Bike lights again
Nov. 18th, 2008 07:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnridleyI've used the Dinotte 200L for a couple of days now. It kicked a low battery indication at me a mile from work today, on the 2nd day. This is OK, since it just strobes for 1/2 second and turns the power indicator LED from blue to red. It still kept going at full brightness. After a while (10, 15 minutes apparently) it would have strobed again and dropped into low output mode, where it would have run for 30+ minutes.
That's only about 100 minutes of runtime on 100% brightness (42 minute commutes, plus probably 15 minutes of playing with it), though to be fair to it, the batteries have been outside in the cold for 4 days and it was about 19 degrees this morning. And I had another battery pack in my bag anyway. I probably could run OK on medium power, which doubles the runtime, but I don't think I'll bother. Swapping batteries takes all of 15 seconds every 2 days.
For anyone who's looking for a nice bike light, they have a sale on these running today at www.dinottelighting.com - this light is now $100 instead of $130, and the taillight is $105 instead of $130. I just ordered the taillight - I don't like winter night riding without my strobe on the back.
[EDIT] - apparently the sales there last a couple of hours at a time. It's over. Glad I checked at 6AM.
That's only about 100 minutes of runtime on 100% brightness (42 minute commutes, plus probably 15 minutes of playing with it), though to be fair to it, the batteries have been outside in the cold for 4 days and it was about 19 degrees this morning. And I had another battery pack in my bag anyway. I probably could run OK on medium power, which doubles the runtime, but I don't think I'll bother. Swapping batteries takes all of 15 seconds every 2 days.
For anyone who's looking for a nice bike light, they have a sale on these running today at www.dinottelighting.com - this light is now $100 instead of $130, and the taillight is $105 instead of $130. I just ordered the taillight - I don't like winter night riding without my strobe on the back.
[EDIT] - apparently the sales there last a couple of hours at a time. It's over. Glad I checked at 6AM.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-18 01:41 pm (UTC)Dinotte appears to have simply unbeatable customer service. The owner/engineer there, Ray, answers email questions personally within hours, and I've never heard of anyone who ever had a problem with their response to a problem.
Heck, they will even upgrade old models with newer optics for a reasonable fee.
When most bike lights are disposable and not very good, it's nice to be able to buy something that's clearly designed to last a lifetime, and it's made in the US as well.