emman123

I stumbled upon this video on YouTube showing the Cygolite Hotshot,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SnrNpJtMxQ


in this video the taillight looks very bright, I understand this light is quite popular, but wanted to know from a Cygolite owner if this light is truly as bright as portrayed in this video?
are there any drawbacks to this light?

also I wish to have an opinion from someone who had experienced both the Dinotte AND Cygolite lights and would be willing to speak about the advantages of the Dinottes over the Hotshot

thanks a lot!

-Emmanuel


P.S.

I also like the blinking pattern showed in this video (I think its called 'Zoom') its not as annoying to the eye as a full strobe yet quite visible! can that flashing pattern be utilized with a dinotte 400 or 140?

Gojohnnygo.

That’s funny I run one of my two Cygolite Hotshot in a slow pulse mode with a Dinotte 400R in flash mode, I think the slow pulse mode of the Hotshot gives a driver a reference point of my position on the road and the DiNotte 400R gives me that long range punch I need on faster moving roads.

The Hotshot in my estimation is not as bright as the video portrays but it is brighter than my older super flash taillights.

emman123

Hi Johnny,

I wanted to ask you please as someone experienced with both DiNotte and HotShot:

1) many complain about the Hotshot being rather directional, what would you say is the viewing angle for it, and then if possible your opinion of the Hotshot's viewing angle vs the DiNotte?

2) if you had to choose between Hotshot vs Dinotte 140 or 400 (running on AA not lithium, giving 120 lumen according to DiNotte's Rob) and you could only have 1 taillight, what would you say is the ultimate choice for conspicuity please?

thanks a lot!

- Emmanuel

ItsJustMe

I like the hotshot pretty well. If I'm riding in complete darkness, as I do most mornings, I like to have a light on constant and one on flash. If there's any ambient I just run a flasher.

The hotshot is probably the best in the budget range. The Serfas gets the nod if you're willing to spend $60 - it's significantly brigher and is also much brighter to the sides.

https://youtu.be/12xDjS-ot8w

JohnJ80

If you're going to spend $60, you might as well go whole hog and get the nightzone 400 lumen thing.

j.

Werkin

I have the Hotshot, 300R, and 400R Red daytime only. In the daytime the Hotshot is only visible in direct line of sight up to about 100ft, at night it's visible somewhat off axis to the side, but its side visibility is better when the light is positioned facing somewhat downward causing reflective illumination. If on a back pack or helmet shinning upward even a little bit, it's close to useless a block away viewing from a vehicle at night; during the day it can't be seen in that position even if drafting from behind.

The position of rider and viewer is a dynamic continuum. Any single model DiNotte rear light performs better at off axis viewing than a single Hotshot. If you consider the low cost of the Hotshot its strength, then purchase three and position them angled 40 degrees from each other. While this will suffice at night, the Hotshot is no match for DiNotte's long range intensity.

ItsJustMe

Well, not really, 400 lumens is ludicrous, I think that's just simply dangerous. The 60 lumen Serfas is really right at the border for me - any more would be just irritating for the sake of irritation, not likely to get you noticed any more.

Also, I can actually GET a Serfas in short order.

Dunbar

The sun is below the horizon in the first Youtube video. Not exactly the most demanding conditions for being seen with a taillight. BTW, I had a Radbot 1000 and it has a similar flash mode to what you see in the video. If low cost is your priority a Radbot 1000 plus a less directionally sensitive light might be a good option.

01 CAt Man Do

I too own a Hotshot and while I love the light I don't think that the video is an accurate representation. The rider in the video is so far ahead ( at one point ) that you can't even see him but you CAN see the light of the tail light ( and that while it is still somewhat daytime ). The Hotshot does have excellent distance throw and is very visible at distance when dark but this video surprises me to appear so bright during the day ( or early evening ) I tried to pause the video to see if the lamp was indeed a Hotshot but I really couldn't see the outline of the lamp that well. Too bad the guy with the camera didn't stop to get a good shot of the Hotshot close-up. The thing that tells me this "Might have been" a Hotshot is that it was in "Slow pulse" mode, which is one of the Hotshots' better modes and the one I use myself.

Anyway, I'm going to have to take my Hotshot out today and see if I can produce a video at that kind of distance.

10 Wheels

I hope you all know that The HotShot has adjustable Brightness.

The Vid in Post #4 seems to have the Brightness in a low setting.

10 Wheels

OP, I have both lights.

Dinotte is what you want if it fits your budget.

https://store.dinottelighting.com/din...-mount-p5.aspx