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#11
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headlight recommend?
Per Nate Nagel:
this one? http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...03W&lpage=none looks tempting, if nothing else I could always use another decent flashlight (I have two cars, a pickup truck, and a company car...) That be the one. They make good gifts too bco the unusually good functionality. -- PeteCresswell |
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#12
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headlight recommend?
Per Nate Nagel:
How do you mount it? I'm envisioning a small piece of softwood or plastic shaped with a hole saw and then cut apart to allow the flash, er, headlight to be held firmly on the handlebars... I just hold it in one hand. There have, however, been a number of home-brew mounting systems shown by others in other threads. -- PeteCresswell |
#13
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headlight recommend?
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message ... Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike, difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended this: http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...Store_Code=pbs Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much as I paid for my bike! How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike headlight?! An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR bill. If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED. There is NO FREE LUNCH. J. |
#14
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headlight recommend?
Jay wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message ... Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike, difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended this: http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...Store_Code=pbs Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much as I paid for my bike! How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike headlight?! An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR bill. If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED. There is NO FREE LUNCH. J. I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier, larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money. I'm not talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do you?) I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight options. I've seen several presented that look appealing. Apparently this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose made mounts since I started this thread. Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people not to ride... nate -- replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply. http://members.cox.net/njnagel |
#15
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headlight recommend?
Jay wrote:
How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike headlight?! An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR bill. If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED. Funny that so many of us have ridden so long and so far with nothing more than the most rudimentary, cheap lighting-- or even just reflectors and no actual lights at all. I have figured out a whole bunch of ways to get hurt on my bike, but using inadequate illumination has not been one of them so far. Good (or good and expensive) lighting is something I'd put in the "nice to have" category. Anyway, a $30 Task Force light or a $20 Hong Kong LED light is a way more serious piece of bike lighting equipment than you used to be able to buy for less than $100. Chalo |
#16
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headlight recommend?
On Apr 26, 6:59*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Jay wrote: I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier, larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money. *I'm not talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do you?) I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight options. *I've seen several presented that look appealing. *Apparently this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose made mounts since I started this thread. Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people not to ride... nate -- replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I commute 5,000 miles yearly in Chicago every day of the year regardless of weather or darkness. In the winter it is in the dark both morning and night. 5am mornings, 6pm at night. I ride no more than 15 MPH. Even so, it is easy to ride faster than I can see in the dark. I do know one thing: One cannot impart wisdom. Wisdom must be either experienced or otherwise embraced. Wisdom CANNOT be learned by Usenet or any other means. J. |
#17
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headlight recommend?
On Apr 27, 12:59*am, Nate Nagel wrote:
Jay wrote: "Nate Nagel" wrote in message ... Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike, difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended this: http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...=PROD&Product_.... Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much as I paid for my bike! How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike headlight?! An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR bill. If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED. There is NO FREE LUNCH. J. I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier, larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money. *I'm not talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do you?) I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight options. *I've seen several presented that look appealing. *Apparently this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose made mounts since I started this thread. Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people not to ride... nate I tend to agree with Jay, though I haven't actually gone as far as buying Dinotte lights. But then I'm not a commuter, more in your position of occasionally wanting a nighttime ride because the day has been awful for one reason or another. If find dynamo and hub generator lights, both of which I have on various bikes, to be not quite good enough for riding even gently along known but unlit (blacktop) lanes, and quite useless for riding onto the estates of friends. If you want to see, and especially if you ride fast, a battery light is essential. Those torches recommended in this thread are not available here, so I bought a set of Electron EHP315 simply because I make it a practice never to go into even the least friendly bike shop without buying something. I've found them very good, though of course the promised endurance of the battery is a joke; but at around an hour they do have a margin over the normal time taken for my shortest ride, even on full blast. They cost me eighty euro but that's from Victoria Cycles, a shop known to charge like a famine is coming; I saw them at Chain Reaction the next day for 60 and in the States they are probably much, much cheaper. The two lights make enough light to see properly by on unlit roads, and will get you seen in town, and can be directed one nearby and one a bit up to show the width of the road and far enough along to ride at speed down hills even on less than perfect roads. With careful use, you can get nearer two hours of use but I like just blasting all the light I can get on the road. If you ride through motorized traffic, you also need a flashing rear light, and the cheapest that actually works is the Cateye TL-LD1100 which, compared to a Dinotte, is a bargain. Andre Jute http://members.lycos.co.uk/fiultra/B...20CYCLING.html |
#18
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headlight recommend?
On Apr 26, 7:37*pm, Andre Jute wrote:
On Apr 27, 12:59*am, Nate Nagel wrote: Jay wrote: "Nate Nagel" wrote in message ... Rode down to LBS today, explained my headlight dilemma (cross bike, difficult to find space to mount headlight) and after explaining desired use - allowing me to ride after dark, because I don't often have the opportunity to ride during the day, save on weekends - they recommended this: http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...=PROD&Product_... Looks like a sweet little piece, but the price tag is almost half as much as I paid for my bike! How much would it cost to drag your wrecked bike and injured body by ambulance to the nearest hospital? Because you were penny wise on your bike headlight?! An ambulance ALONE is $1,000 USD. Plus the hospital bill. Plus the ER DR bill. If you go with a cheapie headlight, I hope you have great group insurance coverage. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly financially SCREWED. There is NO FREE LUNCH. J. I realize this, but I'm sure that there's something a little heavier, larger, whatever that will do the same job for less money. *I'm not talking about compromising on light, but on aesthetics or weight (cutting out the malt sodas would probably do a better job of both than buying an expensive micro-headlight, and you don't see me doing that, do you?) I might as well embrace my fredness and investigate the LED flashlight options. *I've seen several presented that look appealing. *Apparently this is a new concept only to me as I've already found three purpose made mounts since I started this thread. Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people not to ride... nate I tend to agree with Jay, though I haven't actually gone as far as buying Dinotte lights. But then I'm not a commuter, more in your position of occasionally wanting a nighttime ride because the day has been awful for one reason or another. If find dynamo and hub generator lights, both of which I have on various bikes, to be not quite good enough for riding even gently along known but unlit (blacktop) lanes, and quite useless for riding onto the estates of friends. If you want to see, and especially if you ride fast, a battery light is essential. Those torches recommended in this thread are not available here, so I bought a set of Electron EHP315 simply because I make it a practice never to go into even the least friendly bike shop without buying something. I've found them very good, though of course the promised endurance of the battery is a joke; but at around an hour they do have a margin over the normal time taken for my shortest ride, even on full blast. They cost me eighty euro but that's from Victoria Cycles, a shop known to charge like a famine is coming; I saw them at Chain Reaction the next day for 60 and in the States they are probably much, much cheaper. The two lights make enough light to see properly by on unlit roads, and will get you seen in town, and can be directed one nearby and one a bit up to show the width of the road and far enough along to ride at speed down hills even on less than perfect roads. With careful use, you can get nearer two hours of use but I like just blasting all the light I can get on the road. If you ride through motorized traffic, you also need a flashing rear light, and the cheapest that actually works is the Cateye TL-LD1100 which, compared to a Dinotte, is a bargain. Andre Jutehttp://members.lycos.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE%20%26%20CYCLING.html- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Andre is, of course, essentially correct: (1) Any cheap piece of Chinese s*** will work for a taillight; Headlights come in two distinct flavors: Be seen; or illuminate the pavement. For 'be seen' headlights, see (1) above; For 'illuminate pavement' headlights, see DiNotte headlights: Simply the best, brightest, and best customer service, by far. J. |
#19
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headlight recommend?
In article ,
Nate Nagel wrote: Telling everyone that wants to ride at night that they need to spend $180 on a headlight is fine, I guess, if you want to encourage people not to ride... Well, you know, there those who encourage riding, and those who encourage spending lots of money at the LBS, with riding being quite optional, so long as the money gets spent - and not at any of your hardware stores or evil on-line places. Put on a tail-light and some side markers as well, preferably. You can get the standard 3 red LED tail unit for $2.95 + shipping from www.sciplus.com (just a happy customer). They also have a bigger one (with 6 times the LEDs) for $8.50. At least you'll know how much your LBS is extorting (above the commodity price) for this sort of thing if you shop there. If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can cobble tail and marker lights up yourself, though you would have a difficult time breaking even for the above price on a tail light with a nice lens and mount. Don't bother with their 9 white LED "bike & head lamp", other than as a possible side marker light, with a little yellow on the lens. Beats no light at all (I got one for the headlamp function), but is shamed by the low-end single emitter light mentioned below (which I got later on). If you'll be riding a lot, a NiMH rapid charger and a pile of NiMH AA's will cost a lot less than disposables. If you don't use them much, disposables are cheaper. Best price I those I found last year was for a 20-pack at Adorama camera (also just a happy customer, and a very price sensitive one for "commodity" items like this). Some other place may well have them cheaper this week. Avoid coin-cell lights for regular use - coin cells are expensive unless you buy thousands at a time. I've got one of the less exciting super-duper LED lights (Terrralux lower-end conversion for a 2AA minimag I already owned) and it's very effective for being seen (by oncoming cars - I use it when walking along the road at night - there's no sidewalk here), and pretty darn good for seeing, though I'd suggest getting one of the better/brighter units (as others have suggested) for that purpose on a bike. Goes a very long time on a set of AA rechargables (I have yet to run it all the way out before I decide to recharge for the sake of the batteries). Changed a dim battery-eater into a useful light. Be careful about aiming the bright LED lights - they are painfully bright to look at and can blind/dazzle the same as a car high-beam if aimed too high. That can help get you IN an accident. Riding at night can be a hairy proposition - but that's regardless of how much or how little you've spent on lights, and daytime does not remove the hairiness in many places. Every route out of town here involves long stretches of too many cars and not enough space for bikes (one even has a goodly stretch of concrete retaining wall on the inside of a corner - no place to go AND no visibility) - I'm surprised there are not more accidents. Once out of town the bike-lane program on the highway bills has had a noticeable positive effect on room for bikes - getting there is not half the fun, however. At present, I try to stick to riding during daylight. When I lived in a somewhat more developed area, I rode at night on the sidewalks, and got off and walked across the intersections. Faster than walking the whole way, and safer than sharing the road with obliviots who would run you over with or without lights. On the rare occasion I encountered a pedestrian, I'd pop out into the road (for the space between driveways needed to bypass the pedestrian) if there were no cars, or dismount and walk by if there were, so as not to be an obliviot on a bike hogging the sidewalk. -- Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by |
#20
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headlight recommend?
"Chalo" wrote in message ... Funny that so many of us have ridden so long and so far with nothing more than the most rudimentary, cheap lighting-- or even just reflectors and no actual lights at all. I have figured out a whole bunch of ways to get hurt on my bike, but using inadequate illumination has not been one of them so far. Good (or good and expensive) lighting is something I'd put in the "nice to have" category. Anyway, a $30 Task Force light or a $20 Hong Kong LED light is a way more serious piece of bike lighting equipment than you used to be able to buy for less than $100. Chalo Here's an idea! Don't use a headlight at all. Keep that $20 in your pocket. Just say a prayer before you ride. And tape a plastic Jesus to your handlebars. J. |
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