jo8243

Is anyone running the new dinotte 400 (dual) taillight? If so what are your impressions and is it a lot more visible than the standard 140 (200) taillight?
https://store.dinottelighting.com/sha...unt2=829505562

It seems like just the fact that there are two lights means you could have an even more eye-catching flash pattern. I've been using the standard taillight for about 6 months now and have had several motorists tell me that they see me way before they get near me.

ps -- if you think the dinotte lights are overkill/expensive please do not reply to this thread with such comments. I'm respectfully not interested in starting a debate about that. I already have the standard dinotte taillight and am aware how bright they are and how much they cost. thanks.

Tyrell

Your link isn't very helpful - I assume this is what you're talking about?

JeffS

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hlight=dinotte



Oh, and on your attempt to try to dictate the content of people's replies

Good way to come off as a jerk, not that I'm one to worry about such things.

10 Wheels

Your 140 is great. Can be seen from over a 1/2 mile behind in Day Light.

theWolf

I can't tell you how much brighter it is then the 140 because I've never owned the 140. However, here are some pictures of the 400L on my bike. I was about to purchase the 140 but I got the email for the 400L so I went for it.

jo8243

Well, the dinotte taillight threads always have a billion people posting that they are overkill, basically hijacking the thread. The link you posted is an example of this. I tried to be as nice as possible, hence the "respectfully". Anyway, the only people who would take offense would be people who do not own one. I take it you do not own one?

Thanks for the link, though. I did a search and couldn't find anything on the new light.

Aaron Lansky

I currently have a standard 140 taillight. I'm thinking of upgrading to the 400L, largely because it would be easier to mount it to back of my rear rack with panniers. The 140 is already extremely bright (and extremely effective); will the 400L be overkill - too blinding for approaching drivers?

theWolf

There are three levels of brightness on the 400L. If you feel the highest level is too bright, go down a level.

Carbon Unit

I have the 600L headlight and the 140L tail light. The 140 L tail light is is enough for me. The only thing I would have liked to see is a better way of attaching the tail light to the bike. The saddle bag on my bike interfers with the the lights visability. So, I installed the light upside down in the bracket and that helps but something that attaches to the rear brake bolt would have been better for me.

tsl

Just mount your 140L like this


If you wrap the O-Ring around the rack leg twice, it works just fine, provided you remember not to use Bike Lust in the area.

I've mounted mine to the inside of the rack leg to avoid interference with my panniers. I've had them mounted this way on two bikes for well over a year (and 5,000 miles). Never a problem.

As for the 400L, nice light, but for me the beauty of the 140L and 200L is the choice of battery packs. I chose the AA models because I'm sick and tired of proprietary and overpriced battery packs and chargers. It's the super lighting combined with standard, inexpensive batteries and chargers that makes the 140L and 200L my choice.

abbynemmy

Here is how I mounted my 140L. Drilled two holes in the mount that came with the light and bolted it to the reflector bracket on the rack.

jo8243

The 140L and 400L use the same electrical connectors..... so they use the same batteries. I don't see your point here.

Also, the LiIon battery option is not that much more expensive and is worth it IMO for the clean mounting and weatherproofness.

Since the original post, I went ahead and bought the 400L and like it. It is not overkill.

hankbrandenburg

I also upgraded from the 140 to the 400 (there is no such thing as overkill). Improved mounting was a factor also.

I had a motorist say "Good Gosh" early one morning regarding the amount of light I was putting out to the rear. Maybe I should turn it down a notch .... Naaah!

theWolf

So basically it goes like this; if you have a 140L, get creative with your mounting like other posters have and spend your money on something else. If you don't have a 140L, decide how much the $50 difference and improved mouting options mean to you. Both are equally effective with the 400L being the brightest of the two.

I went out on the highest setting this morning with the 400L facing toward the road. All cars went safely around me with no complaints or honks. I'm a satisfied customer.

tarwheel 

Instead of spending their resources making an extremely bright tail-light blindingly bright, it seems that Dinotte would be better served designing better options for attaching their lights to bikes. Not everyone has a free seatpost, particularly if they commute. I might actually buy a Dinotte if they had a mount for attaching it to my seat stays or seatbag, but until then I can find better ways to spend $150.

cdalefan

Can any one tell me what the bolt separation on the 400 is?

jo8243

The 400 taillight has all different size mounting clamps. Putting in on the seat stays would be no problem at all. If you look at the pics on their website you can see that.

jo8243

Just call Rob at Dinotte Lighting. He'll tell you.

bobfischer

For nighttime use the 400L on high is far too bright. I put my bike next to my car at night, and the brightness of the light overwhelmed the brightness of the taillight.

One of my reasons for getting the 400L is that I commute east in the morning and west in the evening, often into the rising / setting sun. So the competing light source is the sun, which I must admit is significantly brighter than the Dinotte 400L on high. I've put the bike outside in the bright sun, and the light is still visible, so I think it is reasonable.

stevesurf

Here's the positive comment I made on their web site, next to the 400L Road Rider's Experience:

Here's a brief update to that:

I was on the Montauk North Fork Ride last weekend and counted no less than five people commenting on the Dinotte lights and wanting to know where to get them. BTW, after I told most of these riders the price, they either stated something like "you can't put a price on safety" or the Niteriders I used were just as costly.

I found the mounting options were more than enough, and plan on eventually moving the seatpost mounted taillight to a rear stay, to shorten the cable usage. I'm running both on one larger battery now and like that setup better than the two smaller batteries.

These lights are going to be especially good for off roading as well. I like the lens interchangeability as well, although I have a hard time riding faster than these lights!