# AA/AAA battery headlight ?



## 99ways2die (May 9, 2020)

Hi guys,
First time poster (long time listener) here.

While researching lighting options in today's biking world I see that the vast majority of decent lights have batteries "built-in" (for valid reasons, etc), however:
-Can you recommend a decent bar mounted light that uses AA, AAA or any "regular" batteries?

I need to get 4x of them, and the reason why I want only "regular battery" lights is that when we go camping/etc there is no way I'm willing to fool around with the circus dance of [re]charging 4 sets of lights!
With 2 kids these may see sporadic evening/night time use, but I need to be able to just put standard batteries in and go, or replace them as needed. Some places we visit for 1+ week do not have electricity at all. The thought of trying to navigate chargers, battery packs and ever-growing number of cables makes my blood pressure go up...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
(budget: would like to stay below $50 each, as again, need to get 4 sets)

Thank you.
-99


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

99ways2die said:


> Hi guys,
> First time poster (long time listener) here.
> 
> While researching lighting options in today's biking world I see that the vast majority of decent lights have batteries "built-in" (for valid reasons, etc), however:
> ...


The problem with using standard AA batteries is that for the most part you aren't going to get a really bright output suitable for riding a bike without using at least 4 cells in one lamp. You could ( I suppose ) use something like the NiteRider Mako 200 Light. That light uses two cells but if you use it at full power ( 200 lumen ) you only have enough light to ride at a moderate speed and that output will only last about 45 minutes ( maybe an hour/15 minutes if you use the best 1.5 volt Lithium cells ) The lamps that use 4 cells would be outside of your intended budget.

I saw this flashlight while looking on Amazon. Suppose to provide 400 lumen on high and uses two AA's. Once again the manufactures almost always fail to mention run time when on high but I like that it includes wide beam function and the price is right. They don't tell you the output of the low beam but likely somewhere around 50-80 lumen would be my guess. You would of course need four handlebar torch mounts. I like and use a similar mount like this. Just make sure if you order anything from ebay that the seller has it in stock and that it ships within the USA. If it ships from China it might take months to get to you because of all the C-19 stuff going on. On a side note you can buy good Lithium AA's at a cheaper cost if you buy in bulk.

Keep in mind I'm not recommending any of this stuff just throwing out ideas that might interest you.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Dinotte makes excellent AA powered lights

you can use standard AA or rechargeable..
the good news is every corner shop/store/gas-n-sip has AA

DiNotte 200L Plus AA headlight (AA - Pro-Series (AA rechargeable))


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## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

Not bar-mounted, but Petzl and Black Diamond sell inexpensive head-lamps that can be attached to a helmet (either with the included head-strap, zip-ties, double-sided tape, etc). They don't put out a ton of lumens, but it's probably sufficient for tooling around camp. I have a Petzl Tactikka on my helmet for digging through my packs at night and as a back-up to my regular light set-up...SHTF and I had to use it as my sole light for about 10 hours during an ultra-race late last year...it got the job done. YMMV


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*@VegasSS*... Yes, there some very decent head lamps designed for hikers but the output/vs/runtime issue is still the same. Riding a bike you need some decent output and some decent throw. Hikers don't need that much output or throw so the AA stuff works well at the speed they can walk. Not to mention the OP said he wanted this>


> Can you recommend a decent *bar mounted light* that uses AA, AAA or any "regular" batteries?


*@127*....The DiNotte 200L is no longer sold. The 200L was one of the first LED lamps I ever owned. While it did use 4 AA cells it was designed for use with rechargeable 1.2 volt NiMH cells. When the Cree LED's came out Dinotte would not upgrade the lamp ( although at some point I think they offered an XML - AA version . That too is no longer sold. Took a good many years before DiNotte started to use Cree LED's. There are though a few flashlights that use 4 AA cells. Many of those have some decent output ( Like the ThruNite TN4A but cost ~$70 ) Not sure one of those would fit inside a typical torch mount for a bike anyway. The TN4A run at 500 lumen could get some decent run time though if you use 4 of the AA Lithium cells. Sadly though most typical AA torches have very narrow beam patterns but the TN4A Looks awesome. I have a single cell Chinese made AA torch that I bought many years ago I thought would make a decent emergency "get me out of the woods" light ( ~120 lumen on high ). I no longer use that though because the 18650 Li-ion cell type torches are just so much better. They're brighter, have better run times and better beam patterns.

*@ the opening poster:* If I were to recommend something affordable I would likely chose a simple single emitter self-contain lamp that is USB rechargeable. *I know you don't want rechargeables but almost all modern cars have multiple USB ports which should easily recharge the lamps while you sleep.* I would recommend one of the one's I own called the Ceco 1000 ( available on Amazon for ~ $38 ) Bargain price for a very bright and useable commuter self-contained bike light. If you need more USB outputs from your car you could buy any number of USB cigarette light plug-in adapters that could add another couple USB outputs. I doubt 4 single 18650 cell USB lamps would severely drain you cars battery while you sleep. *Parting comment: The Niterider Mako 200 is ~ $30 if you buy it from this Niterider website.* They show some photos of the output which doesn't look too bad. The Ceco 1000 blows it out of the water though :thumbsup:


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Your criteria is challenging...alkaline batteries are limited in capacity and ability to deliver power. The market is small to non-existent for high powered AA bike lights.

Given your requirements, I'd do something like a Thrunite T10 II and a TwoFish Lock Blocks flashlite holder.

https://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-T10-II-Flashlight-CW/dp/B07GSS9XMZ/
https://www.amazon.com/TwoFish-9-Lockblocks-Flashlight-Holder/dp/B001CJXB5E

No one will be hammering singletrack at high speed w/ that setup, but it would allow you to extend rides into darkness and provide some modicum of safety.


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

To the original poster: if you plan to use the lights mostly on roads/mups/bike paths, take a look at the b&m ixon iq premium. Takes 4 AA cells, beam shape is good. One light without batteries and chargers sells for 35 eur at bike24.de, shipping to the states is 20 eur.
There is a nice YouTube video of them, look up "captain overpacker ixon iq premium"


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## bby (May 3, 2017)

Not a bar light as such, but the TN4A might be worth a glance. 
https://www.thrunite.com/tn4a/
I do not have one myself.

* ahh, I see it was already mentioned.

I use 8x Tenergy Premium NiMH AA's in a '12 volt' holder with SolarStorm X2 (SSX2) or imitations. These AA's are rated 2200mah, but I've seen 27nn mah on some that I've recently refreshed. The X2/clones have never had a problem with the ~11v from a fresh charged pack. My cells are 2-3 years old, and still all seem to be performing well.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

To the last couple posters; I own an single AA mini torch which is a clone of the ThruNite T10. This type is designed to use a rechargeable Li-ion AA cell. That is why it is so bright. You can use 1.5 volt non-rechargeables but the output drops to about 150 lumen. Yes, could be used as a bike light but the beam pattern is a very tight spot. I use mine as a pocket EDC torch. It goes with me to work every night.

I thought about the b&m ixon iq premium as well BUT....it is designed to be used with rechargeable NiMH 1.2 volt cells. OP doesn't want rechargeable. The IQ is a very nice light. That is why it cost near $100, outside the OP's budget range. 

Yes, I did comment on the ThurNite TN4A. Just a little outside of the OP budget but the question is, will it mount well on the bars. One of the clamp type bar holders might hold the lamp but you need to find out the diameter of the battery tube before buying and then find out what holder is going to work.


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

Cat-man-do said:


> I thought about the b&m ixon iq premium as well BUT....it is designed to be used with rechargeable NiMH 1.2 volt cells. OP doesn't want rechargeable. The IQ is a very nice light. That is why it cost near $100, outside the OP's budget range.


At the moment it costs 35 EUR at bike24.com (just select United States as Country and the VAT is deducted), that is roughly 40 USD.
Any device that works with a NiMH cell functions with alkaline cells as well. i have used mine once with alkaline cells, no issues. One however must not try to charge those cells, but that's obvious...


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## bby (May 3, 2017)

Cat-man-do said:


> To the last couple posters; ... OP doesn't want rechargeable. ...


mmm agreed.

In my mind I drempt up 'a week of bikepacking with no electricity' Which set the stage for "hmm, a solar panel and some NiMH".

Whatever the case, presumably they could use primary (disposable) cells while camping, and NiMH rechargables when not - if the light chosen supports the lower voltage well enough.

To the OP: they have 8x chargers for cells in the AA size range (if you find yourself leaning towards rechargeable).

The TN4A doesn't have a threaded hole for photo tripod mounting. That could cinch it. Maybe the others mentioned do?

Otherwise OP can look for something like _TrustFire HE02 Multifunctional MTB Bicycle Flashlight Mount Bike Light Handlebar Clip Mount Bracket_... but note the max diameter specs. It won't fit a TN4A (45mm dia.) alas - but perhaps the others.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

biking_tg said:


> At the moment it costs 35 EUR at bike24.com (just select United States as Country and the VAT is deducted), that is roughly 40 USD.
> Any device that works with a NiMH cell functions with alkaline cells as well. i have used mine once with alkaline cells, no issues. One however must not try to charge those cells, but that's obvious...


The IQ Premium really does look like a nice option at $40 usd. If it were me, I'd choose the full package (light, mount, nimh batteries, and charger) at bike24 for 46 euro.

I have a dyno driven IQ-X on my bikepacking bike. I wonder if it has the same beam shape. The shaped beam is sufficient and good for the way I use that bike. I prefer a more traditional beam for regular mountain biking.


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## biking_tg (Dec 27, 2018)

baker said:


> I have a dyno driven IQ-X on my bikepacking bike. I wonder if it has the same beam shape.


The dyno version of the IQ Premium is the Cyo Premium, the battery equivalent of the IQ-X is the ixon space.
Here is a wall shot of my IQ Premium:







One can see that those 80 lux are only provided in the middle of the beam

And here are wallshots of (three different) dyno powered IQ-X. The IQ-X has a brighter beam (i.e. the brightness over the whole beam widths is much more homogeneous), those 100 lux are more or less given over the whole beam width


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

@biking_tg

Thanks! That link makes me realize I've forgotten almost all of the my German. I lived there in the 70's and then again in about 1990. Use it or lose it, I guess.


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## eugenenine (Aug 2, 2018)

I bought this one https://princetontec.com/product/snap/
Has a handlebar mount and headlamp so it can be used for camping also.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

eugenenine said:


> I bought this one https://princetontec.com/product/snap/
> Has a handlebar mount and headlamp so it can be used for camping also.


300 lumens for 110 hours from 3x AAA alkalines? Nope.
What you'll find is it's bright enough to ride slowly with for about one hour.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

znomit said:


> 300 lumens for 110 hours from 3x AAA alkalines? Nope.
> What you'll find is it's bright enough to ride slowly with for about one hour.


LOL! That would be a miracle, or maybe it contains a tiny little nuclear power source?

Here are more realistic (but most likely still optimistic) numbers from the link above...


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

baker said:


> ......Here are more realistic (but most likely still optimistic) numbers from the link above...


Still a stupid spec. It will not make 300 lumen for 10 hours. It might meet the ANSI FL1 spec which lets manufacturers claim runtime down to 10% of rated output. So by that standard, 300 lumen to start and 30 lumen at the end is able to be stated as "runtime".


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Vancbiker said:


> Still a stupid spec. It will not make 300 lumen for 10 hours. It might meet the ANSI FL1 spec which lets manufacturers claim runtime down to 10% of rated output. So by that standard, 300 lumen to start and 30 lumen at the end is able to be stated as "runtime".


Yep, I was about to post, "No way are you going to get 10 hrs. out of three typical AAA cells with a 300 lumen continuous output" but it seems others where quicker on the draw in pointing this out. They are most likely also basing their claims if using lithium cells but even so you aren't going to get 10 hrs of bike usable light. If you're lucky you might get 45 minutes to an hour at ~ 200-300 lumen using lithium cells ( but this is just my ballpark educated guess ).

Back in the day the DiNotte 200L put out 200 lumen and ran off of 4 rechargeable AA 2600mAh standard NiMH cells for about 2hrs. While the LED tech is better now, no way are you going to get 300 lumen for 10 hrs even with 3 AAA non-rechargeable cells using the most efficient LEDs. Vancbiker, I think you nailed it spot on. The lamp likely powers down at some point to 30 lumen and that is why they are claiming 10 hrs. Otherwise, I like the look of this little lamp. Might actually meet the OP's need if it can provide some decent run time to at least 200 lumen. Would be a nuisance though if you had to replace the cells every 30 minutes in order to be bike usable.

Edit; If you're going to use disposable batteries best to stick with something that uses at least double A's.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Cat-man-do said:


> They are most likely also basing their claims if using lithium cells


You get much longer runtimes of alkalines for unregulated lights. When you get down below 1V the output is so low the lights run for a long long time.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

znomit said:


> You get much longer runtimes of alkalines for unregulated lights. When you get down below 1V the output is so low the lights run for a long long time.


This got me thinking. I have a set of wheel lights ( for my road setup ) that run on a single AAA cell. These lights use a series of small leds that flash and when I first started using them I was likely using alkaline cells. I think I could get about 5 hrs from one battery but even so the output would drop significantly by that time, not to mention even worse if the temperature was below 55°F. Keep in mind these weren't using a single power LED so unless the lamp that was mentioned is using something like an XP-G series LED I just can't see this as something usable for riding a bike.

It seems the LED used for this lamp is a proprietary LED sold by Princeton Tech under the brand name "Maxbright". I can find no data sheet on such so we are being asked to believe what Princeton Tech is telling us.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

99ways2die said:


> -Can you recommend a decent bar mounted light that uses AA, AAA or any "regular" batteries?
> 
> I need to get 4x of them, and the reason why I want only "regular battery" lights is that when we go camping/etc there is no way I'm willing to fool around with the circus dance of [re]charging 4 sets of lights!
> With 2 kids these may see sporadic evening/night time use, but I need to be able to just put standard batteries in and go, or replace them as needed. Some places we visit for 1+ week do not have electricity at all. The thought of trying to navigate chargers, battery packs and ever-growing number of cables makes my blood pressure go up...
> ...


Considering I've not seen any usable solutions (IMO) using AA or AAA regular batteries my suggestion is to get a high capacity rechargeable light and just run it at a very low setting. Not sure how much usage time you need per day but the light I'm providing a link to is a very good quality light with a large battery capacity that would net you approx. 300 usable lumens for a little under 2 hrs. a day for a week without having to do a recharge. Even less stress and you don't have to continue to buy new batteries! @ $54 it's a little over your budget but they make the same light with a slightly diminished output and smaller battery capacity for $46 if you don't need that much runtime, I just don't consider it as good a deal so I'm listing this one. Presets levels are adjustable so listed output levels can be set to whatever you want.
Mole

*** Sorry, I always forget links to that site don't work for individual selections. Link will take you to home page and from there you need to select accessories - bike lights - front lights and then scroll down to the Moon Meteor selection. There's a pro model that's more money and also the less expensive Lite version I made reference to.***

https://www.merlincycles.com/moon-meteor-storm-rechargeable-front-bike-light-2019-157512.html


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## 99ways2die (May 9, 2020)

Thank you one and all thus far for ideas, commentary and considerations.
Keep it going (if you wish) as I'm sure there are/will be others pondering the same case scenarios in the future, and this thread may serve a purpose..

For any one suggesting reconsideration of rechargeable lights - I will not.
You can run dozens of hypothetical simulations in your head, and come up with viable solutions for positive/manageable outcomes. 
I'll find a way to break each one!
Examples:
1. Bring a battery pack(s) and use light "wisely;" it will last.
"Where are those batt packs you got for the bikes honey?"
"*** i think I left them in the garage... YOU were supposed to take them!"

2. Solar charger.
"Today's weather forecast: overcast with a chance of thunderstorms; continuing for the next 5 days, then Biblical floods"

3. Don't worry about chargers-a good light with a good batt pack will last a long time if used wisely.
"Dammmit son/daughter (both?)! Who left the lights on the bikes for the whole night?"
"Wasn't me dad!"

4. All cars/etc have a manageable/easy way to charge a lot of stuff now-a-days.
"Hey, come sit by the campfire"
"I can't; I'm busy. These 50 cables, 10 chargers, 8 lights, 3 cell phones, 1 laptop, 50 mosquitoes and 2 lightning bugs won't tend to themselves you know...!"

5. Small, powerful, efficient torch lights.
"Where are your bike/torch lights?"
"Those cool small, black flashlights you gave us? I think I left mine by that tree-let me go look;...30 mins later: can I have yours? I can't find it."
"Why did you take it off the bike?"
"I don't know..."

6. Helmet mount lights.
"...but dad, we don't have/use helmets."
(** do I sense a thread derailment with this one? LoL)

My point here is that anything can and will go wrong, with fam/kids and how things just are. I don't want "bike lights" to be an item on the list (one that an enthusiast would care and tend to). I want them to just be there, and if need be, easy to address in the time of need.
I realize my quest/Q here is similar to a kid asking a NASA engineer which plane could take his frog to the Moon faster.
For all with AA/AAA suggestions-thank you thus far; I'll check them out.

PS:
Last "reminder" of what could be a viable solution to a rechargeable system....till it fails.
I have a boat, which goes with us camping/etc. It can (and often is) be used to charge cell phones/etc; I have 12V and USB outlets on it. 
This past weekend my 24V system failed (one batt went bad) and my trolling motor didn't work worth a damn ona fishing trip. Not fun.
If I relied on this alone for charging (for example) and then something fails, I'm stuck with 4x bikes w/o lights for a week[end] (more?).

AA/AAAs:
While not a best solution (when it comes to light quality) I'm interested in the *easiest* solution...when _having_ lights is more important than having _good/best_ lights on a bike.

Thanks again.
-99


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

If you are dead set on using something easily replaceable that uses either AA or AAA, rush down to the local Walmart and buy a handful of flashlights that run off of said batteries and then buy a hand full of bicycle torch holders on ebay. You can probably find cheap bike lights at the LBS that run off of AA/AAA's. They won't be real bright but they will work and be ready to mount on the handlebars. Good luck if you go that route.

As to fact that stuff gets misplaced, Hey...we've all been there. That's just one of those facts of life everyone deals with whether it's with a bike light or just your car keys. Stuff gets lost or misplaced. Not to mention you CAN run out of any type of AAA/AA cell just as well. I still think the Ceco 1000 I mentioned before would be the way to go because just like MRM in his last post indicated, you don't need to run the highest settings and on the lower settings you are going to get much longer run times and still be able to see well if cruising at a moderate speed. Depending on how long you ride ( say one hour per night ) you might be able to ride for 5 days on one charge.

Now as for car and boat batteries going dead, yes those things happen to everyone. If I was car camping in an isolated area I would buy one of those rechargeable portable car jump-starter batteries off of Amazon or down at the local auto parts store. Some of these starter batteries are very nice and will hold quite a charge. Some even come with multiple USB ports. Heck I wouldn't go out on the water without a second battery! ( I went car camping one year with a vehicle that had an intermittent ignition problem....hey crap happens. PITA to turn the key and nothing happen! That said I've had less problems with rechargeable bike lights or torches than I have had with cars.

*MRM*'s last suggestion is a decent suggestion. Cost a bit more than the Ceco 1000 I recommended but his would have two built in 18650 cells and run for a lot longer than the Ceco. If you use AA's or AAA's you can lose or misplace those just like anything else. _( even worse if you mix up the good cells with the ones that have been used )_ With the USB rechargeable stuff you just need to keep a good supply of USB to USB micro cables and remember where you put them when you are done. In my opinion it's the better/easier option. ( I provide this link just for reference. It has only one fast charge USB port but shop around you might find something better and with more USB ports ) Anyway, I'm done trying to lead this horse to water... _Oh, almost forgot, It always pays to have a back up light and/or plan for almost anything._


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> *MRM*'s last suggestion is a decent suggestion. Cost a bit more than the Ceco 1000 I recommended but his would have two built in 18650 cells and run for a lot longer than the Ceco. [/I]


Hey Cat,
Minor correction on the layout. The batteries are removable from the back of the Moon lights (trap door). I think it has 2 2600mAh cells though the battery description says it's a 5200mAh battery. The Pro model that I have and the Lite model list the batteries as 2x3350mAh/2x2200mAh respectively which leaves me uncertain about the mid tier model and I hate to make assumptions without at lease noting it. Batteries on my Pro model are those weird +/- at one end things (so not cost effective to get spares) and am guessing its less expensive siblings are similar but not 100% sure. Other things I liked about these lights for this particular application is they have a easy to use ramping mode and programmable preset levels. I know the OP is not interested but thought it important to note this information in case there's someone else with similar needs but less married to standard battery usage that might want to go this route.
Mole


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## 99ways2die (May 9, 2020)

Cat-man-do said:


> If you are dead set on using something easily replaceable that uses either AA or AAA, rush down to the local Walmart and ...


...and after I wrote my previous reply, this is exactly what I thought too: "They'll probably just tell me to hit the local Walmart, point and click on anything on the shelf, and leave them alone."
LoL

I get it.
Still, my reason for asking here was to see if anyone has used one or another light with AA/AAAs and share [dis]likes, etc.
In the name of science, and as a thank you (who knows if any1 will care any way) I will re: here again, once i settle and buy my light(s).
-99


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

Here is one. Did not previously post as it is quite a ways out of your price range.









****


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

scar said:


> Here is one. Did not previously post as it is quite a ways out of your price range.
> 
> View attachment 1334375
> 
> ...


Scar, never seen this lamp before. What LED's is it using and what type of lumen output. I'd figuring it's using two XP-G ( 2 or 3 ). What's the run time like if running around 350-400 lumen? What's the cost of one of these?


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

I guess the question is intended use. I've carried Princton tec EOS as an emergency backup for night rides. I had an early one that came with handlebar mount, helmet mount, and elastic headband mount options. It was enough light to get out of trail in emergency, which I did have to use once. Definitely slow pace. But it won't last the night, not even close. I'm not sure how they got the smaller one with more than twice output to last more than twice as long according to the spec sheet? The EOS is waterproof as opposed to resistant.


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## ruinmaze (May 20, 2020)

I only have herobeam from amazon. I also hate charging so my only option is a battery one but would love to also replace it with a solar one.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Taroroot said:


> I guess the question is intended use. I've carried Princton tec EOS as an emergency backup for night rides.... .


This brought back a memory; My very first LED torch came from Princeton Tech. It used a small low-power bluish LED. Probably only output about 25 lumen, ran off of three AAA's and supposedly ran for 50 hrs. Perfect for camping. This was way before the days of any LED that could produce over 200 lumen.

I remember taking this flashlight as a back-up on one epic 35 mile ride through the mountains of Va. ( before the days of GPS ). The main light I had with me on that ride was my Niterider 10 watt halogen helmet lamp, which I only brought along just in case I didn't make it back by sunset. It's NiMH battery only had about a half charge on it at the time ( ~ 1 hr. of runtime ). I had no intention back then of being up on top of a strange mountain at night but thank God I always thought to prepare for the unexpected. As things went, I had a couple unexpected major delays and had only gotten about two thirds through the ride before the sun began to set. I was scared ****less. Thankfully I found the last trail intersection I needed to find, with the Niterider getting me safely down the mountain and back to the campground.

I hate to think how long it would of took just getting by with 25 lumen since I also had no torch bar mount at that time. ( plus I was totally alone ) My biggest problem though was that I was also down to my last couple gulps of water at the same time. Must of drank a half gallon of water when I got back to the camp ground. With the huge climbs, rough terrain, lack of water, lack of food, rattlesnake encounters and my propensity for panic attacks it turned out to be the scariest ride I've ever done in my life.

If I had fitness to do that ride again I would make a "water drop" at the halfway point ( at the top of the mountain forest road climb ), take a little more food and take my FS cross country MTB. Of course I'd have GPS and my Li-ion powered Gloworm X2 on the bars and one of my best helmet torches. I'd love to do that ride again but at my age it would be impossible unless I owned a FS e-MTB and had a friend to go with. One major lesson I learned over the years was doing untested epic back-country rides in the mountains are just too dangerous to do alone as way too many bad things can happen.


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## pedalinbob (Jan 12, 2004)

I purchased Niterider Makos for my some and nephews. I believe they are 200 or 250L. 

Use AA batteries, multiple levels, come with h-bar mount.
Can buy a helmet mount.

They detach easily from the mount to use as a flashlight.
I think they are very water resistant. 
Kids haven't killed them yet.

I'm going to use a pair myself for some tame night riding in a few weeks.
Heck, I rode some dicey trails years ago with less than 100L.
Exciting, but not advised.

Bob


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

pedalinbob said:


> I purchased Niterider Makos for my some and nephews. I believe they are 200 or 250L.
> 
> Use AA batteries, multiple levels, come with h-bar mount.
> Can buy a helmet mount.
> ...


I think of the Makos type of lights as," ride around the neighborhood", type of lights. Could be used as a commuter type light if you are only riding not more than ten miles. That said you can't ride too fast with only 200L going. Perfect light for the kids to ride up and down the street though. I would of killed to have a 200 lumen light back when I was a kid in the 60's.

At least with a light like the Makos you have some options as far as powering the lamp. You can use standard Alkaline cells, premium lithium AA's or rechargeable low-self-discharge NiMh AA cells. Still, If you were to plan on using something for MTB, Amazon offers a wide array of dual emitter self-contained lights and are USB rechargeable and can supply way more light off the bars than the Makos and also cheaper to boot. Use the Mako on the helmet, carry some extra cells and you might get brave enough to do some faster riding.


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## angerdan (Sep 18, 2017)

99ways2die said:


> Still, my reason for asking here was to see if anyone has used one or another light with AA/AAAs and share [dis]likes, etc.


Busch & Müller Ixon IQ (Premium)
https://cateye.com/intl/products/headlights/HL-EL135/
https://cateye.com/intl/products/headlights/HL-EL350G/


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