Score! Free NiteRider bike light!

[divingbiker]

I am getting a free NiteRider Minewt X2 bike light!

The halogen bulb on my current light, a Planet Bike Alias SC (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3025.html), broke a couple days ago when I was putting it on my bike. It's a great light, but a pain in the neck to put on the bike since it has three different parts that have to be strapped on, and the battery life (even in flashing mode) isn't great. A new bulb is going to cost $30, so I started looking around at other lights.

I was trying to decide between the MiNewt X2 (http://www.rei.com/product/758645) and the Dinotte 200L (http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=20). It turns out that I earn "thank you" points from my Citibank bank and credit card accounts. I called them and they said I could use my points to get a $155 gift certificate to REI. REI sells the MiNewt, so that's the one I chose.

The MiNewt X2 light sells for $189 at REI, so I called my local store and they put one aside for me. Then today I got home and had an REI sale flyer and all NiteRider lights are 20% off starting Friday!

So my $155 gift certificate will pay for the light! Yay!:D :D :D :D :D

[withm]

I love it when stuff like that happens!

I am on the road to HE** paved with good intentions. I am giving my old road bike to my sister but since she is not going to be able to deal with the technical stuff, I am going to buy 2 tubes, frame pump, patch kit, tire levers, something to put it in, and probably 2 new tires. Thinking to get wider tires for her - the widest they can get on this thing cause she will have some dirt roads to get out of her neighborhood each day. Oh and new battery for the computer. And a bit of minor tune up. I cleaned up the bike today - it's an old Raleigh aluminum bike with shifters on the down tube. This will replace one of the 6 bikes that we lost in the fire. :( Sigh.

Some gift, huh? I was going to trade it in on a new "city" bike or something for ME - they would give me ~$75 for it. Go figure.

[RoseC]

Very cool, divingbiker!

I'd be interested in a review once you have a chance to try it out a bit! I'm starting to research for lighting, too...

[divingbiker]

I love it when stuff like that happens!

I am on the road to HE** paved with good intentions. I am giving my old road bike to my sister but since she is not going to be able to deal with the technical stuff, I am going to buy 2 tubes, frame pump, patch kit, tire levers, something to put it in, and probably 2 new tires. Thinking to get wider tires for her - the widest they can get on this thing cause she will have some dirt roads to get out of her neighborhood each day. Oh and new battery for the computer. And a bit of minor tune up. I cleaned up the bike today - it's an old Raleigh aluminum bike with shifters on the down tube. This will replace one of the 6 bikes that we lost in the fire. :( Sigh.

Some gift, huh? I was going to trade it in on a new "city" bike or something for ME - they would give me ~$75 for it. Go figure.

Yeah, Martha, I know how that goes.

I took my old hybrid commuter in for a tuneup, planning to send it home with my sister when she visited a few months ago. Turns out it needed a new rear brake, too, but I wasn't willing to spring for that, not knowing if my sister would really ride it. So she ended up not taking the bike home with her. (She bought a new bike a few weeks ago, and so far likes riding it on the country roads around her house.)

A month later, I gave the old bike with the bad brake to a woman who had posted on Craigslist that her commuting bike had been stolen. I told her to pay it forward.

[Zen]

Ahhh, here comes the BUT

If you don't pay off your balance each month and have ever paid interest on the card balance it's not really free :o

Free kittens, anyone?

[divingbiker]

Ahhh, here comes the BUT

If you don't pay off your balance each month and have ever paid interest on the card balance it's not really free :o

Free kittens, anyone?

These points come from simply having a Citibank checking account, savings account, brokerage account, etc. Now that I think about it, it's got nothing to do with my credit card since I get 1% cash back for any purchases on it (which is paid off every month, btw :p .)

It really is free money.

[Zen]

Well, then

SCORE!

[skyhand]

way cool, a free light! i'm curious to learn how you like it — i'm on the hunt for one. had a niterider digital night owl, and while really bright, i hated all the bulky parts...

[Xrayted]

Very cool! I love getting stuff for free. :D We both (Kitsune and I) have the single MiNewts and just love them. Incredibly bright, the battery pack is so small but holds a terrific charge. Very easy to get on and off if you need to. No bad reviews from either of us on this one.

As for a rear blinky, try the Bike Planet Super Flash. The battery lasts forever before needing a new one and that thing is nasty bright and gets loads of attention from motorists.

Have fun with your new lights! I'm curious how you will like it with two beams...

[divingbiker]

I'm curious how you will like it with two beams...

Actually, my light is a single light like yours...the X2 means it's twice as bright, supposedly. I remembered that you liked your Minewt; that plus the fact that it's so compact and easy to mount helped sway me to buy this one (oh, and it was free :p ). I'm looking forward to comparing it to my Planet Bike Alias, which is very bright but has battery life issues.

[RoseC]

For those who have the MiNewts...would they be enough lighting for poorly lit areas (not completely without lighting, but close!), or are they more of a "see me!" kind of light?

I just picked up one of the Planet Bike Super Flash lights for the back - works great so far!

[Xrayted]

I ride with my MiNewt on completely dark streets, no lamps at all and overhang from trees so no moonlight either. I normally have issues with seeing at night and I have to say, there is plenty of light with these.

[RoseC]

Thanks, Xrayted! That's good to know. I'm still doing research and trying to grasp the differences between LEDs and halogen and figuring out just how much I'm willing to spend...so any first-hand input is a help!

[invsblwmn]

I got the NiteRider MiNewt LED Double Headlight set. LOVE IT! It is rechargeable, lightweight and lasts for both segments of my ride, up to 3 hours. I use it in the summer to be seen and in the winter to see. I like the dual lights because we have so much glass and this way I can see the ground right in front of me and ahead to avoid the pot holes. I went through about one tube every 100 miles for awhile-solved that with slime tires and Kevlar tires, too.

Oh, and about free stuff and credit cards...
There are tons of good deals, IF YOU PAY OFF ON TIME EVERY MONTH!!
I do this and buy everything on my cards. I get 5% CASH back on gas, grocery, and pharmacy store purchases, have the bank america for almost free airline tickets for me to Alaska(have earned 2 so far in one year-first one came with the card-$75 fee), citi has a kinda crappy rewards program with points unless you love orvis or lands end (then it is pretty cool) and you can get points at costco with a citi american express.
I buy almost everything online, with codes for discounts. I should do this professionally as I have saved tens of thousands of dollars for myself and my friends whom won't even think of purchasing most anything over $10 without consulting me first. I need to get a life. :)