Commuting - New HID Light option this year

MEC has a new HID light by planet bike. Battery and light contained in same unit so no wires. Battery life is much shorter than the big hid lights but probably long enopugh for most commutes.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442619783&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692895&bmUID=1155952374081

Yes, it would last for my commute, round trip but I would be draining the battery nearly flat before I got home. That is bad for battery life. Meaning I would need a second charger at work. While it looks nice I prefer an HID with a separate battery so I can carry a spare battery.

I saw that and it looks pretty sweet. However, keep in mind that it uses LiIon batteries, which perform VERY POORLY in the cold. In fact at about 5*F they shut down almost entirely. Many people who use LiIon packs have them on a flex cord and keep them under their jackets.
I went with NiMH for that reason; I am often riding at 0*F and colder.

Keep in mind that the HID bulb generates a LOT of heat and it's right in front of the battery.
I want one for each side of my bars. :)

Keep in mind that the HID bulb generates a LOT of heat and it's right in front of the battery.
I want one for each side of my bars. :)

Oh good point !
Battery wont get cold enough to degrade.
Ok i'll make a trip to mec tomorrow and check one out :D

Keep in mind that at 5-10 degrees F, the light itself probably isn't enough to keep the battery completely warm but it'll definitely keep it warm enough to gain some battey life (just don't store it outside off).
I know on my HID, I've ridden in pouring rain when it was 40 degrees F out and I've seen the rain evaporating off the lamp housing and boiling off the lens at stop lights.

That is sweet. I hate snaking the wire from my Light & Motion around my top tube every time I want to use it. I tend to switch bikes often (depending upon mood of the day) and moving that Solo around is annoying.

This thing I need. (ok, want).

It's nice and compact, which is great, but it's a bit pricey.

It's nice and compact, which is great, but it's a bit pricey.

Just make more money, what's the big deal? :p

I thought that Lithium Ion batteries had better cold performance than NiMH? As you can imagine, here in Minnesota, this is an important factor. I was looking pretty seriously at this light...

I think lithium ion can continue working down to about -5 to -10F before it dies.
Nicad, as heavy and toxic as they may be, can work well into the -30's.

Nonrechargeable lithium batteries however, can go even lower. I wouldn't worry about it. Like I said, odds are, they're using a glass reflector, which lets a lot of heat and light leak through the back, so there's always a heat source for the batteries while the unit's on.

BTW, 2-3 hours of battery life is just about what the L&M HID's get with the nimh battery so it's not so bad.

Just make more money, what's the big deal? :p


:beer: Just skip the rent or the electric bill a couple of times.


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No more mister nice guy, cagers......:rolleyes:...................

Trail-Tech 30W MR16 Eclipse HID with 11.1V Li-Ion Battery and Smart Charger ---The brightest HID Bike Light in the market

$299.95

Worlds first Self-Contained MR16 HID. The most light ever put on a Bike
30 W HID light equivalant to 100W halogen light. (1850 lumens brightness)
Water proof / lockable coil cord plug for solid connection

.

Just make more money, what's the big deal? :p
I'm saving up for an AccessPort and HID lights for my car. :p

No stupid, bike, THEN car.

No, stupid, car take bike on road trip to Whistler/Washington/Oregon, car need bright lights and increased horsepower/torque, bike NO NEED overpriced HID.

I have never heard good things about HID conversions for cars. I am of the opinion you might as well buy a car that has them, if you want them.

Of my last vehicles I had: HID, halogen, HID, HID. The Halogen car was just as good as the HIDs in practice. All 4 of those have had great lighting systems.

So he was right... Slap 'em on the bicycle :)

No, stupid, car take bike on road trip to Whistler/Washington/Oregon, car need bright lights and increased horsepower/torque, bike NO NEED overpriced HID.

You don't "NEED" a car. Start your rides at your house. :)

:roflmao:

No stupid, bike, THEN car.

Can I steal that and add it to my sig. ?

One must have their life priorities in the correct order. :)

Steal away brother, steal away.

So uh, does that mean that I'll have to pack my Li-Ion battery with a heating pad before I ride to work each morning? That's a bit of a nuisance.

Steal away brother, steal away.


:beer: