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.RainmanP
08-29-03, 06:36 AM
I, too, have seen the light, and it is GOOD!
When someone first reported on HID lights close to a year ago I knew that eventually I would have to get one. My 9 mile early morning commute is in the dark EVERY day of the year. I had tried a number of lights from Cateye Micro Halogen to Cateye 5-LED, a dynamo driven 4 watt light, and Vistalight systems with 5, 10 and 15 watt lamps. Only the 15 watt light came even close to adequate.
It has this long to convince myself that it is worthwhile to spend almost as much on a headlight as I have spent on some of my bikes. All I can say is I wish I had done it sooner! The NiteRider Torch HID lit up my commute so well I saw things I have NEVER seen. Some I wish I hadn't. A couple of potholes that before only seemed to be yawning pits revealed themselves to be yawning chasms (my other lights wouldn't reach the bottom). Yes, our streets dept leaves something to be desired, but the city has obviously decided not to squander valuable tax dollars on streets when there are more pressing needs. In their defense, we also have one of the worst public school systems in the nation.
But I digress. All the great things people have been saying about HID lights are true and then some. No more puny 1 meter by 2 meter patch of pale yellow light from a 15 watt halogen. This baby LIGHTS the road. It seems to me that even out to the sides the light is brighter and clearer than the beam of a 15W. I could see every pebble and tiny bump and had a smoother ride as a result. At one point when a slight turning of the bar brought some light onto a reflective street sign 25-30 meters ahead, the brightness of the reflection actually startled me momentarily!
These lights are pricey, but I already consider mine worth every penny. I feel much more confident on my dark ride on rough,trashy urbans streets that also have ongoing construction making every morning a new surprise.
FWIW,
Raymond
When someone first reported on HID lights close to a year ago I knew that eventually I would have to get one. My 9 mile early morning commute is in the dark EVERY day of the year. I had tried a number of lights from Cateye Micro Halogen to Cateye 5-LED, a dynamo driven 4 watt light, and Vistalight systems with 5, 10 and 15 watt lamps. Only the 15 watt light came even close to adequate.
It has this long to convince myself that it is worthwhile to spend almost as much on a headlight as I have spent on some of my bikes. All I can say is I wish I had done it sooner! The NiteRider Torch HID lit up my commute so well I saw things I have NEVER seen. Some I wish I hadn't. A couple of potholes that before only seemed to be yawning pits revealed themselves to be yawning chasms (my other lights wouldn't reach the bottom). Yes, our streets dept leaves something to be desired, but the city has obviously decided not to squander valuable tax dollars on streets when there are more pressing needs. In their defense, we also have one of the worst public school systems in the nation.
But I digress. All the great things people have been saying about HID lights are true and then some. No more puny 1 meter by 2 meter patch of pale yellow light from a 15 watt halogen. This baby LIGHTS the road. It seems to me that even out to the sides the light is brighter and clearer than the beam of a 15W. I could see every pebble and tiny bump and had a smoother ride as a result. At one point when a slight turning of the bar brought some light onto a reflective street sign 25-30 meters ahead, the brightness of the reflection actually startled me momentarily!
These lights are pricey, but I already consider mine worth every penny. I feel much more confident on my dark ride on rough,trashy urbans streets that also have ongoing construction making every morning a new surprise.
FWIW,
Raymond