I'm in the market for a light. I'm going to buy 1 and it needs to be under $200. What would you buy if you were only going to get one light? A bar light? A head light?
My light(s) are at least 2 generations old. I'm no fan of the heavy helmet light and the cable pulling from my camelback.
Is there a new lightweight helmet light? Maybe one that has the battery pack with it? Otherwise, I'm stuck with the one bar light I have for the few times I night-ride.
Camps...the helmet light with no cords and no weight is from Exposure....the "Joystick". Its fairly bright, but I'll always run a lower end bar mount in combination with it on singletrack. The benefits of no weight on your head or back and no cord far outweigh the its inability to be your only light. Actually, many folks get by with just this light and have posted good reviews. I've seen brighter lights and just opt for a second. Plus, two lights are a good thing when one breaks or loses charge. See here: http://www.exposurelights.com/products/joystick_maxx_2_-_2009/index.php
I agree with Brett. If you only have one put it on your head. I bought a inexpensive CYGO-LITE for a back up at Big Bear and was very impressed with it. It is plenty bright and has good burn time. The Nightriders are also nice. Personally if I had 200.00 to spend I'd buy 2 cheaper lights instead of one more expensive one. One for the bar one for the cranium. And then you have a back-up when one dies.
There are new lights out that are lighter then the old ones for the helmet mount. Quality companies are Jet Lites, Light & Motion, NiteRider, Lupine, Princeton Tec...to name a few. Can't help you on pricepoints.
I'm actually selling my lightly used bar and helmet light setup. The bar mount is a Turbocat S25 with the machined aluminum QR mounts to fit standard bars and a bottle shaped Ni-Cd battery. The helmet light is a Turbocat TG15 with the Ni-MH battery pack. New these sell for over $500. I'll let them go for $250. Two chargers are also included. You can reach me at styer_family@yahoo.com.
I have old night riders which work fine. I think they are 10 watt. One bar and one helmet. I use the helmet and have the bar for backup. Like Brett said the light is where you look. Kinda neat when you go over the bars it gives everyone a little light show.
A bunch of people down south have been picking up this Magicshine light from GeoManGear.com. $90 bucks, 900 lumens (rated, ~600 actual) LED, 3 hour burn time and you can get an optional helmet mount. Because of the inexpensive price people are a little concerned with reliability, but, the ones I've seen are VERY nice. Great beam, good color and very lightweight.
Wow! Great info everyone. Thanks! I'm thinking the two cheaper light option might be what I'll do. Maybe a Magicshine for the bar and something else on the brain bucket.
Seems everyone is saying the construction and heatsinking are not robust enough for longevity, unless you're willing to tear them apart and modify them. But I guess they only cost $85.
As a counterpoint, I'm still running my first-gen NiteRider HID Storm from about 8 years ago. Yes, it cost about $350 or so, new, but it's the only money I've spent on lights in 8 years, countless hours of night riding, and unsure how many 12 and 24 hour races.
I have a nightrider HID light and I will never buy one again. Positives: it puts out a lot of good light. Negatives: It's so heavy it pulls your helmet down, the battery pack is so big it would be easier to carry a brick in your camelbak, after 1 year of careful charging and running the battery out before charging it again I only get about an hour out of the light on the middle setting. I've never heard any who uses Light & Motion complain about their lights.
Nightrider LED's are nice.
ReplyDeletehelmet mount, if only one light. light goes where you turn your head. kinda handy.
ReplyDeleteMy light(s) are at least 2 generations old. I'm no fan of the heavy helmet light and the cable pulling from my camelback.
ReplyDeleteIs there a new lightweight helmet light? Maybe one that has the battery pack with it? Otherwise, I'm stuck with the one bar light I have for the few times I night-ride.
Camps...the helmet light with no cords and no weight is from Exposure....the "Joystick". Its fairly bright, but I'll always run a lower end bar mount in combination with it on singletrack. The benefits of no weight on your head or back and no cord far outweigh the its inability to be your only light. Actually, many folks get by with just this light and have posted good reviews. I've seen brighter lights and just opt for a second. Plus, two lights are a good thing when one breaks or loses charge. See here: http://www.exposurelights.com/products/joystick_maxx_2_-_2009/index.php
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brett. If you only have one put it on your head.
ReplyDeleteI bought a inexpensive CYGO-LITE for a back up at Big Bear and was very impressed with it. It is plenty bright and has good burn time. The Nightriders are also nice. Personally if I had 200.00 to spend I'd buy 2 cheaper lights instead of one more expensive one. One for the bar one for the cranium. And then you have a back-up when one dies.
I have a maglight duck taped to my handlebars. That way I have a light AND duck tape!
ReplyDeleteThere are new lights out that are lighter then the old ones for the helmet mount. Quality companies are Jet Lites, Light & Motion, NiteRider, Lupine, Princeton Tec...to name a few. Can't help you on pricepoints.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually selling my lightly used bar and helmet light setup. The bar mount is a Turbocat S25 with the machined aluminum QR mounts to fit standard bars and a bottle shaped Ni-Cd battery. The helmet light is a Turbocat TG15 with the Ni-MH battery pack. New these sell for over $500. I'll let them go for $250. Two chargers are also included. You can reach me at styer_family@yahoo.com.
ReplyDeleteI have old night riders which work fine. I think they are 10 watt. One bar and one helmet. I use the helmet and have the bar for backup. Like Brett said the light is where you look. Kinda neat when you go over the bars it gives everyone a little light show.
ReplyDeletealso, Speedgoat is having a big sale right now. Check them out.
ReplyDeletei would recommend LEDs or HID over halogen systems, too.
A bunch of people down south have been picking up this Magicshine light from GeoManGear.com. $90 bucks, 900 lumens (rated, ~600 actual) LED, 3 hour burn time and you can get an optional helmet mount. Because of the inexpensive price people are a little concerned with reliability, but, the ones I've seen are VERY nice. Great beam, good color and very lightweight.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=138&zenid=4ibo62gilvpfqrur8nv1sdpm37
Nightrider on the helmet.
ReplyDeleteI got my Garmin 305 from Geomangear.com and it was a smooth transaction and good price.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great info everyone. Thanks! I'm thinking the two cheaper light option might be what I'll do. Maybe a Magicshine for the bar and something else on the brain bucket.
ReplyDeleteInfo on those Magicshine lights...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2960073
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=526474
Seems everyone is saying the construction and heatsinking are not robust enough for longevity, unless you're willing to tear them apart and modify them. But I guess they only cost $85.
As a counterpoint, I'm still running my first-gen NiteRider HID Storm from about 8 years ago. Yes, it cost about $350 or so, new, but it's the only money I've spent on lights in 8 years, countless hours of night riding, and unsure how many 12 and 24 hour races.
I'll go knock on wood now.
I have a nightrider HID light and I will never buy one again. Positives: it puts out a lot of good light. Negatives: It's so heavy it pulls your helmet down, the battery pack is so big it would be easier to carry a brick in your camelbak, after 1 year of careful charging and running the battery out before charging it again I only get about an hour out of the light on the middle setting. I've never heard any who uses Light & Motion complain about their lights.
ReplyDelete