Originally Posted by Mtn Mike
I have to disagree; You get what you pay for in a light system. There are huge differences in quality between the cheapest light sets, and the gold standard brands like NiteRider and Light & Motion. I've used all different types of systems from a homemade $30 solution, to bike lights from $50, to $100, $200 and can say, L & M blows them away in quality. You have to realize that the brightness and wattage of the bulb is not all that matters. The quality of the build is probably more important to a serious user than the wattage. Sure you can rig up a 35W bulb and a huge battery and it will give plenty of light...but is it waterproof, crashproof, and will it be around after turning the switch ON and OFF several hundred times?
maybe I should not have used the word cheat but inexpensive. I use the best connectors out there for my setup. I have a great computer controled system custom made for what I want fully sealed and it uses a magnet to control it so there is no switch to fail. I use the best sanyo cells out there. a very good computer controlled charger that no HID light charger can come close to matching. I use good bulbs that if in an emergancy and I don't have a spare can be bought at most lighting and home improvement stores. the housing is a car fog light housing that is steel and only 20.00 for a set of two.
yes mine is fully waterproof and as crashproof as any. bulb preplacemnt is easy and the unit does not have to be sent in like the L&M does (by the way it has pretty poor optics too) pretty much all the parts on my light can be bought at several places locally. can you say the same thing? when I did it I read up on it and talked to the experts and then did it right.
I have far more control over beam angle brightness light color and runtime then any commercial product out there. I can rewire it so I can put the cells anywhere I want and i can charge the cells really fast or really slow or antyhing inbetween.