'Be seen' rechargeable front light with decent runtime

[jefmcg]

hese batteries will easily outlive the cheap ones integrated in the vast majority of bike lights

I really do appreciate the benefits of AA batteries, but I think most rechargeable lights come with Li-ion batteries, which are no slouches.

 

[crazyjoe101]

I really do appreciate the benefits of AA batteries, but I think most rechargeable lights come with Li-ion batteries, which are no slouches.

It's good technology certainly, I use Li-ion cells to power my summer bike headlamp because they can provide a good power output but my issue is with integrated batteries generally as the quality can be questionable unless you are buying fairly high end and should your lights last well they will always be limited by the battery when it gives up the ghost after many charge cycles.

 

[crazyjoe101]

[QUOTE 5021288, member: 259"]This is the big advantage of using a standard battery size for me.[/QUOTE]
When I go on a long ride or mini tour I just charge them up full and they usually last until way after I am back home, if not I can carry a small pack with spares or simply buy more, very care free.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I see this thread is pretty much solved but other might find this useful so I'll chime in anyway.

I normally use AA or AAA powered lights and use a cheap versatile charger such as this and use high quality rechargeable batteries. These batteries will easily outlive the cheap ones integrated in the vast majority of bike lights and can be replaced in an emergency with readily available disposable batteries. For the lights themselves I normally use Cateye mostly this and this one, they perform well except for occasional susceptibility to horrific weather but they last a long enough for their low price and have good mounts which let them go almost anywhere.
It's funny, 'disposable' battery powered lights seem to be viewed as obsolete in a way now when in fact I find them to be far superior to anything in a similar price bracket.

The models bought by the OP and myself come with replacable batteries , would not go back to AA or AAA . My lights break before the batteries break!

 

[mjr]

The models bought by the OP and myself come with replacable batteries , would not go back to AA or AAA . My lights break before the batteries break!

Buy better lights then. Not outlasting a battery seems pretty poor.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I must be particularly hard on lights or its the Scottish weather ? My last light packed in after two winters . My neighbour has now had two exposure lights repaired now as they have also broken after a couple of years ! We might just be unlucky !

 

[mjr]

I bought my little Axa Pico dynamo light from Germany in November 2013. My oldest Cateye BS LED battery light is much older than that and it's from long before I kept receipts. I don't think you're particularly unlucky - I feel there's been a race to the bottom in lighting because Brits keep paying big money for substandard shoot and plenty of cyclists are willing to keep on defending such lights.

 

[MrGrumpy]

To be fair, I do have a Cateye tripleshot from years ago, even after modifying the LEDs for Soeul P4s ( they were the best at the time ) still works albeit the battery pack is not as good now. So you do have a point !

 

[crazyjoe101]

I lose and destroy lights fairly often, I'm not sure how happy I would be about expensive removeable lights, the low end Cateye ones strike the right balance for me because of they grt water damage they still work after a dry out anyway and generally don't otherwise fail.

On my winter bike/tourer I do have some nice quality dymano lighting which is truly brilliant and since they are bolted on I don't fret about destroying or losing them.