Commuting - Dinotte on sale at Nashbar!!!

I use a generator hub but for those who need a light:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=18230&storetype=estore&estoreid=1017&pagename=Estore%3A%20Summer%20Light%20%20And%20Electronic%20Sale

A $60.00 cree will do the same and you can use it for other stuff.

Bear in mind that these are the older models, which is just fine if that's what you want. For the 200L, see Geoman Gear (http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4) where they have the new 200L on sale for $150.

A $60.00 cree will do the same and you can use it for other stuff.

I need to see some comparison pix of these setups. People talk about it and I'm sure it's great, but light mfr's talk about lens and reflector design like they result in more efficient light. I assume they're correct, esp. in the case of like dynohub schmidts light that seem to do quite well w/ 3 or 6W (people say). But maybe the flashlights have the raw power to overwhelm the need for any 'efficiencies'.

I don't have pix but from using my dinotte side by side with my cheap cree flashlight ($25.00), the cree light is significantly brighter. If I had to do it over again, I'd buy that Fenix flashlight and a handlebar mount for a lot less than the $150.00 the dinotte went for. A nice benefit of going the flashlight route is that the whole unit is self-contained. I hate having to deal with strapping that cheesy battery pack to the bike.

Bear in mind that these are the older models, which is just fine if that's what you want. For the 200L, see Geoman Gear (http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4) where they have the new 200L on sale for $150.

Yep and the 200L is selling like hot cakes! This is a great light.

Well What do I know anyway:o, I use a hub generator and LED light! Sorry for the false alarm!

The Mag-Lite 3-watt LED flashlight has an adjustable focus head, provides the same amount of light, provides 2.5 hours of bright light with just 2 AA batteries, and is on clearance sale for $19 IF your local Wal-mart has not sold out of them. Mounting is very easy using EMT conduit hangers.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r154/n4zou/swingpipe.jpg

Wowza. What is that mounted sideways in the front that we can't see?

Wowza. What is that mounted sideways in the front that we can't see?
It's a Red, White, and Blue Police bicycle Blinkie. I am a Trail Watch volunteer. The Sheriff gave every volunteer one to mount on there bicycle.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r154/n4zou/extramount.jpg

I don't have pix but from using my dinotte side by side with my cheap cree flashlight ($25.00), the cree light is significantly brighter. If I had to do it over again, I'd buy that Fenix flashlight and a handlebar mount for a lot less than the $150.00 the dinotte went for. A nice benefit of going the flashlight route is that the whole unit is self-contained. I hate having to deal with strapping that cheesy battery pack to the bike.

I've had both the older 3w Dinotte and now the 2AA Cree light. the Dinnotte i think has a slighty wider beam. the cree is very much a spot.

my experience with LED has convinced me Halogen is the way to go for a bright commuter light. neither the Dinotte or the Cree can "hold a candle" for useable light output compared to a home-brew 20W halogen.

side by side with my 12 watt halogen, the Cree looks brighter. On the road, in the dark, the halogen does better.

the LED light seems to get washed out easily, less "eye-friendly", if that makes sense, then the halogen. I find that i get blinded by oncoming traffic much worse with led than halogen.

drawback with halogen is cost, weight, complexity... ah well :rolleyes:

drawback with halogen is cost, weight, complexity... ah well :rolleyes:

I've been trying to rationalize ditching my not-dead-yet-just-annoyingly-fritzy 15W halo rig, but the coolio alternatives just don't seem to be there (budget-wise anyway). I've even looked into home-brew LED, the parts still run the same as new halo rig if not more, even before testing my to-be-developed (let's say) EE skills. Same w/ 2 fancy new CREE LED flashlights actually, and then I need to deal w/ mounting them.

I've had both the older 3w Dinotte and now the 2AA Cree light. the Dinnotte i think has a slighty wider beam. the cree is very much a spot.

my experience with LED has convinced me Halogen is the way to go for a bright commuter light. neither the Dinotte or the Cree can "hold a candle" for useable light output compared to a home-brew 20W halogen.

side by side with my 12 watt halogen, the Cree looks brighter. On the road, in the dark, the halogen does better.

the LED light seems to get washed out easily, less "eye-friendly", if that makes sense, then the halogen. I find that i get blinded by oncoming traffic much worse with led than halogen.

drawback with halogen is cost, weight, complexity... ah well :rolleyes:

I agree that neither compare very well to a good halogen setup. I used to ride with an older Nightrider setup and before that a Nightsun and the lights on those old lights seemed more usable to me than my current LED lights. Luckily my commute does not involve a lot of traffic or else I would go back to a halogen light. I like the flashlight solution for the simplicity and cost but I wouldn't use them for my primary lights on trails or anywhere where I needed serious flood.

I'm considering biting the bullet on a Jet Light Starfire system. Simple (not as simple as a flashlight...) and one of the only lights to have a 5 star rating with lots of reviews on mtbr.com.

the Cree light works great on completely dark roads, weighs nothing, takes aa's (big + in my book), cheap, etc but throw in street lights & car headlights and i'm not liking it.

Dissapointed in my LED experience :(

I've been trying to rationalize ditching my not-dead-yet-just-annoyingly-fritzy 15W halo rig, but the coolio alternatives just don't seem to be there (budget-wise anyway). I've even looked into home-brew LED, the parts still run the same as new halo rig if not more, even before testing my to-be-developed (let's say) EE skills. Same w/ 2 fancy new CREE LED flashlights actually, and then I need to deal w/ mounting them.

if you wanna try a cree light, i got mine direct from Fenix + a $7 Twofish block (https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_66&products_id=273&osCsid=66ad36915ebda286106086a07d548b25) for a reasonable price, and the mounting is awesome.

Acroy: Do you have a picture of your "twofish block"? Where do you mount it?

Acroy: Do you have a picture of your "twofish block"? Where do you mount it?

here ya be.
Yeah I know the stem us upside down - i need the negative rise :)
the mount works awesome.
that is an Ascent wireless computer next to it, no big interference issue except occasionally it says I'm doing 78mph!

here ya be.
Yeah I know the stem us upside down - i need the negative rise :)
the mount works awesome.
that is an Ascent wireless computer next to it, no big interference issue except occasionally it says I'm doing 78mph!

Is that the L2D-CE light?

B/c that's the one I'm getting. I was gonna get a Planet Bike Blaze, but I decided that it's not worth the cost considering the (lack of) brightness. Then I was considering an LED mini-mag, but that wouldn't make me happy either. And I'd love the new Surefire G2 LED, but it uses C123 batteries. I will be getting a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger, but I can't afford C123 disposables to use until then.
Basically AA is what I need. And I think the Fenix is perfect.

batteryspace.com has c123 rechargeables. I have heard a generalized 'c123 rechargeables are crap' sentiment, but haven't seen that quantified yet.

Is that the L2D-CE light?


Yep - i got it to use the AA's as well. i have 4: 2 in the light and 2 trickle-charging. i change em out every couple days.

light works great. but it is an led, and not as easy on the eyes as halogen. Great for being seen, not so great for seeing.

cheers