ARC LS lights the way on coast to coast bicycle trip

[MY]

I recently just completed a cross-country bicycle trip, Seattle (I think that I saw Telephony - or someone driving a small wheeled vehicle, decorated with LEDs next to the Green Tortise Hostel) to Yorktown, Virginia, on a Rans V-Rex recumbent. While going through the flatlands, the heat and humidity made it unbearable to ride during the day. Even when I started out at the break of day, it would quickly get unbearable. As such, I started riding at night using an ARC SLS (with single 123) as a headlight. I simply wrapped several layers of electrical tape to my handlebars, pressed the LS until it made a groove to sit in and bungie corded it tight. I made sure that the LS's lanyard was secured just in case the bungie broke. I would often ride for about 2 hours in the night either until midnight or getting up early at about 3 am. I found it amazing how bright the LS was when no other lights were around and your eyes adjusted. I got about 2.5 hours of good light from each 123 - - there was quite a bit of power left afterwards but output (for riding) went down quickly. Granted, I was only going about 12-14 MPH but I could see well enough to gauge road conditions.

This night riding was quite relaxing and provided a diversion from the fairly consistent flatland scenery - you concentrate on the road and the sounds around you. I probably rode about ten nights on the trip.

I also carried an ARC AAA as my camp and reading light. Everybody who saw these lights wanted one - if REI, EMS, MEC or some other large equipment store carried them, they would sell like hotcakes.

During my 4,200 mile trip, I went through about 15 123s but only 3 AAA batteries. It is amazing how long an ARC AAA last with intermittent use. Both ARC lights worked perfectly.

If the ARC LS were dimable, it would be the perfect light in single 123 format. How can we convince Mr. Gransee to give us a super powerfull LS with a dimmer. Darell where are you?

The summer is over and now I have to get back to my real job (it's really not that real). Looks like a lot has happened on the CPF forum.

P.S.: Who is Saaby and how did he get so many posts so quickly?

 

[Lux Luthor]

Originally posted by MY:
...I also carried an ARC AAA as my camp and reading light. Everybody who saw these lights wanted one - if REI, EMS, MEC or some other large equipment store carried them, they would sell like hotcakes...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I was recently in a backpacking store, and showed my Arc AAA to one of the salesmen. He said they carried them a while back, but they didn't sell well due to their high price (not sure what they were charging). So instead he pointed me to a rack of Pulsars. "Sorry", I replied, "not interested".

This made me sick, because the last AAA I got was from TTS for only $20. People apparently still prefer Photon knock-offs with lithium batteries that cost more in the longrun. I thought I would do Peter a favor, and promote Arc, only to find out that the public is too stupid to recognize a real quality instrument, and a bargain at even twice the price.

PS. Your trip sounds like fun. I wish I had the Summer left to do something like that, but oh well... At least I got in a few beach trips, and some trips to the mountains.

 

[Saaby]

Hi MY, I am Saaby, fear me! No just kidding. I'm just some kid that decited that I would wander in. Posted and it was kinda fun, so I posted again and again, well you get the picture.

I started out on CPF poor and nearly flashlightless, but due to my hard work and the extreme generosity of CPF memebrs (See this) I now have a respectable collection of flashlights although my Arc AAA sees the most use.

So now you have a basic idea of who I am, who are you!

 

[Darell]

Originally posted by MY:
How can we convince Mr. Gransee to give us a super powerfull LS with a dimmer. Darell where are you?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yeah, just where IS that dim bulb Darell?

I'm here, just not as here as I used to be. But trust me, I'm still on the dimmer crusade. Just got back from a three-week trip where again, I needed to carry dead batteries with me so I could have the dim light that I needed. Crazy. I'd rather carry two lights, an XR and a standard. But no, I need to carry dead batteries. I think dimmers will come - this all seems to hinge on the fact that nobody makes a good switch. If some mfg would hunker down and create the perfect, robust, electronically dimmable switch - we'd be in great shape.

P.S.: Who is Saaby and how did he get so many posts so quickly?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The guy's a nut. But we like him, so we put up with it.

 

[Darell]

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