I second the LaCrosse recommendation. It even includes adapters so that you can have rechargable "C-size" and "D-size" batteries.

I got the lights (Romisen RC-N3 Q5) from shining beam (Brian is really cool) and I got the lock blocks at jenson USA. I think the 3 pack was $18.00 with shipping. that was back in march.

The shipping was really fast on these items.

If you want lock blocks, I got a 3 pack for $15 delivered and it arrived very quickly from the US (I'm in the UK) from 4sevens.

I got a NEXcell-60FC from Battery Junction. It's a great little Smart Charger. It charges AA, AAA and 9V in any combination. It can also completely discharge and rejuvenize old li-ion batteries. No complaints.

I use a Romisen RC-N3 CREE Q5 LED Flashlight from Shining Beam with a Tenergy Lithium CR123A 1300mah battery mounted to my handlebar with a Two Fish holder. This set-up is awesome!

Rc-n3 cree q5
 

My RC-N3 Q5 has the extention so I can use 2 AA's. I have 2 mounted on my handlebars and it's pretty darn brite. I have a bunch of alkalines I'm trying to use up. I got about 5 hrs out of one set and another set is still going strong. I haven't tried my nimh's yet. Supposed to get longer battery life with them. I'll post what they do.



2008 Raleigh Mohave 8.0

I have the same light but run AA's. What kind of run time do you get with the Tenergy's?

These are the lights I use, lifetime warranty too :thumb:

Blaze ½-watt LED headlight --> http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3036.html & http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-2-...4165526&sr=1-2

Beamer 3 --> http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3029.html & http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Be...4165203&sr=1-1

Blinky 3 --> http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3009.html & http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Bl...ef=pd_sim_sg_1

/
Do you how these hold up in the rain? Any water-resistancy?
Thanks.

I've had my Romisen since October 08', and it's held up real well thru the frigid cold and snow and countless rain days.

Lights for tunnels... ??

I tried my little PlanetBike LED headlight in a tunnel on the Bizz Johnson Trail (came with a nice rear flasher I wanted). A dim patch of the roadbed just ahead was visible. Vertigo started to set in. I concentrated on the dim Light at the End of the Tunnel ahead and went slow.

Obviously time to retool as I have more rail to trail tunnels on the summer schedule and one is a mile long - not like that shortie on the Bizz. The black pit of that tunnel should be extensive. Flashlight on a bike mount seems smart. They have really improved the LEDs
.
Who makes a mount for a helmet? I was wondering how to apply one of my many LED headlights to the helmet.

Opinion seems divided between Rominsen and P7.

Your thoughts?

You should try the 1.7 mile Taft tunnel that crosses the Montana/Idaho border.

I've got a nice high tech method of attaching my Fenix to my helmet, rubber bands. ;)

I used a large O-ring through the vents and a wine cork cut in to a wedge to get the proper angle. It works amazingly and has been solid for several years of every day commuting.

Others use either the Lockblocks or Bikeblocks from Two Fish, depending on the layout of their vents.

just throwing this out there:

MG PLI v Romisen RC-N3

I understand the PLI is double the price of the RC-N3, but is that price justifiable? Does someone have both and can give their input?

Thanks in advance,
Looking for a HL

They are two very different lights. The PLI is much brighter, but has a shorter runtime and uses a different battery and charger (18650 Li-Ion).

I use an Eveready headlight that has a band so you can wear it on your head. It is an LED light and it VERY bright. Between $10 and $15.

That the one with two bright, two so-so and a red led? have something like that from WalMart and it has proved to have a good light & features:$$$ ratio. About $15.

Anyone have some good ideas about mounting a headlamp to the helmet? So slick that the straps will just slide off.

I am thinking of wide velcro and something dedicated to that job.

Bought a Coast LED Lenser flashlight for the bike and it seems to have more than sufficient light and throw. Velcroed to the mount for the Planet Bike headlight. Hose clamp would be better.

Now for something that lights where I am looking vs where the bike is pointing.

I use one of these with the headband around my handlebar bag.
Excellent for my early morning pre-dawn rides.
I have not tried it yet when it is too dark to see the road.
Mine was ~$20.

I like that idea. Have some rail trail tunnels coming up next month. I have been trying it on the helmet with some velcro cord wrap straps thru the vent holes to hold it on. The main light is a very bright Coast LED flashlight hose-clamped to the bracket for my Plant Bike light (too dim in tunnels).

I tried a true rural night ride this weekend. Overcast with no moonlight. With all four LEDs on, it lights a good patch of road. I was comfortable up to 15mph.

The problem was that I found it hard to aim properly. For "be seen" mode, I had it mounted inverted so the bumps don't overcome the hinge tension, which causes the light to point straight down. Inverted in darkness it casts light upward so it is in my face when I am on the drops.
I think the solution will be to mount it right side up, aim with a foam wedge and keep the hinge closed with a spot of hot glue.

does somebody have a pic of a flashlight mounted setup? Where can I buy a bike mount?

I use two fish lock blocks from the Fenix store for my Fenix lights and another mount for my P7 that I must have gotten from Deal Extreme, don't quite remember.

+1, lock blocks work really well. I got mine from sevens.

Livestrong style bracelets... never failed on me:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c31/subigo/hl.jpg

Planetbike Blaze 1 Watt and Tail Light works great... got it at $45 when it was on sale at REI.

Many of the older links do not seem to work anymore. Is this the RC-N3 Q5 that is recommended, or is there another model I should look at? http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/t...CREE-Q5/Detail

That's the one. I've got one and it works great!

I have the Fenix L2DQ5 which has been fabulous. How does it compare to the RC-N3 Q5? Anyone compared them? The RC is quite a bit cheaper than the Fenix and both use AA batteries.

Thank you. I went ahead and ordered one.

The Live Strong bracelet idea above is clever, too. I tried it with a 1W LED flashlight I picked up from Menards the other day, and it worked really well.

I had the Fenix and do own the Romison. The Fenix was a better light for me, alas it was lost in a crash.
The Fenix was it seemed to be lighter, multi mode, I loved the strobe for commuting. Switching modes was quicker my guess is the switch type.

For the Romison side. More than HALF of the Fenix price, so you can get 2 and still be ahead of the game. Using the CR123 makes it a nice compact unit, but I use the AA's. They do rattle, but I fixed that with a thin business card to fill the gap. Crown is kinda nice incase you need to smack someone over the head. On the negative it has only one mode. There is a newer version option with a 2 mode switch, but I think the low is TOO weak. I haven't used it on my helmet but may yet do that this winter. Battery runs about 2 hours on the AA, perhaps longer but I turn it off when I don't need it.

Bottom line is if you need ONLY one mode the Romison is a winner.

check this out: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=202569