# Niterider Pro 1400 race initial thoughts...



## desertwheeler (Sep 1, 2009)

I was able to purchase two Niterider pro 1400 race lights for a real good deal on Amazon. I know they aren't the most popular on here and finding info and reviews was tough. Initial thoughts when I opened the box was that everything was smaller than I imagined. The light and battery were both smaller and lighter than I thought which is cool. The mount was easy to install on the bars and seems secure. The batteries were dead when I opened them so after they got a full charge I tried one out in the back yard.
The first picture is on race 250 and goes up to the 1400. The fence is roughly 75ft away.
































Compared to the old stuff we have the old double halogens and single HID these blow them away. I feel like it is plenty of light for the riding I plan to do especially once I put the other in my helmet. Once I get the chance to ride with them I will share more.

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## desertwheeler (Sep 1, 2009)

Got a couple rides in with them and happy so far. I rode last night for 1:30 and left them on high the whole time and had 1/4 battery left. They light up the trail well. I wouldn't mind brighter but for as often as I night ride they do just fine. I can keep a decent pace in the DH's. Overall I am pretty happy with them but if I ride more I will probably get a brighter one or maybe just a bigger battery so I can use high for longer. They lit up well enough to find two of these bad boys too.









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## BigHit-Maniac (Apr 13, 2004)

NR's Pro Series lights are downright awesome man. Great purchase! I run a NR Pro 2800 Enduro on my handlebars, and a Pro 2200 on my helmet. Both have their 6-cell L-Ion Batteries. My old helmet light (an old MiNewt 350) had its battery on top of my helmet just behind the light, so I was already "used to the weight". The new 2200 Light Head isn't any heavier than my previous setup. 

Their durable, illuminate the whole earth, can get wet in the rain, and are made very high quality. I can't say enough good things about NR lights. I've purchased 4 of them over the years. I ride in the dark a lot... (usually by the time I get off work, especially this time of year... you're riding in the dark).


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## rusty904 (Apr 25, 2008)

Thanks for the review, I too have been looking for info in the pro race series. Any particular reason why they aren't well liked on this forum?

I'm also looking at the pro race 1400 and 1800. I get a pretty solid deal on them through my work. I can also get a modest discount on Gemini lights. I was thinking of making a thread for this but has anyone compared the Gemini Duo 1500 to the nite rider Pro Race 1400? 

I can get the niterider for $10 less than the Gemini. Here is a little spec breakdown.

Nite Rider:
Output: 1400 Lumens
Run Time on Max: 2:00
Listed Weight: 484g

Gemini Duo
Output: 1500 Lumens
Run Time on Max: 2:00
Listed Weight: 190g

Any thoughts?


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

rusty904 said:


> .....Any particular reason why they aren't well liked on this forum?


Don't know that they are not well liked, but certainly not talked about much. A common complaint is that NR uses proprietary connectors forcing users to pay high prices for NR batteries.

I have sold many GoPro adapters to users of the Pro series lights. Don't think that is related to a problem with the factory mounts. More likely that many folks have GoPro mounts on their bikes and just want to avoid swapping mounts and that many helmets have integral GoPro mounts so attaching the light is easy.

Personally I gave up on NR 15 or so years ago after 2 of the 4 sets I owned had problems after about about 2 years of occasional use. From reading about others more recent experiences, it seems quality and customer service are improved now.


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## Tim_Ky (Jun 16, 2014)

I’m considering this light. I use a Niterider Lumina 700 and micro 500 on my helmet. Are you still happy with your purchase of the pro 1400? I love being able to just clip my lights on and go. No cords to mess around with. I would appreciate the extra lumens and bigger battery though. I usually run my lights on medium to save battery. Thanks


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## desertwheeler (Sep 1, 2009)

I’m still happy with them. They give roughly two hours of run time on high which isn’t bad. I wouldn’t mind them being brighter but don’t get me wrong it is still plenty of light to trail ride at a decent pace.


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## desertwheeler (Sep 1, 2009)

My dad uses lumina 750’s and likes them a lot. I just bought a lumina 1100 on sale for Black Friday just to have. I’m curious how it will compare.


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## BigHit-Maniac (Apr 13, 2004)

Not sure about "this forum" and its perspective, but I'll be honest... Im a huge NiteRider advocate. And NO, I dont get paid by them. I love them because they really stand behind their products, they're top notch quality, bright as hell, can get wet in the rain, and perform awesome with superb optics. 
I own the following NR Lights: 

NR Pro 2800 Enduro (on my bars)
NR Pro 2200 (mounted on my helmet)
NR Pro MiNewt 750 (my backup head lamp)
NR MiNewt 350 USB
NR MiNewt 150 USB. 

I attach the MiNewts to my daughters bike, and my wife bikes if we're just goin for a leisure ride around and the sun goes down... etc. 

NR REALLY stand behind their products, and the customer service is honestly top notch. I actually just received my NR Pro 2800 Enduro Light Head back from them. I had called and just mentioned that the reflectors weren't quite as "bright & shiny" in appearance as the ones in my Pro 2200. They gave me an RMA #, I shipped it to them, and within a week I had my Light Head back with new reflector assemblies, new LED's, software updated, and new lenses. FREE. 

They rock. 

Anyway, enough of that. Get cha' some!!

-Matt


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## desertwheeler (Sep 1, 2009)

I wonder if I mentioned my two lights don’t match in color exactly what they would say? Just something I have noticed nothing major but one is more blue. If I ride more I would get a 2800 enduro, but I love bright lights lol. It was hard to not buy the 2800 or 3600 on sale for Black Friday.


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## BigHit-Maniac (Apr 13, 2004)

desertwheeler said:


> I wonder if I mentioned my two lights don't match in color exactly what they would say? Just something I have noticed nothing major but one is more blue. If I ride more I would get a 2800 enduro, but I love bright lights lol. It was hard to not buy the 2800 or 3600 on sale for Black Friday.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I hear that! Are they both the identical model?

My 2200 for instance uses different LED's than the 2800. The 2800 appears a little more "yellow" in comparison to the 2200. However, it is much more "intense" in light output on high.

If they're identical, but do appear different when on high, it's worth giving them a call at least I'd say. Their customer service is top notch! Ask for Trevor, he's awesome.


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## fleboz (Apr 22, 2015)

I've had my 1400 for almost a year now. I've slowly worked my way up from different lights, this one makes a huge difference. Having a good light is amazing for extending our short season up north.
Any word on the piece that allows you to mount to a go-pro mount? 
Its not that i have a go pro, but i use it a lot for back country skiing at night time. the current helmet attachment is a little too bulky to keep on all the time, especially when carrying my helmet on my backpack for the skin up.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

fleboz said:


> .......Any word on the piece that allows you to mount to a go-pro mount?


This GoPro adapter for the NR Pro series lights has been available for a couple years now.









PM for info.


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

Niterider did not do their self a solid by holding onto HID (and the high cost) for such a long time after the market was already entrenched in the LED camp. Once they decided to play catch up, they tried to buy in at the same cost structure of their old HID lines.

Cheap LED lights are a favorite at MTBR, and those of us that buy more professional/better warrantied lights still prefer cost effective solutions. While I don't think you'll find many that actually dislike Niterider lights here, you also won't find many that are considering their products because Niterider has not been a cost effective solution until very recently.

Ex. When I purchased a Gloworm X2 in 2015-ish and an XS a year later, comparable Niterider products carried an additional 30%-ish cost. That was with going with Gloworm's not cheap ($65 at the time) battery. Sourcing my own battery pack for $25, Niterider was not a contender.

Even today, the Pro 1400 Race ($249 - 1400lm - 2hr) is not a close competitor to the X2 ($219 - 1700lm - 2.5hr) with 300 fewer lumens, 30 minutes less runtime, and a $30 higher cost. That's what I call a trifecta of death. I can handle one, maybe even two elements being below grade if a unit has some outstanding attribute (Like OutboundLighting's reflector lamps) that shines above all else, but Niterider has yet to offer anything to set itself apart.

Long diatribe done, I continue to root for Niterider. They were the first with decent lighting solutions back when we were swapping high watt bulbs into our cateyes and taping together large D-Cell packs for them. They make great products (s-biners and figure-8s are awesome), and they have the equity to bring visionary products to bear, but they've got to decide if they want to provide an average product at an average price, or a great product at a premium price. You can't do an average, or even above average product at a premium price.

Edited to add: Their Solas tail lights are also great products at a good price. Among the first to bring out ramping low-high blink, which improves driver tracking of cyclists (if a cyclist insists on using a blink mode, and has no other solid tail lights).


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## wantahertzdonut (Sep 16, 2019)

Vancbiker said:


> I have sold many GoPro adapters to users of the Pro series lights. Don't think that is related to a problem with the factory mounts. More likely that many folks have GoPro mounts on their bikes and just want to avoid swapping mounts and that many helmets have integral GoPro mounts so attaching the light is easy.


I know this is a 3 year old post, but any chance you have info on the NR Pro to GoPro mount adapters? I prefer the big light on my helmet and don't like the clumsy velcro strap adapter.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

wantahertzdonut said:


> I know this is a 3 year old post, but any chance you have info on the NR Pro to GoPro mount adapters? I prefer the big light on my helmet and don't like the clumsy velcro strap adapter.


I'm still making the GoPro adapters and mounts for bike lights, including the NR Pro series. Send a PM for details.


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