Opinions on headlamp

[li10up]

I currently have a Cygolite headlamp that has a huge bottle cage battery. It lights up the road really well but I'm wanting to get a headlamp that has a small battery. I've been looking at the NiteRider MiNewt Mini-USB Plus. Do any of you have this and if so, what do you think about it? I would be using it for road riding. Thanks.

[Becky]

I have a first-generation minewt which, IIRC, uses the same or similar LED as the mini-USB version. My minewt's light output is ~115 lumens on high.

I like it. It's very lightweight, and easily helmet-mounted. Nice tiny battery too. It's pretty bright, and is enough for "to see" lighting at slower speeds and/or areas with some ambient light. That said, I wouldn't go barrelling along at 20+ mph with it- it's not bright enough for that. I use mine as "to be seen" lighting year-round on my commuter, and as "to see" lighting during the summer. When it's dark-dark, I switch to the Trinewt because I feel more comfortable with more light and it allows me to travel faster without fearing that I'll out-run my light.

Could you mount your Cygolite on the bars and the minewt on your helmet?

[SheFly]

I agree with Becky - I love my MiNewt, but I wouldn't use it for long/fast road rides as it's not bright enough. I have used it for 'cross practices and local small rides, but also wouldn't use it at all for any MTB riding.

Commuting may be ok too.

That said, it is definitely convenient! I love the small battery. Nite Rider also makes a TriNewt which is brighter - you may want to check that out (same small bettery).

SheFly

[Eden]

I have a Minewt x2 for commuting. I like it a lot. It's small, bright and easy to mount. Right now I only have to use it in the evening, so I only have to charge it once every couple of weeks. It's bright enough to see by even when there's no street lights, but no, I wouldn't go charging around with abandon. I tend to slow down quite a bit. In general, unless it is complete darkness I use it on its low setting.

[Becky]

FWIW, my TriNewt battery is the same width as my MiNewt's, but almost twice as long. Just in case that matters....

[divingbiker]

I use a Dinotte 200L for commuting. I tried the Minewt, but the flash setting on it was too flickery for me; the Dinotte's flash is slower. I never ride with it in solid mode, because I don't need it to see, only to be seen. But it's plenty bright, and very easy on and off the bike. It uses 4 AA batteries, so I always have spares, even if my rechargeables go dead.

[pinkbikes]

You may like to have a look at these.

http://www.ayup.com.au/index.php

They have taken the Oz market by storm because they are lighter, brighter and easier to mount than nearly anything around. Weighs quite a bit less than the MinNewt but throws out 320lumens+. (MiNewt 110+)

I have used them on the road (one set) and MTB (helmet and handlebars) and wouldn't use anything else. Plus they come in damned pretty colours, which is always important!

They have quite a good export market in the USA - and the dollar is probably looking after you at the moment compared to ours, so that may bring the price to somewhere reasonable. Not sure on the pricing relative to the NiteRider products in the USA, but here in Oz it is the best bang for your buck that you can buy.