How long does the battery actually last? My rides are generally 2-5 hours which has been a challenge.

Looks impressive. How long have you had them and have you had any issues?

So just for curiosity I pulled up this Magicshine light
https://magicshine.com/collections/b...41986425946249
2500lumens, with a 3500mAh battery. 1.5hr run time on the highest setting

Whereas the light I linked to, is 2600 lumens with a 8000mAh battery. Can you please explain to me why it should only have 10 minute run time?

Sigh. I can see that you have a lot to learn about lights. The first thing is: they all lie about their intensity! The intensity (lumens) is a complicated measure and easy to fudge. There is plenty of plausible deniability. If Lupine says a light is 1100L I'll probably believe it, but Cygolite, MagicShine, Gloworrm ... I'll knock ~50% off their claim as a starting point! Back when the MagicShines were new, geeks would test them. The consensus then was that a Chinese knock-off claiming 800L was probably closer to 500L to 550L in actual fact.

So, yes, I have a MagicShine light, but not the one you linked. My lightheads are close to 10 years old. 800L (claimed) with a 4400ah battery pack each. The battery packs are so big they have straps to attach to a frame tube, and a long cable runs to the light. The MagicShine you linked is self contained, but I can get my head around there being around 3500ah in that form factor. Your SCAM light is also self contained and claims 8000ah in a 6"x1.5" form factor! Yeah ... my Amazon MagicShine knock-off claimed 8000ah as well. It's battery pack was no bigger than any other 4000ah battery pack available! The power indicator went from green to blue in about 10 minutes. The light was flashing red (and dead) in 15 minutes. Sigh.

But ... dude ... the MagicShine light you linked is $224.98USD. It is a knock-off of a European light that is probably over $1500USD! Your <name?> light is $45 (with a $4 off coupon thrown in). Tells you ALL you need to know. That kind of price to performance simply doesn't exist anywhere on planet earth! The price to performance of my MagicShine/Cygolite tag team is right around where that newer MagicShine sits. Your light is in a different stratosphere altogether. Are you really going to keep trying to steer suckers to that piece of crap, SCAM, or are you willing to admit that it can't possibly be what it claims.

So in other words you have absolutely no proof and no 'physics' to back up your claim. You overpaid and now you refuse to believe that a $40 light is just as good as your $500 German light.
Anyways, Like I said- this is Amazon- buy the light and try it out. If you don't like it, return it. You're not out anything.

Uh ... no. I did not overpay. I did not buy the $500 (in 2004) light. I bought the $50 light. And have been quite happy with it. You are claiming that a $40 light in 2024 is as good as a $224 light (which is based on a >$1500 light). Fess up. You are the importer of that SCAM piece of garbage. Correct?

LOL! I’m not affiliated with this unbranded light. Just passing along a good product. In fact I encourage you to buy several lights off Amazon and do what I did: try them all out and return the ones you don’t like. I can guarantee you this light will blow the others , branded or unbranded , out of the water.

Fenix BC26R-Replaceable battery

carry an 18650 battery spare

I use rechargeable lights made by SMART for both front and rear, try https://bankruptbikeparts.co.uk/ I got both at a discount. They hold battery well.

SMART BL183

I like rechargeable lights with removable 18650 batts. If you forget to charge the light and it starts dimming just pop in another 18650 and good to go again.

I have been without wifi for quite a few days now and catching up on this post and other computer stuff. I appreciate all of your responses especially the one from downtube 42. NVflinch - I ordered the Viz 450 for the rear ( thank you for the info ) and I'll see how that one works out. I'll go through this thread again and see what you all recommend for a front light. I rarely ride at night and I just want to be seen while riding. Thank you everyone for your replies and I knew I would get some good advice here, boomer

A Son dynamo hub and a Busch & Muller IQ-X for me - never having to worry about batteries or whether you've charged your lights is worth the slight performance penalty, IMHO.

I'm going to say something that will raise the eyebrows of a few, oh well!

I don't believe in that Garmin Varia radar rear taillight, it's a waste of money. Does it tell you that car is coming up behind you? sure, but so does a mirror for less than $30! The Varia doesn't tell you if the car is on a collision course with you, and so what if it did, what are you going to do? run into curb? run off a mountain? And the taillight that is provided with that Varia is wholly inadequate, you need at least 200 lumens in the rear to be seen in broad daylight.

Some lights, like the Lezyne, who makes fantastic pumps, but the batteries they use only last 3 year of light use then they won't hold a charge any longer, same is true with those cheap generic Amazon lights. I haven't used the newest breed of Cygolites, they use to be goods, in fact I still have one that is about 15 years old and still holds a charge like it did when it was new, but it has a separate battery, and most people don't want those type anymore, but I haven't had any of their newer self-contained battery lights, but they should be pretty good, hopefully they have strayed from their roots of making great lights.

I have since gone with NiteRider. The NiteRider Lumina Boost series is a very ruggedly built light, it puts out 1,200 lumens, but the best part about this light...when the battery gets to the point where it won't accept a charge, for $30 (current prices) I can send the light back, and they will replace the battery along with checking the light out to make sure it's working correctly, reseal it, and send it back, very few companies offer a battery replacement program. I got mine for $45 through the refurbish tag on their website, I notice they have at least one currently available for $50 instead of $125, same warranty too as a new one would have, if that sounds like something you want you better get it fast because those refurbished lights go fast out of stock.

Taillight wise, what they call a cobb LED is horrible to use in broad daylight, the cobs get washed out completely, but they are great at night. I have a couple of taillights I use at night, both are NiteRiders, one is the Sentry Aero 260, it is a cobb light, so during the day I don't use it, but at night I mount it to my helmet, and the side to rear flashing mode is extremely noticeable. The one I use for daytime and nighttime goes on my rear seat post, it's the Omega 330 (I have the older 300 model) this thing is extremely bright in broad daylight, it puts out 330 lumens.

Personally, if you are running at night, you should have two headlights and two taillights, I understand you're on a budget, so at least get one decent headlight one really good taillight, and I think the ones I mentioned fit that bill, especially if you buy that refurbished NiteRider Lumina 1200 Boost light for just $50. Later when you get more money you can buy a second set of lights, try to find ones that will mount to the helmet if possible, a small headlight on the helmet you can use as a flasher and point it at cars in intersections to get their attention, and taillight being higher up will also help motorists to see you better. I don't have a helmet headlight anymore, but I do use a second bar light at night, but that light is no longer in production, it's a Phillips SafeRide 80 light, it's been working fantastic for about 18 years, it runs on 4 AA rechargeable bats which of course I've had to replace them over the years. But the combination of having more lights simply attracts attention better, remember, you're a cyclist, a small target, and your lights have to stand out from the sea of other lights to be noticed quicker. At night I run my NiteRider Omega 300 on steady mode, and the Aero 360 on alternating flash model and then run my Phillips on steady, and the NiteRider Lumina 1200 on strobe mode when in the city, in the country or dark bike paths I switch the Lumina to steady for more beam flood.

Also, most of the time you shouldn't even need to run your headlights on the brightest setting, I can see just fine on the medium setting, and only on the darkest nights with no streetlights and on blacktop, I might switch to high to get the best detail of the surface I'm riding on.

I really like my Bush + Muller IQ-X. It illuminates the road well ahead, but uses a cutoff beam that keeps all of the light at or below the height of the headlight (about 30 inches on my bike). My rear light is a B + M Toplight Line brake plus. It's a bright tail light, but it's supposed to get even brighter when I rapidly decelerate, functioning as a quasi-brake light. Both are powered by a generator hub.

The B+M IQ-X replaced much brighter lights, but the only thing I've lost is having so much light in areas where I don't actually want/need it. And the batteries. I don't miss having to keep track batteries or charge levels. Hub power is way better. The B+M tail light is better than the battery tail light it replaced in every way.

I also have a Son Edelux II for my new build. It has a reputation of being on par with the B+M IQ-X. Both bike will have the same tail light.

With lights, you don't always get what you pay for, but you generally have to be willing to pay up if you want to get good stuff. You just have to do pre-purchase research. A great st-VZO-compliant light is going to provide a better beam than an otherwise great light that is not st-VZO-compliant will provide, at least on the road. But they're mostly generator lights, since generator hubs are also required on non-racing bikes on the street in Germany (from where stVZO comes).

hey, new here. I live in NYC so lights arent a big priority since the streets are so well lit. But if I were to get a light, what do you guys recommend that has best bang for the buck? I ride a 1987 Trek 330 Elance

Please read my post which is the third one up, and read others too. But if you can buy a NiteRider light from their refurbished tab, you will get the BEST light for the money with full factory warranty as if it were new. Read my post for more detail. Buy the most expensive one in the refurbished section that is in stock since they are so inexpensive right now. These refurbished lights go fast, right now the best one in stock is the same one I got over a year ago called the Lumina 1200 boost, it is a great light, it is ruggedly built to take a beating, and when the rechargeable battery will no longer will accept a charge they will replace the battery for a mere $30 at todays prices, and they will check out the entire light, replacing anything that needs attention, reseal it, and send it back good as new.

Front: Magicshine EVO 1700 (https://magicshine.com/products/evo-...ted-bike-light)

Rear: Garmin Varia RTL515, plus additional small red blinker on back of helmet for extra visibility.

When commuting, I run my lights as blinkers during the day and solid at night (Peloton mode on the Varia).

Over the years I've acquired two sets of rechargeable (front/rear) Cygolites. When one dims/quits I swap 'em out and charge when I get home. I just can't justify trashing batteries anymore. Ymmv.

Yup, the Fenix BC30 V2.0, it's a good light, but it cost $90, plus another $42 for the charger and two batteries, so now you're into the light for about $140 including tax, but if you need more bats those will cost more as well.

Don't kid yourself. One of the big drawbacks to "well lit" areas, is that the lights affect the drivers' night vision. That means they cannot see what is in the unlit areas. So they won't see you unless you have lights.

Too right! And in a world of "driving distractions" I've had to chase lumens up to 960 (so far, and I think I'm stopping) with "lightening mode" and motorists are still so interested in everything else except what's around them that I still go unnoticed sometimes