I got the new magicshine light with the 1000 lumen "XM-L" LED. Costs around $120 with the GeoManGear american assembled battery pack with panasonic cells (which supposedly has a less chance of burning your house down...a problem with the original magicshine batteries).

http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?...roducts_id=323

3.5 hours @ 1000 lumens
5.5 hours @ 500 lumens
14 hours @ 250 lumens
Total weight around 375 grams.

The difference between a 2watt "planet bike" 120lumen light and this is astounding. One is a toy, one is a headlight. 350lumens is probably gonna leave you wanting a little more.

Haven't ever encountered this problem as a properly mounted helmet light is aimed at a steeper angle towards the ground than a bar mounted light. You can absolutely look at oncoming cars without blinding them.

It's just a simple matter of making sure that the light is aimed sufficiently down at the angles you actually hold your head at. If you hold your head too high, you'll need to mount the light towards the front of your helmet rather than towards the top.

+1. helmet-mounted lights causing mayhem are user error. they can be used properly on a road bike. and no, it isn't for tight switchbacks-- if you do a 90 deg turn at >10mph, you can't see through the turn with a bar-mounted light. the faster you go the worse this problem becomes.

I'm used to helmet lights from MTBing though. you do absolutely have to have one in technical singletrack.