8 sounds good. Note that it's at the Gladstone, not the Drake.

Guys, the specs says 3w LED. How does this wattage compare to a halogen setup? Like is it equivalent to a 15w or 20w, less?

I'm guessing the retail is like around $300 or so? Was looking up the lighting system and came across this interesting bicycle crossing signal used in portland.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IwNJYtmly...elated&search=

Your vintage 1975 Campy cranks can be picked up anytime. Oh I forgot to mention the right crank is cracked in 2....the chainring is a 56 and the length is 175. :D

A ton of folks on the team were using the Switchback 2 system at the last 24hrs. No complaints from anyone. Did you call Roger and see if they brought more in for this one? They were offering em to team riders for $250. Princeton and Niterider were at the last one. Niterider has apparently realeased a new LED system that is supposed to be really nice. I have to say that the Princeton system is really good for the $. You get the light plus helmet and bar mounts...A.C. charger and 12V for the lighter socket in the car. Most of the other systems I looked at required you to purchase the extra bits.

Is LED the new HID, or is that still going strong too?

Foiled again! I'll get you, Keith, if it's the last thing I do... hehe

HID is crazy expensive compared to the high output LED. I also noticed the HID systems dont work as well in dusty conditions. The "blueness" of the light bugs me as well.

Yeah, compared to the cost of HID's particularly! I think having maybe a Switchback 2 on the bars and a Switchback 1 on your helmet would kick serious butt.

I'm looking forward to trying it out tonight or tomorrow night.

I agree on the crazy expensive part... but I do like the HIDs. It's like driving a luxury car through the woods. :)
What kind of run time on the high end LEDs? Anything approaching the 12hr HID setups?

http://static.velvetcache.org/pages/...tarp-30198.jpg


it's a carp! with a tarp!

The Switchback 2 is rated at 5.5 hours on High.

More info here: http://www.switchback321.com/

16hrs on low

Riding solo? You sir are an animal.:D

haha.. yeah, solo commutes and joyrides!

I'm just suspicious of the advertised burn times. On a nice summer day my halogen setup goes 2.5hours or so... and on a -15C night ride on the spit it lasts like 20mins and even that is dim. SO.. I figure the more the rating the longer the "real" burn time I'll get.

I've actually got 1/2 of an HID kit that I had on my car (one side burnt the capacitor I think) that I was thinking of trying to put something together with myself... Not sure what housing material I could use without access to a machine shop that wouldn't just melt. (and @12V 35W although it would be bright as hell I imagine battery life or size would be a big issue)

The Gladstone opening is from 7pm-2am.

Anyone want to grab dinner/drinks at 6pm? Beaver? or Caddlilac?

I really want to visit Portland, it seems like an awesome place. Maybe I'll do the STP someday! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_to_Portland

I think the battery type has a lot to do with burn times. Lead acid...echh...ni-cad...so-so....Li-Ion...excellent. The LED systems are low wattage with super high candlepower. I think this has something to do with extended battery times.

The LED on the Princeton Tec system is also regulated, which means that the light intensity doesn't fade as the battery drains like many systems. It maintains a steady power all the way up until when it dies.. (but it also has a battery status light on the battery itself, so hopefully you don't get any surprises :P)

i'm supposed to eat some ethiopian with the lady afterwards but i could be persuaded to have a beverage beforehand. i like the beaver, wouldn't mind going there.

wow - i just re-read that post. inuendo at will.

EDIT: my new cell number is four one six - six five five - six three six zero if anyone wants to give me a dingle.

remind me to roll by that colnago again on the way.,,

Yeah, my current system is NimH so I think that falls somewhere between Li-ion and Ni-Cad and it totally doesn't last in the cold. Wonder if they have Li-Ion batteries at active surplus...

What time is everyone going to the Gladstone at?

I'll probably be there for 8.

Well friends I'm leaving Berlin tonight. London tomorrow until saturday. I like cake. That is as they say all. (P.S. Thanks Wes for making me dry heave at the public internet terminal)

belt drive craziness @ SpotBrand (http://www.spotbikes.com/)

http://www.spotbikes.com/images/Belt1closeup.png

who carries Bianchi in the city, other than Urbane?