Decent bicycle light cost
 

One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3:18:47 PM UTC-6, Sir Ridesalot wrote:

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too?

If you buy a bike and it does not ride as fast as you want, do you get your money back? If you buy a tire and ride it 1000 miles and decide it does not stick in corners like it should, do you get your money back? If you buy chain lubricant and it does not keep your chain silent in downpours, and you use half the bottle, do you get your money back? Some things you have to check before you buy. Like weight, weigh it before you buy it. Or size, try it on before buying. Or lights, turn them on in a dark room to see if they are bright enough.




#2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?


You are asking if shops give 100% new return prices for a used product you have used, worn for hundreds of miles or months? I know there are a few stores that have return policies like that. Most don't.

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

-dkl

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 2:00:07 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3:18:47 PM UTC-6, Sir Ridesalot wrote:

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too?

If you buy a bike and it does not ride as fast as you want, do you get your money back? If you buy a tire and ride it 1000 miles and decide it does not stick in corners like it should, do you get your money back? If you buy chain lubricant and it does not keep your chain silent in downpours, and you use half the bottle, do you get your money back? Some things you have to check before you buy. Like weight, weigh it before you buy it. Or size, try it on before buying. Or lights, turn them on in a dark room to see if they are bright enough.


Ever buy a six-pack, drink it, and not even get a buzz?

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On 3/8/2017 4:18 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Regarding the hub dynamo: I wasn't worried about how well it would work
because I had already used roller dynamos and bottle dynamos for years.
Those worked for me, so there could be no reason a hub would not. I
built the wheel myself, so the expense was small.

Regarding lights: I've purchased many over the years, some to loan or
give to others, some just for curiosity or testing. I always considered
good StVZO headlamps adequate for my uses, and those were cheap. Some
were given to me, free. The first B&M lights were shown to be better in
beam shots, and I was very happy with them when I bought them.

One StVZO dynamo headlamp from Avenir was much cheaper, but its LED died
within a year, IIRC. Avenir took it out of production by that time, but
their support department sent me a battery lamp as a replacement.
That's not as good, but I can't complain too much.


--
- Frank Krygowski

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On 3/8/2017 2:10 PM, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

You might want to look at the SP PD-8X hubs. About $180 and as good as
the higher cost dynamo hubs, sometimes better (more efficient).
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html.

Pair it with a Supernova E3 Triple 2
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/supernova.php.

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 2:10:48 PM UTC-8, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

A dyno hub or hub hubs?

As for lights, my L&M SECA 1400, which is all the light anyone could ever need, was $89 off a sale table. Apparently, that model was discontinued in favor of an even brighter light for lumenaholics. http://www.lightandmotion..com/choose-your-light/seca My all-in-one was $47 on super-duper discount at the winter sale at Western Bikeworks -- the L&M Urban 800 I've been talking about. Either of those would be fine for commuters who have no problems remembering to charge.

Now, the dyno hub I got on sale, too, for $100, and I still have my first purchase -- A Supernova E3 that I have to sell on eBay because it sucked as a commuting light (basically useless stand light and poor light output at low speeds climbing), and then I dumped a bunch of money into a LUXOS B -- just because I wanted to continue down the dyno light rabbit hole. None of that stuff was returnable after I had trimmed wires or built the hub into a wheel. I'm out a ton.

And about building the wheel. I've built a lot of wheels and have a first generation Park stand purchased in 1980, gobs of spokes from old projects and retired wheels and even some rims knocking around that I could lace into a dyno wheel. The cost to me beyond the hub was a bottle of beer and the time to build the front wheel. For normal folks, the total is $250 plus shipping (CR18 rim/QR). http://www.perennialcycle.com/produc...idproduct=6683

So, you're easily looking at $400 for a mid-fi dyno set up: $250 wheel and $150 light. None returnable in the event you conclude that the light sucks.. But, at the end of the day, you have a light you don't have to charge and that runs as long as you do.

-- Jay Beattie.

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3:58:38 PM UTC-8, sms wrote:
On 3/8/2017 2:10 PM, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

You might want to look at the SP PD-8X hubs. About $180 and as good as
the higher cost dynamo hubs, sometimes better (more efficient).
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html.

Pair it with a Supernova E3 Triple 2
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/supernova.php.

YES! Pair it with the E3 Triple 2. I will sell you mine at a generous mark-down of 4.573% Doug lives in Los Gatos. I should mark-up the price.

-- Jay Beattie.

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On 3/8/2017 4:08 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3:58:38 PM UTC-8, sms wrote:
On 3/8/2017 2:10 PM, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

You might want to look at the SP PD-8X hubs. About $180 and as good as
the higher cost dynamo hubs, sometimes better (more efficient).
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html.

Pair it with a Supernova E3 Triple 2
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/supernova.php.

YES! Pair it with the E3 Triple 2. I will sell you mine at a generous mark-down of 4.573% Doug lives in Los Gatos. I should mark-up the price.

I doubt if you have the E3 Triple 2. I think it is very new.

Decent bicycle light cost
 

On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3:58:38 PM UTC-8, sms wrote:
On 3/8/2017 2:10 PM, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 1:18:47 PM UTC-8, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
One ofthe things that I've noticed about decent bicycle lights whether internal battery, exteranl battery or dynamo is that for the average person the light is expensive. I bought my CygoLite Riover II light nearly ten years ago and I ONLY bought it becausethe bicycle shop gave me a money back guarantee if it did not meet my riding needs. Mountain Equipment Co-op (aka MEC) here in Canada also offers a moneyback guarantee if something doesn't meet the customers needs.

With a dynamo hub system that's pretty hard for a shop to do unless they offer the customer a loaner built up dynamo hub wheel. I KNOW thatthe hub dynamo light I tried otside a shop in another city about 50 kms from me did NOT match the brightness road illumination of my CygoLite Rover II light and especially at low speed.

My questions then are; #1. do you go to the expense of buying a bicycle light without having a money back guarantee if that light doesn't wrok for you the way you need it too? and #2. do any shops you use give such a guarantee if you want it and would they stand behind that gurantee?

Cheers

As you might remember I was hit from behind while riding to work October 2015. Although it was 9AM it changed my spending strategy W.R.T. lights. I felt bewildered by my previous desire to spend $30 on a headlight, went to Performance and put down closer to $100/ea for two identical USB rechargable headlights, $50/ea for two USB rechargeable taillights. One to keep charging on desk at work as I am forgetful.

I am now pricing $300 hubs from Peter White Cycles. For what reason I was trying to save a few tens of $$ on headlights in the bike-commuting years of the past, I know not.

You might want to look at the SP PD-8X hubs. About $180 and as good as
the higher cost dynamo hubs, sometimes better (more efficient).
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html.

Pair it with a Supernova E3 Triple 2
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/supernova.php.

Okay, I'm reading the sp-dynamo site, but I'll tell ya rite now, all of this is pure sensory overload. Or pure overload, at least. Meaning every dam light on Peter White's site sounds like the greatest thing ever. I don't see how one can possibly go wrong no matter what one buys from Peter except by getting one that's too good and blinding oncoming traffic with it.

That said, I was just thinking that I see no reason not to get the schmidt hub, for its fantastically low drag and wide spacing, and the luxos U for its ability to charge one's phone. Just as soon not have the handlebar switch , but whatever.

(Also, I don't understand the difference between the shimano 3N70, 71, and 72, and 80 for that matter, and also see that the 80 is not available in 36h, and I have a 36h rim I'd like to use.)

I guess I do see the point of going with Sanyo, as they are about 1/4 the price, at $50. Whatever. I'm drooling over the schmidt, so...

Choosing the light is mind-boggling. I was relieved to see the words of praise for the luxos U and its charging ability, cuz until then my head was swimming; as stated, they all look like the headlight-to-end-all-headlights. I guess I need to read the whole dam site over again because - as stated - since I am not shopping for Mtn-biking, and not trying to illuminate the trees up above and the forest on both sides, it seems like any of the lesser lights will be just fine.

Changing the subject slightly how many lumens does it take to blind oncoming traffic? Am I doing so with my $100 Cygolite Pace 850?