Get a headlight. I've done a couple after work rides with mine that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise. Mine is bar mounted, but I want to mount it to my helmet instead.
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MTB Headlights part II
- Thread starter bvibert
- Start date
Get a headlight. I've done a couple after work rides with mine that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise. Mine is bar mounted, but I want to mount it to my helmet instead.
gorgonzola
Active member
thought about it but don't feel like laying out $200 for a few weeks worth of rides
severine
New member
I bought his for $75, IIRC. Doesn't have to be the best of the best; his is working out fine. I think it has a 2 hour battery life.
You can get a decent light for under $100. This is what I have and it's given me plenty of light for riding.
http://www.beyondbikes.com/bb/itemmatrix.asp?groupcode=LIG-NR-RoadRat
Would it be nice to have more light? Sure, but I'm just happy to get out and ride.
gorgonzola
Active member
$200 is by no means best of the best, pretty basic actually. I'd like to check a few of these out, in talking to a few guys that i ride with theyre telling me 20w/200lumens min for the type of trails/riding that we do...anyway once hockey starts it tougher to get out and then hopefully skiing after work in the beginning of december!
severine
New member
Wasn't claiming $200 was best either. But when I talked to the guys at Country Sports in Canton before making my purchase, they assured me that even this basic light that I bought would be useful for after work rides needing only an hour or two of headlight usage. They had lights that were a lot more than $200, so I'm familiar with that. But some light is certainly better than none at all, right?
gorgonzola
Active member
please don't think i'm arguing here - this is something that i keep pondering, questioning, researching so i'm just bouncing thoughts around
I'm not so sure - the feedback i've been getting and my thoughts are that the riding i'm doing in daylight is pretty challenging for me - the only way i would feel comfortable doing the same trails at night is i would want it to be lit pretty shtinkin' well so i don't bust my a$$! belive me if i thought i'd be statisfied and safe spending $75 i'd have done it!But some light is certainly better than none at all, right?
My $75ish light is pretty bright. I wouldn't want to take it on any really technical trails that I wasn't already intimately familiar with though. I'm fine with scaling back the challenge a bit if it means I get out. I'm hoping, for next season, to get an additional light that's at least as bright for my helmet and leaving the one I have on my bars. That should be a good combination that I'll be comfortable with in most terrain.
cbcbd
New member
IMO, 10W halogen puts out enough light for not too fast riding on trails you're familiar with.
I have a 15W and I could ride the same summer trails almost the same way... maybe a little slower. But I knew that if I was riding new trails I'd prefer a brighter light.
I have a 15W and I could ride the same summer trails almost the same way... maybe a little slower. But I knew that if I was riding new trails I'd prefer a brighter light.
tequiladoug
New member
I bought a niterider HID several years back, on sale for around $250 shipped...a little heavy but so much brighter then halogens and almost all LED's - so much so I cant even tell if my 80 lumen led bar light is on or not.
RootDKJ
New member
These aren't really designed for increasing visibility on off road use, but it might be ok for fire roads. I basically use them for making sure I'm seen on doing some road rides after work. Company is decent. Never had any problems with them but the equipment isn't all that rugged. http://www.ledshoppe.com/ledproductothers.htm
Gremf
New member
I ended up getting a dual purpose light. Helmet mount for off road riding and a bar mount for commuting.
It's pretty good, the Light & Motion Solo Logic.
It's pretty good, the Light & Motion Solo Logic.
Marc
New member
Make your own. 15W halogen lights are dirt feckin cheap.
gorgonzola
Active member
lights on chainlove now!
SKIQUATTRO
New member
my primary is the Night Rider Digital Evolution...sick light, helmet mount (much better visability ahead than bar mount) and my back up is dual bar mount Nightstick by Vistalight...not bad, will get you home when the helmet light dies....
gorgonzola
Active member
pulled the CL trigger on one of these
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...toreid=&pagename=Shop by Subcat: Front Lights
$98 shipped with bar and helmet mount - now that ski seasons right around the corner - doh'p
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...toreid=&pagename=Shop by Subcat: Front Lights
$98 shipped with bar and helmet mount - now that ski seasons right around the corner - doh'p
Cool, let us know how you like it!
gorgonzola
Active member
Light and Motion Solo Logic NiMh - got it from chainlove like it says above, 390(!) lumens for under a hundred bucks can't go wrong. The only issue was the included helmet mount didn't ship so i used the bar mount - a little freaky on log overs, ramps, ladders etc. as as soon as the front wheels lifts, the light is gone - helmet mount is on it's way as CL /SAC customer service rocks! light/charger is no frills and was still going strong at 1-1/2 + hrs. MY batteries died before the lights! It's rated at 2 hr run time at highbeam, can be focused, shoots plenty far enough for twisty stuff at decent speed, and has good spread also. the guys i was riding with had LED NR minewts and a trinewt. the L&M outshone the minewt (150ish l's) by far, but not as good as the trinewt (500? l's) duhhh. the halogen is definately different - much warmer/yellow - than the white LED's but i don't know if that's a bad thing as long as your not one of those guys that has to have the latest and greatest technolgy. seems like exactly what i was looking for - big value. oh yeah the light itself is pretty small maybe 1-1/4" dia and real light, the battery doesn't seem too bad either and the notched design attached real nice to my seat post.
I ended up grabbing a Princeton Tec Switchback 2, refurbished for $60 from EMS to use on my helmet. It should be a good compliment for the light I already have for my bars. The lithium ion battery is WAY lighter than the lead acid from my other light. I'm pumped to do some night riding this season.
Jisch
New member
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I have a Trailtech HID light. Cheapest non-CL HID out there. Its a bit heavy, but it seems to be pretty durable (I've tested that way more times than I care to remember).
John
John
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