Hello, I'm looking for a battery powered light for week long+ self contained touring. I don't want a USB light because I won't always be at camps with electricity and don't want to waste time at cafés while charging. I'm not a weight weenie so carrying a few AA batteries isn't a bother. That said I want a bike light, not a strap on lantern. ��

I have a NightRider Maco 200 but would prefer something more powerful.

Any suggestions?

Thank you.

Currently the Serfas SL-255 is a best buy in a bike light running on a pair of ordinary AA batteries. It's been discontinued and the remaining stock is being discounted.

The next best buy would probably be a Busch & Muller Ixon IQ or similar model that takes 4 AA batteries. You can order them direct from Germany now, no problems. They handle the currency conversion rates online along with shipping costs, so it's no different from ordering from a US distributer. Just takes a little longer.

I've used a Serfas SL-255 for a couple of years. Very good light for the money. The beam is closer to a spotlight with some peripheral illumination. The Light & Motion Urban lights offer a broader beam spread to illuminate road edges. However the Serfas SL-255's tighter beam and slight hood make it friendlier for the MUP, so I'll use it there at night.

The 255 lumen maximum brightness rating appears fairly accurate. On alkaline AA batteries the light will dim very gradually. On NiMH rechargeables it will retain a brighter beam until the batteries are suddenly exhausted, with a shorter overall run time than alkalines. I usually run it on NiMH with a set of alkalines as backups, but I can also buy spare batteries anywhere if necessary.

It's weatherproof -- I've been caught in rain several times, no problems. The twist-apart bayonet lock has a rubber seal for the battery compartment, and the single button appears well sealed.

The mount is different from most. It uses a camming mechanism with a stiff rubber strap that isn't designed to stretch much. I find it easier to use on days when my arthritis bothers me. The stretchy rubber straps common to many lights, including my Light & Motion Urban 500, can be more difficult for me to manage with aching thumb and wrist joints, or with cold and/or wet hands.

It's essential to pre-adjust the Serfas mount's rigid rubber strap using the metal pins that fit into a set of notches -- easy to see how it's done when you actually have this Serfas mount. The camming lever lock can exert a lot of force and tear the metal pin out of the stiff rubber strap, so don't overtighten it. Mine lasted nearly two years and when it tore it was my fault -- I got impatient and careless one day and neglected to reset the pin into a looser notch. Serfas replaced the mount free.

Having said all this, I'd still prefer USB lights. They're versatile, cost effective and can be recharged by carrying one or more spare USB external battery packs. I have several including a Jackery that can recharge all of my USB devices -- lights, video camera and iPhone -- on a single charge of the battery pack. And there are larger USB battery packs with more capacity, two or more USB ports, and still weigh less than carrying a bunch of spare AA or larger batteries.

For my road bike when I want to save weight and space I have a couple of lightweight external USB battery packs that are roughly the size and weight of a Bic lighter. They have just enough capacity to recharge one of my USB devices -- light, camera or phone.

There are also rechargeable lights popular with bikepackers who mount the large battery packs on their top tubes or elsewhere on the frame. Some light/battery packs are better sealed against weather, so they'd be preferable to USB packs for some uses.

Some of the AA front lights are listed here:
bikelightdatabase.com/headlights/

And the B&M Ixon IQ is a good choice.
bumm.de/en/products/akku-scheinwerfer.html

There's also the Nextorch B10.
NEXTORCH?Pro?s Light-B10?BLACK?

And Fenix BC20 and BT20.
Fenixlight BC20
fenixlighting.com/product/bt20-fenix-bike-light/

Self contained touring, the only times that I needed a front light was for unlite tunnels, which are quite rare. Before I got a dynohub and light, I carried a small light (Road Toad or similar) just in case I was out after dark, but almost never needed it.

My point is that for touring you should not need much of a headlight. The old lights I used were incandescent, not LED, but for limited use they were fully adequate.

FAQ, its been done over and over again. look up all the dueling brand touts... search function..

Thank you to the three who contributed in a positive manner.