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Big Chuck
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Lights, What do you recommend
11/30/17 at 1:27am
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I've never ridden at night but I would like to give it a try so what light do you recommend ? Brand and model ? Bar mount, helmet mount or both?
Thanks

  
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team_ssr
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #1 - 11/30/17 at 1:47am
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Depends on your objectives, but if at all possible I'd recommend a helmet light and a bar mount light.  I like a more compact light with remote battery for the helmet so I can just stuff the battery in the jersey pocket, then run the more powerful (and usually heavier) light on the bar.  I like Light & Motion and Niterider, but there are lots of quality choices now.

Some shops rent lights.  If you are unsure if you want to commit to doing much night riding you may want to go that route.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #2 - 11/30/17 at 2:19am
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I have a set of Dinotte lights that I really like.  I believe the helmet light is 800 lumens and the bar light is 1200.  One charger for both, 2 to 2.5 hour run time on high.  I purchased mine online at their website.  Also have 3 of the SL2K lights built locally and I use them a lot.  I don't think he's building anymore, but they are great.  Rechargeable, good for 1 to 1.5 hours at least on high but easy to take another battery in your pocket and swap out if needed.  Helmet and bar mount utilizes the same light.   
Whichever way you go, I recommend both helmet and bar for pure night riding.  Evenings into darkness, I usually just run an SL2K on the bar to get me out.
  
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Tom F
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #3 - 11/30/17 at 2:57am
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team_ssr wrote on 11/30/17 at 1:47am:
Depends on your objectives, but if at all possible I'd recommend a helmet light and a bar mount light.  I like a more compact light with remote battery for the helmet so I can just stuff the battery in the jersey pocket, then run the more powerful (and usually heavier) light on the bar.  I like Light & Motion and Niterider, but there are lots of quality choices now.

Some shops rent lights.  If you are unsure if you want to commit to doing much night riding you may want to go that route.


Agreed!
I have Niteriders that are a couple years old and work very well for me. They had different levels of intensity, and with that different lengths of battery life.
The bar light is fixed where the wheel is pointed and the helmet light allows for movement. The helmet light also fills in shadows created by the bar light. 

There are some pretty efficient LED units on the market too. 
I can take the bar light off and use it as a flashlight.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #4 - 11/30/17 at 3:09am
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I have a Niterider Blow Torch that is about 15 years old and it still works great. I used it last Wednesday at my step-daughter's house in Cornelius to repair leaks in her dishwasher and drain. I'm glad I had it as it is very dark under the cabinet.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #5 - 11/30/17 at 1:01pm
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I got one of the SL2K lights from Kevin Barker a couple years ago which I bar mount and then have a Bontrager ION700 which I helmet mount.  Almost light riding in daylight
  
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flynbryan19
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #6 - 11/30/17 at 3:19pm
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Bar and helmet are in my opinion a requirement.  How bright should you go?  Depends how fast you wanna go, how technical your terrain is, and how LONG you wanna ride.  My 600 lumen helmet light and 400 bar mount are perfectly fine for North Meck, but If I was riding somewhere like Fisher, WWC, or RRT I would want more light to see further down the trail.  Also the two I have only have a life span of about 1hr at max setting.  Looking into getting an external battery pack helmet light to get more ride time/lumens.
« Last Edit: 11/30/17 at 3:20pm by flynbryan19 »  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #7 - 11/30/17 at 7:58pm
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NiteRider Lumina 900 on helmet and bar.  It has several intensity settings up to 900 lumens, but I am fine at the lowest setting which I think is 400 lumens.  I haven't tested the battery to failure time but it has successfully powered a 2.5 hour ride so far.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #8 - 11/30/17 at 8:20pm
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Shart Light 2000!!

Anyone who has one of those knows whats up...

KBark where are you!?!?!
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #9 - 11/30/17 at 10:34pm
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Banjopickin wrote on 11/30/17 at 8:20pm:
Shart Light 2000!!

Anyone who has one of those knows whats up...

KBark where are you!?!?!



Yep Pretty Damn GOOD light for the Bucks!!! +100 set the woods on fire!
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #10 - 12/04/17 at 2:46am
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Niteriders are getting pretty cheap for higher powers now, make sure and check for sales at REI and other places they run pretty frequent 25% off sales.  I would run a bar and helmet, but just a helmet is doable. 2 of the higher power (700-1100) niterider luminas and you would be well off. You will be able to ride them for a few hrs at a time on 1 click from max until you get into the higher speed stuff and flip to max.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #11 - 12/04/17 at 4:05pm
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This may be a foopoo but I've ran some of those cheap Chinese lights available from Amazon or aliexpress to see if I liked night riding. They're plenty of bright but running two is still not nearly as bright as one niterider. Used for 3 seasons now, and they still work, I may have $70 in them and  I've got 3 sets.

No hesitation to ride Steves, just take extra battery and ride with a friend.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #12 - 12/05/17 at 3:52am
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I picked up a nightrider 1100 for $75. I run it on my helmet. It is much better than the cheap Chinese one I got a couple of years ago. I run it by itself without the bar light and can see great. I do have an old solo 300 on the bars in case the nightrider happens to die. It hasn’t happened yet.
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #13 - 12/14/17 at 4:24am
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Like others have said the faster you want to go the brighter you need.  I ride with a 800 L lights in motion on my helmet running on low so around 350l. And a cateye volt 6000 on bars but I also run it on low. 2000L. Most of our rides are 2-3 hours plus stop time. So I need to run them on low so the battery’s last the entire ride. So that being said keep run time in mind and at what lumen when buying.  Also two lights is a must because if you only have one and it fails what then???
  
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Re: Lights, What do you recommend
Reply #14 - 01/24/18 at 8:15pm
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I have an official brand name lenzyne 1100 as a bar and a $20 chinese shenkey helmet mount that I currently run.  I honestly wouldn't hesitate to do two of the shenkeys as long as you get the new model one.  I had the bright eyes chinese knockoffs that required the external battery and upgrading was the best thing I've done.

I think we both ride with "Brad" - you're more than welcome to check it out one evening.
  
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