Hybrid Bicycles - Lights on my Hybrid.....

So after much searching and reading I'm looking for a general opinion (yes I know)
about lights.
I have little to no real desire to ride at night but feel if I get stuck with an evening ride back, then I'll be prepared.

I'm in No Way interested in spending up-wards of $125 so those super zoot lights I've read about are not in the picture. The super cheapie Walmart pieces are out too.

I've seen the Planet Bike or Bike Planet 2w head and tail lights and those are what I'm considering.

Thoughts ? or similar recommendations ..........

If it's just for those "might get caught after dark", you can zip tie a cheap LED flashlight to the handlebars :)

I've also seen a headlight/tailight set for $30 too. Battery of course.

I realize that this is a little upwards of $125, but this is the best value that you will find for exceptional lights, hands down. This is my setup that works better than I had hoped.

Headlight with battery: $99 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=272
Taillight Uses the same battery: $29 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=209
Y-cable: $8 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=150

I have been using a bontrager ion 2 and feel it is more than capable of seeing at night, have even had bikers at night comment as we pass each other how bright it is. Then just get cheaper tail light, I think all total I spent maybe $45-50

For that use I would get a flashlight, something like this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-xg-v2-xp-g-r5-wc-5-mode-350-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-1-18650-55594
Get a rechargeable 18650 battery and charger if you want, or just run off 2 123A batteries if this is a once-a-year thing.
If you plan to use it often, I would get a better quality flashlight but still something similar.

Attach with a twofish lockblock (I got the 3-pack from Amazon).

For rear light, a cateye 5-led one works pretty good. If you want to get fancy, then a PDW Radbot 1000.

The Planet Bike 2W is going to be one of those lights that will enable others to see you. If you actually need to see the road to go faster than about 10 MPH, then it is not very useful.

The Planet Bike 2W is going to be one of those lights that will enable others to see you. If you actually need to see the road to go faster than about 10 MPH, then it is not very useful.

Depends on where you live. On the roads between my work and home you don't need lights to see. We have street lights.

I have two sets of Planet Bike Spok lights. Two is brighter than one (these aren't bright lights) and if a battery dies I still have light (unless both go at the same time, which is bound to happen, because life's like that). OK, I'll get a spare battery. CR2016.
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/Rod_Smith/bike/DSC02254.jpg

http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/Rod_Smith/bike/DSC02248.jpg

A set of these (and a spare battery) might be all you need if you don't ride at night and want something "just in case". Weighs practically nothing and takes up very little space. $20/pair.

I use the $14 set from WalMart as my base lighting. They're enough to be seen, and you can see well enough to cruise under most conditions. When I'm planning to ride at night, I add a helmet-mounted headlight and rear blinky, and a LED flashlight in one of the cheap Dealextreme mounts, though fairly often on the back roads I'll turn off everything forward facing except that little headlight and let my eyes adjust.

This set, though the description is wrong; each light takes 3 AAA batteries, not AA as it says there. http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Radian-Bike-Light-Black/dp/B003NTL7IO

My main headlight on my commuter is a Cateye HL-EL320. It can be found for about $20. It casts a good light for seeing the road at night at high speed, with a very long beam. I also have a lower end Cateye HL-EL 135 that casts a broader light, which I aim lower for seeing things close-up. They both have unusually long battery life using AA batteries, lasting over a month.

My taillight is a basic Cateye TL-LD130-R. With this light, proper angling of the mount gives it a wide range of angles of visibility. I've had many compliments on the visibility of this cheap light. It uses smaller AAA batteries, but usually lasts well over a month of riding (average 100 miles per week).

I use my lights every time I commute to work, both for being able to see in the morning and being seen in the afternoon. I prefer the non-rechargeable units because they are always ready when I need them. I have a friend who sometimes forgets to charge his rechargeable headlight, and has run out of light before completing his ride.

My 5-LED camping headlamp works pretty well. Not perfect, but the wattage per dollar ratio is far superior to something which costs more than any single component on the bike itself. I run it with two regular Cateye's on the handlebars.

We have alot of late-night riders around here, a reflective vest plus a couple red blinkers are the one's I see from furthest away.

I'm not holding my breath for truly road-worthy lamps to drop in price. At this rate, night vision goggles will probably get to my price point first :(

I've also seen a headlight/tailight set for $30 too. Battery of course.

i got my set for $12. batteries included

How about a NiteRider MiNewt 150 cordless and a Planet Bike Super Flash? Do you ride fast? Do you want to be seen or do you want to see? Is the road you ride on smooth or are there obstacles, debris, drain grates?

REI has the MiNewt (http://www.rei.com/product/808465/niterider-minewt-150-cordless-bike-light) for $82 and the Super Flash (http://www.rei.com/product/772679/planet-bike-superflash-stealth-rear-bike-light) for $25.

Oh yeah, you might also want to replace any wheel reflectors with Lightweights (http://www.rei.com/product/808967/lightweights-for-wheels-power-reflectors).

Excellent thoughts and applications guys, I really thank everyone for taking time to make replies.

I realize that this is a little upwards of $125, but this is the best value that you will find for exceptional lights, hands down. This is my setup that works better than I had hoped.

Headlight with battery: $99 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=272
Taillight Uses the same battery: $29 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=209
Y-cable: $8 http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=150

That looks like a nice light setup. I might be interested in just the headlight setup.

You might want to check out this sticky in the Electronics forum (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/435347-The-best-headlights-under-50-thread) here (might want to skip to the last couple of pages...).

Thanks again all for your replies and links....

I've boiled it down to the 2 watt Cygolite Tail light and their Ex 350 rechargeable Headlite .... a touch over $100, but should work out fine.

Runner up was the 2 watt Blaze and the same tail-light.

Thanks again !

Hi!

I'm with you too and didn't want to get super-cheap or over-priced lights; especially since I don't plan on doing a lot of night riding.

I can't speak for Planet Bike lights. I purchased a Topeak Redlite II Tail Light (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Q3RBR8) (didn't get the combo front & tail) for $10.

FWIW, it's a nice 5-LED with solid or flashing options. I like how it attaches to the bike. I'm 5'6" and with a saddlebag and the reflector, there's not much room for a tail light. So I attached it down on the frame on the left side.

It does what it was meant to do and I haven't had any problems.

I bought these off ebay for $53. They are very bright. Took the bike out during Irene, when it had taken out power in the whole neighborhood and I could ride fast without concern...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5-Modes-SSC-P7-1200Lm-LED-Bicycle-bike-Light-HeadLamp-/280676460953?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41599ee999#ht_4863wt_892