Motorad

Hello. I'm wanting to mount a headlight with good candlepower on a new bike, but am not familiar with available lighting systems. I'll have a good sized bag on the handlebar, in case the headlight eats up the batteries. Or if the recommended headlight comes with a battery that is hooked by a cable, perhaps the battery could ride inside the handlebar bag.

Also, do some of the more powerful headlights come with a tail-light that comes as a kit with the headlight, as far as the OCP points? I would also have a seatpost bag that perhaps the taillight replacement batteries (or cable-attached battery) could ride in.

Lastly, where would I find the recommended headlight (possibly with complemented taillight)? I've looked at a couple of online bike shops, and didn't really see anything I was looking for.

tsl

Many of us from the commuting forum like the lights from DiNotte Lighting. I run a pair of their 5W Ultralights on the front and am saving my pennies for their taillight.

You can configure a system with either rechargeable AA (Pro Series) or a proprietary Lithium Ion battery pack (Endurance Series). There's also the newer 300L and 500L series which come in Lithium Ion only.

I chose the Pro Series because 3 hours is the most run time I need in a given day and the batteries and chargers are generic. I'm tired of having dozens of different, expensive and incompatible special batteries and chargers cluttering up the house.

yxddwry

I originally bought the Planet Bike Blaze headlight & Super Flash taillight combo, and was happy with it. The blaze puts out a decent light and can also be used in flashing mode. The PBSF is a geat light. After a motorist told me I might consider a brighter headlamp to be seen better, I got a Cateye HL-EL610 rechargable. It bright, wide beam is just what I needed for road riding. Easy to recharge and lasts over 4 hours on high beam. Longer if using low beam or flash. I currently ride in the dark mornings with both headlamps, plus a helmet light, and have three PBSF and two other lesser taillights. I also have reflective taping and wear a reflective vest. Motorists treat me better when approaching me in the dark than they do during my daylight ride home. I've been told that it looks like coming up on a bunch of fire trucks!

Unknown Cyclist

How much light do you want - how much do you want to spend ?

crackerdog

For headlights, I have a Fenix Q5 on my helmet and a Dinotte 200L on my handlebars. One night a friend of mine happened to be walking toward me about 1/2 mile ahead when a car came up behind me. He said he could easily see the two lights of the bike even with the car directly behind me. He knew it must be a bike because what else would have vertical lights. Good enough for me. Dinotte 140 for the rear and Monkey Electrics in the spokes for the side view. I am safer at night than in the day.

bicycleflyer

+1 on the Dinotte. I have the 400L on the front, The 140 on the rear and a Princeton Tec EOS on my helmet. Unlike some other posters, I prefer the Li-Ion system over the AA battery system.

Unknown Cyclist

As you haven't said that you want a cycle specific lighting system I have to recommend that you consider using torches.

You can buy a P7 torch and a high power red torch with lithium batteries and a charger.

This will get you dinotte light levels and good reliability for about 1/8 of the cost.

PaulRivers

With all due respect guys, the thread was create in 2007, and now suddenly reopened in 2009 - I think the guy has probably already made a decision. ;-)

Unknown Cyclist

:d

PaulRivers

Sorry - I know I shouldn't comment and keep this thread going, but I just can't help myself.

shuffles

Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

AEO

lol, australia, NZ and UK all refer to them as torches

T Waldo

Hello Earthling, we are contacting you from a future so bright we are forced to wear shades.

BearSquirrel

Yes, because it's much easier to have 6 dozen compatible batteries floating around the house that have to marked in groups do to battery wear. At which point, they effectively become incompatible again.

The easiest way to handle the "running out of batteries" issue is plain overkill. Get a larger battery or get a spare. Or get more lighting than you need (easy with Dinotte) and dial it back for longer run times.

Finally, if you stick with one company and do careful planning all you batteries SHOULD be compatible. Personally I just have two TridenXs. When I go the second one, Dinotte was really coming on strong with their 800L model. But ... the TridenX is cheap when you figure in shop discounts. And I already had one. Compatibility is a strong advantage.