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- Road-use with City & Way out yonder!
- Not fussy about Titanium, Carbon Fibre, Gold, Silver or Platinum and I think I'm happiest with the reliability and back-up of a production outfit rather than a back-yard inventor! I'd hope to only have to buy only one of these every 4 or 5 years at this money territory, if ever again! However, I'm not rigid on price -if the holy grail is $205 or $250 I'd consider it for sure. I do think that $400 is madness though-for a bike light. In my business, we import from Asia and the prices we pay for stuff is far less than what's charged on websites etc. Therefore, as I'm a consumer in this regard (bike-light) I can't help wondering if someone somewhere is buying my $400 light, for example, for $50 off a Chinaman?
- I suppose it's important that the light comes with a purpose-built bracket for bikes so a flashlight that moonlights as a bike-light won't really cut it?
- If it has to be one choice -I'd say best light period: Designed for bikes whether on or off-road. Max brightness with a blend of spot and flood to illuminate my passage effectively. Battery... Li-Ion perhaps, rechargeable pack that clips to the crossbar? I'd need 2hrs of run-time per charge at least.
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Ok, so if I'm flying off on the wrong tangent, just ignore me, but: have you considered a dynamo light? At your price bracket, the SON/Edelux combo (considered 'best bikelight' by many who do long distance commuting and/or touring) is out, but you should be able to fit in:
- Shimano/Sanyo/SRAM hub dynamo
- a set of spokes (or alternatively, if you're not willing/able to re-build your wheel, a new front wheel with hub dynamo, e.g. through eBay)
- a b&m Cyo front light (and maybe a Toplight Line rear light) at eBay or Amazon prices
That will get you:
- enough light to see up to maybe 25..30 kph
- ample light to be seen (especially from the rear)
- no maintenance (unless the bearings in the dynamo give out - the main known weakness of the Shimano hub dynamos, but not worse than other Shimano cup/cone bearings, just basically impossible to open up, grease and re-seal)
- no batteries to charge or forget
- basically infinite runtime (or at least as long as you can ride your bike)
Drag is negligible - opening a zipper on your jacket is worse.
Bye
Markus