Looking For A Headlight
 

Looking for an adequate headlight without breaking the bank. Had someone to recommend this one: http://www.amazon.com/Brightest-Bike...B05E58YH71C90V

I'm also considering this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any suggestions? Anything I need to know that I may not be aware of?

I almost got that light too. I think what you want to consider is lumens count. Somewhere on here I heard that 850 is a good number if you want to be lit up like Las Vegas.

Anyways, I went with the Serfas True 305 (~$45) that is 305 lumens from my LBS. It works great for me. Super bright light, can be seen, but more importantly, I can see a great deal ahead of me. It has 3 brightness settings (brightest setting goes for about 2 hours) and an on/off flash setting for when you're in and around city traffic and need to be noticed. I took it out for a 10 mile night ride couple nights ago, went through pitch dark golf course trails and multi-use paths on a greenbelt with no lights around, and had really good fun.

Also see if the light you're looking for has a quick release feature if you're anticipating parking it in public. Best of luck!

In general, the higher the lumens the shorter the battery life.

For me a good urban compromise is the 150-300 lumen range.

But if I were riding fast on dark country roads I would go for the 350-700 lumen range.

In the urban setting, the light is more about others seeing you since there is so much ambient light for you to see by.

Get one of these. It's not actually 3000 lumens, but it'll brighten up your life, quite literally.

the ion 700 is a good one

Lots more product touts here Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets

I tried some of the cheap CREE imports first. They were a pain in the ass. Eventually I bought a Lumina Niterider 750 and it's been perfect. Well worth $100.

Happy with my Cygolite Expilion 850. USB rechargeable, water-resistant, multiple levels of brightness, can be mounted on helmet or bike, etc.

The MUP I ride on for commuting can get pitch dark at night. My colleague recommended a helmet light to make it easier to spot flat-causing debris and other hazards in the dark. Yet another nice thing about the Cygolite is the included helmet mount includes an angle adjustment, so you can set it to illuminate the ground in front of you instead of blinding motorists who might be driving in the opposite direction.

interesting thread, I too was having the same problem
http://wigunpics.science/17/g.png

Hub-dynamo powered means no battery to charge , the turning wheel makes the power.

Apart from a long delay in the delivery, I've been quite happy with my ~$30 light, and so has a friend who bought the same thing. Could you share what you found lacking in yours? Was it luminosity/arc or something else entirely?

1. There was no mounting hardware included, just a rubber band. They bounced around.
2. The battery was on a long cable and had to be mounted someplace else. The whole thing was much bigger than the Lumina.
3. The battery was scary, just some cells wrapped in thin plastic.
4. No USB charging.
5. The illumination pattern was bad. The Lumina provides an even cone of light, but the CREE lights have a very bright spot in the center.
6. The Lumina has a metal case. I've dropped it many times with no ill effect. The CREE lights were plastic and easy to break.

There are probably other reasons, but I grow weary of typing them.

Thanks for sharing. While I didn't have a problem with the rubber band or the battery, I also found that the overall construction quality isn't great. However, I found my illumination cone quite even and was amazed at how wide it actually was. Essentially, having that light output at such a low price is what still makes me recommend it to people.

Love my magic shine 1600, been going strong for 4 years now!

Action led sells a wide angle lens for Magic Shines that gives a more even output.

Yeah, I have seen those lens and they look like they do a great job. I have the 872 and it puts out a crazy amount of light and puts it out very well. I think the after market lens are for mj808 style/ series of lights.

I have two of the cheapo $20 cree lights and can't complain. I use them on my mtn bike and run the magic shine wide angle lens on the bar and the stock spot on my helmet. Even on my rigid I've never had a big problem with the mount, just have to adjust it occasionally. I've been lucky and both of my battery packs are still going strong after a year and a half but one of the guys I ride with has gone through two in that time. They are so cheap though it is hard to get too upset about it.