600L v. 400L

I recommend going with the 800L.

I bought the 600L bar + 400L helmet + 400L taillight combo recently.
I'm satisfied, but if I were to buy today, I'd get the 800L bar + 400L
helmet combo that's just been posted by DiNotte at a great price, and
I'd add a 400L tailight separate.

On a moonless night , I switched between the 600L and 400L, and the
600L's output (three LEDs) seemed to be only slightly brighter than
the 400L (two LEDs). My impression was in line with the LED shootout,
showing 33 reflected lux for the 600L vs 32 for the dual 200L (the
400L is two 200Ls in an integrated housing).

I asked DiNotte prior to purchase if they would sell a 400L bar, 400L
helmet, 400L taillight package at discount, as they did for the
600/400/400 package (i.e. for $120 more than the 4L head + 400 tail
combo, as the 600L b +400L h + 400L t combo was $120 more than the
600L b/h + 400L t combo), but Rob said no.

Basically, I think the 600L may be a bit of an orphan product now.
For example, they're selling the 800L b + 400L h for $479 with two 4-
cell batts, vs. the 600L headlight alone with same powerpacks for
$399. If you get the 880 b + 400L h with one 4-cell and one 2-cell
it's $449. The 2-cell gives you 2.5 hours on high for the helmet
light, which should be enough duration for most night rides.

It's definitely worth getting two lights and 1200 lumens for only
$40-80 more than one light and 600 lumens. The helmet light provides
powerful additional constant-beam illumination on trails, and in town
the flashing mode is perfect for aiming your headlight directly at
left-turners, cross-street cars coming to intersections, and parking-
lot exiters. I have noticed consistently how they slow down
immediately when you flash them in the eyes. At one freeway exit I
cross frequently, cars turning right routinely make rolling stops.
But when you flash them, they stop for you.

Although the shootout could not test the 800L last winter, one website
shows it to be significantly brighter than the 600L.

http://acidinmylegs.blogspot.com/


With the new high-intensity LEDs (seoul P4'ss 2007, Cree R2's 2008),
bike lighting is being revolutionized. Newcomers like Exposure and
nightlightning (iBlaast II) portend future major price drops for high-
power lighting.

You can't go wrong with a DiNotte light set for reliability, ease of
operation, compactness, and customer service. They've been the gold
standard of bike lights for some time. (Some people say that the 200L
o-ring mounting system is finicky to get the exact beam direction you
want, but the 400, 600 and 800 lights have sturdy exact-aim mounting
hardware.)