The weather in the Bay Area is gorgeous in September and October. But soon we will all be riding around in the dark trying to figure out if those are puddles or potholes filled with water. Enter the NiteRider MiNewt Mini-USB. I had the MiNewt model two years ago. And this year's MiNewt is smaller, lighter, and USB charge capable.
Now, Knog's Frog lights are light and easy to use. They have a steady and blinking mode. We sell a ton of
them, and I keep a couple of
those on my ride. They can live on your bike with little issue, and
they help you to be seen. They come in many colors, and all of us at the
shop really like the design and function of them. But the MiNewt
Mini-USB is what you want if
you are a commuter wanting to see where you are actually going on the
bike. I have a couple of speed bumps on my ride home from work, and I
have to hum my lucky tune when I am trying to see them in the dark with
the one LED Frog light. The MiNewt light is bright enough to allow me to avoid pressing a bold raccoon on my commute home.(Jump for specs and detailed photos.)
Photos by Wheelgirl. Frog headlight, MiNewt USB, MiNewt Kit, Frog tail light. (Ti frame welds by Lynskey.)
NiteRide, makes their lights in San Diego, California. The specs say
110 lumens for 3 hours at "constant light output". The kit comes with
the halogen light, silicon bands of different diameters to attach the
light to whatever width handle bar you have, a USB cord, a wall Smart
charger, a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, and a Velcro strap to
attach the battery pack to your bike. The charging time for the
battery pack is 4.5 hours using the Smart charger. According to the
packaging, "Charge time may vary using USB power". Basically, if you
are at work, you can usually find a computer somewhere at your
workplace, or next door to your workplace, in which you can recharge the
battery pack, so you don't have to keep your wall charger with you.
Weight is 175 grams (6.17 ounces)
If you are an endurance mountain or road bike cyclist, you will need a lighting system with a power source that is set up for extended and extreme conditions of use. This light isn't going to get you through 24-hours of Adrenaline or Paris-Brest-Paris. But it will get you home.NiteRider has a bunch of other lighting systems designed for endurance event participants.
Another reason I like the MiNewt lights is that they are easy to
remove when you are running errands or locking your bike somewhere.
There are no messy wires and clamps, and you can stuff the whole deal in
your bag or in a jacket pocket easily. Suggestion: Keep the Frog lights for the being seen
advantage, but get a decent light for being able to see where you are
going if you plan to ride on dark streets. You can make the argument that rechargeable normal batteries in
a less expensive light are also great. But the only mini lights I can
find that give me this kind of lumen happiness have a CREE diode, and they take
lithium ion batteries. Which means you have to buy that rechargeable
battery setup. Those high-quality flashlights costs somewhere around $60. The
battery recharging setup costs another $40 (when all is said and done with shipping and handling). And you are at about the
same retail price as the MiNewt.
The NiterRider online store has all of the items you are most likely to lose of break. The light products are supported with a toll-free phone support number, a support email, "2 years warranty on the headlamp, power module (excluding degradation of the battery cells), and the AC adapter. 180 days on rechargeable batteries."
My somewhat idiotic and subjective light test has to do with checking out the beam during daylight hours. The window faces north. The first photo is of the Frog light. The second photo is of the MiNewt Mini-USB. The photos were taken within a minute of each other. These products aren't at all designed to compete with each other. But I thought I would check out the differences anyway.
These and all photos by Wheelgirl.
