Compact Light for biking at night (18650)

I already have an ultrafire Model WF-139 charger and a couple ultra fire batteries (light blue). I use a flashlight from shining beam that I want to upgrade.

Was looking at the Zebralight SC600 mark 3 from my research. Would like to be under $100. I want something that is super bright, has a decent flood for biking at night but not too scattered and will last roughly 2 hours at highest setting on a single 18650. Has to be able to fit on a rinky dink bike holder like http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADLUDSA/?tag=cpf0b6-20


Bonus if you can buy it from somewhere like Amazon prime.

Also, what's the best battery to use?

Get a SolarForce host and a Nailbender (customlites.com) P60 drop in , XPG2 with smooth (more throw) or orange peel (more flood) Good run times and will satisfy your needs.

The Zebralight choice is a good one.
The beacon mode of the Zebralight is nice to have to be noticed riding in and out of shadows during the day.
2 headlights are better than one.
If your light quits at 30 mph at night you could have a problem with no light at all. I run one on low and another on upper mid settings.

There's a surprising number of variables for bike lights - road / trail / duration, brightness, beam pattern, amount of traffic, ambient lighting conditions, weatherproof etc.

I use a blinking mode primarily on my roadie - I am on paths or roads and want to be seen not so much illuminate my way, with a back up illuminator for dark sections.

My mtb on the other hand I have a mount similar to the one in your link which can take my Zebralight Mk ii (or SC62 or similar) or Convoy C8 if I want to see further. This works well however there are better dedicated options available, I just don't ride trails at night as a rule.

One thing I am very keen on is to avoid distracting oncoming drivers (or riders if on a path) with a poorly aimed light or bad beam pattern. There are lots of riders nowadays who have access to and bought a relatively cheap and bright light which can be a serious distraction if you happen to be heading towards them, as they are often aimed such that you get an eyeful. This will have the opposite effect to making your ride safer.

If you use the flashlight option try to find a way to mask off the top part of the beam, or make sure it is angled well down - the standard round beam pattern is not ideal for riding IMHO.

Note that you won't get 2 hours at full brightness from the Zebralight although you can use a lower setting that should be perfectly adequate. Also steer clear of any ~fire batteries (and lights) as a rule - stick to the major brands like Sanyo/Panasonic or LG or Samsung.

You might want to check out the "Beyond Flashlights' section which has a "Transportation Lighting' section with 'Bicycle' sub-forum.

Lou Minescence said:

The Zebralight choice is a good one.
The beacon mode of the Zebralight is nice to have to be noticed riding in and out of shadows during the day.
2 headlights are better than one.
If your light quits at 30 mph at night you could have a problem with no light at all. I run one on low and another on upper mid settings.

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Am I ok to use the same charger I have now to charge the NCR18650GA?

HungryHippo said:

Am I ok to use the same charger I have now to charge the NCR18650GA?

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The charger should be fine for the NCR18650GA battery.