Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Niterider Headtrip - too outdated to purchase new?

Several years ago I had a NiteRider HeadTrip head light. I liked the flat battery that slipped easily into my back jersey pocket, and the helmet mounted light provided plenty of lumens for my early morning/evening group training rides. (I think it was a 10 or 15W halogen bulb).

I eventually sold it when I dropped out of cycling for a few years, but now I'm going to need another similar lighting system for this Fall. I found the HeadTrip available at a few of the bigger website stores for $100. But I don't even see the product listed at the NiteRider website, so I'm assuming it's discontinued.

I have no idea how long these last remaining units have been sitting on the shelf and don't want to get stuck with a bad battery or something I can't get parts for.

Can someone recommend the closest thing out there? Perhaps the Mininewt?

Here's my requirements:

1. Must be helmet mounted
2. At least 2 hours of light
3. Equivalent or brighter than the HeadTrip
4. I'd prefer to keep the cost below $150 if possible.

If money were no concern, I'd go with one of the uber Dinotte setups, but I cant justify dropping $400+ on lighting; I'll only be riding in the dark 2x/week for about 1-2 hours.

(and if someone knows if replacement batteries/parts for the HeadTrip are still easily available, please chime in!)

I would skip this Niterider light, unless you are getting it for like $50. Last fall I got a Lupine halogen at a swap for $75 NEW and it is way better than the headtrip (retails for like $300+ !!!) but It's still a halogen it just has a lot of diming and flashing features and is well built and super light.

I would go with a Minewt X2 or a Dinotte 200. Neither are enough light for my tastes, but the riding in the dark is pretty addicting so maybe later on you can justify adding a 2nd light and use the one yu buy now as a helmet light, etc.

There is a good shootout here: http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/

Several years ago I had a NiteRider HeadTrip head light. I liked the flat battery that slipped easily into my back jersey pocket, and the helmet mounted light provided plenty of lumens for my early morning/evening group training rides. (I think it was a 10 or 15W halogen bulb).

I eventually sold it when I dropped out of cycling for a few years, but now I'm going to need another similar lighting system for this Fall. I found the HeadTrip available at a few of the bigger website stores for $100. But I don't even see the product listed at the NiteRider website, so I'm assuming it's discontinued.

I have no idea how long these last remaining units have been sitting on the shelf and don't want to get stuck with a bad battery or something I can't get parts for.

Can someone recommend the closest thing out there? Perhaps the Mininewt?

Here's my requirements:

1. Must be helmet mounted
2. At least 2 hours of light
3. Equivalent or brighter than the HeadTrip
4. I'd prefer to keep the cost below $150 if possible.

If money were no concern, I'd go with one of the uber Dinotte setups, but I cant justify dropping $400+ on lighting; I'll only be riding in the dark 2x/week for about 1-2 hours.

(and if someone knows if replacement batteries/parts for the HeadTrip are still easily available, please chime in!)

You need to educate yourself about light output. This site (http://nordicgroup.us/s78/wattslumens.html) is a little dated with respect to LED but it will give you some numbers for comparison.

Commercial LED bicycle light systems (not DIY or flashlights) are still pretty low output compared to halogens like the Headtrip. A 10W Headtrip/TrailRat at 6V puts out 190 lumens for around $100 (http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11529-225_NITTR2-2-Accessories-35-Lights/Niterider-Trail-Rat-2.0-Bike-Light-offer?utm_source=Googlebase&utm_medium=datafeed&utm_campaign=FTP&offer=IN080GLB.htm&zmam=3075515&zmas=1&zmac=30&zmap=225%20NITTR2). It's not that small or light but it is inexpensive. The MiNewt is small and light but more expensive (I've seen them around $130).

You can easily reconfigure a halogen lamp with a higher voltage battery (7.2V) to increase the output significantly...almost double. For a few bucks (about $30) and a little wiring, you can end up with a $130 light that puts out nearly 400 lumen.

If you are handy you can DIY (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=368772) for $150 that will absolutely blow any of the light systems out there completely away.

From the standpoint of light output, 190 lumens is pretty weak. You can get by with it but it's the minimum for lights being able to see with. 400 lumens is nice and reasonably bright. 600 lumens are very usable and probably good enough for most situations. 1500 lumen is starting to get into stupidly bright but every so much fun. Over 1500 lumens is silly but so much fun that I've gone to nearly 5000 lumens:D That's over the top. Like

http://oregonmag.com/Liberace.jpg

over the top:D