I'm looking at NiteRider Tri and Minewts

[GiantMartin]

So I'm finally getting lights for this season and have done a little bit of research. Currently I'm thinking of getting the NiteRider TriNewt for the handlebar, and a NiteRider MiNewt X2 Single for my helmet mount. The Tri pumps out 500LUM and the X2 dishes out 150LUM.
Each run for 3 1/2 hours on high and 7 hours on low, each come with a Li-Ion battery and charge in about 4 hours. I can get the TriNewt for $290 USD and the X2 for $135 USD. Is there anything better that should be looking at? Any bad experiences with these? Any help appreciated....

[ArmySlowRdr]

check out exposure lights--race and helmet models.

I've heard people mention the lights slipped on the handlebars and the setup was a hassle. Also Niterider throughout the years has had on again off again customer service.

[RideFaster]

I LOVE my MiNewt X2. It is not the brightest, but it has a very good, balanced color. It is so, so small and charges quick and has the battery indicator. Not too expensive either.

On the bars, it has slipped so that it points down, but that is only after a 3' drop. For general trail riding, it is fine.

I couldn't afford the Tri but I know that several people use it with a X2 with success.

[odtexas]

That is alot for maybe 650 lumens. Neither have alot of throw in my experience.
For just a little more you can get Dinotte 800/400 combo on for $499. It was on sale a week or so ago for $449.
Near double the lumens. Some of the best customer service out there.
I have owned many Niteriders and I have always been unhappy with battery replacement and their proprietary connectors.

[JohnJ80]

Another excellent combination would be the two 400's. You could get this for 209+145=354. That would be way more than with the newts and a whole lot less money. The 400L is awesome on the helmet.

That would give you 2 batteries, one charger and two 400Ls - one to mount on the bars, one for your helmet.

The 400L is only slightly less bright than the 600L.

J.

[Ral83178]

Not sure how "sold" you are on the nightrider stuff but I will say that I was in your shoes about 4 months ago and was going to go with the same setup you speak of.

I found the following thread and urge you to take a look at the P7 and MC-E flashlights for the money.

I will say that I am very happy with my purchase of less then $150 total and it way brighter then the current set up.

Almost every time I am out I get comments and everyone is blown away.

Good luck!

Tom

[TOMMO]

Just get some Ayups,sorted,job done.
Tommo.

[pltan]

I bought the Cygolite Triden-X from modernbike.com and at 227 bucks you can't beat the price for 600 lumens.


http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?IGPK=2126177123

[mb323323]

Dinotte 800/400.

The other good thing is the batteries and connectors are all compatible.

And you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a replacement battery. 50 bucks I believe for a LI battery.

Also, there pretty cool about upgrading the LED's if it's possible.

And in the past they've offered discounts if you already have a Dinotte product. You return the light engine & they replace it w/ an upgraded model for less than the advertised price of the new model.

They certainly appear to try to take care of their customers. If you buy a Niterider and want to upgrade in the future, you will be forced to just fork out the money for the new model. No credits, etc.

MB

[znomit]

I had a minewtx2 for a while before replacing with a DIY.
You need to add the helmet mount/extension cord for it.
I actually really liked it as a helmet light on the MTB and a backup light on the roadie (almost good enough on its own for the roadie).
Couple of problems, if helmet mounted you wont get any warning when the battery is low, it just shuts off (assuming you can't see the red indicator light.
The o-rings break if you pull too hard on them too.

[MisterC]

I left my trinewt up on the roof of my Jeep and drove off. Slid of at about 35 mph. Recovered it, works perfectly fine.

Thing is a tank, throws plenty of light and hasn't died on me yet even without a full charge. I'm a big Trinewt fan.

[zDAP]

Thing is a tank, throws plenty of light and hasn't died on me yet even without a full charge. I'm a big Trinewt fan.

+1. Use my TriNewt on the bars and a MiNewt USB on the helmet, love both of 'em. Biking partner rides with a MiNewt X2 on the bars, so between us we have maybe 700 lumens, a lot of time it's almost too much light (keeps our eyes from adjusting better to the dark) so we run them on half power.

[Shmack]

I have an older nightrider enduro (HID not LED) and it needed some repairs, based on my inablity to follow directions. Their customer service was great and quick! No hassles at all. As for a new light, the tri seems pretty nice. 4 or 5 guys I ride with weakly all have this light, as a helmet mount, and it seems to work pretty well. If you only have one, I would go with a mount on the lid as opposed to the bars.

I'm sure folks with tell you I'm wrong, but this is my $0.02.

[pltan]

+1. Use my TriNewt on the bars and a MiNewt USB on the helmet, love both of 'em. Biking partner rides with a MiNewt X2 on the bars, so between us we have maybe 700 lumens, a lot of time it's almost too much light (keeps our eyes from adjusting better to the dark) so we run them on half power.

Minewt USB is just too underpowered

[JohnJ80]

The newts are old technology. I'd be looking at the updated technology. You'll get a lot more lumens for a lot less weight.

J.

[GMF]

The newts are old technology.

Can you explain how they are "old" technology?

[JohnJ80]

Couple of year old design now and pricey for the light output. Check out the light shoot out and look at lumens per weight and lumens per dollar.

J.

[richwolf]

Several in our group have the trinewts. For the most part we like them. All of us run them on the bar. My connector between the light and the battery failed so I went to radio shack, bought some stereo connectors, and wired them up that way. I cut the connector from the charge and put it into the battery and taped it in place. Light works great again and I have better connectors that I don't have to mess with anymore. In my opinon the connectors are the weak link if you are ham fisted in the dark like me.
Now my friend bought a 1600 lumen trail tech HID and that thing blows our lights out of the water! For around $350 you get a light and battery and charger that puts out some serious light. If I were to do it all over again that is the route I would take. It is brighter than a car light at low beam.

[hows it goin]

i agree with tommo
ay ups pwn all other lights

[jkmacman]

I had a minewtx2 for a while before replacing with a DIY.
You need to add the helmet mount/extension cord for it.
I actually really liked it as a helmet light on the MTB and a backup light on the roadie (almost good enough on its own for the roadie).
Couple of problems, if helmet mounted you wont get any warning when the battery is low, it just shuts off (assuming you can't see the red indicator light.
The o-rings break if you pull too hard on them too.

i was trying to attach the helmet mount last thursday, when the plastic thingy i was trying to snap on, broke of the helmet mount.

i went to campmor and they had a helmet mount for niterider, but it looked like a different system

i previously owne the minewt dual it was cool that battery light changed from blue to yellow, but on high it petered out after 1.5 hours, so i bought minewt helmet mount, as a back-up for the woods,

anyway, i like niterider, but whish there products & parts were more interchangeable, i'm not asking for o-rings to last foreve, i actually have the original ones on my minewt dual for 2 years, i just wish the batteries and light were interchangeale, occasionaly i bring the light from one and battery from another, i understand the cut -out the light to save costs, however on the minewt helmet mount, i found the wall charger, the metal piece that goes in battery bent recently, however it still seems to charge, and the hlmet mount snap already broke

they nite rider seem to have its niche among people that don't mind spending 1 or 2 hundred bux on a light

i also like bike planet lights, there on the cheaper end of the spectrum, but make a nice array of products including blinking pants clamps, and mini handlebar and seat post lights

if you take the road bike at night, the bar plugs lights are cool