Sirrus Rider

Anyone using a Dinotte 200L-AA-S as a primary headlight? How well does it work??

mesasone

Which light? I run a pair 200Ls on my handlebars, and they work great. Lately I've been running them on low, because I was tired of switching batteries, and they provide decent lighting. I just placed an order for some rechargables, and look forward to running both on high again... it's a ton of light.

I wish the 600L weren't so expensive :x

BengeBoy 

I run a pair of 200L's on the front and they work great.

A lot of my commute is on a dark, unlit road w/no streetlights, and I turn them up on high for that. When I get to normal streets (with streetlights), I usually turn them to low or medium, which is plenty.

On a MUP I usually turn one off and/or cover one with a hand when another biker approaches 'cause they're so bright.

derath

Dual 200L's here too. They work great. I have run just one in a pinch without ill effects. I did limit my downhills to about 27mph in that case, but that was more due to all the deer crossing the road.

-D

bicycleflyer

I ran the original 5W and then later let dinotte upgrade my light engine to the 200L. I ran only a single headlight for two winters and it worked fine. This year I decided to upgrade to the new 400L. I just got it and have not yet run it that much, but it seems to be an awesome light. Enough so that my 200L-AA-S is up for sale with my local bike club.

I also have the taillight (140 version).

Sirrus Rider

I had the 200L-AA-S in mind.

bhc

I have two of the 200L-AA-S lights. They are great for the variety they offer. As others have noted, if you are in a completely dark area, you have plenty of light, and if back in street lights you can drop down to medium. I can't comment on how well they work in the cold, but I use them in the AZ desert in the summer evenings, work fine at temps up to 108. (I know, hard to believe it is still that warm after the sun has set)

Sirrus Rider

I'm in Houston so the coldest I'd run it in is near freezing in the coldest of winters (and then it's for the sake of getting to my end destination) to upper 90's in the summer.

hopperja

As I've said elsewhere in BF, I love my DiNotte lights (1 front, 1 rear). At $99 the 200L is worth it. However, if you want a dual setup, get a DiNotte for the bars and put a Fenix L2D on the helmet. This is what I have and use, and really like it. When I'm riding at dawn or dusk, I'll put one on flashing mode and leave the other on solid mode. I have yet to find myself wishing for more light.

If I had to pay full price for the DiNotte 200L (which I didn't, I got it on sale for $99), I would most likely have gotten a double or triple Fenix L2D setup instead.

green814

I have considered a Dinotte as well for a helmet mounted light. How often do they have a sale on the lights?

Hopper: What weighs less, the Dinotte or the Fenix?

Chris

ClydesterD

I use the opposite method. When riding in city traffic I put my 200L on high because I want to be seen, and there's much more competing light around me so I need high to better stand out. On rural roads I put the 200L on medium or even low, and put my 140L taillight on slow blink. The headlight gives me enough light to see even on these lower settings, the taillight is still visible from a mile away, and I'm virtually eliminating my chance of running out of juice since the Li-ion batteries supposedly last for much longer than my 1 hour commute or my typical 2 to 3 hour night ride.

To comment on the original question, though, I think one 200L with either power source is all you need for night riding, and it's all I want. I thought I'd want more than the 200L would provide until I tried it, and then found it to be plenty.

operator

Don't buy the 200L for commuting through suburban/urban areas with streetlighted roads.

1) There's no option to swivel the light - you blind every other road user out there unless you point it quite a ways down in which case you don't see what you need to see
2) It's not enough light when you need to see between the dark patches between streetlights
3) Light is definitley not enough when it starts raining

I don't understand why dinotte doesn't consider #1 an issue at all. Neither the 200L or 400L have options of swivelling the light engine itself. You are stuck with whatever angle your handlebar you happen to have it attached to.

This is NOT good for street riding. Do they even ride the stuff they sell or are they just trying to move the higher priced 600L.

operator

Ironically it's the exact reverse - you don't need that much light to see when it's completely unlit. But the opposite when it's only partially lit.

hopperja

Which weighs less? With or without batteries? With batteries, the Fenix due to needing 2 AA vs. 4 AA for the DiNotte.

I did a 19 mile night road-ride last night. I had the Fenix on my helmet, the DiNotte on my bars. It worked very well. It was a flat ride, but went as fast as 20 mph and did not even come close to outrunning the light. I would guess somewhere between 25 and 30 would be max sight distance vs. stopping distance. As I've said elsewhere: if I had to pay full price for the DiNotte I would buy two Fenix lights. If I could get the DiNotte on sale for $99 (which I did) I would opt for the DiNotte/Fenix setup I have.

Nachoman

I also use the Dinotte 200L on the bars and a Fenix P3d on the helmet. I don't think I have any problems with this setup, but there's always room for improvement.

indygreg

I run a 200L on bars and one on helmet. Sometimes both on bars. One is okay, two is all I need or want. I have run them in cold weather (well, 40's maybe) with no issue. I love them