frooont lights.
Thread started by
tinycities at 07.5.09 - 10:16 am
recommend me some front lights please?
i realized more and more that regardless of price, some might be expensive but still suck.. so im trying to figure out whats a good light without buying like 3 or 4 of them.
ive also realized i go mad slow/scared if i cant see anything.
anyway storytime over, what are lights people recommend? hopefully under 75. i'm willing to go that high for a light that i can actually see the street with, and hopefully not just "fuzzy" see. please? recommendations!
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If you can spend a little more, go with Dinotte rechargeables: $100 shipped and you'll need rechargeable batteries.
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=637279689&Count2=554420113
barleye07.5.09 - 10:35 am
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I liked the
Cat Eye I got from 020 for $50. It wasn't as bright as a NiteRider, but it definitely lit up the road.
The only problem is it broke within a month. I'm not sure if it was from crashing or just plain sucking, since I haven't really followed up on it.
danya07.5.09 - 10:37 am
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I second Brads recommendation. I've got the Dinotte 200L and its a great to see/be seen light. I should have let you seen it yesterday at the firewerkxx ride but just start asking people during the night rides and if you see something bright that grabs your attention go and ask them and you can actually see how bright it is cause it's right in front of you.
For under $100... the dinotte is perfect.
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=922924220&Count2=840064644
You can but just the light engine alone. You can buy the battery holder Radio Shack. I chose the AA version cause the batteries are everywhere and with the lith ion version... it does run longer but if dies on you... then that's it. Can't go to 7-11 and pick up a replacement. Good luck!! Oh and the strobe function will definitely get ppls attention!!
digablesoul07.5.09 - 10:57 am
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Brad/Al is there anyplace to get those lights where you dont have to order them? id rather get something sooner rather than later. but it looks good. it one ups the niterider for me because of the multiple modes
tinycities07.5.09 - 11:29 am
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does the dinotti require you to mount the batteries separately on the bike?
kurtz07.5.09 - 11:42 am
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@Kurtz.... the pic attached shows the setup on how the battery is attached. It's nice and compact.
@Sheli...
REI has it on their website... but it's a lot more and you don't have the option to take out the battery/charger to make it cheaper.
http://www.rei.com/product/761862
Nashbar is having a sale right now where it's regularly $149 but use the JULY4 promo code to get an additional 20% off which would put you at $119.00. Don't know shipping. Just realized shipping and tax kills it.
Subtotal: $149.95
Shipping: $10.99
Discounts: -$29.99
Tax: $12.77
TOTAL: $143.72
I bought mine at WesternBikeWorks @ $149.00 with everything (no tax/free ship). They're in OR and ship same day if you put it in early. Should take two days. But if I had to go back... I would've done what Brad did and save the $50 with the light alone. You can get a decent charger battery set from Fry's for under 20. Battery holder is like .99 and the bag to hold it in i used a mp3 player case/strap thing that are suppose to go around your arm to hold the battery.
digablesoul responding to a
comment by tinycities
07.5.09 - 12:47 pm
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Danya, Tinycities, everybody......
May I suggest Cateye, if for no other reason they have the most liberal warranty return policy. Just send your broken light back to cateye and they will send you a new one. I have two Hl-el530's that I have broke numerous times. I sent it to them with a note and my return address, within ten days I got a brand new light.
Planet bike has the same policy, but you have to get a return number from them by calling first and then sending it in. Cateye has been much easier to deal with.
The el530 has been acceptable for a light, nothing spectacular.
send light back to
CatEye
2300 Central Ave. Unit L
Boulder, Colorado, 80301
Attn; Warrany
sexy responding to a
comment by danya
07.5.09 - 1:50 pm
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cheaper but definitly not as bright. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3044.html
larsenf07.5.09 - 1:54 pm
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The strobe function on that is SICK!! There's no way ppl can't see you at night or day with the strobe. Chynna has that light i think..
digablesoul responding to a
comment by larsenf
07.5.09 - 2:29 pm
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I got the planet bike light and it would be barely enough to see the road in a dark setting. Anything more, you might as well just set it to strobe. I use it mostly for being seen. Cause the strobe is pretty nice.
I've been wanting to venture in to making my own, but I haven't really explored that venue yet. Supposedly you make a light that kicks ass on ANY light you've seen for about $50.
User1 responding to a
comment by digablesoul
07.5.09 - 5:06 pm
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I do have that light! It ROCKS! Super bright!
imachynna07.5.09 - 5:09 pm
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every light ive ever had except for knogs get lost or stolen! serious curse.
patrickviolence07.5.09 - 5:11 pm
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I'm relying on a Cateye Opticube 3 LED for just running around all over the place, but looking into a this Niterider Digital Trail-Rat for the darker areas of the desert.
Low beams and high beams for varying conditions, keep the small job on the bars for everyday use, pack the big-boy for when you know you'll be out longer than you think.
bentstrider07.5.09 - 8:10 pm
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thanks Sheli for posting this, i too relaized that my light (well we have the same one) sucks ass while on the road.. especially during the E.T. ride on the rive run.. ughh
Thegirlinglass07.5.09 - 8:12 pm
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the best small battery powered blinkie light is the planet bike superflash:
Here which you can get at almost any bike store or at the Bikerowave (if we have it in stock). It runs $35-$45. It's big and comes in black and white.
The second best is the
cateye 450 which you can get at Performance and REI
the best deal for nice battery lights is the Dinotte for
$95 (this is a special price I think its normally $109) and then getting AA rechargable batteries and a charger from somewhere like Frye's. This will be about 4 times as bright as the Planet Bike, kind of the difference from being able to just be seen to actually see the road.
They also have a version for $159 that has it's own lithium battery and charger that lasts longer than using the AAs.
Here. Don't buy the dinotte stuff at REI, it costs more.
There is also the Niterider Minewt USB that you can get for around $100 at most bike shops. It's about half as bright as the Dinotte but still really bright. And it can charge from a computers USB port or a usb cell phone charger, which is handy. lots of people have these.
all of these are easy to install, the dinotte in particular has a really cool mounting system that takes like 15 seconds to take on and off.
stevestevesteve07.6.09 - 10:26 am
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ended up ordering the Dinotte for AAs. i enjoy the no sales tax. anyway, well see what i think when it gets here on wed/thurs
tinycities07.6.09 - 11:13 pm
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