Friday, October 24, 2008

Let There Be Lights


Fall is here. Tis the season of in between, where cyclists struggle to find that perfect combination of clothes that will keep us somewhere between freezing and roasting. The time of year when the air turns crisp and the leaves turn beautiful colors and fall to road where they get wet and become potentially life threatening.

The days are shorter and by next weekend most of us will be biking home in the dark. For me it's also time to make sure my Nite Rider still holds a charge. As well as a pension for misspelling (something I excel at) Nite Rider also makes some pretty ding darn good lights. I bought the NR extreme helmet light as well as the fancy Digital Pro to do the first 24 Hours of Snowshoe back in 2000. It uses a non LED bulb which bathes everything I see in the soft yellow glow of waste and inefficiency.

The helmet light has been more resilient than most things I own. Every year it comes back to life to help me get home through the winter and for that I have fallen deeply in Man/Gear love with it.

Ok so maybe that's a little creepy but as long as it works I don't care who knows. The battery doesn't hold as much of a charge so I charge it every day just to be safe thanks to an Outlook reminder.



POST SCRIPT:
http://cyclejerk.blogspot.com/2009/01/battery-turgidity.html


4 comments:

Freewheel said...

I've always used a handlebar light (planet bike 10w) but I'm considering getting a helmet light. Do you feel the extra weight on your head and neck? What do you clip the battery on to?

Cycle Jerk said...

I prefer the helmet light for a few reasons. The biggest and most obvious is that whatever you look at is illuminated. If there is a bend in the trail or road you can light up the turn where the handle bar lights would not.

The second is that you can use it to flash drivers who are not paying attention to you. If a car looks like it is pulling out in front of me I can raise my head shining the light at the driver or move the beam back and forth over the driver to make sure they see me.

The weight is not noticeable and the battery cord is long enough for me to put the battery in the back pocket of my jersey or backpack.

Hope this helps.

Freewheel said...

Thanks -- I'm persuaded. I also like the fact it will have alternate uses such as when hiking or setting up a tent in the dark.

Cycle Jerk said...

UPDATE:

http://cyclejerk.blogspot.com/2009/01/battery-turgidity.html