One of these popped up on Amazon when I was buying something else, so for the price I figured what-the-heck....

https://www.amazon.com/DULEX-Flashlig.../dp/B00MT6NU5K

It arrived in a box with no instructions. The sturdy-looking metal flashlight takes but one AA battery, and you adjust the horizontal angle on the stout composite mount by brute force rather then loosening a bolt (its a rivet).

Been on the bike for two months now, used several times a week, including in the rain.

Very bright, enough to be seen in daylight, especially in "flicker" mode.

Best of all that flicker mode is constant enough to serve as a headlight in the dark, plus there's two brightness levels in regular headlight mode.

Those who commute after dark in time-trial mode will probl'y find it not bright enough. For me, my target speed is only around 10mph on my 10-20 mile after-dark commute so it is sufficient.

The flashlight detaches/reattaches securely with a stout pull/push, beam adjusts for width via a sliding metal collar.

Only minor downside is that being bright and only with a single AA for power, ya need to bring a spare battery along. I'm gonna guesstimate 18hrs per battery followed by a sudden death on the part of said battery.

Heck, next time I'm on Amazon I'll pick up a couple extra of these lights for spares.

Mike

If its all the same to you Mike I'll stick with my Magicshines. For one thing in the four years that I have had the oldest (of three) MS, I haven't put a single battery in a landfill. You are going to have a small pile of AA batteries to give account for when your life is over. For another... there is no way that a single AA battery can provide enough light for me to see with. YMOV.

18 hours?? Not in a million years.

The mount could be more valuable than the flashlight.

I use mostly rechargeable batteries now, so the don't go to a landfill frequently.

My current helmet light uses 3x AAA batteries, which last an hour or two before needing a full charge. I carry spares with me, and sometimes do a mid-trip battery change. Unfortunately my charger seems to like either 2 or 4 batteries

One of the reviews says "Buy the bracket, get the headlight for free!" Looks like a decent mount, probably would work for the similar light I am currently using, which takes a single 18650 battery.

18 hours? On flashing I guess that's believable (and impressive). On steady no way.

WHAT!!!!


No carbon credits?

Guesstimate on my part, complicated by the fact that I run about half my sometimes late-night urban commute in stealth mode (places where I don't WANT them to see me coming).

Might be I'm just old... fer years and years during my last bicycle period my commuter lighting was accompanied by the "wzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzzz....." of the generator down below the crank, the feeble and uncertain glow of the head-and taillight bulbs, and the loss of EVERYTHING when it was wet

Hey, reliable visible lighting fer 10 bucks? There's gonna be a couple more of these things laying around my garage fer sure

Mike

My experience with lights powered by disposable batteries is the batteries don't die; they just get weaker over time. So they seem pretty great at first, and then... eh... and I never know when it's time to replace the battery. So I deal with ineffective light for a while, and eventually I replace a battery that still has some power left.

I prefer dynamo hubs.

For those of my bikes that don't have a dynamo hub, I have a couple of these (or similar):

1800Lm CREE XM L T6 LED Head Front Bicycle Lamp Bike Light Headlamp Headlight RD | eBay

So I deal with ineffective light for a while, and eventually I replace a battery that still has some power left.

My experience with the Energizer Lithiums has been along the lines of sudden death, I'll have to start paying more attention.

Out of curiosity I'm gonna sacrifice a couple of batteries to science; turn the light on tonight with a fresh battery, and see how long it runs.

OP, did you say it's a $10 headlight? What I see from your link is $8.99 for 4 count, that's $2.25 a piece. (=> quality doubtful...)

▲1*led flashlight
▲1*flashlight mount
▲DULEX After Service: 30 Days Money Back Guarantee, 12 Months Warranty!

In the questions and answers for the light

I bought a similar one on the 'bay for about half that price. Decently bright and I liked the flashing mode since I usually ride during the daytime, but it would switch modes (or off!) when I hit a bump.

Not really designed for bicycle use I suppose, so I sent it back and got a full refund.

Replaced it with a blinky that's USB rechargeable and haven't looked back (except to change lanes, of course)...

Went back into my Amazon history....

This is the exact one....

Amazon.com : DULEX CREE Q5 LED Flashlight Torch Bike Headlight With 360°Rotation Flashlight Mount Holder : Sports & Outdoors

I wuz ROBBED! I coulda got a used one fer $2.98......



Anyways, be advised on who yer talking to here. Here I is thirty days and 2,000 miles into that bicycle tour I took.... in my commuting clothes...




Hi-tech is nice and all, but all that is really needed is a bicycle..... and a commute.....

...maybe its all about perspective, many of you guys are prob'ly too young to remember the days of

wzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzz


I have found that simple little light to be exactly what its supposed to be, works fer me, and no great loss if'n it gets ripped off outside a store or something. YMMV.....

Encouraging that there seems to be a whole plethora of this sort of thing coming out.

Mike

At $2.98 a piece you can stock up on them in case any of them do give up on you. Or get stolen.

£2.99 with free delivery, .... 5 LED .... very good mount ... different modes, and waterproof (plus you get a free back light) ... bought one for my daughter

Waterproof Bright 5 LED Bike Bicycle Cycle Front and Rear Back Tail Light Lights | eBay

Yes, I am sure cars can see you just fine as their headlights washout your toy light. Come on, save a few bucks by something useful.

I have 2 very similar. Mine were listed at 400 lumen and single AA battery. I wouldn't say it was 400 lumen, but 2 of them are plenty bright riding on a rail trail. The problem was, half hour out at dusk while I had them turned on, the ride back was in darkness because the battery only lasted half an hour. Luckily it was a full moon and fall so there weren't any leaves on the trees to block the moonlight. I would have been walking 6 miles back if it wasn't a full moon out.

Ain't saying its the brightest thing in the world, but on flicker mode I get road signs at a measured 300 yards flickering back at me.

Looks plenty bright to me from a distance YMMV

Ya, I expect ours are close enough to be identical, at least in terms of LED light and of course battery.

This morning at 7am I dropped a new Lithium Energizer 9X AA battery into the unit and turned it on, on the lower of the two constant-on settings, the one I usually use when riding at night (when I have any light at all). Right at this very moment that was three hours and forty-eight minutes ago.

The bike presently sits in a dark store room in the back of my classroom, light shining on the wall. No perceptible diminution in brightness yet.

Gonna let this battery run out and see how long it takes, and will repeat the process after the weekend for the bright and bright/flickering settings.

The nashbar has usb rechargeable blinky light for around ten. Not so good for putting a lot of light on the road, but fine for being seen.. for anyone needing affordable blinky lights for the city. Top it off at work and home.

~4 hours and counting on one (premium) AA, that is pretty impressive

If it's not rechargeable I'm not interested. I have no desire to burn through disposable batteries all the time.

So use a rechargeable AA

(OP, I would be interested if you repeated the test with a rechargeable AA)