On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 00:41:53 -0800, Bill Baka
wrote:

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 11:03:16 -0500, dgk
wrote:

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 03:29:58 GMT, "Gooserider"
wrote:


"dgk" wrote in message
...
I decided last night that I was not biking to work today. The weather
report was a high of 42F and rain all day.

No shame there. Cold is OK, and wet is OK, but cold and wet sucks. The
problem I have riding to work this time of year is lack of light. I
have a
22 mile commute and since I work 8-5 I have to leave when it's dark and
I
end up getting home when it's dark. Do you have to deal with this also?
Let
me tell you----living in an area populated by retirees with night
blindness
is exciting!


It does get dark about halfway home but I have so many lights that I
look like an ambulance. I have the Nite Hawk Raptor (lead acid
battery) that lasts for over two hours, plus a backup of a Bell 4AA
battery light. One flasher on the seat stay and one on the back of the
helmet. Plus those adorable thingies that fit on the valve stems. And
reflectors. Someone would really need to be sleeping to miss me.

The lead acid will be your problem since they are only good for maybe
500 discharge cycles. NiMH is better if you can afford it and the
Lithium are the top of the heap. They have gone from Lithium-ion
to Lithium-polymer that I know of and there may even be something new.
How about a dyno-hub plus batteries? Expensive but the only way to
go in the dark.

It was only $40 or so. 500 discharge cycles should easily last three
years, and that is five times a week for six months per year. It isn't
as bright as some systems I'm sure, but I ride in New York City. It is
never truly dark where I'm riding.

I love the idea of dyno-hubs, but it would need a backup since I am
often forced to stop on the way home. Plus, I have a fairly
inexpensive bike ($300) for commuting, mostly because I figure that
sooner or later it is likely to get stolen. Those hubs (I checked)
tend to run $250 and above. That is simply too much to have stolen.

I think the Raptor is a good compromise. I just have to remember to
charge it every night. So far, no problem. Plus, I have that cheapo
4AA as backup!