i need a light!
 

first of all thanx in advance for any advice. that being said, my cheepie light was stolen off my bike the other night leaving me to ride home in the dark, i know my fault i should have taken it off. anyways since i need to replace it ive been looking to upgrade. I been researching like crazy and i think i have it narrowed down to the cateye single shot rc because i dont want to carry a charger/pack but need something kinda of strong. my cummute is minutes away and dont really need high end i just need the road lit up a bit and to be seen, i also like quick release and flashing. before i spend about 70$ any sugestions? got something up for sale?

I very happy with my $25 (215 lumens) Romisen RC-N3 CREE Q5. You can spend hundreds more and not get more light. Keep the changer at home.
See the following: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=489032

Don't get a "bike" light unless it is high end. Get an LED flashlight and mount it to the bike. Cheaper and brighter. Make sure it is a Cree Q5, or SSC P4, or SSC P7 LED.

Or any of the other hundreds of LED flashlights adequate to the task.

I bought a Nite rider last season, I am not sure the model number but it is the single beam. I had probably spent $100 on flashlight type lights and cheaper lights. Just get a night rider and save yourself a lot of trouble. the best thing is you can see where you are going. It is also mounted with a rubber band and the battery with a velcro strap, I can take mine off the bike in seconds and put it back on and aim in about as eaisly.

That really narrows it down now doesn't it.

The cateye likely uses a Luxeon emitter. Cree Q5, P4, or P7 emitters are brighter and cheaper.

Go to K-Mart/Target and get the Schwinn LED set. 12.00 for both front and rear.
totally adequate for any situation. I think(?) its an old Blackburn model. :)

In a pinch, CVS pharmacy has incredibly bright, small LED flashlites in the 'generic stuff'
dept that could be bought with a roll of black electrical tape or rubbber band for mounting
for about 6.00 :) Cheep is good :thumb:

If you are going to be commuting on roads with street lights and you mainly need the light to be seen and not to see the road, a flashlight will work fine. You can simply attach it with a strong rubber band or a elastic hair thingie or some kind of o-ring. If you need some light on the road, there are many inexpensive lights that can do that. The light and motion stella AA runs on AA batteries, either alkaline or rechargables, which can be had for cheap anywhere. Dinotte also sells a version like this that runs on AA batts. They both can be had for between $70 and $129 on sale. Check www.performancebike.com and bikenashbar.com
and some of the other sites for deals.
Good Luck

hmm, i don't see why you'd spend 70$ on a light if you are just wanting to get seen...spend 40$ on a light..get seen AND actually be able to see. Get a P7 flashlight. It rivals many high end bike specific lights, and if you have 2 of them you will have no issue with being seen or seeing the road in front of you.

I like my Cateye Opticube. 2 settings so as not to blind people approaching. And easily removable for use as a carry flashlight. Takes 4 'AA' batteries - but lasts a real long time.

Seriously. Get this or this or both, and you'll have more light than anything else mentioned in this thread.

Great recommendation, how do you recommend to mount it though? Are there some generic mounts that work well with these?

Twofish lock blocks work great!

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...4/100_1083.jpg

This is a Romisen RC-N3 CREE Q5 on a lock block. The lock block can also be used to mount the light to your helmet.

http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/t...CREE-Q5/Detail

The lockblock comes 3 to a pack at Jensen $12.95.
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...ck+Blocks.aspx

I love my Rominsen flashlights (I own two). Fenix is another popular light around here, but I enjoy the simplicity of the Rominsen and the ability of choosing either one CR123A or two AA batteries. (I use rechargeable AA batteries.)

For something to use just to be seen I have a walmart light I believe it is a $20 bell or something like that led. It comes with a mounting clamp that has a quick disconnect feature and has both solid on and flash modes. It works great for me and I have enough light to see the road when its pitched black out.
Hope this helps

Are the velcro straps good quality? The price is so good I'm a little weary.

I find twofish mounts cause my P7 flashlights to wobble when riding. This is when I mount them on top of the bars, like in the picture a couple of posts up. I haven't yet tried them under the bars though, maybe it's okay that way. I just clamp two #10 hose clamps together, one around the flashlight, one around the handlebar.

Romisen RC-N3 CREE Q5 set up with the CR123a battery is only 3 inches long. With the twofish mount there is no movement. However set up to use two AA batteries (6 inches) it might move. The twofish mount does make it easy to remove the light if you need to leave the bike some where.

IMHO Cateye, Blackburn and most under $150 "bikelights" do not hold a "candle" :lol: to the new Cree Q5, P4, or P7 emitters. The difference is night and day. :roflmao2: I crack myself up.

I just use 2 small hose clamps. One goes around the handlebars, the other passes under the first one and goes around the flashlight.

One could say your comment artificially constricts the selection. I've used plenty of off-the-shelf flashlights purchased from Wal-Mart / Target / Dicks with good results.

The Task Force (60X brighter) C flashlight has a Cree emitter, and throws awesome light. You can get a couple ceiling conduit clamps and make a jim dandy mount for next to nothing.

Total investment, about 35 bucks.

I use this for in the city riding too, where I don't need to light up the road, just be seen.

I attach it with a simple heavy duty rubber band or on of my wife's hair band things. Never has come off even on nasty bumpy roads. I carry a few extra rubberbands just in case. I don't buy the rubber bands, I use the ones that my produce comes bunched in, like asparagus, brocolli etc.

I didn't say I would spend $70 on a light just to be seen. I said if you needed to light up the road, (like on a country road with no streetlights), that the 70 dollar lights would be my choice.
Also the problem, as least for me with the flashlights you are talking about is that the beam patteren is usually very narrow and they use batteries not easily available. If I'm commuting and one of my lights that uses AA or C cell batteries, I can stop at any convenience store or walmart in an emergency and be lit up in no time, but if my battery goes dead in one of the flashlights that uses cr123 or some other less common battery, I'm stuck.
The battery life on those lights at maximum output is also a little short. I've seen some with max life at the max output at a half hour.
Your mileage may vary.