lights?

[caligurl]

hi ladies! i need your recommendations again! :D

i need a light for my bike. weeknights we don't leave the house til between 7 and 7:30 cuz it just too darned hot to go earlier.. and depending on how long we ride.. it starts getting dark (plus this fall when the time changes.. i'll need one!)

anyways.. i was going to get this light from performance:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17410&subcategory_ID=4320

cuz it's reasonable priced (plus 20% off and 10% in team performance points) and it's BRIGHT! (we know this cuz it's the light hubby uses.

well... we tried his light on my bike and my frame it too small for it :mad: i use BIG water bottles (the polar insulated 24 ouncers)... so i can't put the battery pack on (or i have to use a smaller non-insulated bottle.. and i HATE warm water!)

sooooo i need to know what lights you suggest.. i do NOT want a light that uses a water cage... i bring and drink both bottles (or most of the 2nd) when i ride... so taking up a bottle cage is not an option.

i have a little handle bar one that uses 5 batteries.. but it eats batteries

i've looked at the gen 3 at performance

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18632&subcategory_ID=4320

(also a cheaper gen 3/non-digital version)

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18633&subcategory_ID=4320

soooo suggestions? recommendation? ideas?

thanx!

[Veronica]

We use Cateyes. We mount two on the tandem, but our singles only get one. We've been happy with them. They're not nearly as bright as other lights we saw on the road on Saturday night. Battery life has been good. We have the 200, but I just got an e mail from Riv saying the 100 was on sale for $15.

V.

Cat Eye (http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/miscellaneous/)

[ACG]

Cat eyes are the best. They have long lifes and come in an array of sizes and types.

I go at 5:20 a.m., and the sun doesn't usually come up until after 6:00 a.m.

I would also recommend some flourescent tape on your clothing or your bike.

[spazzdog]

Let me preface this with I have NOT done it on a bike...

but, when I ran alot I used a PETZL head light that I had purchased for climbing. It's a very strong halogen light and lasts a long time. It has this head gear setup that you wear like a cap.

It's elastic and MIGHT fit over a helmet... I have to dig mine out and check. Anyway, assuming it works would this not be a reasonable alternative to bike mounted lights?

The headlamp part is on a swivel type thing so you can adjust the angle to the front... might look kind of geeky but I think it would work.

[Veronica]

Thom will sometimes wear one like that on his helmet when we ride the tandem. My only concern is that if you crash, your helmet will no longer just slide across the pavement. It's also possible that the light might point load the helmet in a crash. He debates this in our household every time we ride in night. Sometimes he wears it, sometimes he doesn't.

V.

[spazzdog]

Hmmm... that is a point to consider. Still, since its elastic, might it just slide off the helmet on impact? Research needs to be done here :)

[Barb]

I jsut tried the Petzel out this weekend. It didn't stay on very well. I guess I'm back to the drawing board :) I am still looking for a good light set up. I have 2 bikes and use a clip on for the back but so far haven't found a front light that I like.

[pedalfaster]

For serious "night riding" (off road or when I will need to actually see the road) I like my Night Rider lights. These all have the rechargeable NiMH batteries. I like both a helmet-mount and a handlebar mount. Off road you need both for depth perception and to see around corners. Also nice to have two battery packs in case one runs low. On the road you can use you helmet-mounted light to uhm let motorists know you are there (as in shooting a beam of light in their eyes to stop them cold).

On days where I just think I *might* run a bit late I tuck my Petzl ( I have the Tikka) in my jersey pocket. It's good enough to get me home and makes me more visible to cars. It's not strong enough to really let me see the road or trail well though. I just strap it around my helmet. I also carry a bunch of those tiny Pyramid blinky-lights(Cateye makes some too) in both red (rear) and white (front). They are pony-tail elastics and can be strapped anywhere on the bike/body. I like on mounted on my helmet as well.

[spazzdog]

What if you put a bit of velcro on the headstrap and helmet (those little dots of velcro might work)?

That would probably stabilize it...

I'd try it myself but I don't ride at night... bad night vision.

Again, I'm just going on the "try what you have versus spending money" method :)

spazz

[Karen London]

I saw JetLights recommended once by someone I really trust on this board. I checked the website and they looked expensive. but good. apparently they are better than those Nite Rider (?) things and similar price range

otherwise I use CatEye btw I think CatEye is lots cheaper in Canada

[sandra b]

Both the Lifter of Heavy Objects and I commute to frequently, and rode all winter, so we had to have lights. We have red LED lights on the back of the bike. his flashes, but I set mine to solid-I read somewhere that it is easier for drivers to tell where you are that way. We have petz lights on our helmets-you have to hook them under the visor to keep them on, and as easily as the visor pops off, and then the light, I don't think it would be an issue in a crash. We also have Cygolight night rovers. They have rechargeble batteries (if you right much at all, I highly recomend rechargeble) and (this was the deciding factor for me) the instructions don't say to ONLY recharge for 6 hours. Some of the other brands say to not over charge-I don't want to set a timer to unplug my battery. I just had to get a new light (had one on the hybrid that got stolen last spring) and it was $75 including tax. a bit spendy, but I would use that in batteries very shortly. Oh, and the cygolight has to beams.