Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.ryanspeer
08-22-07, 11:22 AM
I've been doing a ton of research as to which headlight would be best for me - a part-time commuter who's going to be forced to commuting in the dark really soon thanks to the end of summer approaching.
What I was looking for in a headlight:
1) ILLUMINATION - 15W minimum
2) Battery Life - don't want to be recharging every night
3) Light weight - don't want to lug along even MORE weight when climbing the steep hills on the way back home
4) Price - limited budget
I was initially thinking I'd go with a couple of NiteRider Road Rats (one on the bike, the other on my helmet), but don't want to have to carry around twice the weight, the hassle of a battery in my jersey/jacket/messenger bag pocket, etc. That left me thinking I'd go with the NiteRider Classic for a solid 25W of power and an approx $150 price tag. The only downside to that was the battery life which was less than impressive for my needs. That started pointing me towards the CygoLite DualCross 200.
I'm a die-hard Performance customer, found the DualCross 200 on PricePoint for $130, and Performance matched the price. I just got the light on Monday and was able to take it for a short spin around my neighborhood around 11pm Monday night. My initial impression was that it was very noticeably brighter than the 15W NiteRider that I'd been borrowing from a friend of mine earlier in the year. The white LED light also made a noteworthy difference in the illumination (or at least, the perceived extra illumination) as well. I have yet to take it on an extended ride in the dark, although I hope to do so this week some time, but from my multiple spins around my dark neighborhood, the illumination was fantastic. FANTASTIC. Instead of being more of a narrow beam, it's significantly wider as well. That, and the extra illumination were the first two things that jumped out at me. The whole setup is very light weight, the handlebar clamp mounts securely, the straps for the battery appear to be good quality, etc. It'd be nice to have a remote on/off switch for the light, but that's by no means a deal-breaker. Turn the light on high and walk around the front of the bike, and it's an eye-burner! Seriously - it's BRIGHT.
If you're looking for a solid light with LOTS of illumination (the DualCross 200 is equivalent to 20W halogen), an affordable price tag, light weight, and LOTS of battery life (4 hours at max power, 9 hours at minimum), the DualCross 200 is definitely worth looking into.
What I was looking for in a headlight:
1) ILLUMINATION - 15W minimum
2) Battery Life - don't want to be recharging every night
3) Light weight - don't want to lug along even MORE weight when climbing the steep hills on the way back home
4) Price - limited budget
I was initially thinking I'd go with a couple of NiteRider Road Rats (one on the bike, the other on my helmet), but don't want to have to carry around twice the weight, the hassle of a battery in my jersey/jacket/messenger bag pocket, etc. That left me thinking I'd go with the NiteRider Classic for a solid 25W of power and an approx $150 price tag. The only downside to that was the battery life which was less than impressive for my needs. That started pointing me towards the CygoLite DualCross 200.
I'm a die-hard Performance customer, found the DualCross 200 on PricePoint for $130, and Performance matched the price. I just got the light on Monday and was able to take it for a short spin around my neighborhood around 11pm Monday night. My initial impression was that it was very noticeably brighter than the 15W NiteRider that I'd been borrowing from a friend of mine earlier in the year. The white LED light also made a noteworthy difference in the illumination (or at least, the perceived extra illumination) as well. I have yet to take it on an extended ride in the dark, although I hope to do so this week some time, but from my multiple spins around my dark neighborhood, the illumination was fantastic. FANTASTIC. Instead of being more of a narrow beam, it's significantly wider as well. That, and the extra illumination were the first two things that jumped out at me. The whole setup is very light weight, the handlebar clamp mounts securely, the straps for the battery appear to be good quality, etc. It'd be nice to have a remote on/off switch for the light, but that's by no means a deal-breaker. Turn the light on high and walk around the front of the bike, and it's an eye-burner! Seriously - it's BRIGHT.
If you're looking for a solid light with LOTS of illumination (the DualCross 200 is equivalent to 20W halogen), an affordable price tag, light weight, and LOTS of battery life (4 hours at max power, 9 hours at minimum), the DualCross 200 is definitely worth looking into.