A SERIOUSLY BRIGHT IDEA We all know Daylight Saving is almost a distant memory, especially as we move deeper into Autumn and Winter, so right now is the time to start creating ways to maximise your time out on the bike as much as you can. If you haven't considered it yet then Night Riding is a perfect way to squeeze in another ride during your working week! You can choose to ride at night anywhere really.... on the road, in the park, along the board walk at the beach... however out at Woodhill MTB Park they open their gates up late every Wednesday night (till 10pm) to cater for the many riders who are out riding the trails after the sun goes down. Yes that's right riding mtb trails at night!! Ps: If you check our weekly calendar listing you will likely see a wednesday ride listed most weeks during winter. If you've never ridden at night then you're missing out on a real treat. It does wonders for your skills and confidence and is way better than sitting at home watching TV! What do you need: Lights of Course and you've got 2 options really: 1. You are able to hire lights out at Woodhill if you are wanting to see if you like it to start with, however eventually the cost will add up if you want to continue 2. Buy a set of high powered LED lights that are suitable for sports riding (note the road or camping lights that many places offer are not really suitable for MTB riding as their lumen ratings is way too low - FYI you need at least 1200+lumen minimum to be safe) What should I buy? The million dollar question Heres a link that helps explain a lot of the jargon and specifications behind selecting a Night light for MTB Buyer's guide to mountain bike lights: everything you need to know There are a multitude of high end, high spec branded products especially made for the sport elite (e.g. glowworm, niterider, etc etc) and they are very exceptional products if you can afford them. Anything from $150-$300+ However most of us weekend warriors are simply wanting something to light the way without breaking the bank, and don't really require it to help us win a race or be the flashest on the block. You can of course choose to buy super cheap overseas from sites such as alibaba, ghgate & dx.com etc but while being cheap they can take for ever to arrive plus you face a fight if it ends up not being what you expected or needs repairs etc. So buyer beware. Buy Local at nearly overseas prices... With buying local in mind we've gone out and spoken with a Bike Light importer based here in Auckland and secured a 10% discount off the price of their "no brand" range for all ACG Meetup members. Introducing Bike Lights New Zealand from Botany (formally Rags and Gadgets) Their products are completely adequate for the task and come in at affordable price points - even more so when our group discount is applied. We recommend 3 models from their range for MTB use: 5000 Lumen Mountain Bike Light The grand daddy of the range - a 5 x LED Mountain Bike Light offering 5000 Lumens with a 10,000mAh ABS Battery Pack ACG PRICE WITH 10% DISC = $131.85 4000 Lumen Mountain Bike Light The mid range light weight Mountain Bike Light with 4 x LED's offering 4000 Lumens with a 10,000mAh ABS Battery Pack ACG PRICE WITH 10% DISC = $116.06 3000 Lumen Mountain Bike Light The lower range light weight Mountain Bike Light with 3 x LED's offering 3000 Lumens with a 6400mAh ABS Battery Pack ACG PRICE WITH 10% DISC = $89.55 When making a purchase simply use the 'acgmeetup' discount code when going through the Bike Lights NZ online shop checkout and the 10% discount will be applied before you pay |