Please help me choose a lighting system, there are so many and I know so little about lights... I would like to buy myself a POWERFUL light for general trail riding, no competition. Hopefully I don't have to spend $400-500 but if that's what it takes then so be it. Here are my criteria's:

Main criteria:
- power and quality of the beam

Secondary:
- if it doesn't cost too much then great
- don't care how much time it takes to recharge
- don't care much about battery life, as long as it's 1-2 hours
- don't care about the weight of the system
- bar mount

Thanks for your suggestions.

I'm really happy with my cateye head light. It's a 4 AA single bulb (I believe halogen), I picked it up new for $20ish 5-6 years ago. They still make a number of resonably priced lights. I'm also very impressed with the clamp on mine, very sturdy, yet very easy and quick removal from the handlebar mount. It shines enough to see well at night on mostly unlit bike paths, and battery life is well within my ride times. I use rechargable AA's. Check around at local or on line merchants. I've had good experiences with Supergo, Nashbar, Icycles and Cambria on other items.

You could make yourself a bar mount light with a 35w halogen bulb and a 4.5ah NiMH battery that would last 1.5 hours. If you don't care about weight, carry two batteries for 3 hours and another $50 or $60. There's a DIY FAQ here:

http://forums13.consumerreview.com/crforum?14@@.efd74a8

Or you could buy a NiteRider Flamethrower bar mount for similar or better light, six hours on low setting, and another 24 hours on three white leds <b><i>after</i></b> the battery is dead. $350ish though. Look for a coupon in the Best Deals Forum.

I think one of the best bang for your buck light systems is the JET Lite (http://www.jetlites.com/). The single 20w as a head unit is amazing.

I think one of the best bang for your buck light systems is the JET Lite (http://www.jetlites.com/). The single 20w as a head unit is amazing.
I'll second that. My 20W Jets are only second to HIDs. You can find the top end setup for a little over $200 if you look around. I like my lights so well that HIDs aren't even tempting. :)

The 20W Jet is a very nice light. Very bright, comes with smart charger (so you don't mess up the battery), gets 2+hours burn time and is reasonably priced.

I am going to be selling my extra Jet Phantom (I have 2) if you are interested. I can make you a good deal, extra battery and such.

If you want power, then nothing compares to a HID light.
A 10 Watt Hid will generate about the same amount of light as a 40 watt halogen. Look at the lume (SP ? ) at the top of the homepage. It is on sale at 279 which makes it considerably cheaper than most other hids. It also has 3hrs+ of run time.

Main criteria:
- power and quality of the beam

Secondary:
- if it doesn't cost too much then great
- don't care how much time it takes to recharge
- don't care much about battery life, as long as it's 1-2 hours
- don't care about the weight of the system
- bar mount


Okay, well, I do a lot of night riding and have/test several different lights. I have a couple of suggestions:

--Performance's two-bulb bar mount halogen rig, for $150 or so. This uses a smart-charger, Nimh battery and will give you 2.5 or more hours of low beam, or an easy 45minutes on full high. The halogen beam is wide, has an excellent color spectrum for night vision, and is fully supported for warranty issued by any Performance store--walk in, walk out, done. The bar mount mechanism is simple and the 2004 versions have an improved plug setup that's failure free in our group, so far. By the way, if you ride in groups or on dusty trails, that bar mount is the bomb.

--Lume's Strada HID, for under $300, with links here on MTBR. This one can be had with or without a smart charger, is a full-on high beam for 2.5-3.25 hours and comes with a setup to use bar mount and/or helmet mounting. Its beam is more narrow than any two-bulb halogen, and really punches out into the distance. The beam color is more white/blue than halogen (good or bad, you decide). The entire unit is like a piece of jewelry or art in aluminum and carbon fiber. Check out the reviews on MTBR's gear section.

This Lume HID is a nice light. I did not know HID was much more powerful than halogen. I thought a 10 Watt light was a 10 Watt light... Lume also has this 20-watt xenon lamp light that they sell for less than their HID. Is xenon the same has halogen which would mean a 20w xenon would ultimately be less powerful than their 10w HID.

Thanks.

[/QUOTE=heatstroke]If you want power, then nothing compares to a HID light.
A 10 Watt Hid will generate about the same amount of light as a 40 watt halogen. Look at the lume (SP ? ) at the top of the homepage. It is on sale at 279 which makes it considerably cheaper than most other hids. It also has 3hrs+ of run time.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, HIDs tend to light up the trails better than halogen. I ride with someone who has the LUME setup and it is really bright. I like riding behind him b/c I can see farther ahead with his lights than mine. That would be a great setup to go with!

Okay, well, I do a lot of night riding and have/test several different lights. I have a couple of suggestions:

--Performance's two-bulb bar mount halogen rig, for $150 or so. This uses a smart-charger, Nimh battery and will give you 2.5 or more hours of low beam, or an easy 45minutes on full high. The halogen beam is wide, has an excellent color spectrum for night vision, and is fully supported for warranty issued by any Performance store--walk in, walk out, done. The bar mount mechanism is simple and the 2004 versions have an improved plug setup that's failure free in our group, so far. By the way, if you ride in groups or on dusty trails, that bar mount is the bomb.

--Lume's Strada HID, for under $300, with links here on MTBR. This one can be had with or without a smart charger, is a full-on high beam for 2.5-3.25 hours and comes with a setup to use bar mount and/or helmet mounting. Its beam is more narrow than any two-bulb halogen, and really punches out into the distance. The beam color is more white/blue than halogen (good or bad, you decide). The entire unit is like a piece of jewelry or art in aluminum and carbon fiber. Check out the reviews on MTBR's gear section.

Performance's "smart" charger is really just a timed trickle charger. Pretty dumb actually. Only works out well if you fully discharge the battery. I went through a few generations of these lights and a NR Digital Evolution before getting the Jet. Jet blows them away in every category.

The Lume looks like a nice light. I might get one come fall.

[QUOTE=BanzaiRider]This Lume HID is a nice light. I did not know HID was much more powerful than halogen. I thought a 10 Watt light was a 10 Watt light... Lume also has this 20-watt xenon lamp light that they sell for less than their HID. Is xenon the same has halogen which would mean a 20w xenon would ultimately be less powerful than their 10w HID.

Thanks.

When a light is quoted as being 10W it refers to its power consumption and not its light output. A 7W flurescent light is about exuivalent to a 60W ordinary light bulb, in light output because it does waste energy as heat. The same applies to HIDs, so although it is useing only 10W it produces the light equivalent of a much brighter "normal" light. The advantage here is much brighter light for a longer burn time.

I have been useing a Light & Motion ARC HID for the past two years and I love it. It is light (weight). The batteries are compact and can be strapped to a frame or carried in a backpack. They also can be used on handlebars or with a change of bracket, on your helmet. It produces an intense blue-white, wide beam without any holes. Check out:

http://www.bikelights.com/

Ronnie.

Measurements of light. Light should properly be measured in Lumens, but unfortunately, most companies fail to rate their lights that way. FYI, all the HID lamps use the same ballast and arc unit, the differences are in the reflector and lens assemblies, which direct the light.

I'll be bold here and say there is the L&M Arc lamp and then there is everything else. I bought an L&M lamp last year and it has been worth every expensive penny. There is no such thing as to much light when riding at night.

Wow, I like your comment: There is no such thing as to much light when riding at night!

The L&M Arc seems great but ho so expensive. I live in Canada and it is $630 canadian!!! I can have the NiteHawk Phoenix Dual 10w+20w for $220 canadian. I'm really not sure if it's worth almost 3 times the money. Would you say the L&M Arc lights much more than a 10w+20w halogen? If those HID were not so expensive.

Thanks.

Measurements of light. Light should properly be measured in Lumens, but unfortunately, most companies fail to rate their lights that way. FYI, all the HID lamps use the same ballast and arc unit, the differences are in the reflector and lens assemblies, which direct the light.

I'll be bold here and say there is the L&M Arc lamp and then there is everything else. I bought an L&M lamp last year and it has been worth every expensive penny. There is no such thing as to much light when riding at night.

You are just shopping in the wrong places. I recall that Bill Larson was selling them for $360 in december. I know that Larry @ Mtnhighcyclery.com is also a L&M dealer and would be selling them for the same price. Given the exchange rate, that would be about $490 Canadian, much better. Also as others have mentioned the Lume lights are on sale. If their light is significantly cheaper is may be worth the savings. Look at it this way, how much is having a 3.5 hour run time worth on a 2 hour ride? A lot in knowing that you don't have to worry about the battery running out. Also, the multi lights 10w+20w only run about 45 minutes on high. The HID lamps are always at full brightness (technically they have a lower light level but it is hardly different).

Performance's "smart" charger is really just a timed trickle charger.


I can only speak to the 2003 and 2004 Nimh version smart chargers, which are temperature-peak sensor chargers, and not timers. Best bang-for-the-buck unit going right now, although other lights are brighter and/or come with better logos.

I can only speak to the 2003 and 2004 Nimh version smart chargers, which are temperature-peak sensor chargers, and not timers. Best bang-for-the-buck unit going right now, although other lights are brighter and/or come with better logos.

That's good to know they improved the charger with the new vendor. Thanks for the update.