Originally Posted by
canyoneagle
On models with a "stand light" function, a capacitor keeps the lights illuminated (at lower "be seen" levels). On my E3 it is about 5-7 minutes.
On my E3 Pro it also puts out a disappointingly small amount of light. I've seen button-cell keychain lights that are on par with the Supernova standlight after a 30-second pause. When I'm stopped in the middle of a busy arterial intersection, waiting for a gap to make my left turn, I like to have something a little better than a keychain light, so I also run a compact high-output flashlight as a secondary headlight.
Regarding cost of dynohubs, the Sanyos are down around $40:
http://www.longleafbicycles.com/prod...ting/dynohubs/ I'm still waiting for some brighter, new-generation dyno headlights before I'll really be sold on dyno lighting... maybe by 2015?
Going back to the original topic, I think the lithium-ion 18650 cells and charger are worth the investment if you're looking for lots of light. Once you're on the 18650 platform, flashlights and bar mounts are available at competitive prices to AA-powered lights, but 18650 has more power-storage capacity so you can get more light, or longer runtimes, or some of each.