My wife needs something new for a road commute (after being hit by an ignorant driver recently) and has passed the buck to me to find a new light. I’m reading over loads of fluff all over the internet and finding it hard to narrow things down to a reliable light that she will definitely be seen by (perhaps with a “steady plus strobe” function) without a separate battery pack. Can anyone offer any suggestions please?

I may get two, a bar plus a helmet one, and wouldn’t mind a USB chargeable option.

I keep seeing the cateye volt 300 – does this fit my description?

Thanks

Nothing in the Niterider range?

I have an ancient 250 that refuses to die.

Edit: Lumina OLED 600 has everything you are after – including that Pulse Flash mode

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/product-front-light.html

the C and B seen City Slicker front light seems to fit the description – my pal has one and rates it. Not sure if does constant with pulse, the Exposure Flash does, but isn;t as good a front light

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/109609/products/exposure-flash-front-bike-light.aspx

new gloworm CX?

Trelock LS 950 ION – driver-friendly, no strobe
Busch & Muller IXON Fyre – same as above
Fenix BC30R – powerful, remote boost button

All USB-charged.

Not concerned with driver-friendly options, but thanks for the suggestions. I get dazzled by several cars a night and maybe one cyclists every few months so it’s not an issue.

I like the C and B seen one, might give that a whirl.

Would suggest an Exposure Link or Link+ for the helmet great for making yourself seen.

A little on the pricey side, but something from the exposure range? I have a maxx d for night riding but also use it on the commute and the brilliant thing is that you can run their red eye rear light off it (here). It means I only have to charge one battery for my main lights (I still have blinkies scattered liberally elsewhere), which is more helpful than I expected.

It is perhaps a bit on the offensively bright side, but I angle it off and it does a wonderful job lighting up the hedgerows for a fair distance behind me. I commute mostly on country lanes so that’s a pretty good feature for me.

As for reliable, I’ve had it nearly five years and I’ve just sent it back to get the batteries changed as the life is just starting to drop off. That’s been riding twice a week most weeks in that time and done a full winters commute for the last two years- that do?

Maybe a slightly older Exposure might do the job? Something some mountain bike magpie’s discarded onto ebay because the new one makes 10 more lumens…

Lezyne macro drive xl 600 they’re £38 in halfords at the moment using BC discount, got mine last week and I’m very impressed.

400 lumen pulse mode is good for traffic, there’s loads of levels upto 600 lumen at which you get 1.5 hours

Something from Exposure will no doubt work well, but you’re into much bigger prices

I have the Cateye Volt 300. It’s my main bar light for commuting, I always run it on pulse (day or night), I commute 10 miles in and out of London each way

Fantastic little thing, bright, small, cheap, and easy to recharge

Highly recommmended

(the Volt 400 is out now, so you can get something brighter or the 300 cheaper)

Picked up a Knog Blinder cheap on SportPursuit.

Both the models were available (may still be) and very impressed with it so far. The main gripe with the more powerful version (in reviews) was that it tended to rotate on the bars but they supply multiple accessories (including a narrower strap) to hep with this and having taken it off road, didn’t see an rotation (on road bars).