post up your 2-cents.

criteria:

- < 50 bucks
- long battery life
- preferably AAA or AA batteries so i can use my rechargeables
- used to be seen, not to see
- rugged
- rainproof
- easily detacheable
- highly reliable
- good handlebar mount

i see there are a bunch of cateye models that seem to fit the bill, and i have a few cheapie ones, but i'd like to get something a little more reliable for the fall.

Planet Bike with the 2W LED, retails for $60:
https://ecom1.planetbike.com/3045.html

Performance Bicycle - I think its called a flashpoint, of flarepoint. I really like the front end white blinker, which is very visible even during daylight.

You can buy it on sale for about 15, and it is even visible from the side. https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...00_20000_56004

I'm a big fan of the Cateye products. I recommend this one but you just missed it for $44.00 (20% off) at REI...https://www.rei.com/product/793780

No need to re-invent the wheel. There is an extensive discussion about this subject at the lighting forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/435347-best-headlights-under-50-thread.html

ugh OP. You are soooo demanding. Post this. post that. these are forums, not places where you post messages. You are just supposed to search for stuff. Not ask questions. UUUUUGGGGHHH.

N00bs, maybe you should try to be a little more adventurous and venture out of the commuting forums a little bit.

Maybe you'll find a subforum that deals with lights & gadgets.

And maybe you'll see a sticky there with a thread titled lights for under $50

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=435347

IMO, if you need to SEE, not just be seen, don't stay < $50, pick up a Magicshine. $85, and tosses out a TON more light than anything < $50. the extra $35 is well worth it, you're not only buying better safety, you're getting rechargable batteries (probably not included on < $50 lights) so you'll either pay it back quickly by not having to buy alkalines, or not having to buy NiMH and chargers.

I have one... it sucks. Not nearly as bright as some of the other offerings, and the cap has vibrated loose a couple times, spewing batteries all over asphalt.

Battery life is great though, and a little bit of tape holds the cap on.

For those criteria, I'd recommend the Cateye EL-530. Retail price is something like $60, but you can get it on eBay for under $35. I used one last year, before deciding to go over the $100 barrier for more lumens this year. I still carry the 530 as a backup. I also sometimes use it as a flashlight.

I'd estimate that my EL-530 spent about 250 hours in the rain last year (mostly sitting outside while I was at work) and it kept going strong. It did quit working on me this spring after I dropped it in the garage, but Cateye sent me a replacement under warranty.

It has great battery life. It uses 4 AA batteries (which does mean it's too heavy for weight weinies). I used rechargeables and generally swapped them out about once a week (4-8 hours of use, depending on the weather). Cateye claims it will run for 10 hours at full power, and I think that's about right. Beyond that 10 hour mark, it switches itself automatically into a low power mode at which it will run for another 80 hours, which is nice if you forget to charge your batteries. (The 80 hour claim is Cateye's, I never ran it for more than an hour like that.)

I personally don't like the mount that it comes with (FlexTight(TM)/universal fit = screw on strap), but you can get the clamp type from Cateye's small parts store for $2.75. I got one of those for each of my bikes, so I could move the light around as needed. It clips on and off of the mounts very easily.

The EL-530 is, I believe, significantly brighter than the EL-510 (with which it seems to often be confused in online discussions), but it's still definitely a "be seen" light. It focuses most of its light in a single tight beam, which is very bright and will light up reflective signs from about 500 yards (which I'm guessing means it can easily be seen at that distance or more). The rest of the light output is distributed in a wide cone which isn't nearly as bright.

I will say that the light at full power is only about 1/4 as bright as my new DiNotte 200L (which also uses 4 AA's) on full power. The DiNotte also produces a much more even beam. Of course, it costs three times as much too, so I'm telling you this mainly to give you an idea of the limitations of the Cateye.

+100
If you are riding in the dark, the $50 pricepoint just doesn't cut it, and you'll easily spend an extra $10 on rechargeables. Pay the extra $25 or so and get the magicshine. You won't regret it.

What about this one, posted on the Rivendell bike website? https://www.rivbike.com//#product=31-473

They like it, and I doubt they'd recommend something inferior. Anyone with experience with this one?

I have a Serfas set, like this: https://www.backcountry.com/outdoorge.../SRF0068M.html, that I paid 25 for from Steep and Cheap, and while the lights are awesome, I don't like the mounts. The front is the typical plastic bar mount, but the quick release mechanism is always very difficult to disengage, so I can never get the light off. The rear light is on a mount that makes it stick out way too far, and I can't help but think eventually I'm going to hit it and snap it right off.

+1 on the Magicshine. Just got my boss and one of my co-workers to buy them, they are a serious light!

planet bike blaze 1 watt. $30 shipped on fleabay. The strobe is great (it lights up street signs blocks ahead of me) and I can actually see on the path with the constant light. 2 AA's for a power source. For $55 you can get the head and tail light from the lbs. The superflash trail is also a great light. Go here to take a look https://www.planetbike.com/page/learn/lightfinder...doesn't show the strobe.

See that Fenix ad on the right bar? That's as good as you can get for around that price range. Plant bike makes some excellent blinkers to be seen with the Blaze lights.
If you are riding in true night not on streets with street lights then you need to get closer to $100 and start looking at stuff like Cygo lite, NiteRider etc. I managed to Score a 16w Night rider by Cygo Lite for $25 at REI scratch and dent. Batteries were done but I bought a new set of NiMH for $26 and rebuilt the battery pack.

$48.50 for MTE P7, charger, 2 18650 battery pack. MTE SSC P7 C-Bin 900-Lumen 8-Mode LED Flashlight (1*18650) 2x 18650 Digital Battery Charger
TrustFire Protected 2000mAh 3.7V TR 18650 Battery (2-Pack)

Dealextreme's website says free air mail.

And you can pay with paypal!

I hope Santa brings me one of the Magicshine lights! I got my order in early, so I hope the fat man delivers.

For now, I use a Planet Bike 1W Blaze, which isn't bad, but I could use more light for those longer dark days of winter...

Planet Bike 2W Blaze is $34 CDN here: https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1256088502566

+1 on the Planet Bike Blaze. I just got the one with the incredibly intense rear red light, and it's great so far. $49 at REI

I order from DealExtreme fairly often. Keep in mind that they DEFINE slow delivery. If the item says "in stock, usually ships in 1 to 3 days" that means they'll probably ship it in about a week, and you'll get it about a week after that.

If it says "ships in 2 to 5 days" all bets are off. I ordered about 8 items from them on Sept 11, all said either "1 to 3 days" or "2 to 5 days". They finally shipped about half the stuff on Oct 12, and I just got them today. There's no ETA on the other stuff, it still says "2 to 5 days" just as it did 6 weeks ago.

I still buy from them several times a year, I just don't order from them if I care at all when it shows up.