Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (or Pants)

Here’s an brief lunch break post (as to not detract from the amazing 73 degree weather outside):

From the BTA via Bikeportland, I love this pro-light video they just released, with just the right doses of truth and humor:

Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (or Pants) from BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE on Vimeo.

Dinotte 200L-AA Light Review

I’ve spent too much money on cheap plastic lights that never even came close to this awesome bang-for-the-buck.

1. You can actually see the road with this light.  With the light angled fairly level, I can see at least 50-75 feet in front of me.  I can see traffic signs light up 1/4 mile down the road.  200 lumens is damn respectable.
2. It’s bright.  Bright enough that cars take me much more seriously than before.  They’ll wait and yield to me in situations where previously I might’ve been cut off.  I love the new yield respect I get at night.
3. There are 6 settings total.  There’s high, med, low for the steady beam.  Then there’s rapid flash, pulse flash, and slow flash.
4. The beam pattern is a spot, and it doesn’t flood out to the sides like the Niterider MiNewt lights.  The light color is somewhat bluish, and not as yellow as the Niterider lights.
5. I use the 4 AA battery version, because I didn’t want a proprietary lithium-ion battery to get stolen off the bike.  Additionally, spare 4 AA clips are $1.50 at Radio Shack, and I can bring spare batteries very cheaply.
6. I’ve gone for 3 hours on the high setting with 2650mah rechargeable batteries, and I’ve never run out of power.  I believe the low setting does 7+ hours.
7. The mounting system is perfect.  Every light should mount this easily.  Since the light is a cylinder shape, a rubber O-ring mounts the light body to any handlebar in mere seconds.  Also, the included larger O-ring works nicely for mounting the light directly to my helmet (Giro Atmos).  I did buy the $29 helmet mount system from Dinotte, and I haven’t ever needed it.  While many lights are difficult to mount/dismount with gloves in cold weather, the Dinotte is easy to deal with in freezing temperatures.
8. The AA battery pack pouch mounts to the stem, handlebars, frame, or helmet with velcro.  It’s a little bit floppy and doesn’t mount very tight, but it’s totally fine.
9. The build quality on this light is top notch.  The body is polished aluminum with a thick plastic bezel and endcap.  The assembly seems waterproof, and the housing stayed dry inside through numerous downpours.  The rubber damper that goes between the light and handlebars fell off, and now I have a piece of tube there, and it seems to work fine.
10. I would helmet mount this light for MTB riding, because it does some bizarre strobe effect when jarred hard enough.  I get this about once a week under normal riding, but there’s no lasting effect besides the indicator LED turning RED.

Overall, I wish I had bought this exact light years ago.  It’s sometimes on sale for $95 directly from Dinotte, and the normal price is $119.