Advocacy & Safety - Headlight

I am looking for a front headlight for an EZ Sport Ltd. Need something that will provide a wide pattern and distance, but I'm not looking to break the bank. Does anyone have any ideas?

I am looking for a front headlight for an EZ Sport Ltd. Need something that will provide a wide pattern and distance, but I'm not looking to break the bank. Does anyone have any ideas?

You're not telling us how big this bank is.

You're not telling us how big this bank is.

:D

How big's the bank and what kind of riding at what speeds is this light for?

I am looking for a front headlight for an EZ Sport Ltd. Need something that will provide a wide pattern and distance, but I'm not looking to break the bank. Does anyone have any ideas?

Okay, try this one. I used to use the Cateye EL-300. It wasn't bad for a semi-lighted ride, but didn't thow much light actually on the road. I got a Performance Viewpoint Gen3 Headlight, and it's about like the EL-300 on "low", and much brighter on "high". I didn't get the Digital one, just the regular light. Normally it's $59.99, but is on sale at Performance now for $49.97 It uses 4AA batteries, and I use NiMH rechargables in it.

Ive been using a mini-mag light and head band made for small flashlights but Ive only just started riding recently.

Sorry, you are correct! Max dollars $100-125. Average speed is between 12 to 15 mph, riding mostly Multi-use trails and city streets.

Something like the niterider trailrat for $99 oughta be enough.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=14103&subcategory_ID=4320

Thanks for the info, I will check out both suggestions.

As an FYI for anyone else who may be interested, I did a fast Google and found the Trail Rat II on Supergo.com for $80.00, thats $20.00 below Performances sale price.

I also use a Trail Rat 10 watt light for road riding. It's bright enough to descend confidently at up to 30 mph. There are several different versions - get the one with the NiMH battery. It's smaller, lighter, and lasts longer.
Tom

JavaMan,

Thank you, that was the one I was looking at. I presently have a CatEye 300HL, while good it really does not do to much distance, it seems to be a more too be seen light than a to see light. I will probably combine the CatEye with whatever I get.

JavaMan,

Thank you, that was the one I was looking at. I presently have a CatEye 300HL, while good it really does not do to much distance, it seems to be a more too be seen light than a to see light. I will probably combine the CatEye with whatever I get.

I used two Cateyes like that for a while. Sit in a car a short distance away from your bike at night and adjust the light beam up off the ground to the height of the driver's eyes. Those Cateye 300's are almost blinding when aimed straight at you.

Dchief,

Thanks, I'll try it.

Just my 2cents- i've used old-style CatEye(non LED) untill the batteries died. I didnt expect much for my $20 so that was a lesson learned. Next step was GEN3 Digital(by PerformanceBike). Its single LED was very bright and had long lasting NiMH rechargeable batteries. But since this was for street commuting only and NYC streets arent exactly Autobahn quality, GEN3 was very shaky at 15mph+.
Last step was L&M ARC HID NiMh system. wow. Expensive, but WOW. No more buses pulling out in front of me at 4am(yeah twice a week work sucks). Once even NYPD pulled me over thought i was a motorcycle, riding on sidewalk :). Just got a second system for the same bike and the brightness is unbelieable. Now gotta get the LioN batteries(half the weight of NiMh).
BTW: commute usually is 35minutes long and i ride through half of Canarsie in BK.

6pack,

Thanks for the FYI.

As a transplanted NYC'er now living in AZ I know the streets of NYC very well. My dad was part of the WPA project that built Emmons Ave during the depression. Good old NYPD only they would think that.

Just my two cents worth here, but 10 watts of $90 is a bad deal! Cygo makes a light called the Explorer NiCad light that offers dual beams with wattage choices of 10watts wide (flood), 15 watts narrow (spot), and 25 watts combined, with run times up to 3 hours on low and 1.5 hours on both and the cost is $109 and less if you do a web search.

OR, if that's too much then, Cygo also makes a unit called the Rover NiCad 6 hour that offers 6 watts flood, 10 watts spot and 16 watts combined with battery run times of 6 hours on low and 2 hours on dual. This unit sells for under $75 plus $8-the cost of a cheap lamp timer so you don't over charge the battery.

Or the light I have is a Cygo Metro that offers 6 watts flood, 6 watts spot, 12 watts total with battery run times up to 5 hours on low and 2.5 hours on dual for only $48. This light though runs off of 6 D size batteries which some people don't like, but I do; plus you can always use rechargeable D's with a charger that shuts itself off automatically when done.

Froze,

Thanks for the FYI, I'll check them out.

I had to go in a hurry without explaining what I used in the past and how the Metro compares. I actually tried a Cateye 300 (the 5 LED headlight) and found it be very unuseful at speeds above 8mph; and the light had a odd bluish/whitish small (about a foot in diameter) beam with no scatter light. This light is great for a "to be seen light" but almost useless to see the road with; but it did have very long battery run time of about 35 hours at full brightness on 4 AA batteries. This light cost me about $35, and I used it for almost 30 days. My LBS that sold me this light started carrying a new line of lights called the Cygolite; so I took my Cateye 300 and went down to test it against the cheapest Cygo the Metro. It wasn't even a contest, the Metro on either beam completely washed out the Cateye so overwhelmingly you could not even tell the Cateye was on! My LBS allowed me to return the Cateye since I had the original box and receipt and pay an extra $18...it was the best $18 I ever spent.

When I commute on lit city streets I use only the flood; this beam has about a 8 foot diameter beam with scatter light that reaches out 90 degrees to either side; I find this beam more then bright enough for the city. On pitch dark streets and bike paths I usually run with both beams for added safety. The spot beam is aimed 5 degrees ahead of the flood and has a oval shaped beam about 2 feet wide by 3 feet long with no scatter light. With both beams running on pitch dark roads I can safetly ride at speeds over 28mph and exceeded 34mph coming down a hill and never wished for a brighter light.

The Metro runs off of 6 D batteries; I get my bats at Walmart for $8 for a 12 pack (you can buy rechargeable D bats and a recharger at Walmart if you want). Also you can buy an optional Rover recharger and battery for about $35 (plus a cheap $8 lamp timer), then a Metro would be a dual battery system.

You mentioned though that you like to ride off road; if you ride off road at night the lighting requirements are greater for off road riding then on road. I would recommend you use the Explorer NiCad with the 25 watts output; then when your commuting run just the flood, but when your riding trails then switch to both beams. This light will give you greater lighting flexability for a variety of riding conditions without breaking the bank to get one of those HID units.

http://www.cygolite.com/light/main/1products.htm

Also just for info purposes, I'm a cheap asss light person, my entire lighting array cost just under $100 and it consist of the Cygo Metro ($48), a Cateye Xenon amber flasher for the front ($12), the Cateye TLLD600 5 led taillight ($15), barend taillights ($20), for a total of $95.

Froze,

Thanks for the info. I do not ride off road, I ride city ctreets and MUP's.

I totally agree about the CatEye 300, you can not see a thing more than a foot a head and at very slow speeds. It is definitely a "too be seen light". The light came with the bike when I purchased it about a year ago. It was not until last week I rode the bike in the dark (I usually ride early, just as the sun comes up, but have decided to join a weekly night ride out of a LBS). Turned the 300 on and saw nothing, thankfully two other riders bracketed me during the ride. Last Saturday I commuted to work by bike for the first time, borrowed a friends light (don't recall the name). Between the two lights I was fine, could never had done it with just the CatEye.

Besides the solid rear reflector the bike came with I've added a CatEye TL-LD500-R rear reflector. Has two settings, solid and blinking. Supposdedly it's the only rear reflector CPSC approved. Works great and can be seen from a distance.

I've also bought 2 Bikealite Reflective Legbands from Team Estrogran.com ($5.00 per). Wife called me in Vegas when the package arrived, as I had not told her they where coming, she wanted to know if I was starting to cross dress! I wear one band on my left ankle, the other high up on my left arm. They have Velcro holders, so they are adjustable. Supposedly they can be seen for 1,000 feet.

Thanks for all the info, I will check it out

This might be perfect for you bop bop.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp;jsessionid=BuZn5LB4phvX5LP1B4WPlXb6HBtBtwFiojKmHtRgSouanqh2Ww0f!1277837903!170918 972!2003!7002?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=669215&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=785987&bmUID=1097783719297

Operator,

Thank you!!!

The same kind of LED light from performance if you're not in canada:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18633&subcategory_ID=4320

Also, this 10 W niterider is pretty cheap.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=15884&subcategory_ID=4320

Slvoid,

I'm not in Canada. I'm a transplanted NYC'er living in AZ. Thanks for the info.

I also have a pair of highly reflective leg bands that are about 1 1/2 inch wide that fasten with velcro. I wear one on each ankle on night rides because the reflective bands create this up and down motion in car lights-very eye catching. Also my seatbag has reflective stripe as does my helmet.

Lowes Hardware store carries these battery powered bands that you can place around your ankle then turn them on and they glow, I think they cost $9 each; I thought about buying two but so far I put off to see how my current set up is working at attracting attention.

There are two purposes for lights: "see" and "be seen".

A bargain in the "see" category is the NiteHawk Raptor. It is a ten watt rechargable system on sale this week at Performance.com for $40. A ten watt halogen light is adequate for 10mph or 15mph on a street or bike path that is in decent condition.

In the "be seen" category, I like the Planet Bike Dual Spot. Often on sale for around $20. It allows you to chose between a blinking LED or a halogen light. The blinking LED can be seen for half a mile, and the batteries seem to last forever in the LED mode. The Halogen mode is puts out a narrow, dim beam, but can be useful if the batteries have run down on your primary system.

Also in the "Be Seen" category, Nashbar sometimes sells a two inch wide ankle band made by Nathan. It has orange, white, and yellow bands. These light up twice as bright as a standard ankle band.

Both the Vista Lite and CatEye rear flashers are well made, and with fresh batteries, can be seen at considerable distance.

The combination of a front headlight, front strobe, rear strobe, and ankle bands makes it easy for drivers to see you. The biggest danger at night is another bike, riding with NO lights, coming through a cross street, or around a corner at high speed. You can't hear these guys or see these guys. Because these riders are morons, they will not slow down or swerve when they see your lights. Watch out for the "ghost riders"!!