fantastic headlight setup on the cheap!

[datz510]

Scoured the web for days to find these items...

Picked up 2 of these guys at $5.50 each. They are EXTREMELY bright. Together they are easily 100x brighter than my current bike headlight!!
Super Bright 9 LED compact heavy duty flashlights:
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Bright-...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1215676149&sr=8-2

Then, pick up two of these which are designed to secure a flashlight to a bike handlebar (and also provides vibration dampening!!!)
Two-Fish LockBlocks:
http://www.batteryjunction.com/twofish-lockblocks.html
(if you pick up 3 or more, you get them at $4.95 each)

Then, you have a SWEET headlight setup. Single or Dual.. . plus you can aim the lights one above the other for better lighting of the road and obstacles in the distance!

So, total expense, around $22.00 for a very very bright dual headlight setup. You could just run one on the cheap and it would still be adequate.

I'll post up some comparison photos when I get mine on my bike.

 

[jared3377]

Cool! Can't wait to hear how it works!

 

[darwin]

The holder info states it can hold up to 1in but the light is 1.5in in diameter. The weight the holder can hold will be at its maximum also. I wonder........ I have 3 mag lites and a roll of duct tape in my tool box.

 

[datz510]

The amazon description is wrong.. the lights I received mic'd out at 1" diameter and are very lightweight. They are lighter than my 2 cell AA maglights.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Good looking lights and I might go for something like that.

But I'll tell you what I've done mostly till now; $1.50 eveready flashlights mounted to the handlebars by hose clamps. A small one for the handlebars looped through a larger one for the flashlight. Make bushings out of strips of old inner tubes. For maximum life, you should seal up the flashlights with silicone sealer. But it doesn't really matter; they're dirt cheap and easily replaceable. You can fit four of them onto the larger handlebars. That's plenty of light. Two is plenty on a pedal cycle. And if one dies, you've got something to get along with until you get batteries or a new light.

 

[datz510]

Finally got both the flashlights and the handlebar adapters in and wow.. these things are really cool!

Here are a few photos:

Closeup of the flashlight installed on the handlebar:
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight01.jpg

COuple more installed photos:
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight02.jpg
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight03.jpg
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight04.jpg
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight08.jpg

And now here are the comparison photos... taken with NO flash, with a constant shutter rate to show the light difference.
My original Bell headlight:
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight07.jpg

Now, just one of the new headlights turned on (low beam):
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight06.jpg

And both turned on (high beam!!):
http://www.piratepathy.com/mbc/headlight05.jpg

For around $20, I think this is a great setup.. can't wait to try it out on the road.

 

[lennyharp]

These are good lights. I was over last night and datz showed me the diff. I ordered mine but in blue

 

[sparky]

Somehow I'm doubting these can be that great. "You get what you pay for" is hardly ever inaccurate.

I've been asking the guys at www.CandlePowerForums.com what I should get for a bike headlight, and the general consensus was the Fenix L2D Q5 flashlight (maybe even two if you really need it), mounted with the TwoFish Lockblocks that you bought. Both of those links are to a company that provides FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING!! Plus, they have a discount coupon "CPF8" for 8% off purchases... so, a $62.50 flashlight + a $7.49 flashlight mount = $69.99 - 5.60= $64.39 for the best valued bike headlight.

I had actually already bought a $95 Coast P7 flashlight because I have experience with the brand, and I got free shipping since I wanted another Coast 7732 flashlight, and that seller only gives free shipping on orders over $100.

The big thing that I'm learning from the CPF.com is that the Fenix light is regulated, which means the output of the light is constant for a couple hours... as opposed to the Coast flashlight I bought that is unregulated, and almost instantly the light starts fading... but it does last longer, which was what I was initially after. You can see the thread I started where I gained lots of info here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=202506

Highlights of the thread, IMO, are the beamshots & graphs...
- Coast P7 beamshots
- Fenix L2D beamshots, single & double lighting
- More L2D beamshots
- Graphs explaining why an unregulated flashlight will last for so long

At any rate... I feel like I'll be happy with the Coast P7, but I prolly woulda been happier with two L2D Q5 flashlights, since it's regulated and the output is constant.... and getting two L2Ds woulda only cost me a few extra $$ over the P7.

 

[lennyharp]

Boy that is a pricey flash light. But the systems I have seen develop over the years for bike are generally $120.00 and up to about $500.00 dollars for systems that light up the night for all night long for 24 hour racing. Here is an in depth article on lighting systems. Gotta love Sheldon Brown. Niterider is a company that has been making these high performance lights for 10 years. I am game to try a $20.00 solutions for a while and keep using it if it does as good as it looks. Mount is critical (we have one) and I felt the light weight and saw the briteness of the light so we will test for the group. Those FenixL2D are some great lights. Looks like you are onto the same type setup datz is putting together just the high class version.

 

[sparky]

Well, I do have a flashlight fetish... and especially ones that have lifetime warranties.

I think I'll be getting my money's worth.