tuolumne

I finally pulled the plug on an HID. I'm even building up a generator hub with Schmidt E6 headlight, but commuting everyday with a handheld flashlight and backpacking headlamp has been getting risky of late. Hopefully she comes in time for daylight savings! I decided to throw in a blinky superflash for good measure while I was at it. You can't go wrong with a sale on top of a sale.

noisebeam

Makes me wonder if I should have gotten this instead of the TrailTech Eclipse HID for $200. I guess the Trailtech has longer battery life?

Al

slvoid

Ouch, that's like buying a suburu wrx and finding out you could've gotten a 911 4s for 5 grand more.

Hey, better mileage right?

noisebeam

Buyers remorse is exacerbated by the net, symptoms run highest while product is in shipment.

Made worse by eyeing a fellow commuters L&M ARC parked next to my bike, so sleek. I have fears that the trailtech will have this 'home-made' feel to it.

Al

slvoid

It doesn't help that there's some jackass on the net rubbing it in your face. Did I mention the sweet sweet beam pattern from the custom aluminium reflector in the L&M light?

Phantoj

Yeah, but your Trailtech is Lithium-ion, right...?

HID... drool...

noisebeam

Yeah, I suppose

here is the comparision (specs, not performance of course)
TT:
10W HID, Li-ion, 4hr. run time

L&M:
11W/13.5W HID, NiMH, 3hr high, 3.5hr low run time.

Alk

Phantoj

Lighter, smaller battery on the Trailtech?

noisebeam

TT battery: 10.2oz, 2.1" x 1.4" x 2.5"
L&M battery: 19.4oz, 6.2" x 1.6" x 1.4"

Al

randya

Ridiculous prices for lighting! I thought $25 was expensive for bike lighting until I paid $100 for a new dyno set from Peter White Cycles a few years back.

Last weekend I picked up six NOS or barely used dyno generator light sets (two Union and two Soubitez 6V3W sets; and two Rampar 6V6W sets that can each run two headlamps and two taillamps) complete with lamps at my local bike coop for $30 total. That's $5 each for a complete lighting set that actually lights the road so you can see where you are going. Throw in some halogen bulbs and they're all good to go.

I will never buy new lights at retail prices again.

banerjek

And you probably won't feel as bad about getting aftermarket parts to fix it. I just bought a new NiMH battery from batteryspace.com for my NR HID setup. NR price -- $159.99. Batteryspace -- $39.99. Naturally, there are some catches like I have to solder on a connector and pop it in a bottle, but for that kind of price differential, I can do some work.

When my NR starts causing me too many problems, I think I'm going to switch to a homebrew solution. My winter commuting setup is heavy and strange already so there's no point to being lightweight and sleek.

noisebeam

I thought about that too. Replacement batteries, etc. will be lower price.
Plus $62 is ~20 Fuller's London Porters at TJ prices.

Al

seeker333

Slvoid - Whats the approximate beam angle on the L&M light? I could not find this info on their website or a google search.

I searched and found an earlier post where you describe 160 degree coverage.

I'm thinking the Trail Tech light may have a slight advantage for commuting use in that you can choose a 6 or 12 degree beam version, which would be a little less brutal on oncoming motorists eyes, whereas the L&M seems intended for offroad use (their website doesn't list the hids under "road").

Then again, maybe a wide radiation pattern may be a safety advantage in that drivers try to steer away from the bright light. What is your opinion on the beam angle aspect, please?

slvoid

This is what I suspect the trail tech and niterider beams, and jetlite and every other HID in the world, look like, since they both use the same reflectors and bulbs. You get a lot of artifacts and also lose a lot of light from the cheap glass reflectors. I think the pattern shown is the default 12 degree pattern.


This is what l&m's looks like. It's like, a 6 degree beam (between the 0-3) that gracefully expands to a 12-15 degree halo (between 3-6) and then very very gracefully expands to 160 or so degrees.


There simply is no comparison, its brighter, whiter, way smoother, less artifacts. The last thing you want to think at 30mph is "is that a crack in the pavement or a dark spot in my beam pattern?"

Sorry Noisebeam, I'm not helping. This wait for your trailtech to arrive must be agonizing...

mechBgon

aaack, you're making me drool! Not... enough... moneyyyyy....

Lurker1999

Actually with the 20% off coupon it's only $331 SHIPPED for the Li-ion... It'd be a cool toy but do I really need it?

noisebeam

Thanks, at least I know some jackass is feeling better somewhere.
Al

kgatwork

I just got my Eclipse SCMR16 - HID and its bright , big fixture though. Its a lot brighter than the 35 watt solux halogen MR16 setup I have currently.

ViperZ

How do you get that price??

The lowest one I see is $327.95 (with 20% off)

Click Here

Ganesha

SOA17 -- on the front page, takes another 20% off... Good till: 10/29

Daily Commute

Feh. My Trailtech/Batterspace light cost about that, and it gives almost EIGHT hours (7:45) of 13w HID light per charge.

slvoid

Yes... that does make you feel better. Cause we all have 8 hour commutes.

ViperZ

Thanks, I missed that a person could use the additional coupon code.

ViperZ

Are the Trail Techs as nicely designed as the L&M Arc system? They look to offer a lot for less, but then they also look more home built as well.

jyossarian

Sigh...pulled the trigger on the L&M ARC HID. Also bought some car parts. This is the first time my bike parts cost more than my car parts (wife got tired of looking at the duct tape holding my sideview mirrors on). If you see a blinding light in your rearview mirror flying up Park Ave., that'll be me.