My light of choice is a 10w halogen Niterider Trailrat 2.0 rechargable. They're around 100.00. I've got an NR taillight to go with it and a Planet Bike Superflash. Supposedly, they've got a 2:20 run time. I use a 90 min window to be safe. My rt commute is 40 mi so I'm in the dark for one leg or the other depending on the time of year. The batteries are rated to take about 500 re-charges, but mine have lasted much longer.

I'm sure there are other lights stronger and/or cheaper, the NR is just my choice. They've been very consistant.

Portland Design Works makes a really good 1w red LED tail light that outperforms the PB Superflash and it's $30; about the same price as the PBSF. it's called the Radbot 1000. they also make a 1/5w version called the Radbot 500. i love my 1000. you can these lights on amazon.

I guess I'm the exception rather than the rule. I'm running twin Dinotte 400's in the front and a single in the rear. Li-Ion on the front ones, Hybrid rechargeables in the rear. Yeah, I've got some $$ in the system but it's been totally bulletproof.

Here is just about everything you could want to know about bike lights, building your own, etc. Sheldon Brown's site: http://www.nordicgroup.us/s78/

Just purchased the Light & Motion Vis 360 Front & Rear bike helmet system. Amazingly bright for such a small and compact system. I was hesitant at first due to the price at $169, but am very pleased and wish I knew about it sooner. Now I don't have anything else in the same category to compare it to, but people have commented on how bright the light is as I approach. Lights up the road in front of me at the low setting for quite a distance. Car seems to give me more room on the road now vs. just a handlebar light and seat post blinker. I ride alot at night mostly through the city but some very industrial areas with little to no street lights. This provides plenty a very strong pool of light directly in front fairly far ahead with a pretty good halo around the outside. The best part is where ever I look, thats' where the light goes.

My night ride is about 1 to 2 hours and haven't had it die out during that time. Back on the charger after a couple of hours use.

My current light setup is:
+ PB 2 Watt Blaze on the handle bars, set to flash
+ PB SuperFlash on the seat post, set to flash
+ Light & Motion Vis 360 Helmet mounted, set to Steady

While I won't question Sheldon's wisdom, remember that that site isn't updated to keep up with current technology. While it's a good dissertation on fundamentals it's sorely lacking on the how/why of the current generation of LED technology.

How about this one:
http://www.dieselbike.net/Hamm07/Winchbikelight.JPG

Now seriously, I've had good luck with Performancebike's 20 dollar jobbie:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...0_20000_400158

Where can I buy this light?.. and.. does it come with scented candles?

Very good point, but the general information doesn't need updating and his explanations of the different types of lights, candle power, wattage, etc., are excellent and he makes it easy to understand. Do you have any other links that would be helpful, I'm also looking into this right now as we are about to loose an hour of day light savings this Sunday and will be dark when I ride home.

Outperforms in which way?

Agreed, the general info is a fairly solid engineering dissertation that spans the technologies. Thing is that the LED technology explosion has occurred since Sheldon's passing and from an engineering standpoint blows any of his halogen/HID info into the dark ages (pun intended)

If you really really want confused, wander over to candlepowerforums.com. Enough info about lights to make your head explode :)

They're brighter than the PBSF. There have been some counterclaims about durability but you'll have to do some sleuthing around here to find.

Light wars around here pretty much fall into two camps. Those that will buy the best and the brightest which are usually $$, and the brightest for the least $ which pulls in the tried and true like the PBSF and the up and comers like the Radbot. They both have their place in the market.

Then there are the crotchety old farts like me that when it comes to lights I want to be able to make the zombies explode at 4am so that all of ya can run over their remains. That's why I run twin 400L Dinottes in the front and a Dinotte in the rear with two PBSF's. I'll spend the $ not to be the hood ornament on some Camry and cost isn't the object.

I have been using a Fenix TK10 flashlight mounted on the handlebar. Its bright enough and casts a nice bright solid beam, with some decent scatter for peripheral. I commute and my entire morning ride in is now all dark. When the time changes (coming up soon) most of my ride home will also be dark. I was ok with 1-2hr battery life when I only had 30minutes of dark in the summer, but I've started going through batteries like crazy and the rechargeables have even less life.

I recently bought the new Magic Shine for $85 and it was money well spent. Its much brighter (I would guess a real 400 lumens or so - its at least twice as bright as the 225 lumen TK10) and lasts 3-4 days at least on a charge. Its also weatherproof.

Hi, Pallen: I tried to send you a PM but it was erased with the forum explination that one has to have 50 posts in order to send a PM.. strange. So, here goes.. I'm interested in buying your TK10 if it's in good shape, I have a Fenix 360 mount and it looks like it would work with it and the Mag light I just bought, at 83 lumins just isn't bright enough to light up the road ahead. I live in a town with no streetlights and the streets get very dark. I assume the batteries can be recharged, my ride is only about 30 minutes so it wouldn't be that big a problem for me. Let me know if you are intersted.
Where did you buy the Magic Shine?
Thanks,