bryroth
05-02-08, 09:44 AM
I can't justify spending $150 on a tail light. Is there anything that comes close to the Dinotte?
View Full Version : Dinotte Tail Light Alternative
supcom
05-02-08, 10:29 AM
The Planet Bike SuperFlash is extremely bright. I don't know how it compares to a Dinotte, but at ~$20 each, you could buy three of them for less than half the Dinotte price.
Here's a real simple alternative. Buy a high power LED flashlight from someone like dealextreme.com. Get one that uses a 18650 Rechargeable battery and you'll get about 3 hours runtime on one battery. Purchase some red auto taillight repair tape (transparent) from an auto parts store. Cut out a circle to match the flashlight lens and stick it on. Mount the flashlight to your seatpost pointing back and blind approaching drivers.
Here's a real simple alternative. Buy a high power LED flashlight from someone like dealextreme.com. Get one that uses a 18650 Rechargeable battery and you'll get about 3 hours runtime on one battery. Purchase some red auto taillight repair tape (transparent) from an auto parts store. Cut out a circle to match the flashlight lens and stick it on. Mount the flashlight to your seatpost pointing back and blind approaching drivers.
Elusor
05-02-08, 10:33 AM
twp PlanetBike Superflash on tail and one superflash on high up back >>>>attention compare to dinotted
sknhgy
05-02-08, 11:03 AM
I made one using instructions found on this forum. It does take a little bit of technical ability to make one though. Some folks have cobbled them together using silicon sealer and Altoids boxes. I think something could be found on DealExtreme that would work.
Even though I have a Dinotte front light, I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a "be seen" light.
Even though I have a Dinotte front light, I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a "be seen" light.
Jon Lewis
05-02-08, 11:33 AM
The Dinotte tail light always makes drivers give me a wide berth even when its flashing during the day,it's like having eyes in the back of your head . You wouldn't ride in traffic without a helmet I wont ride in traffic without it and it's really easy to slip off when you get to the track.
Jon
Jon
Ziemas
05-02-08, 12:07 PM
The Cateye TL-1100 is much more visible in the daytime than the Superflash. I own both and have compared them side by side.
10 Wheels
05-02-08, 12:51 PM
I ride with a woman on a trike. Her Dinotte Tail is brighter than a police car flashing lights.
How much is your life worth?
Dinotte is the best I have seen.
How much is your life worth?
Dinotte is the best I have seen.
Ziemas
05-02-08, 01:09 PM
I ride with a woman on a trike. Her Dinotte Tail is brighter than a police car flashing lights.
How much is your life worth?
Dinotte is the best I have seen.
Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......
How much is your life worth?
Dinotte is the best I have seen.
Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......
acroy
05-02-08, 02:18 PM
The Cateye TL-1100 is much more visible in the daytime than the Superflash. I own both and have compared them side by side.
+1 for the new Cateye. pricey but much less than a Dinotte, and VERY bright.
+1 for the new Cateye. pricey but much less than a Dinotte, and VERY bright.
rodrigaj
05-02-08, 05:53 PM
I finally got the Dinotte tailight and 600L combo. Thanks to the US Gov Rebate check.
Until school is out, and my summer is free, I am riding after school and end up riding at dusk. The planet bike superflash and Light & Motion Solo mv, just don't cut it. The battery needed replacing on the L&M and I decided to cut my losses on my two season set up.
The superflash works for fine, except at dusk. I have it mounted to my seatstay. Once properly set up it is quite effective. I probably would have stayed with that, had the tax rebate not occurred. The L&M was a waste. Short bulb life spans running on high, lousy light mount, and high replacement part cost.
Until school is out, and my summer is free, I am riding after school and end up riding at dusk. The planet bike superflash and Light & Motion Solo mv, just don't cut it. The battery needed replacing on the L&M and I decided to cut my losses on my two season set up.
The superflash works for fine, except at dusk. I have it mounted to my seatstay. Once properly set up it is quite effective. I probably would have stayed with that, had the tax rebate not occurred. The L&M was a waste. Short bulb life spans running on high, lousy light mount, and high replacement part cost.
Zero_Enigma
05-02-08, 08:48 PM
I can't justify spending $150 on a tail light. Is there anything that comes close to the Dinotte?
I am an electronics noob. I am however fortunate to have a soldering iron but for those without it I have learned of some ways to 'macguyver' one.
If cosmetics are NOT your primary issue then a ghetto built DIY light will be cheap and twice as bright as the Dinotte.
I don't mind showing people how to wire the thing. http://www.flickr.com/photos/49184877@N00/ This is my flickr site. If you look back a few pages you will see a simple layout of how to connect the driver. I am in the works of making a noobie how-to guide.
If cosmetics is not the concern then building a ghetto then just hotglue smearing around the electirical contact areas and the lenses will keep the unit rather water-resistant/proof. It will look ugly as sin but at night no one is looking at how lovely the design is. During the day, yes you may feel a bit embarassed by the way the unit looks.
By gluing and screwing everything together it can keep costs down. I used a DealExtreme 5-mode no state memory driver for my head light. For my tail light build I'm thinking of using a 16 mode memory driver. The cop-strobes mode rocks.
My setup uses 4xAA but I have low/mid/high modes to save power. You could use 4xAAA as well or othe rechargeable cells.
I am an electronics noob. I am however fortunate to have a soldering iron but for those without it I have learned of some ways to 'macguyver' one.
If cosmetics are NOT your primary issue then a ghetto built DIY light will be cheap and twice as bright as the Dinotte.
I don't mind showing people how to wire the thing. http://www.flickr.com/photos/49184877@N00/ This is my flickr site. If you look back a few pages you will see a simple layout of how to connect the driver. I am in the works of making a noobie how-to guide.
If cosmetics is not the concern then building a ghetto then just hotglue smearing around the electirical contact areas and the lenses will keep the unit rather water-resistant/proof. It will look ugly as sin but at night no one is looking at how lovely the design is. During the day, yes you may feel a bit embarassed by the way the unit looks.
By gluing and screwing everything together it can keep costs down. I used a DealExtreme 5-mode no state memory driver for my head light. For my tail light build I'm thinking of using a 16 mode memory driver. The cop-strobes mode rocks.
My setup uses 4xAA but I have low/mid/high modes to save power. You could use 4xAAA as well or othe rechargeable cells.
znomit
05-02-08, 09:09 PM
I dunno who the 140lm tail light is aimed at. If someone hits you with your superflash or an LD1100 pointing at them it is a miracle they haven't run into someone else or a tree already.
Runtimes where you don't have to change batteries mid ride is nice too.
Looking at the very cool picture near the end of the page here (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/dinotte.asp) I don't see a bike, I see a red spot somewhere behind the bike.
Maybe I have time to pull out before that funny-red-spot-not-really-sure-what-it-is gets to the intersection. Splat.
Runtimes where you don't have to change batteries mid ride is nice too.
Looking at the very cool picture near the end of the page here (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/dinotte.asp) I don't see a bike, I see a red spot somewhere behind the bike.
Maybe I have time to pull out before that funny-red-spot-not-really-sure-what-it-is gets to the intersection. Splat.
justcrankn
05-02-08, 09:18 PM
Her Dinotte Tail is brighter than a police car flashing lights.
That would surprise me, but I admit I haven't seen the Dinotte. I do use a police car flashing light bolted on the back of our rack pack. It is a Nova Bull ($50 on ebay, similar to the Whelen TIR3) connected to a 1500mah 11V li-ion battery pack ($33 batteryspace) which is good for 10 hours before recharging. Total weight of 8.5 oz if that matters. About $120 total with charger, shipping, and connectors. No electronics knowledge required, but soldering skill needed.
That would surprise me, but I admit I haven't seen the Dinotte. I do use a police car flashing light bolted on the back of our rack pack. It is a Nova Bull ($50 on ebay, similar to the Whelen TIR3) connected to a 1500mah 11V li-ion battery pack ($33 batteryspace) which is good for 10 hours before recharging. Total weight of 8.5 oz if that matters. About $120 total with charger, shipping, and connectors. No electronics knowledge required, but soldering skill needed.
TiberiusBTkirk
05-02-08, 10:04 PM
as an ex flashlight geek, I'm thinking up of ways to use them for my bike.
You can use one of those inexpensive 1watt luxeon headlamps as a tail or headlight.
the plastic adjusting and battery latch on mine broke and I use a rubber band to hold it together.
It's bright, has 3 levels and flashing mode. mine uses a side emitting LED.
I took a red filter from my GI angle light and it fits right into the lens of the head lamp.
http://batteryjunction.com/f5fx-hlx712l.html
I also bought the one that uses AAA batteries, the LED on that one looked better.
You can use one of those inexpensive 1watt luxeon headlamps as a tail or headlight.
the plastic adjusting and battery latch on mine broke and I use a rubber band to hold it together.
It's bright, has 3 levels and flashing mode. mine uses a side emitting LED.
I took a red filter from my GI angle light and it fits right into the lens of the head lamp.
http://batteryjunction.com/f5fx-hlx712l.html
I also bought the one that uses AAA batteries, the LED on that one looked better.
hopperja
05-03-08, 12:17 AM
+1 for the new Cateye. pricey but much less than a Dinotte, and VERY bright.
I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but the DiNotte is the best, brightest taillight money can buy. Period. Nothing else comes close.
I have both a DiNotte and a Superflash. I thought the Superflash was bright until I got the DiNotte; it is a far, far superior light. It is as bright or brighter than the brightest brakelight in any of the cars on the road. I've had it for a year now and I haven't ridden once without it.
Ziemas, your argument "Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......" is plain silly. I've never hit my head in a crash but for some reason I still ride with a helmet. I would even bet the vast majority of cyclists not only wear a helmet, but have never hit their head in a crash. Using your logic, we should all stop wearing helmets.
I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but the DiNotte is the best, brightest taillight money can buy. Period. Nothing else comes close.
I have both a DiNotte and a Superflash. I thought the Superflash was bright until I got the DiNotte; it is a far, far superior light. It is as bright or brighter than the brightest brakelight in any of the cars on the road. I've had it for a year now and I haven't ridden once without it.
Ziemas, your argument "Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......" is plain silly. I've never hit my head in a crash but for some reason I still ride with a helmet. I would even bet the vast majority of cyclists not only wear a helmet, but have never hit their head in a crash. Using your logic, we should all stop wearing helmets.
Northwestrider
05-03-08, 01:30 AM
I ride with my Dinotte mounted on my bike and a super flash on the back of my helmet. As znomit indicated the super flash provides a long run time, so I feel comfortable having it as a back up if my Dinotte were to run dry. Both are great lights but have slightly different applications.
Ziemas
05-03-08, 01:39 AM
I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but the DiNotte is the best, brightest taillight money can buy. Period. Nothing else comes close.
I have both a DiNotte and a Superflash. I thought the Superflash was bright until I got the DiNotte; it is a far, far superior light. It is as bright or brighter than the brightest brakelight in any of the cars on the road. I've had it for a year now and I haven't ridden once without it.
Ziemas, your argument "Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......" is plain silly. I've never hit my head in a crash but for some reason I still ride with a helmet. I would even bet the vast majority of cyclists not only wear a helmet, but have never hit their head in a crash. Using your logic, we should all stop wearing helmets.
There is a small minority of almost paranoid posters here who claim that if you don't have the absolutely brightest light you are in grave danger. The funny thing about this is that before the Dinotte came out the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd warned of imminent danger if one didn't have the NiteRider tail light, as it was the brightest at the time.
Then the Dinotte came out and the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' suddenly warned of imminent danger if one didn't have the Dinotte tail light. Suddenly the Nite Rider light that was a 'life saver' was down right dangerous because there was something brighter on the market.
Some time in the future something brighter than the Dinotte will come along and we'll hear from the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd of the imminent danger we are putting ourselves in if we don't use this new light.
If you like really bright lights, great use them, (hell, I have a collection of really bright flashlights, so I can see the fun in futzing around with bright lights) but don't go around trying to scare people that horrible things will happen unless they have the brightest light possible. Many of the taillights on the market like the Cateye TL-1100 and the SuperFlash are extremely visible to drivers.
I've even seen posts here by people saying that they want to hit drivers square in the eyes to BLIND them with their Dinotte taillights. Take these folks with a grain of salt.
I have both a DiNotte and a Superflash. I thought the Superflash was bright until I got the DiNotte; it is a far, far superior light. It is as bright or brighter than the brightest brakelight in any of the cars on the road. I've had it for a year now and I haven't ridden once without it.
Ziemas, your argument "Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......" is plain silly. I've never hit my head in a crash but for some reason I still ride with a helmet. I would even bet the vast majority of cyclists not only wear a helmet, but have never hit their head in a crash. Using your logic, we should all stop wearing helmets.
There is a small minority of almost paranoid posters here who claim that if you don't have the absolutely brightest light you are in grave danger. The funny thing about this is that before the Dinotte came out the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd warned of imminent danger if one didn't have the NiteRider tail light, as it was the brightest at the time.
Then the Dinotte came out and the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' suddenly warned of imminent danger if one didn't have the Dinotte tail light. Suddenly the Nite Rider light that was a 'life saver' was down right dangerous because there was something brighter on the market.
Some time in the future something brighter than the Dinotte will come along and we'll hear from the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd of the imminent danger we are putting ourselves in if we don't use this new light.
If you like really bright lights, great use them, (hell, I have a collection of really bright flashlights, so I can see the fun in futzing around with bright lights) but don't go around trying to scare people that horrible things will happen unless they have the brightest light possible. Many of the taillights on the market like the Cateye TL-1100 and the SuperFlash are extremely visible to drivers.
I've even seen posts here by people saying that they want to hit drivers square in the eyes to BLIND them with their Dinotte taillights. Take these folks with a grain of salt.
BarracksSi
05-04-08, 10:24 AM
Some time in the future something brighter than the Dinotte will come along and we'll hear from the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd of the imminent danger we are putting ourselves in if we don't use this new light.
I don't think that it'll be practical to get any brighter. The Dinotte is already bright enough that it hurts. But, it's also bright enough to actually compete with all the other lights on a busy street.
Any improvement from here will be in price and in runtimes, IMO.
I also think that it's usually more important to have a good, attention-grabbing front light.
I don't think that it'll be practical to get any brighter. The Dinotte is already bright enough that it hurts. But, it's also bright enough to actually compete with all the other lights on a busy street.
Any improvement from here will be in price and in runtimes, IMO.
I also think that it's usually more important to have a good, attention-grabbing front light.
hammond9705
05-04-08, 10:47 AM
I have a Dinotte headlight which I love and use all the time, but I think that the taillight is overkill. For much less money you can get 2 of the PB Superflash and have a $100 left over. If someone hits you with 2 of those lit up, he wasn't looking and would hit you no matter what. I also like having 2 taillights for redundancy.
akatsuki
05-09-08, 12:43 PM
I wish Fenix would come out with a flashlight head with an actual red LED in there instead of a filter. That would be an ideal solution.
russ3706
05-12-08, 01:20 PM
Some time in the future something brighter than the Dinotte will come along and we'll hear from the 'I must have the absolutely brightest light' crowd of the imminent danger we are putting ourselves in if we don't use this new light.
The future is now, its already happened. The Dinotte Triple Tail light, roughly 500 lumens of red out back...
Double-U, Oh, Double-U = WOW
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=428417384&Count2=345557808
http://acidinmylegs.blogspot.com/search?q=triple+tail+light
The future is now, its already happened. The Dinotte Triple Tail light, roughly 500 lumens of red out back...
Double-U, Oh, Double-U = WOW
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=428417384&Count2=345557808
http://acidinmylegs.blogspot.com/search?q=triple+tail+light
Ziemas
05-12-08, 01:27 PM
The future is now, its already happened. The Dinotte Triple Tail light, +500 lumens of red out back...
Double U, O, Double U = WOW
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=428417384&Count2=345557808
http://acidinmylegs.blogspot.com/search?q=triple+tail+light
Anything less is clearly dangerous......... :rolleyes:
F'ing ridiculous.......
Double U, O, Double U = WOW
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=428417384&Count2=345557808
http://acidinmylegs.blogspot.com/search?q=triple+tail+light
Anything less is clearly dangerous......... :rolleyes:
F'ing ridiculous.......
ccd rider
05-12-08, 06:27 PM
Ziemas, your argument "Many of us have ridden for years without a DiNotte taillight and are some how still alive......" is plain silly. I've never hit my head in a crash but for some reason I still ride with a helmet. I would even bet the vast majority of cyclists not only wear a helmet, but have never hit their head in a crash. Using your logic, we should all stop wearing helmets.
How do you figure? The EQUIVALENT of what he is saying is that there are helmets out there that are not as expensive as other helmets that do the job just fine. It's not a silly argument at all. We all put value judgements on EVERYTHING we choose in life. There are risks.....and there are calculated risks. Learn the distinction. If money was no object then we'd ALL have anything out there that is the ABSOLUTE best for our health/life. Some of us don't make enough money to justify spending that kind of cash on a light. And for every point you make for its brightness, it is still no GUARANTEE that you will not die or be injured riding a bike. I think riding smart and defensively (proactively) will take you a lot further than relying....perhaps in a FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.....on an extremely bright light to save your life.
How do you figure? The EQUIVALENT of what he is saying is that there are helmets out there that are not as expensive as other helmets that do the job just fine. It's not a silly argument at all. We all put value judgements on EVERYTHING we choose in life. There are risks.....and there are calculated risks. Learn the distinction. If money was no object then we'd ALL have anything out there that is the ABSOLUTE best for our health/life. Some of us don't make enough money to justify spending that kind of cash on a light. And for every point you make for its brightness, it is still no GUARANTEE that you will not die or be injured riding a bike. I think riding smart and defensively (proactively) will take you a lot further than relying....perhaps in a FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.....on an extremely bright light to save your life.
Nachoman
05-12-08, 07:00 PM
Dinotte FTW. But maybe it's fun to ride with no lights and no helmet, juse to make a point.
BarracksSi
05-12-08, 07:03 PM
I'm kinda surprised by the implication that a dimmer light would be safer.
On second thought, not "kinda surprised"... more like "stupefied".
On second thought, not "kinda surprised"... more like "stupefied".
Ziemas
05-12-08, 10:42 PM
I'm kinda surprised by the implication that a dimmer light would be safer.
On second thought, not "kinda surprised"... more like "stupefied".
Where do you see this implied?
On second thought, not "kinda surprised"... more like "stupefied".
Where do you see this implied?
BarracksSi
05-12-08, 10:46 PM
Where do you see this implied?
Look for any post that puts down bright lights. "False sense of security", etc.
If bright lights were truly less safe, than all the safety advocates would be pushing the "bike ninja" idea instead.
Look for any post that puts down bright lights. "False sense of security", etc.
If bright lights were truly less safe, than all the safety advocates would be pushing the "bike ninja" idea instead.
BarracksSi
05-12-08, 10:47 PM
And, honestly, even Dinottes aren't prohibitively expensive. It's like what I said elsewhere about getting a good bike lock -- if it got to the point where I worried about being able to afford something like that, I'd be more worried about being able to buy food.
BarracksSi
05-12-08, 10:50 PM
(I keep thinking of stuff after I hit the "post" button)
If someone's stupid enough to completely rely on a light to keep them safe, there isn't ANYTHING that will keep them safe.
That's why the "false sense of security" statement is simple bull****.
If someone's stupid enough to completely rely on a light to keep them safe, there isn't ANYTHING that will keep them safe.
That's why the "false sense of security" statement is simple bull****.
Ziemas
05-12-08, 10:56 PM
Look for any post that puts down bright lights. "False sense of security", etc.
If bright lights were truly less safe, than all the safety advocates would be pushing the "bike ninja" idea instead.
Why don't you calm down and read those posts again; they imply nothing about dimmer lights being safer. What they do say is that just because a light is brighter doesn't mean that it is safer.
One exception would be the 500 lumen tail light; in an urban environment it runs a danger of seriously blinding drivers.
If bright lights were truly less safe, than all the safety advocates would be pushing the "bike ninja" idea instead.
Why don't you calm down and read those posts again; they imply nothing about dimmer lights being safer. What they do say is that just because a light is brighter doesn't mean that it is safer.
One exception would be the 500 lumen tail light; in an urban environment it runs a danger of seriously blinding drivers.
tdister
05-13-08, 10:17 AM
The TL-LD1100 is great, I just replaced my last Mars 3.0 with it (Mars was bright, but after breaking/losing my 3rd one I was done with them). I keep a superflash as a backup light.
While the superflash might blind you a little more when it's in your hand, the sheer size of the 1100 helps it to be better in my experience. This goes triple when it's wet out.
Better yet, get one of each and put them at different heights. I have been running just the 1100 in light to moderate traffic, adding the superflash to my backpack when desired.
While the superflash might blind you a little more when it's in your hand, the sheer size of the 1100 helps it to be better in my experience. This goes triple when it's wet out.
Better yet, get one of each and put them at different heights. I have been running just the 1100 in light to moderate traffic, adding the superflash to my backpack when desired.
hammond9705
05-13-08, 02:04 PM
Why don't you calm down and read those posts again; they imply nothing about dimmer lights being safer. What they do say is that just because a light is brighter doesn't mean that it is safer.
One exception would be the 500 lumen tail light; in an urban environment it runs a danger of seriously blinding drivers.
+1 I'm not sure that a Dinotte is any safer then 2 PB SF. In fact, having 2 PB SF is nice in that you still have a light in case of a failure of one. I would argue that you are better off spending the money you save on the taillight on a better headlight.
One exception would be the 500 lumen tail light; in an urban environment it runs a danger of seriously blinding drivers.
+1 I'm not sure that a Dinotte is any safer then 2 PB SF. In fact, having 2 PB SF is nice in that you still have a light in case of a failure of one. I would argue that you are better off spending the money you save on the taillight on a better headlight.
BarracksSi
05-13-08, 02:22 PM
In fact, having 2 PB SF is nice in that you still have a light in case of a failure of one.
I still have a PBSF on the seatstay below the Dinotte.
I still have a PBSF on the seatstay below the Dinotte.
Ziemas
05-13-08, 10:19 PM
I still have a PBSF on the seatstay below the Dinotte.
I guess you belong to the 'more is always better' camp. Clearly we will never agree.
I guess you belong to the 'more is always better' camp. Clearly we will never agree.
BarracksSi
05-13-08, 10:58 PM
I guess you belong to the 'more is always better' camp. Clearly we will never agree.
Ah, so you really do think that less is better.
No, we'll never agree. I think you're being stupid.
Ah, so you really do think that less is better.
No, we'll never agree. I think you're being stupid.
Ziemas
05-13-08, 11:37 PM
Ah, so you really do think that less is better.
No, we'll never agree. I think you're being stupid.
Wow, do you really need to be personally insulting when talking about bicycle lights?
You clearly don't want any kind of constructive dialog as you repeatedly and intentionally misstate what I write. Enjoy all your lights and your smug sense of thinking that your are riding the only right way.....
No, we'll never agree. I think you're being stupid.
Wow, do you really need to be personally insulting when talking about bicycle lights?
You clearly don't want any kind of constructive dialog as you repeatedly and intentionally misstate what I write. Enjoy all your lights and your smug sense of thinking that your are riding the only right way.....
mrbubbles
05-14-08, 12:31 AM
Dinotte is an overkill. PBSF is adequate. PBSF can be seen over 500m, that's plenty enough time for a driver to react. If your rear light is getting the attention of cops, it's an overkill, I had that happen to me with my DIY that's half of what Dinotte is.
More light isn't better. It's the same dumbass argument as "Is 10 speed enough? Should we go 11 speed?."
More light isn't better. It's the same dumbass argument as "Is 10 speed enough? Should we go 11 speed?."
BarracksSi
05-14-08, 04:13 AM
Wow, do you really need to be personally insulting when talking about bicycle lights?
Might as well, since it's just as idiotic as saying "less is more".
Might as well, since it's just as idiotic as saying "less is more".
slvoid
05-14-08, 05:59 AM
Might as well, since it's just as idiotic as saying "less is more".
I believe he's true. At some point, as long as your rear light is reasonably bright enough that the driver can see you from say, 500-1000ft back, you're fine. Is there any reason why a driver needs to see you from 20,000ft back?
I'm gonna pull off a wildassed example of "less is more". I did an investigation for a steel manufacturer. It turned out, they were copying some design properties from another manufacturer. The 2 of them kept reverse engineering each other's products. As one company adjusted their formulation of carbon to get more carbides into their steel, so did the other. One day I got this sample that showed ridiculous amounts of carbides under the electron microscope and it performed really poorly in the notch impact testing. What happened was that they kept borrowing each other's "more is better" mentality and dumping way too much carbide in it. Eventually, it brought the toughness of the steel way down in the saw blade and the thing kept breaking its tips off.
Just saying, the goal is to be visible at a reasonable angle at a reasonable distance from the driver. Not be visible within the next 10 miles of air space and land 747's along our route.
I believe he's true. At some point, as long as your rear light is reasonably bright enough that the driver can see you from say, 500-1000ft back, you're fine. Is there any reason why a driver needs to see you from 20,000ft back?
I'm gonna pull off a wildassed example of "less is more". I did an investigation for a steel manufacturer. It turned out, they were copying some design properties from another manufacturer. The 2 of them kept reverse engineering each other's products. As one company adjusted their formulation of carbon to get more carbides into their steel, so did the other. One day I got this sample that showed ridiculous amounts of carbides under the electron microscope and it performed really poorly in the notch impact testing. What happened was that they kept borrowing each other's "more is better" mentality and dumping way too much carbide in it. Eventually, it brought the toughness of the steel way down in the saw blade and the thing kept breaking its tips off.
Just saying, the goal is to be visible at a reasonable angle at a reasonable distance from the driver. Not be visible within the next 10 miles of air space and land 747's along our route.
10 Wheels
05-14-08, 06:49 AM
I ride the shoulder on four highways where the posted speed is 55 mph.
The Dinotte is not overkill on these highways.
The Dinotte is not overkill on these highways.
supcom
05-14-08, 07:15 AM
Anyone ride in a group with someone having a high intensity tail light aimed slightly upward? It's not a fun experience. Try following one of these for a few hours on a brevet and you'll agree that more is not always better. Of course, if you only ride alone at night, or just don't care about the others in your group...
BarracksSi
05-14-08, 06:24 PM
I believe he's true. At some point, as long as your rear light is reasonably bright enough that the driver can see you from say, 500-1000ft back, you're fine. Is there any reason why a driver needs to see you from 20,000ft back?
I'm gonna pull off a wildassed example of "less is more".
That example has no application here. I can think of many examples of "less is more" as a good thing, but this isn't one of them.
Anyway, just as a greater distance helps (cars close the gap in a remarkably short time, if you remember), so does getting noticed among the dozens of other bright lights on a busy street. Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies. If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
Anyone ride in a group with someone having a high intensity tail light aimed slightly upward? It's not a fun experience. Try following one of these for a few hours on a brevet and you'll agree that more is not always better. Of course, if you only ride alone at night, or just don't care about the others in your group...
I know, and that's why I nudge it downward & switch it to its low setting when I know someone's behind me. That's the nice thing about the O-ring attachment -- it's secure enough to stay put, but not locked into place so much that you can't adjust it on the fly.
I'm gonna pull off a wildassed example of "less is more".
That example has no application here. I can think of many examples of "less is more" as a good thing, but this isn't one of them.
Anyway, just as a greater distance helps (cars close the gap in a remarkably short time, if you remember), so does getting noticed among the dozens of other bright lights on a busy street. Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies. If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
Anyone ride in a group with someone having a high intensity tail light aimed slightly upward? It's not a fun experience. Try following one of these for a few hours on a brevet and you'll agree that more is not always better. Of course, if you only ride alone at night, or just don't care about the others in your group...
I know, and that's why I nudge it downward & switch it to its low setting when I know someone's behind me. That's the nice thing about the O-ring attachment -- it's secure enough to stay put, but not locked into place so much that you can't adjust it on the fly.
slvoid
05-14-08, 06:38 PM
That example has no application here. I can think of many examples of "less is more" as a good thing, but this isn't one of them.
Anyway, just as a greater distance helps (cars close the gap in a remarkably short time, if you remember), so does getting noticed among the dozens of other bright lights on a busy street. Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies. If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
For now, though I'm pretty sure there's some idiot here who still thinks that it'll be a good idea when they strap two or three 10+ watt red LED's, which is like, having a 150 watt bulb in your rear tail light...
Anyway, just as a greater distance helps (cars close the gap in a remarkably short time, if you remember), so does getting noticed among the dozens of other bright lights on a busy street. Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies. If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
For now, though I'm pretty sure there's some idiot here who still thinks that it'll be a good idea when they strap two or three 10+ watt red LED's, which is like, having a 150 watt bulb in your rear tail light...
mrbubbles
05-14-08, 08:46 PM
Dinotte diehards just can't be reasoned with.
For now, though I'm pretty sure there's some idiot here who still thinks that it'll be a good idea when they strap two or three 10+ watt red LED's, which is like, having a 150 watt bulb in your rear tail light...
Dinotte already came out with something like that. For less than $50, I can make a taillight equivalent to three Dinotte 140L, doesn't mean I should.
For now, though I'm pretty sure there's some idiot here who still thinks that it'll be a good idea when they strap two or three 10+ watt red LED's, which is like, having a 150 watt bulb in your rear tail light...
Dinotte already came out with something like that. For less than $50, I can make a taillight equivalent to three Dinotte 140L, doesn't mean I should.
mrbubbles
05-14-08, 08:58 PM
This is futile, but I'll argue anyways.
Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies.
Depends on the blinkie. PBSF is bright as most cars's taillight.
If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
One Superflash is adequate, two is better. A Dinotte taillight is stupid. You are pretty much saying "You're going to get hit by a car if you don't have a Dinotte." I wonder how all those bicycle commuters survived at night before Dinotte came into market. BTW, the Dinotte taillight is illegal to operate in Germany and Netherlands, does that say anything to you?
Car taillights, as long as they're not broken, are always brighter than most bicycle blinkies.
Depends on the blinkie. PBSF is bright as most cars's taillight.
If you want to compete with those, and be noticed because you're unusual and more likely to be overlooked, you're going to need something at least as bright. As neat as the Superflash is, it's still not enough.
One Superflash is adequate, two is better. A Dinotte taillight is stupid. You are pretty much saying "You're going to get hit by a car if you don't have a Dinotte." I wonder how all those bicycle commuters survived at night before Dinotte came into market. BTW, the Dinotte taillight is illegal to operate in Germany and Netherlands, does that say anything to you?
BarracksSi
05-14-08, 09:04 PM
I give up. I really do. Too many of you have forgotten what the world is like outside your own two wheels.
mrbubbles
05-14-08, 09:19 PM
There's nothing wrong with having a really bright taillight, even a 4x equivalent of Dinotte 140R, for fun. Just don't go preaching to everyone that Dinotte is the siht (pretty much every Dinotte fanboys are doing this, you people even downplay the sihtty mounting system on the 140R).
While Dinotte do seem to make great products, they are hardly ahead of the competition.
Plenty of people survived commuting at night for years without the need of Dinotte. Not everyone is going out there to buy a Superflash either (most can't even fathom of spending $15CDN (Price of PBSF at MEC) on a taillight).
While Dinotte do seem to make great products, they are hardly ahead of the competition.
Plenty of people survived commuting at night for years without the need of Dinotte. Not everyone is going out there to buy a Superflash either (most can't even fathom of spending $15CDN (Price of PBSF at MEC) on a taillight).
hopperja
05-14-08, 09:31 PM
I ride the shoulder on four highways where the posted speed is 55 mph.
The Dinotte is not overkill on these highways.
I too do about half of my riding commuting along a state highway with posted speed limits ranging from 35 to 55 mph, the majority of which is 55 mph. I wear the best reflective vest money can buy (Amphipod), use the best tail light (DiNotte), have reflector tape between every spoke, two reflectors on each wheel, and reflector tape on my fenders. On the front I use the DiNotte on the bars, and a Fenix L2D Premium Q5 on the helmet, as well as I have and frequently use an Airzound horn. I am very concerned about conspicuity, and I happen to have a budget where I can afford what I have.
55 mph = approx. 81 feet per second. The farther away they can see me, the better for me.
The PBSF is a great tail light. If I had a very limited budget, that's what I'd get. Also, if I were touring I'd probably use a SF because the batteries last significantly longer. However, I picked up my DiNotte for $100 on sale, and I use it for commuting, so battery life is insignificant. For what I use it for, it is worth every penny!
The Dinotte is not overkill on these highways.
I too do about half of my riding commuting along a state highway with posted speed limits ranging from 35 to 55 mph, the majority of which is 55 mph. I wear the best reflective vest money can buy (Amphipod), use the best tail light (DiNotte), have reflector tape between every spoke, two reflectors on each wheel, and reflector tape on my fenders. On the front I use the DiNotte on the bars, and a Fenix L2D Premium Q5 on the helmet, as well as I have and frequently use an Airzound horn. I am very concerned about conspicuity, and I happen to have a budget where I can afford what I have.
55 mph = approx. 81 feet per second. The farther away they can see me, the better for me.
The PBSF is a great tail light. If I had a very limited budget, that's what I'd get. Also, if I were touring I'd probably use a SF because the batteries last significantly longer. However, I picked up my DiNotte for $100 on sale, and I use it for commuting, so battery life is insignificant. For what I use it for, it is worth every penny!
slvoid
05-14-08, 09:35 PM
I give up. I really do. Too many of you have forgotten what the world is like outside your own two wheels.
We know all too well...
We know all too well...
Nachoman
05-14-08, 10:10 PM
There's nothing wrong with having a really bright taillight, even a 4x equivalent of Dinotte 140R, for fun. Just don't go preaching to everyone that Dinotte is the siht (pretty much every Dinotte fanboys are doing this, you people even downplay the sihtty mounting system on the 140R).
While Dinotte do seem to make great products, they are hardly ahead of the competition.
Plenty of people survived commuting at night for years without the need of Dinotte. Not everyone is going out there to buy a Superflash either (most can't even fathom of spending $15CDN (Price of PBSF at MEC) on a taillight).
Incorrect.
While Dinotte do seem to make great products, they are hardly ahead of the competition.
Plenty of people survived commuting at night for years without the need of Dinotte. Not everyone is going out there to buy a Superflash either (most can't even fathom of spending $15CDN (Price of PBSF at MEC) on a taillight).
Incorrect.
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