[BianchiJoe]

Daylight Savings Time is over! Time for night riding!

I just got back from a ride with the Nite Rider Sol that I picked up a few weeks ago. I wanted to get a few rides on it before passing judgement, but it was pretty clear after the first ride that it was a keeper.

Features include plug-and-forget charging, and the smallest, most unobtusive battery pack I've ever seen. The battery straps to the underside of the stem, and the tiny light sits on the bar wherever you mount it with its O-ring. Very secure, no shaking or swiveling while mounted.

It's unbelievable how much light this compact LED puts out. No dead spots, no shadows, just clean, bright light. No more HID for me - this is all you need for any street riding (except a taillight, of course).

Drawbacks: no blinking mode, no high/low beam, no helmet mount, and kind of slow charging, but I bought mine on sale from Bikeman for $129, and it's more than worth it.

:thumbsup:

 

[rellimreeb]

thanks for the review, how would you compare to a 10w halogen? (in terms of brightness?)

 

[BianchiJoe]

thanks for the review, how would you compare to a 10w halogen? (in terms of brightness?)

I'd say it's comparable to the Trail Rat, the only a 10-watt halogen I've used, but there's probably a difference in actual lumens; the Sol puts out 115. I wasn't able to test it side-by-side with anything else.

Oh, and Jenson USA has them for $119

 

[Ken from Fresno]

Does anyone know what kind of LED is in this light?

 

[BianchiJoe]

Does anyone know what kind of LED is in this light?

Luxeon.

 

[Ken from Fresno]

Anyone know if it's possible to upgrade the LED to a Cree or a Seul? If it comes with a Luxeon, I would think that a Seul would be a drop-in replacement fot the reflector that is already there. I might get this cheaper NiteRider light and upgrade the LED myself. Anyone tried this yet?

 

[roadfix]

Anyone know if it's possible to upgrade the LED to a Cree or a Seul? If it comes with a Luxeon, I would think that a Seul would be a drop-in replacement fot the reflector that is already there. I might get this cheaper NiteRider light and upgrade the LED myself. Anyone tried this yet?

Over at another cycling gadgets/electronics forum this guy did just that with his Cygolite Dualcross 300.
BTW, I've been using the Dualcross 300 for the past year. Nice light.

 

[Pablo]

Thanks for the headup, Joe. I ordered one yesterday. I'll let you know how it works in practice.

 

[asterisk]

Just curious Joe, do you commute down streets with lights overhead or no light?

My Cygolite Explorer finally died and I've been making due with a cheap Cateye but I miss the halogens on streets without streetlights.

 

[Chainslap]

Im selling my old Halogen to a friend for decent price and buying one of the Nite Rider Mi-Newt X2's. These new LED lights are badass, they're less than half the size and weight of the lights Nite Rider was selling three years ago and for about 50$ more you get double the light and charge than ths Sol

 

[sfsailor]

Jenson is out of stock but Performance price matched

I have been looking at the Light and Motion Vega and the Dinotte but this seems like it will be worth trying instead.

 

[BianchiJoe]

Just curious Joe, do you commute down streets with lights overhead or no light?

Both. I came home from a party on Sunday night and purposely took the back way, down one long, dark street that goes along the railroad tracks. Even when things got inky black out there, I rode at full daytime speed without worry. This thing acts like a "real" (i.e. halogen) light.

Thanks for the headup, Joe. I ordered one yesterday. I'll let you know how it works in practice.

Good deal. It takes awhile for it to charge up initially, but I love the plug-and-forget feature.

 

[blakcloud]

I purchased a Nite Rider MiNewt.X2

I have only used it for two rides but so far I am impressed. First I like the size, this light is small and so is the battery pack. It is easy on and easy off which is great for my commute. It also has a high/low/flash settings.

The light itself is bright and I wonder if it is too bright. What I mean by that is when it is in flashing mode you feel like your in a dance club with a strobe light going. In the city it is reflecting off shiny bumpers, street signs, mirrors and glass, so you get this intense strobe effect. I assume I will get use to it but it is a little intense for me.

When I get to my part of the commute on a unlit MUT, then the light is plenty bright enough to see most things. No I don't do daytime speeds, because there are joggers and dog walkers which are difficult to see.

The light was $189.00, so not cheap but not terribly expensive. I am only sorry I didn't buy a good light like this sooner.

 

[roadfix]

The light was $189.00, so not cheap but not terribly expensive. I am only sorry I didn't buy a good light like this sooner.

Well actually, the intensity of the light produced by these new led's for the price you paid today wasn't available several months ago. A year from now, these lights will be producing even more lumens, and probably at even lower cost.

 

[sfsailor]

Five rides on new Sol, thumbs up.

I have been in five rides with my new Sol and I have to say I am pleased. On a geared bike you may be able to our run the light but turning a 46x17 I have found it more than adequate. I have ridden in all kinds of lighting and traffic conditions and at 128.00 delivered to my local Performance I would rate it a good buy.