daniell

I am tired of the exaggerated claims. I want a light that would stand out in daylight. I am considering the following.
The Cygolite Hypershot 350
The Cygolite Hotshot Pro 200
I would like to know whether the added cost of the Hypershot 350 is worth the extra cost over the Cygolite Hotshot Pro 200.

Troul 

yea, but if you need a battery cap that goes four more than 3 hours, then you'll find that nothing small exists.

Rick

Dinotte makes the brightest daylight visable lights.

BCDrums

Just received the recent D6 for head light and tail light. Very bright. Dinotte claims extended battery capacity over the previous model- the D6 has a larger battery. Haven’t had time yet to run the batt down.

Not inexpensive, but ya gets what ya pays for.

Rick

BCDrums: I Have the older Daytime Red Taillight - Daytime Only Dinotte Taillight and the predacesor to the D6. The new D6 is on my upcomming purchase list. I like it when I look in my mirror and see people moving over at a good distance back because they see my light. Prior to purchasing a flashing taillight someone sideswiped me nocking me over onto a sandy shoulder. I was lucky and had no lasting physical injuries from this incident.

BCDrums

Rick,

I am happy to hear that you landed on a sandy shoulder and that you are here to tell of it. The four most awful words quoted after a bike crash is, "I didn't see him/her." It would be hard to miss a Dinotte light, and I have told my potential widow to bring one to court after the "accident."

EDIT: I called Dinotte for some help with the mounting clamps. They say, de NOE tay, rather than di NOT.

Anyway, I have the most-recent Dinotte lights, the D6. Here's a photo of the previous model, the Quad Four, and the newer D6.


Dinotte Quad Red tail light mounted on seat stay

The D6 taillight, 2024

The newer model is taller and less wide. I believe it has a larger/longer internal battery than the Quad Four. This would account for its claimed longer time between charges. I don't have enough time with the new lights to have an opinion on that. It did fit on the same mount as the Q4.

I feel pretty confident about this light, it's hard to miss. But I rode for decades with no lights, so... With a safety device, you may never know if it was effective, or if you just got lucky!

Rick

BCDrums: Thanks for the picture of the D6, It looks great! I am currently using the quad red myself. what mounting problems were you having. I have the Edelux II headlight and the B&M Toplight Line Plus Taillight. My bicycle is setup for the SL version of the son Dynohub. I have a Tubus rear rack with the 50mm spaced holes for the light. I was able to put the quad red above the Toplight by using a Tubus fender support bolted to the back of the tailight with the Toplight bolts. The fender support founted upsidedown has an 8mm hole in it. I bought a light mount for A Nitto rack and bolted that to the fender support.

rm -rf

Are you riding at night, at sunrise or sunset, or during the day? I see you mentioned daylight.

Lumens are kind of like sound decibels. a lot more sound or light appears just somewhat brighter. It's not linear.

200 lumens vs 150: It will appear "a little brighter" than the 150.
350 vs 200: this will be "yes, brighter" than the 200. I'm guessing the width of the bright cone of light is larger, too.
Beam width: my 150 has a somewhat narrow beam. But that's fine. Up close, off to the side, the light is obvious. Far away, the beam is so spread out that it covers most curves and side road approaches.

I have the Hotshot pro 150. I ride during the day, and sometimes just past sunset.
I use the single flash mode, at 2 flashes per second. The flashes are extremely bright, and very short, so the battery lasts a long time. Probably 15 hours or so, but I charge it more often.

Yesterday, part of our group was a quarter mile up the road, in bright noontime sunlight, with some tree shadows on parts of the road. Most of the riders have Hotshots or equivalent. As I crested a short hill, the blinking immediately caught my eye, even though the riders weren't close enough to otherwise identify as cyclists. It's very effective.

One rider has the Hypershot 350, with a seatstay mounting, and it's pointed upward maybe 10 degrees. I can't ride behind him, from about 8 feet out to 20 feet or so, since the brightest part of the beam is dazzling, even with dark sunglasses. It's probably not much better when pointed horizontally.

Even my 150 is too bright for night group rides. I switch it to steady beam, which can be dimmed down, unlike the flash modes.
Solo at night I use the ramped brightness mode, kind of a "waa - waa" effect. I think it's less annoying to cars than sharp flashes, and it's quite distinctive, good.

daniell

Thank you for your informative reply.
Being that my riding is limited to daytime, I don't see how any light can be too bright.
I have bought cheaper lights with glowing reviews of their brightness. They have been disappointing.

BCDrums

I wanted to put a set of mounts for the lights on a second bike, and I needed to get a larger clamp for the second bike. No problem, really.

CaptMike

BCDrums, did you have any experience with the old Daytime Red? I'm curious how that compares with the new D6. I have the old Daytime Red, and consider it the best red tail light out there, by far. I also have the Daytime Yellow, but don't use it much anymore, although it is very effective also. My original batteries are about shot, so I contacted DiNotti to see if my old charger would work with the newer batteries. He said yes, but recommended the new D6 red tail light. I would consider it if it was anywhere near as bright as the old DT Red. But as I said before, nothing compares to that light. I would be hard for me to switch. Thank you.

Rick

CaptMike: I have tHe old daytime only with the 7.5 V battery charger and ordered a new battery for it a couple of years ago. Dinotte told me that the D6 is near the same brightness as the old daytime only light. The new daytime only is 33% brighter than the D6. I purchased the Quad red to use on touring trips but don't like the run time. I am considering the D6 for this now.I use the slow pulse which they now call the on off.

CaptMike

Thanks Rick. Are the old and new Daytime Only the same brightness? Mine is brighter than hell. I see where the presently advertised DT Only is 33% brighter than the D6. I'd have to consider that, but am holding on to the more is better frame of mind at this time. I like the no external battery part, but 33% ain't chump change.

Rick

CaptMike: The new daytime only light is brighter than our older one. Comparing the battery run time I would say allot brighter. the 4 cell battery would run 35 hours on the on-off setting on The old daytime only light. The new one gets only 24 hours on the 4 cell battery. 48 hours on the optional 8 cell battery.The newer LEDs are also more efficient.

BCDrums

Hi Cap'n,

When you say Daytime Red, do you mean the Quad 4 below?


Dinotte Quad Red tail light mounted on seat stay

If this is the light you mean, the new D6 is noticeably brighter. My unscientific measurement: I took both lights to the kitchen and turned them on maximum bright, and looked at the reflections in the black glass door of the microwave oven–they are both too bright to look at directly and judge. The D6 was brighter than the Quad 4.

After about 4 one-hour rides, batteries are still going on the D6s.

Good luck, stay safe. Thinking of Cap'n, maybe it's time for a Cap'n & Coke!

BC

noglider 

@daniell, I have had the Hypershot 350 for a few months. The battery lasts longer than I expected, though I don't remember how long, maybe three or four hours. I can't say how it compares with the other models. I feel I got my $50 worth. The problem with these safety devices is that you can never show that they do work. You can only say if they don't work, i.e. someone didn't see you even with the device. It's definitely the brightest taillight I've had, and it costs a lot less than a Dinotte light.

CaptMike

BCDrums, I hope you enjoyed that Cap'n & Coke It sounds like DiNotte had an original Daytime Red, which I have, and a newer version, still called the Daytime Red. They are different from the Quad Red you have in the picture. The new DT Red is advertised as 33% brighter than the new D6. I don't know about the new DT Red, but the older one I have is brighter than hell. It is really amazing. I just ordered a new 4 cell battery for it. I am keeping an eye on the D6, but it would be hard to part with what I have. Although not having to deal with an external battery had its selling points. Cheers.

MNBikeCommuter

How did the old Dinotte 400R compare with the Daytime Red? I've been using the 400R for 12 years now and I remember thinking when I got it that it worked well as a day time light. I must be an oddball in that I like the external battery rather than integrated. I leave the 400R on the bike and carry the battery in the always-present pannier. The pannier goes into the house with me and so does the battery without any thought, to warm up for the next ride/get recharged when needed/etc

Rick

CaptMike: I just put my day time red back on the bicycle. It runs so long on start stop that I believe I will use it for travel and hunt wall outlets to charge it. It is very bright and a friend of mine says he always knows me by that light from over a mile away. The purchase of the light was in reaction to being nocked off the road due to cellphoneitis. The first time I used it I could see that people from a good distance behind me noticed the light, by there actions. They moved further to the left in there lane and some even moved a whole lane over away from me.

I am considering the D6 amber for the front and a horn by Loud Bicycle. Loud Bicycle has marketed a car horn setup witht a rechargable battery. 125 decibles and .8 lbs. I am also looking at the Screeming Banchee Mini Motorcycle horn. I would need to make my own mounting bracket and source the rechargable battery and other bits to make it work.

CaptMike

Hey Rick. That's why I love the DT Red. I use the low on/five pulse mode. It's so bright my neighbor complained about it. Although he complains about everything. You are right about the mile out part. You figure, even the most dumbass texter looks up quickly every few seconds, so the farther out they see the light, the better. Hopefully they put the phone down until they pass, then get back to being a dumbass. Years ago I used to use the DT yellow front light. I stopped doing it when I got my gravel bike, but am rethinking that. I've had people comment on that light also, saying it is very bright. I thought about horns a while back, also. I am going to research some of those you mentioned. As nowadays most people have ear plugs in on the bike paths, it sounds like something you could have some fun with. I have a bell on my touring frame, but that is on my trainer. MNBike, I'm can't compare it to the 400R. I don't mind the batteries, either. I have two from my original DT yellow and red. They are getting weak, so I have both velcroed behind my down tube, then switch them when one goes dead. It will be nice to have the new 4 cell.

Rick

CaptMike: I believe I have had mine on the brightest on off flash mode. I know it is uncomptforable to look at directly. I don't know how to adjust the intensity of the flash modes up or down. I am considering giving this one to my son and purchasing the new

2023 model with the 8 cell battery for touring. I had to mount the battery on the underside of the top tube this time because the seatpost is occupied by my mini pump.

PromptCritical 

I got tired of all the “weak sauce” bicycle lights, so I cobbled up something more serious.

The light is an Abrams Class 3 LED. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is powered by a 12v Makita tool battery installed into a Makita flashlight I modified to use as a power source. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



The light offers multiple flashing modes and colors. I’m in the process of putting one together with a white flashing LED for the front. The batteries last 4+ hours (haven’t drained one yet on a ride).

CaptMike

A couple of nice setups, there. I think you can adjust the pattern on the tail light, but not the power. Looks like you can adjust the power on the front light. I took a short video of the light flashing, but it wouldn't upload. It's bright.

daniell

Very impressive! Something to think about.

CaptMike

All you need is a siren and you'll be all set