Shopping for front and rear lights

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eyedrop
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:33 am
Location: Prescott, AZ

by eyedrop

I need basic front and rear lights for night time riding. Will be used for training rides, commutes, MTB rides, future touring, etc... Ride lengths vary 1-4 hrs.

Im really trying to stick to weightweenie rules here, so no big battery packs or overbuilt mounts allowed.

Not sure how much I should spend. I see some of these $500 lights and I just cant swing the high pricetag. I know they are good, and people say its worth it. But I just dont think its completely necessary. Im assuming its possible to get a basic light set with decent safety performance and visibility for under $100... So Im willing to sacrifice in some areas.

Battery life, total brightness, and overall performance dont have to be top of the range. When I do my bike touring in the future, I will upgrade to a heavy duty type. But yeah, I dont need 15 flash modes with oncoming car detection. Just give me good ol fashioned build quality.

Must be small in size, light weight, sleek, rattle free with well designed helmet and seat tube mounting, and USB rechargeable. A helmet light I can also use for running would be a big plus as well, but not required.

The solid vibration free mounting is important. I hate squeaks and rattles...
Last edited by eyedrop on Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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jever98
Posts: 1172
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

I went the way of using a gopro mount under my out front computer mount. Have an Ituo Wiz 1 on the way and have a cheapy from aliexpress.

Check out the Ituo Wiz 1 / 2. Ravemen also makes a nice looking light. Lastly, the gloworm CX Urban or Trail also looks nice.

If you would consider an external battery pack, then they are mostly not usb chargeable, but you have more options.
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Asteroid
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California

by Asteroid

I always go for the cheap ones on Amazon. $20 for a front.
Not a bad idea to buy two; that way you can keep/carry a backup battery.
On flash mode, it lasts around three hours, but full on bright only about an hour. https://www.amazon.com/Comunite-Flashli ... bike+light

Good rear ones seem to cost more. I like this one for about $35.
In really dark or rainy conditions, I run one on my seatpost and one on a seatstay.
https://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot ... te+hotshot

With daily usage, the above front will last less than a couple years. The battery charge starts petering out quickly.
I get more years out of the rear, but watch the bracket closely because vibrations can eventually break it.
As insurance, I wrap some electrical tape to secure.

All the Magicshine, Niterider, Light & Motion models work very well, but I find quite costly and heavy. I've owned Niterider products in the past, and could only manage a couple years out of them before the battery fizzled.
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nickf
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

Light and Motion VIS Pro rear (150 lumen w/day flash) and a Urban 800 on the front. Both are self contained and bright. They even have a small urban series 1000 lumen headlight. On high you only get around 1.5 hours. But depending on what you are doing you might get away with a lower setting. Can't cheap out on safety. My light almost never come off my bike. The light and motions units are light enough for me.

evan326
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:51 pm
Location: RVA,USA

by evan326

I have two different lights from cygolite. The tridenx, and metro. The metro I have is 750 lumen and lasts for abut 90min on full power. The tridenx is for my city bike, it has a small external battery, but it is 1100 lumen

MRM
Posts: 532
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:15 pm

by MRM

I can greatly recommend Lupine Rotlicht as a rear light. It's really good. I made a topic regarding this a few months back. Might be worth your time to search for it. Bontrager has a solid front light that can be fixed to the garmin mount below the garmin.

bilwit
Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:49 am
Location: Seattle, WA

by bilwit

I used to strictly use those small flashlight-type ones but got tired of getting batteries and realized that I didn't need epic-blinding headlights since my typical routes are more about being seen rather than the need to see.

I used these throughout last winter:
https://www.amazon.com/Attention-Grabbi ... gnus+light

You can unscrew the lights off the rubber mount and charge them via USB. Small, lightweight, and practical. Maybe slightly underpowered for pitch-black-no-light-anywhere sections but otherwise more than enough. I keep the red/back on slow-blink mode and the front always on.

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pdlpsher1
Posts: 4013
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:09 pm
Location: CO

by pdlpsher1

I just got this light for under $100. It's very nicely constructed and at 214g. it's light enough that I won't notice it.

https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp?page=8&description=Volt+1200+Headlight&vendorCode=CATEYE&major=3&minor=6

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petal666
Posts: 965
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 5:19 am
Location: Brisbane, Oz
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by petal666

Not weightweenie, but I like to see where I'm going so use Exposure fronts.

Squashednuts
Posts: 546
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:12 am
Location: Christchurch New Zealand

by Squashednuts

I use Exposure TraceR front and rear, not too heavy, plenty bright enough.

Also use a Lezyne strip light on rear, it's got a brilliant Cylone Warrior running red light thing going on

2 sets of lights...not exactly WW but I think I'm more visible.
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shuttlenote
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 7:17 am

by shuttlenote

Anybody have more front light recommendations that are Go Pro compatible besides the ituo and light/motion ones?

uraqt
Posts: 1108
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 am

by uraqt

I have done tons of research and for rear light it's Lupine Rotlicht or exposure FLARE.

I have had my Flare years and years. I think it might last forever, I was thinking about upgrading to the Lupine Rotlicht but I really think the Flare will run forever.

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kode54
Posts: 3740
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

uraqt wrote:I have done tons of research and for rear light it's Lupine Rotlicht or exposure FLARE.

I have had my Flare years and years. I think it might last forever, I was thinking about upgrading to the Lupine Rotlicht but I really think the Flare will run forever.

C


after getting a Lupine Rotlicht, i can't see getting anything else. they last awhile, varying brightness, light sensor built in besides an accelerometer when you slow down.
i especially like the seat rail mount attachment...this allows me to swap between all my bikes and just have one Rotlicht.
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Asteroid
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California

by Asteroid

Most of the people hopping on this thread are recommending expensive lights.
He may change his mind, but the OP indicated he did not wish to go that route.
Hint: any post without an approx. price disclosed will surely be a costly item. :mrgreen: :shock:
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jever98
Posts: 1172
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

True dat. That said - an Ituo is <$100
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by Weenie


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