First off, I agree on the Dinotte tail light recommendation. The Superflash is cheap but the Dinotte is amazing and if you're going to be in any significant traffic especially in the daytime, you can't afford not to get it.

As far as front lights, this would be pretty darn cheap. One on the helmet, one on the bar. They're great little lights. My new favorites and I have Fenix, 2XAA Romisen, Terralux and others.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3609

Has anyone suggesting the Dinotte taillight (especially the 400R version!) ever ridden in a group with someone else who has one of these things?
There's safety, and then there's insane overkill.

Sounds like it depends on the length of your commute. For a short commute of maybe an hour or so two flashlights like the P7's should be fine (though I would also check out the terralux's people keep talking about). If you want longer runtimes the Magicshine's seem to be a lot of peoples favorites.

For the rear I have multiple taillights. The PBSF is attention getting and has a very long runtime on AAA's. I also like the Mars 3.0 (even though the 4.0 is brighter).

Dinotte is made in the US and so doesn't enjoy the same "advantage" of cheap labor and manufacturing. I'll support American manufacturing before selling out the little of it we have left. I'm not hyper-nationalistic, but it's clear to me that our appetite for low prices at all costs has not bode well for our economy as a whole. I think about how Americans are struggling to find work, then I think about how many of us will go snatch the absolute cheapest goods from the Wal*Mart shelf without a second thought. I chose not to go along with that.

Now, with all that being said, might Dinotte still be overpriced? Maybe, but I also can't claim to know what their costs are.

The mounts pictured appear to not be the same as the mount you linked. Where did the mounts in your photos come from?

It looks like the fork mount would work with any normal flashlight mount.

This is the one you're talking about. I had to wrap a rubber shim around the light to keep snug in the bracket. Once everything is mounted, it isn't moving.

Thanks. How quick is that to get the light in and out? Looks like it'd be fiddly with the shim there; do you take it out regularly? I have a lockblock but it's a bit wobbly and the light works loose at times; I'm looking for the holy grail of secure and quick.

Actually, I take the light off with the bracket. I just loosen the bracket and slide it off the fork mount. I would use rubber shims (not the thin ones) to help the lock block/light be more sturdy.

haha, yeah, seriously. I have a 140 and I have to turn it off for group rides. Frankly I leave it on low even when I'm riding by myself - I really don't see much advantage to more light than it puts out on "low".

Then you are of the camp that says a rider can be too visible. I personally don't think that's possible riding alone.

I got a Planet Bike Blaze 2W from Mountain Equip Coop for $35 http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3045.html I suggest buying several to mount on the bars and forks. The batteries last for ages and all the lights wont go dim at the same time.

What do you mean, "low"? In taillight mode, there are only different flashing modes, and solid on - unless you switch to headlight mode. Solid on for a taillight seems to me to be an invite to getting rear-ended.

I've never given this much thought, but really, how many folks ride in groups at night? I don't see that at all here, so I'm not too concerned about it.

One more vote for Magicshine. That thing is absolutely fierce. Less than $100 for more light than you get from most lights 3x as expensive.

Around here it's very common, especially since during the winter we get less than 8 hours between sunrise and sunset. Even rides starting after sunrise in the winter need lights because of the overcast skies (similar to Indiana). The Seattle Randos start their short (200k) rides at 7am, mid (300/400k) rides at 6am, and long rides (600k+) at 5am, and for many we're finishing in the dark or riding clean through to the following morning. Riders tend to group up at night for safety.
The best taillight design I've seen is on a Corey Thompson custom randonneur: He built a Supernova E3 tail light head into a boss underneath the nds chainstay. From directly behind in a paceline, it's hidden under the stay so it isn't blinding the following rider. From a driver's perspective; 4 - 6 feet to his left and sitting considerably lower than a trailing rider, it's perfectly visible.

Whatever light you have, it sounds like you have something other than the Dinotte 140L. It has 3 different brightness settings (Low, Medium, High) and I've never heard of anything called "headlight mode". The only modes you can switch between are solid (low, medium, high) and flashing (different flashing patterns).

Of course it's possible. Take an airplane headlight, mount it on your bike facing backwards, and you're definitely "to visible". :-P

On another note, while daytime riding might be an exception, if they haven't seen you with a 140L, doubling the amount of light output from nearly a single point with a 400L isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference. They're either blind or not looking anywhere near your direction. Wearing a reflective jacket, outlining your bike with lights, etc might help because it makes you bigger and easier to see out of someone's peripheral vision, and a more identifiable shape. But no, I see no point in doubling the amount of light from a small light source without making the light notably wider/bigger.

I think you're thinking of their headlight. Clifton was talking about their 140L taillight, as was I.

And what you are paying for is your safety on which there should be no limit.

When you are a confirmed bicycle commuter, there is no better choice, IMO, than a generator-powered lighting system ... never caught out by failed or flat batteries and extremely reliable.

There's info on both battery and generator systems for serious commuting/long-distance riding here.

No, I'm thinking of their 140L tail light. I own one. It has different brightness settings. Should I post a video?

I know it has different brightness settings - I said the same myself, and I have both the taillight and the headlight. The default mode for the taillight is the mode where different flashing patterns are selected. I suppose I'm surprised you would use the taillight in solid on mode - just seems dangerous to me. I thought solid on was one of the settings in the default mode of the taillight, but it isn't - at least not according to the Dinotte website.

I'm to tired to come up with a witty response. Saying that running the tail light in steady mode is "dangerous" is ridiculous. To my recollection, my 140L came set to steady mode by default. I would never run it in flashing mode at night - it's bright enough as it is, flashing mode would just be seizure-inducing overwhelming. The only thing I've read is that flashing mode was included for daylight use.

I disagree. I run it in the 5 flash mode and bright as I can all the time. The flashing mode lets everybody know you are not a car. I provide redundancy with a Supeflash running solid on the helmet. I learned this method by listening to others on this forum.

btw, why would one worry about bothering cagers with a tail light? Isn't that why Dinotte makes them overwhelming as you call it, to bother motorists and get their attention?

I agree.... the flashing signals that you are different than a (generally) slower motorbike or car. This might be less important in a dense city. I don't exactly want the thing giving people seizures, either, which is why I point it downwards.

Ah, I see. So when they pass within a foot of you going down the road that's a problem, but when you shine a bright, blinking, obnoxious light in their faces making it nearly impossible for them to see where they're going, that's cool right?

Let's say an oncoming car pulls out a spotlight and shines it in your face as you're going down the road to "make sure you see them". That's cool, right?