Head and Handlebar lamps?

marcski · Mar 30, 2006, 11:57 AM

I'm trying to figure out which ones to get. I'm told, if you're going to do any real riding at night, its best to get both the helmet light as well as a handlebar one. Anybody have any thoughts about types, brands and models?

Marc · Mar 30, 2006, 12:10 PM

I have done quite a bit of night riding and it kicks ass.

Ride a trail you know well first becuase it will look very different at night. You'll see things you never saw before.

In terms of brands I can't help. We made our own. We don't use head lamps so I can safely say you don't need them. They can help, and they're nice if you want to deal with extra batteries, or a shortened pack life if you just use one.

nlmasopust and his brother found us some 10W halogen lights. Just the bulb and reflector and we used hoseclamps to attach them to the handlebars.

Go halogen over LED for the bar light. Helmet light you could probably get away with LED's since they're cheaper and not very important. Then we got some NiMH C cells of eBay and soldered together battery packs. The soldering arrangement worked best in two rows of five batteries each, standing upright, and then inserted into a cut open gatorade bottle. You can just use duct tape to tape it back up. With access to a peak charger you can charge them yourself and voila-

For about $30 (not including the peak charger) you have a $200 light system.

marcski · Mar 30, 2006, 1:13 PM

Interesting. You find a 10W bulb is all you need? Are you riding techy trails at night?

Marc · Mar 30, 2006, 1:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcski

Interesting. You find a 10W bulb is all you need? Are you riding techy trails at night?

Yeah, real technical. Obviously the more light the better, but battery life becomes a concern.

We raced the 24 hour race with just the one light. The cells were 4300 mAh. Probably figure around two hours run time with the one light.

I'd have to calculate that again to be sure, but it was around that.

SKIQUATTRO · Mar 31, 2006, 11:54 AM

Headlamp is the way to go,,,,i had bar mount, no good....put a light up on the 'ole brain bucket!! I love night riding and putting at night!!

SKIQUATTRO · Oct 20, 2006, 7:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcski

What kind of light do you have skiquattro? You Helmet mount, yes?

i have the Night Rider mounted to my helmet ($250) and 2 lights (5v and 10v) mounted to my handle bars as back up..my night rider will last about 1.5hrs at full power (its a step down from the HID)

marcski · Oct 20, 2006, 10:59 AM

I hear good things about niterider. I really want to try nightriding.

SKIQUATTRO · Oct 20, 2006, 11:09 AM

dont skimp on the lighting..its a whole new world at nite, so fun.....

cbcbd · Oct 20, 2006, 2:19 PM

A friend of mine found a good site comparing some lights - pretty good resource. Now it's just picking what I want to pay - the good ones aren't cheap.

http://eddys.com/page.cfm?PageID=493

marcski · Oct 20, 2006, 2:25 PM

Quattro, do you need both the bar and the helmet? I mean, of course, it depends on the terrain, but I've heard running both makes a big difference? Do you run both at the same time? Where on the island do you ride at night? (so i have an idea on the terrain vs. brightness).

Mar 30, 2006, 11:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
marcski Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you! Posts: 933	Head and Handlebar lamps? I'm trying to figure out which ones to get. I'm told, if you're going to do any real riding at night, its best to get both the helmet light as well as a handlebar one. Anybody have any thoughts about types, brands and models?

Mar 30, 2006, 12:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Marc I'm with psycho --> Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dudley, MA Posts: 5,503	I have done quite a bit of night riding and it kicks ass. Ride a trail you know well first becuase it will look very different at night. You'll see things you never saw before. In terms of brands I can't help. We made our own. We don't use head lamps so I can safely say you don't need them. They can help, and they're nice if you want to deal with extra batteries, or a shortened pack life if you just use one. nlmasopust and his brother found us some 10W halogen lights. Just the bulb and reflector and we used hoseclamps to attach them to the handlebars. Go halogen over LED for the bar light. Helmet light you could probably get away with LED's since they're cheaper and not very important. Then we got some NiMH C cells of eBay and soldered together battery packs. The soldering arrangement worked best in two rows of five batteries each, standing upright, and then inserted into a cut open gatorade bottle. You can just use duct tape to tape it back up. With access to a peak charger you can charge them yourself and voila- For about $30 (not including the peak charger) you have a $200 light system. __________________ Making sanity obsolete since 1982... Last edited by Marc; Mar 30, 2006 at 12:23 PM.

Mar 31, 2006, 11:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
SKIQUATTRO Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LI, NY Posts: 1,460	Headlamp is the way to go,,,,i had bar mount, no good....put a light up on the 'ole brain bucket!! I love night riding and putting at night!! __________________ updownupdownupdownupdown

Oct 20, 2006, 11:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
SKIQUATTRO Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LI, NY Posts: 1,460	dont skimp on the lighting..its a whole new world at nite, so fun..... __________________ updownupdownupdownupdown

Oct 20, 2006, 2:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
cbcbd Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Seattle,WA Posts: 1,538	A friend of mine found a good site comparing some lights - pretty good resource. Now it's just picking what I want to pay - the good ones aren't cheap. http://eddys.com/page.cfm?PageID=493 __________________ Sign, sign everywhere a sign... pointing out the trails, can\'t make up my mind.

Mar 30, 2006, 1:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
marcski Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you! Posts: 933	Interesting. You find a 10W bulb is all you need? Are you riding techy trails at night?

Oct 20, 2006, 10:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
marcski Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you! Posts: 933	I hear good things about niterider. I really want to try nightriding.

Oct 20, 2006, 2:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
marcski Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you! Posts: 933	Quattro, do you need both the bar and the helmet? I mean, of course, it depends on the terrain, but I've heard running both makes a big difference? Do you run both at the same time? Where on the island do you ride at night? (so i have an idea on the terrain vs. brightness).

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