exile

Just the lights on my bike are about:

MTE P7 = $38
Olight = $45
Supeflash = $18
Mars 3.0 = $15

Total = $116

I didn't buy everything at once, but bought piece by piece over the years. If you are riding at night I suggest the PB superflash as the minimum rear light. On the front it varies, but if I were to ride with just one light, it would be the P7. Of course you have to factor in batteries and chargers but only for the front light. Like another poster said, the Planet Bike Superflash on flash runs for a while. My setup works for me, but depending on your roadways and conditions it might not work for you.

Santaria

Car low beams run around 700 lumens.
High beams run around 1200 lumens.


I can only surmise that if you're pushing out, say, 2k lumens into the retinas of cars, well...you're intent is to do permanent harm to them.

mds0725

DataJunkie,

Which Dinotte light(s) are you running when you ride in the dark?

dwr1961

The intent is not to do harm, my friend; but to keep from being harmed...

Most car drivers don't want to hit you, pull out in front of you, or force you off the road (although I'll admit it sure seems like it). Generally they do these things because they don't see you... A major key to survival is to break into their cell-phone-talking, stereo-blasting world by getting their undivided attention. Sadly, it seems that you have to fry their retinas to do it.

My advice is to get whatever front light you need to see and be seen... And get a DiNotte tail light to make sure they see you when bearing down on your defenseless little self. If you can't swing the $$$, Get a PB Superflash. The staccato blink pattern will remind them of Disco days, but it will also get their attention.

woodenidol

Batteries Direct is not that much more than the cheapo overseas outfits and you can get your light in a 2 to three days. I got something they had on special, and a fenix bike mount I think. Light, bracket, recharg kit, think it cost me about $75. I run mine on the second intensity (600 lumens I think) and have no issues. Its not really dark sections that are bad, but headlight glare. I run a superflash in the back. Nice thing about the flashlight is, you can take it off if you need to direct light at something or your bike.


My bad, Its Battery Junction

Giro

Additional tail light possibilities:

1. Vetta TSL-C has brightness in between my Planet Bike Superflashes and my DiNotte. It uses a separate battery pack (like the DiNotte), 85 lux high, 55 lux low, 30 hours high, 120 hours low or flashing. Now only $22.74 at Vetta LINK. Flash pattern is a bit slower and not the attention getting pattern of the Superflash or some of the DiNotte settings. The Vetta would be an excellent 2nd light and not a bad primary light.

2. Electronics forum has a long thread going on a flashlight using a red P7 LED (no filter, thus quite efficient) that sounds like it could be the poor man's DiNotte LINK.

Headlight possibility: the new Supernova E3, for commuting the asymmetrical model.
Not cheap (but less than a Wilma), new very bright hub dynamo or battery powered LED LINK1 LINK2 LINK3. I imagine the matching tail light is good also.

DataJunkie

A 140l as a rear light.
A 400l on my helmet.
A 800l on my handlebars.

mds0725

Thanks for the reply!

Jonahhobbes

We can do that here too.

Building your own lights is pretty fun even though with my p*sspoor skills I've had mixed results.


I've tried lots of name brand lights and all have died as most are just not up to day in day out commuting. I bang on about these all the time, https://www.nightlightning.co.nz/endurenz%20details.htm and with a cheap NZ dollar you may wanna look at them at some point.

they are amazing and totally reliable.