry about it. I'm really bad about batteries, I probably need to charge my backup battery lights right now. I just got a through axle dynohub for off road.

[Drmojo]

Valid points. I just took a look at Exposure lights, the Maxxd looks awesome, but that's more than I want to spend on a light. Otoh, the Diablo Mk6 is very tempting.

all you need
long life
Super bright at high
6 hours at medium--6-7 hous run time

[93legendti]

all you need
long life
Super bright at high
6 hours at medium--6-7 hous run time

That's why I bought one! $204 shipped

[jghall]

all you need
long life
Super bright at high
6 hours at medium--6-7 hous run time

All in a very slim package to boot. One of the few that can pump out that lumens and serve as both a handlebar and helmet light.

[ptourkin]

I have had a couple L&M lights including Stella 300. Great quality and still work well after several years. I have been using a NiteRider Lumina 750 for about 6 months and am pretty satisfied with it. The first one I got had a bad charger connection and the company replaced it with no issues. The handlebar mount is fine for road riding but I don't think it would hold up for MTB use. Battery life is close to what is advertised.

This seems to be a common issue. In San Diego, it's a trope with commuters that NiteRider is local and "they totally stand behind their products" but when I ask if they know anyone who didn't have the charger connection go bad eventually, they are silent. For battery powered lights, L&M has worked out very well for me.

[oldpotatoe]

This seems to be a common issue. In San Diego, it's a trope with commuters that NiteRider is local and "they totally stand behind their products" but when I ask if they know anyone who didn't have the charger connection go bad eventually, they are silent. For battery powered lights, L&M has worked out very well for me.

Got totally burned by NiteRider...olden days, external battery..thing stopped charging..said to send it all in, which I did, in original box..they said the light was missing(?)..accused me of not including it in the box..refused warranty..no mas NR...

[54ny77]

Keith, here's an update on this light. Pro's: brightness is awesome, even at medium power. At max, it's bright, as in really bright. The brighter flasher setting (of which there are two) is also very bright, I think that's done at the high intensity. Cars coming opposite direction on near blind corners see the light coming and slow down big time, which for me is great since I ride mostly on quiet wooded areas in early mornings. Drivers probably think it's some sort of first responder or municipal vehicle coming other direction. Power button easy to use, overall size is great as is ease of portability.

Cons: the mounting mechanism sucks. After riding over bumpy patches of road it tilts down, requiring constant adjustment. My solution was to put a small piece of velcro on both the bar and the underside of the mount. That seems to have done the trick. When taking the light off, the velco sticks so much that it pulls the rubber grommet off of the light mount itself, but after peeling that off the handlebar velcro piece it's easy to pop back in the light mount (nothing breaks, it just pops out of the grooves/channel).

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/DSCN5166_zpslgzkrpai.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/Bike/DSCN5166_zpslgzkrpai.jpg.html)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/IMG_20150919_175518_583_zpskrs8d9jo.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/IMG_20150919_175518_583_zpskrs8d9jo.jpg.html)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/IMG_20150919_175526_687_zpsu77extsf.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/IMG_20150919_175526_687_zpsu77extsf.jpg.html)

Thanks for the input...I may have to give this a try too. I like Lights & Motion products and am currently using a L&M Urban 500, but I wouldn't mind having a little more light for our evening rides during the winter months.

[AngryScientist]

that's interesting about the mount for your light. i just got an urban 600, which i started a thread about, and have been commuting using it for about a week now. no issues with the mount at all. the roads i have to ride to get to the train station are terrible too, lots of uneven bumpy stuff. maybe my light weighs less than yours though, so that could be a factor in slippage...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIjpgZbMO_w/Vgk794suYXI/AAAAAAAACNo/aZ66uFsBST4/s740/IMG_0041.JPG

[54ny77]

angry, our respective l&m mounts look sorta similar but for one key distinction: my clamp has an up & over approach in the plastic "buckle" for the strap, which is a not great design, given the "up & over" part comes too close to the light unit itself. that can create an uneven tension on the band, hence the slippage. it's kind of like a helmet buckle. on the 1st photo showing the clamp, look at the buckle at around the 2 o'clock position--you'll see the opening.

[Keith A]

54ny77 -- Thanks for the continued update. BTW, you might consider mounting this underneath your bars instead. This might prevent this from rotating -- but your solution looks great.

I ended up purchasing a NiteRider Lumina 700 from Performance for only $70. This was a special purchase, plus 20% and free shipping. I'll let you know what I think of this light once I get it. I already have a L&M Urban 500 and it's a great little light, but I wanted a little more lumens for our weekly night ride that will start once DST is over.

[54ny77]

Good idea, I'll try the underneath mounting, but as I mentioned to Angry guy, the strap set this light has doesn't lend itself to ease of install and creates uneven tension (which ultimately makes things move around). It takes some finessing if you want to have even tension on the band, but nonetheless if going through bumpy patched roads (which are very prevalent here in northeast), the light is still going to move. Maybe if mounted underneath it'll move less. Will try this weekend.

54ny77 -- Thanks for the continued update. BTW, you might consider mounting this underneath your bars instead. This might prevent this from rotating -- but your solution looks great.

I ended up purchasing a NiteRider Lumina 700 from Performance for only $70. This was a special purchase, plus 20% and free shipping. I'll let you know what I think of this light once I get it. I already have a L&M Urban 500 and it's a great little light, but I wanted a little more lumens for our weekly night ride that will start once DST is over.

[54ny77]

Davist, I got this light in the mail the other day and it really looks just like the Magicshine. Just as bright--insanely bright. It shoots a beam that fully illuminates the field a good 225'+ away (I measured from my house to a street corner). I bought that spreader lens too, so the whole setup was like $15 or so.

Am spooked about the battery situation though. The opposite ends of the plastic shrink wrap (which contains the battery pack) is a thin piece of paper. For some reason I think I'm gambling that these are the reject magicshine battery packs that can self-implode at recharge. Maybe that's unfounded.

I bought a light off of Amazon for $20, it's now down to $10 (!), be sure to add the beam spreader lens (another $5), not sure if it's 1200 lumens or not, but plenty brighter than just about anyone else I ride with, separate battery pack, though. Lasts about 4 hours on high as shown.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KUXRAW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

[AngryScientist]

i see what you mean there 54.

another solution to round-ish lights is the "twofish" mount. these work pretty good, by pal has one that he mounts some flashlight thingy to. i bet you could remove that craptastic mount entirely and use this if it came to it.

http://www.dealextreme.com/productimages/sku_31871_1.jpg

[ergott]

Late to the thread, I have to add.

If you haven't looked into one of the dyno options out there you should. I recently switched from the L&M Taz1200 to a dyno hub (Son28) and Luxos U.

The quality of light is a million times better than the typically spot focus beams on battery lights. They point a ton of light right in front of you instead of spreading all that power across your view.

I was blown away at how much better it is.

[Anarchist]

Got totally burned by NiteRider...olden days, external battery..thing stopped charging..said to send it all in, which I did, in original box..they said the light was missing(?)..accused me of not including it in the box..refused warranty..no mas NR...

Stupid thing to do to a shop owner who could have been a missionary for them.

[54ny77]

Besides cable clutter, you're looking at cost of dyno hub, wheel rebuild (assuming not a new wheel), then a dyno-specific light fixture, right? Round trip that's what, $500 +/-?

No thanks. Especially if portability of light is a requirement.

Late to the thread, I have to add.

If you haven't looked into one of the dyno options out there you should. I recently switched from the L&M Taz1200 to a dyno hub (Son28) and Luxos U.

The quality of light is a million times better than the typically spot focus beams on battery lights. They point a ton of light right in front of you instead of spreading all that power across your view.

I was blown away at how much better it is.

[ergott]

I did say look into, not you must have. There are obvious considerations with any light choice.

[AngryScientist]

if i had safe, secure parking for my commuter bike, i would like to give dyno a try, but i lock a beater bike to a bike rack for 10 hours a day, so the light needs to come off and go in my bag daily, or it wont be there when i get back.

[ergott]

Shimano dynamo is pretty inexpensive. People that lock up bike typically use a bolt on front skewer (hex head, not actual bolt). It's easy enough to have a quick connect for the light if you really wanted it off the bike with you.

Just shooting some ideas out there that could help some of you considering lights in general.

My situation allows for a dyno setup and I wouldn't go back to battery for any reason.

[guido]

I'm a big fan of dyno lights. They do not need to be expensive... The Shutter Precision Dyno is a great unit for $110 that works great and and is very low drag. The B&M Lumotec Eyc is a great light for $72. The Secula tail light is $28.00

[AngryScientist]

i'm going to look into the shimano system eric, thanks for pointing that out. i ride to the train station in the dark every morning, so reliable "no brainer" light is attractive.

[ergott]

Check EU sites for the usual reasons.

[jghall]

Having both, I find the weight of the Taz has some bearing on the not as secure mount vs. the Urban.

[93legendti]

i see what you mean there 54.

another solution to round-ish lights is the "twofish" mount. these work pretty good, by pal has one that he mounts some flashlight thingy to. i bet you could remove that craptastic mount entirely and use this if it came to it.

http://www.dealextreme.com/productimages/sku_31871_1.jpg

I have one of these. They work very well.

[Michon]

Nite Rider - some cool new stuff (lane marking rear lights etc) too!

[Anarchist]

I recently went the Dynamo route.

B&M Cyo Premium and Shimano Dhn80 (?) from France. About $150.

The light is amazing and having it all the time is wonderful.

I still have a battery powered taillight and may yet go to a dynamo rear light but for now, this works.