If you're like me and have a lotta bikes, buying lights for 'em gets expensive. I have 5, many of which see little night riding. But ya HATE to find yuorself in the dark with no lights. Most bike lights are overpriced simply BECAUSE they're bike lights. You may not have access to the same stuff as me, for the same price but here's how I cheaped out on my dilema.

First off, I use dollars store cable locks on most of my bikes. I'm not trying to stop a pro, which I think is problematic in any case, I just want to stop a kid or derelict from grabbing my bike because it's unlocked and easy to steal. Most folks of this type just SEE the lock on it and that's enuff. Ok I'm getting to lites... The cable locks I buy have a device that lets you attach the lock to the bike. I never use this, prefering to just wrap it around the bike and lock it on. BUT.... said device is easily attachable to the bike and sports a device to hold the fat, lock-bearing end of a cable lock. I attach this to the handle bars with the screw & nut and then put my lite in the lock holder. The lite I use is purchased from a Family Dollar store for $2. It is a cartridge-style flash lite about 2 1/2 inches long and an inch in diameter. This slides into the lock holder side of the device, which I've mounted to the handle bar. It has NINE leds. I do this on both sides of the bar. In the middle of the bar, I have a hocky puck-shaped, 3 led touch lite, like the ones seen on TV for sticking in a closet. I use an old front or rear reflector mount which I glue the lite to and mount it in the middle, btwn the other lites. This is my running lite, mainly for ME to be seen. Costs a whole buck. Thus for about $5, I have 21 leds lighting frontwards! Want a tail light? I take an led lite and cover the lens with a red/clear round piece of plastic I cut out of one of my wife's pill bottles. It's the right color and is still very brite. Fully lit bike: Cost $6. Like I said it might not be useful to everyone, but it's great when you can beat the high cost of bike lighting. You KNOW they're ripping us off when a guy paying RETAIL prices can get the basic components of a lite set so cheap!

It takes me all of 30 seconds to put my one set of lights on whatever bike I happen to be riding that day.

If you run a helmet light that helps simplify things. I think the electronics forum has ideas on affordable bright lights. LED flashlights and what not.
Either that or buy one set of lights and multiple mounting kits.

So I shouldn't have posted? My system has the advantage of being permanently mounted. Just jump on the bike & Go. Where the heck do you buy extra mounting kits anyway? Never seen one for sale.

You buy extra mounting kids from the manufacturers websites directly. I have extra mounting kits for my lights, my pumps, saddle bags and my AirZound. This way instead of buying lots of cheap lights you can have one or two sets of good lights and standardize on the mounts so you can easily move lights between bikes. Buying lights for all your bikes is a waste of money.

planetbike.com

I'll one-up your post and say that the lights on my go-to bike never need batteries.

You do get what you pay for. I doubt that your dollar store lights are all that bright. They might compete with some of the cheaper low intensity lights like the Planet Bike Blaze. But more expensive lights go beyond simple finder lights*. They actually light the road and signal drivers where you are. If you ride in an urban environment, don't forget that you have to compete with thousands of light sources. A weak light gets lost easily. Which would you rather ride with? This



or this





Nope, I don't think Datajunkie was telling you not to post. He was thinking you were asking about lights on multiple bikes. The best way to address that question is to have one light that can be easily swapped from bike to bike. Even with dollar store lights.


*Finder light: A light that lets EMS find you under a car more easily

This guy knows where the dollar store is obviously, Go to the Bike store ,
and have them order a "Two Fish" brand rubber block with 2 velcro straps at 90 degrees rifgt angle..

Then You can use a mini mag light or one of the LED flashlights of similar size,
and just tighten the strap onto the handlebar of whatever bike you mount..

I take it the OP has not had to run a small business and make payroll if the worry about getting ripped off
by paying 2 dollars rather than one ..

Look at the 2 Wars & the Arms Trade if you want to get exited about overpricing.. it's your Tax money, Buddy..

Throughout my first 6 months commuting, I used the dollar store and self built stuff.
When I knew I was going to continue commuting, I started investing in better gear for visibility and ease of use.

Lights that I have semi-permanently to my bikes are PBSF and a couple very bright SF-like Viewpoint flashes I got from Performance on sale for $15.
I move my Magic Shine from bike to bike as needed, but usually have a backup flashlight and batteries in the front bag or pannier of each bike I have.
I DO tend to commute after dark about half of the time, so for me, I like to be seen and see enough of the road that I can ride at a reasonable speed.
I also ride with an oh-my-god-it-hurts-my-eyes florescent reflective construction vest at night...sometimes with a headlamp on my helmet.
If drivers don't see me, they don't have their eyes anywhere near the road.

Oh yeah!
I also built and used a version of Cyccommute's Retinal Burner

Lots of light/not terribly spendy...but approaching the $ of the Magic Shine.
I like the quality of the Halogen light (seems like I can see more) but the MS wins out with battery life, size and ability to switch to other bikes more easily.

I did get me through the first year of commuting, though.
People kept telling me they thought I was a motorcycle.

Just posting what I did in an attempt to help out a fellow cyclist. Not jumping on your arse.

Anyhow, manufacturers sell them. From time to time bike shops do as well.
Before switching to Dinotte I used cat eye lights. Their site has a small parts section.
Dinotte is the same but I hardly use my lights any longer. Other posters have valid suggestions as well.

Guys, I get what you're saying. I'm not skimping on my COMMUTER BIKE! I said it was for bikes "which see little night riding." In other words, bikes I use for daytime runs.... And don't underestimate the brightness of 21 leds. I can see QUITE WELL with them TYVM. And as for "you get what you pay for"... tell that to the folks who fork over $30 for lights that are about HALF as efficient as the ones I have at a $6 price. And IMO swapping lights is a recipe for them getting lost, dropped or forgotten.

Is there some REASON why I should spend big bucks for lights for a tandem that I ride with an autistic sister (so she can get exercise) which has NEVER even seen twilite? Sorry for being declasse but I'm an incurable fred

I can't WAIT until the spandex tuxedo is invented "Perfect for that soiree at Mrs 'Astorbuilt's' house."

If you're not skimping, then buy a nice light and multiple mounting brackets. That way you can swap your nice light amongst your multiple "see little night riding" bicycles.

Guess WHAT!!?? Not everybody wants to do that! If YOU prefer to swap 'em by all means DO so. If I visit a friend and stay later than I planned and it gets dark, I want the lights WITH the bike. And I don't feel like swapping lights around every time i ride in case this happens. Is that ok ?

Planet Bike has a QR band , and a size adjustment, so If you Buy One of those lights with the right mount,
the light quickly dis mounts from the band, then the band mount comes off the Bars. takes a moment longer..

This Year they have a 2 watt LED, I have a 1 w it's reasonably bright, there is a 1/2w version too,
it offers a very long run time per battery/battery charge.

Having separate lights for each bike sounds kind of expensive to me, relative to having one or two lights that I can mount on any of my six bikes...like I already do.

Get the headlight of your choice and mount it to the top of your helmet. A Planet Bike Superflash can be easily zip-tied to the back of your helmet. Now as long as you have your helmet with you, you are well lit.

Dealextreme is a good source for bicycle-specific lights for cheap:

https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35036 $3.54 for a pretty good taillight (I have one, and it compares very well to the pbsf when off-axis)

For a front light, there's hundreds of flashlights ranging from $3 to $80 (I use a $35 P7 flashlight, which works plenty well on pitch-black country roads at 15mph).

https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.31871 $2.46 gets you a flashlight mount.

So cheapest option is about $10 for front and rear lights, that might be acceptable on well-lit roads. Of course, whenever I go riding beyond a few miles, I'll be coming back on roads with zero streetlights.

Like I said somewhere buried in my post, I keep some brighter than average LED flashlights in my bags for backup (or if I should get caught out in cloudy/rainy conditions / or wind up riding longer than anticipated)

I use to keep cheap (dollar store) flashlights but had some trouble with them cutting out on rougher pavement.
I like the reliability of the more expensive ones (mine are Husky brand from Home Depot ~$20)

I like the idea of the "hockey Puck" light, though as be seen light.

+1
I have six bikes of my own and my partner has 2. That is 8 bikes to have lights for which will be very expensive. Good thing is that I only use two bikes 80 percent of the time while the other 4 bikes of mine are weekender recreation bike.

I do have a helmet flashlight at 800+ lumen. The only bike that has a light that stay on permanantly is my main commuter and it has a MS. All other bike has a Two Fish Loc Block and they share another 800+ lumen flashlight which is as bright as the MS. This set up allow me to buy only three lights that can cover 6 bikes which all have the capacity of providing at least 1200 lumens of light (actual lumen, or 1700 manufactor rated lumen).

Cost? Helmet light was $70, Handlebar flashlight $70, MS 900 $90, 6 Two fish lock block about $35. Total of $265 for having 6 bikes @ $41 per bike with 1200+ lumen is consider cheap IMHO.

This.

Plus, if I have already spent the dough on one nice light, why would I bother with cheap lights on my other bikes?

May I ask what light(s) you are running to produce this beam?

Good idea. I'll ask my wife to get pills only in red bottles

Yes, I would like to know too. That light is nice.

Thanks.