| Re: Busch & Mueller "Big Bang"---the ultimate bike light?
Pat Lamb wrote:
>
> Thinking about this on the way home last night; OK, your normal HID light
> seems to run around $500. Is the precision optics for this really worth
> another $500?
I think it's very hard to justify even the minimum price of an HID
light, considering the relatively short lifespan of HID bulbs and
their high replacement costs. High flux LEDs like the Luxeon K2 and
Cree Xlamp XR-E are beginning to offer HID-like intensity at equal or
better efficiencies-- along with outstanding robustness, unprecedented
longevity, and inexpensive driver electronics. I believe that these
LEDs combined with lithium batteries (like those in the latest
generation of DeWalt cordless power tools) and built-in smart battery
management systems will characterize the next generation of high
performance bike lights.
As the performance of LEDs rises to the point that 2-4 watts really
does produce enough light for a satisfactory headlamp, there may be a
resurgence in the use of sidewall generators and dynohubs. Active
power management and ultracapacitors for standlight capability would
make such generators more useful than ever before.
Chalo
|