Help me pick a Bike light!

[lukestephens777]

Can anyone recommend me a good bike light. I'd like something with at least one Lux III. Cree would be best but cant seem to find any, when i've googled.

Theres a couple of fantastic Tri Lux ones around, but the price is out of my reach.

It would be primarily be for Mountain bike riding on paths, fire trails and ocassionally off road.

Thanks

 

[jch79]

Luke-

As there are many options out there, there are first a few questions, or qualifications, as to what you want or need:

1) Do you want a self-contained light (no external battery pack)?
2) Do you want it to be LED, or are you open to HID?

My immediate recommendations would be to check out the following high-quality manufacturers:
Light & Motion - www.bikelights.com
BLT Lights - www.blt-lights.com
Nite Rider - www.niterider.com

I would trust almost all of the lights coming from the above three manufacturers.

Anyways, that's just off the top of my head. I'm not a mtb rider, so I'm sure there are people with better answers than me!

-john

 

[TomasCoSauce]

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard some local cyclists praise the Nite-Rider MiniNewt as being good enough to ride trail. But others are waiting for their Princetontec Swtichback 2 and 3 to arrive.

I've tried my DiNotte Ultralight 5 and it does OK on the trail but would recommend something on the helmet for spot lighting as well since the Dinotte is a flood.

 

[LightBright]

Use the Search function and type in "bike light", you should find lots of ideas. I've used my Fenix P1D-CE on the handlebars and it works pretty good.

 

[AndyTiedye]

I have already done the searching for you: Bike Light Thread Links

 

[heliyardsale]

Get yourself a Princeton Tec Apex headlight and be done with with all.. You'll also end up with a great Camplight too....

 

[lukestephens777]

The Princeton Tec apex, would be good, but they give me a headache wearing them for long periods! lol

I like the princeton tec switch bak series, but gees theyre expensive. Nice though! Anything cheaper fellas? With an external battery would be great!

 

[Qben]

I have a Jetlight Phantom. It works great and customer service can't be beat.

 

[search_and_rescue]

I belive NiteSun is the best for bicycle headlights. I used one on my Mountain Bike back in 1994 when I used to bike back and forth from my job at the Library. One night I nearly got run over. I plopped down $200 for a 8w/28w combination Halogen NiteSun. I'm sure that NiteSun has much more advanced headlights now, even though that Halogen NiteSun was spectacular even 13 years ago!

 

[yellow]

overall long-run best is Lupine, then L&M imho

I would not buy a LED based light now and do consider everyone who does as "uninformed" at best.
There is only ONE reason now to get a Lux based light, with double efficient cree Leds out --> EXTREME PRICE REDUCTION!!

in the moment, the only way to go seems to be a homemade model.

 

[ktronik]

I would not buy a LED based light now and do consider everyone who does as "uninformed" at best.

Fair enough that YOU will not buy a LED based light, but to say that people who do are 'uninformed' is not really the go... :thumbsdow

Best you stick to the facts mate.

 

[lukestephens777]

I believe Led's are sufficiently powerful to be a very good, light source for a bike light. Theyre bright and efficient. I don't think i need a HID, it's too much i just would like a simple one.

Ktronik, your products are fantastic! Would love one if i could afford it

I could be your new product tester! ha!

Any other ideas fellas?

 

[Concept]

Just strap a P1D CE on the front of your bike and carry some spare cells.

I had a P1 on there for a while and now my L2 is doing temp duty while I wait for my tri Cree from ktronik.

 

[ktronik]

I believe Led's are sufficiently powerful to be a very good, light source for a bike light. Theyre bright and efficient. I don't think i need a HID, it's too much i just would like a simple one.

Ktronik, your products are fantastic! Would love one if i could afford it

I could be your new product tester! ha!

Any other ideas fellas?

OK, I have many cheap DIY light ideas...but the best one is to get a PT EOS Bike around US$31...put a CREE XR-E, IMS20 & heatsink inside...thats your head... drill a hole in the housing, to run out a wire for the remote 3AA nimh battery pack mounted to your frame...it will be brighter than the new 'nightrider' LED light they have just put out... & costs RRP A$350... for less than $50 you could have a brighter light...

Best

Ktronik

 

[TORCH_BOY]

I use a Cateye EL-500 with a 1watt Luxeon, It's got good runtime, just the right amount of flood, it does fine on the track at night

 

[yellow]

Best you stick to the facts mate.

Same brightness but double runtime, or
double brightness with same runtime, or
everything same but 1/2 the Batt weight

the facts are on my side :nana:

 

[batvette]

Same brightness but double runtime, or
double brightness with same runtime, or
everything same but 1/2 the Batt weight

the facts are on my side :nana:

No, he said your comment about those who have bought an LED based light being uninformed wasn't factual.

You can be as smart as you like sitting at home in the dark waiting for the latest bin of XR-E's to hit the internet, I've had 16watts of Luxeon LED light on the bars of my ti hardtail for about 10 months now. (2x5w + 2x3w) Is it state of the state of the art? Nope, but when I can afford that and see it in front of me, not in a promised ship date, I'm there.