Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Best value headlight

I know you guys get TONS of questions about headlights, so I'm sorry to bug you with yet another headlight question. After searching the forum I have come across a dizzying amount of info on this, and could really just use some simple advice.

I'm looking for a good headlight. I have a PlanetBike 3LED headlight that is good for making sure people see me, but I'd like something that can really light up the road. I'm unimpressed with the brightness of this headlight, as opposed to the PB Superflash that I just got and LOVE.
I'd be willing to spend out to.... ~$35.
What's the brightest and best light I can get at that price?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

To see the road much you need to spend more $$$. To really light up the road well, a lot more.

well, luckily I don't ride anywhere at night where there aren't street lamps. I'll re-evaluate my needs vs. wants and see what I come up with.

Maybe a 2xAA 3W LED flashlight or two from www.dealextreme.com (http://www.dealextreme.com). People seem to like this one: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14909. Recommended to go along with it would be some NiMH rechargeable batteries, a decent quality charger, and something to hold it to the bars (either rig your own or buy a bar mount). The batteries, chargers, and mounts have all been described in great detail in this sub-forum.

1. Get a P7. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13060

2. Get batteries. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790

3. Get a charger. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4151

4. Get a mount. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8274

Total cost is about $63. For that amount, you'll have brighter lights
than you can buy for up to $500 without getting into DIY.

Jeff, that's a fantastic idea. I like that a lot. 230 lumens is pretty good too (at least for my purposes). I'd def. get rechargeables and charger.

I'd love to rig up a mount for it. I'm pretty handy so I'm sure i could figure something out, but any tips from guys who have done ti before?

Uke. I like a lot. Especially that light!!!

But I would prefer a mount with a clip taht I can slide off the bike when I take it somewhere. Although I suppose I can just unscrew the mount....

Without knowing what kind of run time you need this may all be useless info. It's just as important as brightness, it changes the price a lot too. If the P7 light gets too hot you may not be able to leave it steadily on high. Just becasue it says 60 min on high that does not mean you can leave it on high for 60 min. That could cause a few problems, one is the LED's wear out, and you may even have a battery explosion. I don't know the answers for this light, maybe it's OK. If you can spend more than your $35 number that opens up a lot of choices.

My MTE P7 flashlight does not get noticably warm as long as it's wind cooled. It is usually freezing cold when I get home after my 1.25 hr commute.

My MTE P7 flashlight does not get noticably warm as long as it's wind cooled. It is usually freezing cold when I get home after my 1.25 hr commute.

Have you used it in hot weather? Do you ride with it on high? A couple of led lights I have warn against keeping them on high only for ten minutes in hot weather.

Where is everybody? Forget the Deal Extreme flashlight and get the Fenix. Type Fenix in the search engine and search on Varuscelli or my dekindy name and you will get the information that you need. Most of the other flashlights have oddball batteries and when apples to apples comparison are made have run times that are much shorter than the Fenix.

Here is the information that I composed last night for a buddy.

This is the flashlight that I use as a helmet light.
https://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=600

The vents are oriented in my helmet so that the mount straps need to run crosswise on the helmet. This is the mount that I use. You can post the type of helmet that you have on the forums and someone probably has already determined the proper mount for your helmet or I can take a look at it. I might have an extra mount like this if this is what you need. I would have to look to make sure, though. If you are interested let me know.
https://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=92&products_id=340

This is the mount you definitely need for the bar and possibly for a helmet which like I said depends upon how the vents are oriented in your helmet.
https://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=92&products_id=274

You will definitely want to use rechargeable batteries. This is the charger that I have. In fact I purchased this exact package. The batteries that come with it are good and might last you for a nightly riding session. I take spares anyway because sometimes they will die out at the end of the ride. I have two lights so I don’t always stop and switch batteries. But if this is your only light then you definitely want to carry spares.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00077AA5Q/ref=s9sdps_c3_86_img1-rfc_p-frt_p-3215_g1-3102_g3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0PRTFEWQZ3DDTEFRD749&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=436516101&pf_rd_i=507846

Check out this thread. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=435347

[QUOTE=dekindy;7532704]Where is everybody? Forget the Deal Extreme flashlight and get the Fenix. Type Fenix in the search engine and search on Varuscelli or my dekindy name and you will get the information that you need. Most of the other flashlights have oddball batteries and when apples to apples comparison are made have run times that are much shorter than the Fenix.

The Fenix is a great light. You'll be happy with it if you get the twofish mount and some good rechargeable batteries/charger.

Forget the Deal Extreme flashlight and get the Fenix. Type Fenix in the search engine and search on Varuscelli or my dekindy name and you will get the information that you need. Most of the other flashlights have oddball batteries and when apples to apples comparison are made have run times that are much shorter than the Fenix.

The P7 is brighter on medium than the Fenix is on high, while simultaneously having better battery life and costing less.


Have you used it in hot weather? Do you ride with it on high? A couple of led lights I have warn against keeping them on high only for ten minutes in hot weather.

I always ride with mine on high or high rapid flash. Weather's been warm here. Had no problems. It's quite a rugged light. I've dropped it a few times with no ill effects.

I'd love to rig up a mount for it. I'm pretty handy so I'm sure i could figure something out, but any tips from guys who have done ti before?

I just put a piece of duct tape on my handlebars to protect the paint and use one of those livestrong rubber bracelets to keep it in place on top of the tape. I like that better than a fixed mount because I have a limited ability to adjust it to point it at a car on a side street (or something else that might arise).

And for the light, the 230 lumen flashlight from dealextreme should be sufficiently bright for riding in a streetlighted area.

I just got 3 lights for comparison. If I had no money, I would get the RC-N3 from Shining Beam. Next is the Fenix L2D Q5 and then the Dinotte 200L. None of these lights are really able to handle 20 mph by themselves but a combination of any two works fine. I guess the P7 from Deal Extreme is next.
I started looking for lights that people who bike without lights here in our town could get for as little money as possible. All three of these lights are close enough for a bike that has nothing at this time.

The P7 is brighter on medium than the Fenix is on high. Putting the P7 on high gives you 500 lumens, which I find to do well on 20+mph rides home at night on a road that goes from being well lit in some areas to being quite dark in others.

Where is everybody? Forget the Deal Extreme flashlight and get the Fenix. Type Fenix in the search engine and search on Varuscelli or my dekindy name and you will get the information that you need. Most of the other flashlights have oddball batteries and when apples to apples comparison are made have run times that are much shorter than the Fenix...

I would have recommended Fenix but any suitable Fenix light is out of the OP's price range.

I just got 3 lights for comparison. If I had no money, I would get the RC-N3 from Shining Beam. Next is the Fenix L2D Q5 and then the Dinotte 200L. None of these lights are really able to handle 20 mph by themselves but a combination of any two works fine. I guess the P7 from Deal Extreme is next.
I started looking for lights that people who bike without lights here in our town could get for as little money as possible. All three of these lights are close enough for a bike that has nothing at this time.

:love: This info! May you never experience a flat tire on any of your rides ever again.

I'd be willing to spend out to.... ~$35.
What's the brightest and best light I can get at that price?


Given that budget . . .
$17.52 TR-801 (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13095)
$10.00 TrustFire Protected 18650 Lithium Battery (2500mAh 2-Pack Blue) (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790)
$9.17 Charger (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4151)
$0.01 Worldwide Shipping
----------
$36.70

If it must be under $35, then substitute the charger with this $6.71 charger (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.936) instead.

Given that budget . . .
$17.52 TR-801 (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13095)
$10.00 TrustFire Protected 18650 Lithium Battery (2500mAh 2-Pack Blue) (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790)
$9.17 Charger (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4151)
$0.01 Worldwide Shipping
----------
$36.70

If it must be under $35, then substitute the charger with this $6.71 charger (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.936) instead.

Well done, sir. Always like it when people help out with links and prices like this.

If you can't spend more than $35 on a "to see" light, i'd suggest you save a bit harder. Otherwise you just end up wasting your money on a craptacular light.

If you can't spend more than $35 on a "to see" light, i'd suggest you save a bit harder. Otherwise you just end up wasting your money on a craptacular light.

word.