Bike Headlights

I'm going to buy a headlight for my bike. I've got it narrowed down to two
models: Trek Northern Light LED, and Trek Northern Light (2.4 W Halogen). The
difference between the two is that the halogen lamp will use its batteries in 3.5
hours, whereas the LED batteries will last 100 hours. My question is: what is the
brightness difference between the two? The people at the bike shop said they're
about the same. I have a hard time believing that, due to the battery life. LED
technology is more efficient than halogen, but 30x more efficient?

I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

Craig

I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much
brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

I believe both models come with batteries; why not see if the shop will set
each one up and take them into a dark room (perhaps a bathroom?) and find
out for yourself? Not a great test, since you're concerned with how well it
throws a beam at a distance further than a bathroom allows, but you'll still
get some idea.

Either way, please keep in mind that 2.4 watt lights aren't going to give
you enough to let you see what's ahead of you. Their main purpose is to let
others see you. If you're traveling fairly well-lit streets, that's not a
huge issue, but if you're out on the open road, you're going to need
something more powerful.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Craig Holl" wrote in message
...
I'm going to buy a headlight for my bike. I've got it narrowed down to
two
models: Trek Northern Light LED, and Trek Northern Light (2.4 W Halogen).
The
difference between the two is that the halogen lamp will use its batteries
in 3.5
hours, whereas the LED batteries will last 100 hours. My question is:
what is the
brightness difference between the two? The people at the bike shop said
they're
about the same. I have a hard time believing that, due to the battery
life. LED
technology is more efficient than halogen, but 30x more efficient?

I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much
brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

Craig

Well, there are 2 purposes of headlights. One is visibility - that is for
other people to see YOU. And the other is illumination - so you can see things
like pot holes, road kills, lil animals, and joggers.

Both lights will give decent visibility. The LED will give just about 0
illumination. The halogen will give a little bit but not much. You need about
15 watts to give illumination and even that really isn't enough if you are
riding very fast.

"Craig Holl" wrote in message
...
I'm going to buy a headlight for my bike. I've got it narrowed down to
two
models: Trek Northern Light LED, and Trek Northern Light (2.4 W Halogen).
The
difference between the two is that the halogen lamp will use its batteries
in 3.5
hours, whereas the LED batteries will last 100 hours. My question is:
what is the
brightness difference between the two? The people at the bike shop said
they're
about the same. I have a hard time believing that, due to the battery
life. LED
technology is more efficient than halogen, but 30x more efficient?

I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much
brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

Why do you want light?
If it is for light duty (e.g. a one-mile commute usually done in daylight,
but occasionally at night), you will want something that will just last for
a long time, so you don't have to worry. Get the LED and some alkaline
batteries. It will always be there for you.

If you are actually going to right at night, you might want to do what I do.
I have both of these (well, the Cateye versions). I have NiMH rechargeable
batteries, which are very economical for re-use but will self-discharge in
about 3 months. With two lights, you get substantially more illumination,
and the longer run time of the LED means I don't worry about being out too
long. Plus, all these lights are fallible, and I really, really don't like
being without any illumination.

(On the commuter bike, I bought a German generator from Peter White that I
like a lot; it's quite bright. I use the LED there for added attention and
because the generator stops when I'm not moving.)

My experience with the Cateye lights (each of which has 4 AA batteries) is
that the halogen is brighter, although not as much as you'd think given the
difference in battery life. As usual, Mike J has a good suggestion: check
it out for yourself in a dark room.

"Craig Holl" wrote in message
...
I'm going to buy a headlight for my bike. I've got it narrowed down to two
models: Trek Northern Light LED, and Trek Northern Light (2.4 W Halogen).
The
difference between the two is that the halogen lamp will use its batteries
in 3.5
hours, whereas the LED batteries will last 100 hours. My question is: what
is the
brightness difference between the two? The people at the bike shop said
they're
about the same. I have a hard time believing that, due to the battery
life. LED
technology is more efficient than halogen, but 30x more efficient?

I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much
brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

Neither of those is going to do much as far as illuminating the road,
but obviously you only care about "being seen" not seeing the road.

Look at the Lightman strobes, combined with an LED light to
"stay legal." The xenon strobes are the best solution in terms
of being seen.

If you want a lighting system that actually illuminates the road
in front of you, you're looking at spending about $50 just
for the front. For the rear get a Lightman Xenon strobe.

i.e.: http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=LT1025
or http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=LT7814

See these two excellent web sites for more information (yes they're mine):

http://bicyclelighting.com
http://commutebike.com

Steve

"Craig Holl" wrote in message
...
I'm going to buy a headlight for my bike. I've got it narrowed down to
two
models: Trek Northern Light LED, and Trek Northern Light (2.4 W Halogen).
I would like the long battery life, but not at the expense of too much
brightness.
So how close would they be? Thanks.

The halogen is brighter but not a whole lot. They both look really bright in
a dark room but on a winding country road you'll sometimes wonder if you
forgot to turn them on. Offroad they're good for walking.

The battery life of 3.5 hours for the halogen... the light dims fast. It's
really bright when you first turn it on but in a few minutes.... Good for
short rides.

Doug
Toronto

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Either way, please keep in mind that 2.4 watt lights aren't going to give
you enough to let you see what's ahead of you. Their main purpose is to let
others see you. If you're traveling fairly well-lit streets, that's not a
huge issue, but if you're out on the open road, you're going to need
something more powerful.

I'm a bit surprised that nobody responded to this, as many people put on
many miles on those wimpy 2.4W headlamps. I myself have done about
500km since I got a Lumotec two months ago, both in urban an rural
settings. Open roads in the unlit countryside are a joy with a 2.4 --
it's the semi-urban roads alternating between bright illumination and
darkness that are annoying. (That, and drivers in the unlit countryside
that won't bother turning off their high beams for you.)


--
Frederic Briere *

= IS NO MO http://www.abacomsucks.com =

Frederic Briere wrote:
I'm a bit surprised that nobody responded to this, as many people put on
many miles on those wimpy 2.4W headlamps. I myself have done about
500km since I got a Lumotec two months ago, both in urban an rural
settings. Open roads in the unlit countryside are a joy with a 2.4 --
it's the semi-urban roads alternating between bright illumination and
darkness that are annoying. (That, and drivers in the unlit countryside
that won't bother turning off their high beams for you.)

Put TWO 2.4W headlamps on the bars and they'll lower their brights
automatically. In addition you'll have wonderful illumination, aiming one
just ahead of the other.

Cars expect two lights and react automatically to them.

I use two Cateye HL-1500's, and two (steady) Eclipse taillights for the same reason,
that it's what cars expect and interpret quickly.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Ron Hardin wrote:
Put TWO 2.4W headlamps on the bars and they'll lower their brights
automatically. In addition you'll have wonderful illumination, aiming one
just ahead of the other.

That would be too much for my little Dymotec...

Cars expect two lights and react automatically to them.

I've heard that many times on this group, and I always wondered if
motorcyclists have the same problem.


--
Frederic Briere *

= IS NO MO http://www.abacomsucks.com =

"Ron Hardin" wrote in message
...

Put TWO 2.4W headlamps on the bars and they'll lower their brights
automatically. In addition you'll have wonderful illumination, aiming one
just ahead of the other.

Cars expect two lights and react automatically to them.

I have two lights for more illumination (14W x 2) and I have noticed
that vehicles are less likely to do stupid things because I think that
a single weak light signals to them that you're on a bike and must
be moving very slowly, i.e. 5 mph, but with dual lights they aren't
sure what you are until it's too late for them do something stupid.