NiteRider MiNewt Lith Ion light + Princeton Tec EOS
More stuff…..
I recently decided to upgrade my lighting systems to allow for safer road riding at night as well as MTB group rides. I haven’t owned a decent light, or ridden with a group at night, in ages and I decided this would be the year to get back into it. The first light I purchased was the Princeton Tec EOS. This affordable (~$35) light is great for road riding around the East Side and is very bright as far as commuter lights are concerned. It has 4 settings, including a very bright flash mode, and it comes with both a helmet and a bar mount. This thing emits such a bright light that I dare say it’s probably very annoying to motorists, but so is getting hit by one. In it’s brightest steady mode it is a great handlebar light for woods riding in conjunction with a brighter helmet light. The EOS runs on three triple A batteries and lasts quite a while in flash mode. If I’m remembering correctly I got at least 40 hours out of it before it started to wane. Princeton Tec’s site claims up to 60 hours on the lowest setting. The EOS is also fine in foul weather as it is waterproof. For $35 bucks it’s a great deal and makes a quality “get out of the woods when my $600 HID explodes” backup light.
NiteRider just released the diminutive MiNewt. It’s a lith- ion battery powered LED lamp that weighs in at a scant 227 grams. The light is designed to work as a bar system, and is attached via big rubber band type fasteners - much like the Sigma Sport computers. Run time is up to 6 hours with the low light setting and 3 with the high beam. I tested my system on some short local trails and on the road at first. I then charged it up and hit last Thursday’s night ride for the real test. I rigged mine to function as a helmet light - this may or may not work depending on the helmet. My Specialized helmet has rounded spaces between vent holes that line up with the bar mount on the underside of the lamp. I used a rubber shim from an old computer, and one of the larger rubber bands, to help it all stay snug. The cord is not very long and this required attaching the battery to the helmet as well. Luckily the whole thing weighs diddly squat so it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. It worked out great as a helmet light. The light is very clear and white, and it was excellent both in the group or while leading. It did go out on me once during the ride though (luckily I was running the EOS on the bar). It came back right away, and it didn’t do it again, but I’m going to be watching it closely. If it starts giving me regular trouble it may take a trip back to NiteRider land. Overall for around $200 the combo of the EOS and the MiNewt work out to be a very affordable option for folks on a budget who want to get out and join their local night rides. For harcore 24 hour racer types I’d suggest dropping the extra coin for a HID and maybe looking at the MiNewt as a solid backup light.
A couple quick notes about riding on the road at night. This goes without saying but…… if you live in a suburban/rural area without adequate street lighting be sure to be lit up like a Xmas tree when hitting the road. Seeing and being seen are equally important, and both should be factors in your lighting choices. Reflective tape is a great cheap option. Lay down some electrical tape and them apply the reflective stuff over it. This way you can pull it off easily come Spring. Bright red flashers on the back and white up front - don’t mix and match as it can confuse drivers to see white and red coming towards them. Reflective clothing is nice too and it does work very well. I try to remember that a driver’s field of vision is determined by the dark box they’re driving in, and depth perception can be weird at night for a lot of drivers. Even on well lit roads they are sitting in a dark space and it doesn’t look as bright as it does to you out in the open air with a larger field of vision.
That’s it for now, I’ll update the MiNewt post as I get more trail rides on it in the next few months. Ride safe, night or day.
BDee