Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Dinotte 200L & Fenix L2D Light Combo...

After extensive internet research I have come to the conclusion that this combo makes great sense. Both run on AA batteries...Dinotte 4, the Fenix 2. I like this because AA batteries can be found anywhere plus we already have a recharger with a bunch of extra AA batteries at home. The Dinotte comes with 4 and a recharger as well.

The Dinotte gives a wider less focused light best for handlebar placing. The Fenix gives a more direct light best for mounting on helmet. Both lights are extremely easy to remove and take with you and/or put on a different bike. Great feature if you have multiple bikes or family members that ride.

Has anybody else used this setup or have any opinions?

You have it figured out.
What about a tail light?

I haven't made it to the tail light yet. Any suggestions?

You have it figured out.
What about a tail light?

Sounds like a nice combination (good hardware, good functionality, sound reasoning on batteries). Even though I have no personal experience with the Dinotte headlight, most people seem very happy with it. The Dinotte and the Fenix would probably complement each other very well for a fine combination. I give it a thumbs up for a well thought-out headlight combo plan. :thumb:

One great thing about including a Fenix L2D in the mix is that it makes a great flashlight in its "off the bike" times. A fantastic flashlight, in fact. Cool dual use item.

If it's relevant to this thread, as 10 Wheels asked, what about a tail light? There are several solid choices and maybe you already have something in mind. My opinion is that in most bang for the buck, the Planet Bike Super Flash (less than $20) is a great choice unless you want to invest in a Dinotte tail light (more than $100). I have the Super Flash, the Cateye TL-LD1000 (around $25), and the Dinotte tail light, choice of which (for me) depends on my riding situation. Costs I listed are just off the top of my head. You'd have to look up current prices. And I think that a more current version of the Cateye TL-LD1000 might be the LD1100 version(?).

^^^

The TL-1000 has been replaced by the much brighter TL-1100, which is my recommendation.

Thanks Al! So you are the Author of the "Fenix Page". I must add that your page/writeup on the Fenix was a huge part of my "research". =)

As I mentioned, I hadn't made it to researching a tail light yet. I think your Planet Bike Super Flash sounds like a good option...cheap and effective.

Sounds like a nice combination (good hardware, good functionality, sound reasoning on batteries). Even though I have no personal experience with the Dinotte headlight, most people seem very happy with it. The Dinotte and the Fenix would probably complement each other very well for a fine combination. I give it a thumbs up for a well thought-out headlight combo plan. :thumb:

One great thing about including a Fenix L2D in the mix is that it makes a great flashlight in its "off the bike" times. A fantastic flashlight, in fact. Cool dual use item.

If it's relevant to this thread, as 10 Wheels asked, what about a tail light? There are several solid choices and maybe you already have something in mind. My opinion is that in most bang for the buck, the Planet Bike Super Flash (less than $20) is a great choice unless you want to invest in a Dinotte tail light (more than $100). I have the Super Flash, the Cateye TL-LD1000 (around $25), and the Dinotte tail light, choice of which (for me) depends on my riding situation. Costs I listed are just off the top of my head. You'd have to look up current prices. And I think that a more current version of the Cateye TL-LD1000 might be the LD1100 version(?).

I will check that one out too, thanks guys!

Thanks Al! So you are the Author of the "Fenix Page". I must add that your page/writeup on the Fenix was a huge part of my "research". =)

As I mentioned, I hadn't made it to researching a tail light yet. I think your Planet Bike Super Flash sounds like a good option...cheap and effective.

Ha, yes I do have a page on the Fenix lights. But if your spending leaps out of control after viewing it, don't blame me... :p :D

As Ziemas suggested, the Cateye TL-LD1100 would be well worth a look. But it'll cost twice what a Super Flash would at something around $40-ish. It's easy to catch the Cateye or Super Flash on sale, though (or with discount codes that can be applied). I sometimes go with both the Super Flash and Cateye, but I switch my lights out between a couple of bikes and don't always ride with the same tail light setup.

Superflash on-sale for 20.00 right now..

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=60002235&sku=18959&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Brand%3A%20Planet%20Bike

Superflash on-sale for 20.00 right now..

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=60002235&sku=18959&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Brand%3A%20Planet%20Bike

AE Bike has them every day for $19.

http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=list&Category=54&brand=301&modelid=9429&type=T

After extensive internet research I have come to the conclusion that this combo makes great sense. Both run on AA batteries...Dinotte 4, the Fenix 2. I like this because AA batteries can be found anywhere plus we already have a recharger with a bunch of extra AA batteries at home. The Dinotte comes with 4 and a recharger as well.

The Dinotte gives a wider less focused light best for handlebar placing. The Fenix gives a more direct light best for mounting on helmet. Both lights are extremely easy to remove and take with you and/or put on a different bike. Great feature if you have multiple bikes or family members that ride.

Has anybody else used this setup or have any opinions?

This is exactly what I have for my front lights. I also have Dinotte rear light & PB Superflash as my rear lights setup. Both setups make great sense for the type of riding I do & I have no plans for any upgrades. Superflash is a "mandatory" rear light because it's simply a most visible blinky by the virtue of using a big 0.5W led, cheap (I bought mine for $15 @ LBS), has long running times, small, light, reliable & can be mounted on anything. Get Dinotte (preferably on sale for $100) if you ride with fast moving vehicles (highway), especially during the day. It is so powerful that Dinotte recommends to tilt it downwards not to blind the drivers. Also the drivers tend to avoid this bright red spot which the light throws onto the road (the only rear light that does it) & that effectively provides me with extra safety cushion. In fact it's the only rear LIGHT, the others are blinkies. Cateye is my third choice & I'd buy it in a split second had better lights not been available. IMHO, it's overpriced & overengineered. The battery power is spread over 10 middling leds using way too many flashing modes. It's also mounted horizontally. Hope it helps:)

After extensive internet research I have come to the conclusion that this combo makes great sense.

This is the combination I use, and you're reasoning is sound: the two beam styles complement each other nicely, and the common battery size is a big plus. It's also nice that both are very easy to move from bike to bike. Using a TwoFish lockblock for the Fenix means no clamped on mounting brackets.

I run two SuperFlash tailights on my bike, and one on my helmet. Yeah, they introduce another battery size, but I like the redundancy of three lights, especially since I can't see them directly to tell whether they're functioning as they should.

I run NiMH for all the above, but carry 4 AA and 2 AAA lithiums as emergency spares.

Good choices. I also use a long corded Dinotte 200L on my helmet. It works really well, but I'm leaning toward a second L2D instead, so I don't have a cord at all. The better throw of the Fenix makes it well suited to this application. The downside is the shorter runtime when in Turbo mode, but it's still usually sufficient, and the "high" mode is still plenty bright.

Good choices.

Jack

AE Bike has them every day for $19.

http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=list&Category=54&brand=301&modelid=9429&type=T

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KBEH1W) has had them for $17.80 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KBEH1W) for a while now. Buy two of them (or over $25 worth) get free shipping also. That's where I got the one I have.

Have you guys found the TwoFish lockblock to be the best for mounting the Fenix? If so, where is the best place to order them from?

I just got my Fenix in today! It is smaller than I thought for some reasoning...which is a good thing. I guess with the output it gives you would think it would be a bigger device. Anyway, I will use it until I get around to getting the Dinotte.
Thanks!

Have you guys found the TwoFish lockblock to be the best for mounting the Fenix?

Yes. ;)


If so, where is the best place to order them from?


Best buy is the three-pack of Lockblocks from 4Sevens.com (formerly Fenix-Store.com)

http://www.4sevens.com

See their "Biker's Corner" link...or just click here:

https://www.4sevens.com/index.php?cPath=92

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KBEH1W) has had them for $17.80 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KBEH1W) for a while now. Buy two of them (or over $25 worth) get free shipping also. That's where I got the one I have.

Thanks for posting that, yeamac...

I just bought two more from Amazon, as linked -- one for my wife's bike, one for my daughter's bike (something I've been meaning to do for some time now).

Now my daughter can have something nicer on the back of her bike when she rides around like this:

http://www.ruscelli.com/images/Biking/071008-011a.jpg

By the way, those are MY Fenix L2Ds and not hers... :p