Lights for this fall

I was wondering the same thing; don't hear much about folks night riding
like I used to...
I also have a digital 12 pro (digital pro 12?) that no longer works - plug
in the charger, get nothing. My helmet light won't hold the plug in the
lamp anymore. I ride so little these days I'm not willing to spend 5
hundred bucks for lights again.

What combo can I get (helmet and bars) that works for around three hundred,
preferably less?

"JButler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been out of night riding for the last couple years. Which company
has the most durable lights these days? I used a Niterider Digital
Pro 12E in the past. When it worked it was great but had many problems
with it. The digital headtrip seemed adequate for a helmet mount.

[email hidden] (JButler) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've been out of night riding for the last couple years. Which company
has the most durable lights these days? I used a Niterider Digital
Pro 12E in the past. When it worked it was great but had many problems
with it. The digital headtrip seemed adequate for a helmet mount.

I've been surveying locally (Southern Maine)with the same questions in
mind. We ride 2 nights a week for a couple of hours per ride. Here's
what I've come across:

NiteRider Digitals (Night owl, digital evolution, 2-4 years old) -
Infamous for reliablity issues, short burn times (under 1.5 hours
with new battery packs) and fussy little keyed cable connectors that
are difficult to mate in low light conditions.

NiteRider Low End (Trail Rat etc, 1-3 years old) - Good burn times
(newest battery packs run around 3 hours), but not the brightest light
(10W), and uses the same fussy little connectors as the digital.

NiteRider HID - awesomely bright. Nothing old enough in my survey to
judge reliability. Expensive.

NightPro - not sure of the models, 3 riders have had systems for 2 or
more seasons an are happy with reliability & burn time.

Planet Bike Alien (new this season) - More diffused beam pattern than
other lights, better for bar mount than helmet mount. OK burn time (2
hours with a new battery pack). On/off switch on cable adds complexity
to mounting.

TurboCat Trail Guide - First ride. Brightest of the 10W system. Claims
over 3 hour burn time with new NiCad battery pack, not yet verified.
Appears simple and robust, but too soon to judge.

FWIW I own 2 digital NiteRider systems, and the new TurboCat. If the
TurboCat lives up to my expectations, I plan on asking Santa for a bar
mount companion and I'll part out all my NiteRider stuff to help keep
my buddies systems running. Dave Dowler