I think both these lights are over kill - there are two different ways of
looking at lighting.
1. Enough light so oncoming traffic can see you
- almost anything will suffice.
2. Light to ride by - as Robert
said, on a dark road. This is a function of speed. At slow speeds (<12
mph) it doesn't take much - and randonneurs descending in the dark at
30-35 mph find two 3 watt lights (E-6s with Schmidt hub) more than
adequate. For most riding in Florida, one E6 is plenty of light. See
peterwhitecycles.com for prices.
Plus, generator lights remove battery problems from the equation. More than
$79, but you are always ready - for example, if you have a series of
mechanical issues,or others in your group do, and you don't make it
back before dark.
It's not the wattage that determines how good a light is for
riding - it's a combination of reflector design and wattage. 2.6 hours
of run time leaves precious little extra time for a decent ride and any
delay.
With any light, a spare is always a good idea - unless you trust
your battery completely, carry a spare bulb and believe that switches and
wiring never fail (HAH).
As far as tail lights go, some are TOO
bright - Dinotte is the worst offender. If you are blinding the rider
behind you, it's too bright. If a car can see your light from a half
mile back and still hits you, another mile won't make a difference -
and that assumes a straight, level road where the driver can actually see
you. Again, and probably more important, is redundancy - you know if your
headlight goes out, but not your tail light.
BTW, I can't recall a close call at night except when the
driver was obviously impaired - I'm not sure why this is, but I think
day time riding is more dangerous.
On
10/2/07,
Craig Lee <cell911@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
And if you want to go really extreme, check this out:
http://tinyurl.com/2y9qn4
Don't fall off your bike when you
see the price.
--craig
On 10/1/07, robertwilt@xxxxxxxx <
robertwilt@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Several people have asked me for a recommendation for a cheap light
that
will do the job for night riding with the Strays.
This is
the cheapest bright light system that I have seen that qualifies
for
really dark riding on public roads.
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3108
If you know of something cheaper, that is equivalently bright
or
brighter, let the rest of us know. And don't tell me what
manufacturers
say about how bright their lights are, its all bull.
I'm talking about
actual experience with a light.
When
considering a night riding light purchase, remember that the light
should cost at least as much as the visit to your local emergency
room.
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--
Peter
"Seeing the U.S.A. one brevet at a
time"
Alabama, Colorado, Gainesville, Fl., Georgia,
Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, NW Florida,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, British
Columbia... more to come!
321-794-0500 cell
352-275-5888 home
Skype me at
Peter.F.Noris
Yes, I know British Columbia is in Canada.
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