I'm thinking seriously about getting one of these. But I need the batteries to last 45 minutes minimum(high setting) at around 15 to 20 deg. F for the ride home(Ni-MH rated at 32 to 95 degrees F). Dynamo version is not an option for several reasons. This is for commuting purposes on my road bike. I have 2 L&M 700's set on low mounted on the inside of the drops. This directs more light forward, plus the amber side lights illuminate my white bars, fork, and wheel to some extent. The indirect light from the amber LED's isn't very noticeable with a lot of ambient light in the area. The problem I have is even with high vis. clothing I still have an issue with cross traffic when I have the right of way. If a car pulls up to an intersection just before I get there, they don't see my light beam(s) because they're on the inside of the drops. That was my only issue last winter. Aside from that, I was able to go full speed confidently through an intersection. So now I'm on a "
Side Visibility Kick." This light will be the final piece of the "
Can You See Me From the Side?" puzzle. I borrowed a Gen 1 light from a friend a few weeks ago and decided I have to have one of these. One thing I did notice was you really need an auxiliary light when going around corners at normal speed because of the beam pattern. I was able to get 1.7 hrs.(high setting) with stock batteries(2450mAh) at 60 deg. F. The only other light I was looking at was a B&M Ixon IQ Speed Premium, but not a fan of an external battery plus it looks huge!
Reasons to buy:
Can run at full brightness without blinding oncoming vehicles so you aim the light higher for more distance visibility and go at full speed without overrunning your beam.
Uniform beam throw.
The lens is about 2.5mm thick, and is very noticeable from the side as it has a bright glow around the perimeter. This is one of the reasons I want to use it on high.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTGqv6ejSLI)
The light beam itself is more noticeable from the side compared to my current setup.
At what point does the Gen2 get noticeably dimmer? I'm assuming where as Gen1 stays at full intensity until throttled down to Eco-mode, the Gen2 stays on high longer, but starts to dim.
What would be the best way to insulate the Saferide housing to extend the battery life in cold weather?
Is there enough of a difference between Gen1 & Gen2 to go with the Gen2?