Papa Tom

Here we go again, but I promise not to be so freakin' neurotic this time around.

I recently purchased the Cygolite Hot Shot 150 blinkie for my rear rack. Now I've just come across some unexpected "mad money" and I want to finish out my daytime lighting set with something you guys won't laugh at (like my $5 32-led Harbor Freight flashlight, which still works great). I am going to do this very soon and be done with it, so no long, drawn out decision-making on my part.

I've read great reviews of the Cygolite Metro, but the numbers at the end keep changing, so I don't know which one to look at. Now I see a Metro 750 - and I thought I saw an 850. This is going to be exclusively for daytime commuting. Can anybody tell me which Metro you have and whether you think it's powerful enough as a day light? I don't want to buy something that's going to blind oncoming drivers.

Also, I'm going to stick with the Cygolite, so please don't try to sell me on other brands and other models. I grew up during a time when there were way fewer choices and life was a lot simpler, so too much information gets me agitated really fast. Thanks!

Athens80

We have the Dash 320 and Metro 550. Both have DayLightning flash modes that are useful in daytime.

You won't blind drivers with these lights when the Sun is up. Don't use DayLightning at night.

Leisesturm

Just saying... and kindly so... the way not to be neurotic about daytime lighting, is not to have any...

Papa Tom

Thanks, but I'm sold on it. I sometimes drive the roads I commute and I clearly see cyclists with day lighting and I BARELY see cyclists without it. There are a couple of rough spots where a bright headlight (perhaps a pulsating one) would help motorists see what's coming up.

bulldog1935

I'm happy with Cygolite 850 headlight, both brightness and charge life.
I would think either 750 or 850 will do you right.

Garfield Cat

I think its the new Metro Pro 1,100. It has its own built-in battery, lighter than the Expilion, uses the smaller USB cable,

Cygolite Metro Pro 1100 USB Headlight - Planet BMX

robert schlatte

I have a metro 400 and it is an incredible bright light. I don't need a brighter light for night riding let alone during the day. I don't understand why you think you need a powerful light for riding during the day or any light for that matter.

ecteer

I was nearly hit last year by a pickup truck driver coming the opposite way who turned left in front of me. Said he didn't see me. I now use an Ion 700 flashing headlight during daylight, and definitely notice that motorists pause before turning or pulling out in front of me from a side street when they didn't before. Now they see me. I'm also researching a daylight visible tail light.

tarwheel 

I would get the most powerful light that will fit your budget. The main reason is longer run times. You wouldn't need to use the highest settings for daytime use, but a more powerful light will have much longer run times between charges, particularly at lower settings. Also, if you ever need to ride at night or in the rain, the more powerful beam will come in handy. It's easy to get caught riding in low-light conditions during the winter.

Papa Tom

I would think that if the 400 is, as Robert says, "an incredibly bright light," then the 750 or 850 might be too bright -- and the Pro 1100 might just be obnoxious for day riding. The 1100 is also a little pricey for my "be-seen light" budget.

Bulldog: Do you use your 850 as a day light? Has anyone commented on it being too bright for oncoming drivers?

Dunbar

I would get the brightest Metro you can afford. The steady pulse mode is ideal for daytime use IMO. I know my Dash 325 isn't bright enough for daytime use in steady pulse mode. So I'd go for the Dash Pro 600 at a minimum.

ct-vt-trekker

My wife and I use the Cygolite Expilion 850. It'd not too bright using the daytime flash mode. Yes it reflects off of road signs a few hundred feet ahead in broad daylight but people will see you. A friend was pulling out her driveway and she said she really noticed my wife coming down the road hundreds of yards away. People pause and hesitate when you have a light like this. This is what you want.

Papa Tom

I'm thinkin' it's gonna be the 850...

VegasTriker

The MSRP for the 850 light is $140 according to this website which compares bike headlights https://www.bikelightdatabase.com/headlights/ It sells for $85 postpaid on eBay but the replaceable battery which appears to be the size of a 18650 Li-ion cell sells for an astounding $31, far higher than name-brand 18650 cells like Panasonic and ten times the inexpensive ones.

You can finally buy bike headlights that use a replaceable 18650 battery like this $20 light. Not as bright as the Cygolite but certainly visible from what I have seen local people use during the day. I wouldn't buy anything that has a built-in, non replaceable battery. Once the battery dies, the light is useless or you may have to send it in for an expensive battery replacement. If you can find one of these using the CREE XML-T6 LED you would have it made.

Papa Tom

The Metro 850 is listed on Amazon at $59, and my LBS (which doesn't have one in stock right now) sells it for the same price.

Check your PM's, Vegas. I also responded to your private note.

tarwheel 

I've used a Light & Motion Urban 850 for commuting over the past two years. For me, it's just the right power and brightness for commuting. I rarely ever run it on high. In the dark, I usually run it on the second-highest setting and that provides enough run time for my round-trip commute (2.5 hours including stops). In daylight, I run it on the pulse setting, which is much less annoying than strobe used on many lights. It will run for hours on pulse.

Staypuft1652

Papa Tom

Trying to find a LBS with the metro 850 in stock. Nobody's got it, and most haven't even heard of it. It's amazing how little the shops around here cater to anyone but hardcore roadies.

a1penguin

I purchased a Metro 500 when I started my new job which put me on roads with dedicated bike lane but plenty of cross streets and driveways for 10 of the 22 miles. I really wanted a daytime light for the morning ride when the sun isn't quite up. The metro flashing mode is awesome. I had ridden a lot of this route as part of my weekend rides and I really noticed that cars decide to wait for me and give me plenty of room. The flashing mode is nice; the flash rate is about 1.5/s which is not fast enough to be a problem. Given how people react to it, I will probably always use a daytime light and I think this one is sufficient to be noticeable in full daylight. I waited for a good price on Amazon which was $55. I'm very happy with it so far. I would not recommend a less bright light for daytime visibility.

It has other modes, so it is good for night time riding. Blinking lights at night are terrible for the rider. I have a 900 lumen flashlight as primary night light, but this makes a great backup when I decide to ride the 22 miles home from work and take a detour for a nice ride.

I haven't had it long enough to comment on long term durability. So far, no problems. There are other brands of lights out there with similar features. This one has the mini USB (not micro) port for charging.

Papa Tom

I saw the Metro 550 today and it looked plenty bright, but it was "clearance priced" at REI for only $4 less than the 850 sells for on Amazon, so I couldn't talk myself into buying it.

Hey, I've tried every shop around here just so I could give local brick-and-mortar guys the business. Now I guess I need to order online.

dmanthree

I ride in and out of shadows frequently, and having that flasher on the front makes me a lot more visible to oncoming traffic. I'll keep using it.

Leisesturm

The question I answered had nothing to do with the efficacy of daytime lighting. I still think its pretty unarguable that, simply not having any, means zero chance of developing anxiety over whether you have the right brand, the right amount of lumens, have it angled correctly, etc., etc. Sure, you'll be less visible, but humans have been using sunlight (or cloudlight) to function efficiently for 60,000 years. The baseline efficiency of unassisted daytime visual function, perhaps enhanced by a reflective vest or jacket, is pretty darn good.

Papa Tom

I understand your point, but you're not taking into account the various other factors that have come into play over the past 60,000 years. Just as the noise level in a room gradually increases as one person starts to speak louder and another has to up his/her volume to be heard over that person and then other people have to speak louder to be heard over all THAT noise, the "noise" level in our society and on our roads has dramatically increased in recent times.

I'd agree that riding a main road with no lighting during the daytime ten years ago might not have been such a problem. But on the roads I ride to work these days, no fewer than half the drivers I pass have their heads pointed down at a text screen and one hand on the wheel at any given time. Others are juggling food, coffee, or puppies on their laps, or taking selfies of themselves behind the wheel. A majority of motorists around here have adopted the habit of driving with their headlights on during the day just to keep other motorists alert. As a result, any vehicle without its headlights on has become invisible. So now, as a cyclist, I have to "raise the volume" and light up my vehicle as best I can.

Believe me, I am NOT gadget happy and I HATE spending $100 on front and rear day lights for a $300 bike, but I don't really feel like riding without them is an option anymore.

PS: I just ordered the Metro 850 through Amazon for $59. Case closed!

Garfield Cat

OK, case is closed.

Not quite yet. Perhaps that $300 bike might get replaced with that upgrade because you may reach another level.

Papa Tom

(Me talking to my wife) "What did I tell you an hour ago? I KNEW someone was going to comment about the $300 bike!"

Anyway, my GT Outpost was $300 when I bought it twenty years ago. In addition to all the mountain biking I put it through in the beginning, it has since carried me over many, many miles of bike tours, commutes, and pleasure rides. The once sparkling red frame is now almost completely covered in decals from all the states, cities, and towns it has visited. If the steel frame falls apart before I do, I will replace it. Otherwise, I plan to take it to the grave with me.

Meanwhile, in the past year, I've adorned this old clunker with about $130 worth of Topeak rack and trunk bag equipment, $100 worth of lights, and about $200 in drivetrain replacement parts to get rid of a noise that nobody else could hear.

Another level? Not til I get my money's worth out of all this crap!