Think of the TriNewt as the MiNewt’s big brother, with a look and design every bit as unique and striking as the MiNewt. The TriNewt incorporates a cluster of 3 high-powered LED’s to achieve a retina searing output of 500 lumens! No ‘off the shelf’ optics are used in the TriNewt. Instead, the 3 high-powered LED’s are housed in a custom made reflector designed specifically with cycling in mind. The result is a beam pattern ideal for night riding. Like all NiteRider LED lighting systems, the TriNewt uses a Borofloat lens to greatly minimize light loss and maximize light output, when compared to a traditional glass lens or total internal reflector. New Gimbal Style mounts are used for handlebar and helmet mounting.
Submitted by
atnorris
a Cross Country Rider
from Williamsburg, VA Date Reviewed: October 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Mohican
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Bright light with good beam.
Weaknesses:
Battery fails if not charged. Had to get it replaced twice. First time I sent it in they only sent back the battery and light. Never got the other stuff in the kit back. Complained but got nothing. Also lamp is kind of heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Going to try some other brand now.
Bottom Line:
Would be OK light if not for the crappy battery and getting ripped off by the repair department. But without the battery, the light is not going to work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Cottrell
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder City, NV Date Reviewed: August 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Inner Caldera - Bootleg Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
Can't remember
Strengths:
Very bright. Long lasting. Easy to mount and use.
Weaknesses:
Plug from light to battery is sometimes hard to deal with, but I think they designed it to come apart easily in a crash.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur LT with Talas 36 and RP23.
Bottom Line:
I've used this every night for over three months. Great light. Everyone comments about it. I ride some gnarly trails at night and it has never let me down.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
saiysidi
a Cross Country Rider
from Holland, MI Date Reviewed: July 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Egypt Valley and Yankee Springs
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Art's Cyclery
Strengths:
Very bright
Doesn't get hot like the HID
Bean patterns is very good
Weaknesses:
Rubber strap is junk and hard to put on. For the price pay for this light I wish the universal handle bar mount came with it instead NR make you pay $30 as optional.
Similar Products Used:
Topeak HID
Niterider Moab HID
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Owl Hollow with complete XTR setup.
Bottom Line:
I ride atleast 2 to 3 hours twice a week at night and this light is helping me see the trial almost like daylight and the cars will see me also when I ride on the road. So far the battery is still giving out 3 plus hours of juice after using it for total of 30 hours within 6 months. All in all I'm very happy with this light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
spgallo
a Racer
from Sacramento Date Reviewed: May 27, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Mickey Mouse
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Very durable - this light can be trusted to withstand a crash. Very nice even light beam makes for an excellent handlebar light. I used it in recent 24hour race and the flood is so wide and even that I could almost get by with just that light. I used a Trailrat which has a very narrow focussed beam on my helmet. It was just enough to point down the trail to see what was coming in the distance where the Trinewt wasn't shining. Trinewt battery life is excellent also. I think their factory ratings are a little conservative. I lasted all night on one charge cycling between low and high beam.
Weaknesses:
Not so great for helmet light. Bean is to wide and does not project far enough down the trial. Also the switch is on the battery and you would not be able to cycle the light from high to low for conserving battery life. Battery is a little bulky compared to others, but it is still a very usable size.
Similar Products Used:
Light and Motion Seca Race
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain ETSX
Bottom Line:
This is an incredible handlebar light. If you are looking for a helmet light don't consider this one. My rating is based on using as a handlebar light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
acctnut
a Cross Country Rider
from Redwood City Date Reviewed: May 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Ashland
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
Bright and has a long run time
Weaknesses:
expensive, battery doesn't strap to some frames effectivly.
Similar Products Used:
Supergo 30watt halogyn
Bike Setup:
Marin Dedachicai Steel night/rain bike.
Bottom Line:
Having a kid, work and school I ride about 50% at night, mostly on a road loop through the suburbs. I've been doing this for about 4 years and seems to prepare me well to race with the 4's or 2's in crits or XC. Every now and then, I'll night ride some overlooked singletrack nearby that seems pretty kosher, but around here nothing is really legal. Botom line is if you use this light, it is well worth the price. It's really nice to have long run times and it's really nice to have something bright so cars notice you and you notice all the little cracks, bumps and dead things on the road. On the trail, you simply just need to slow down a bit, even with this bright of a light. You can't interpret the little contours of a trail that fast in the dark, but it's still fun.
This light has been good to me, no problems and it still holds it's charge for as long as I car to ride after a couple years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
taterbug
a Weekend Warrior
from Alabama Date Reviewed: April 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Swayback
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$385.00
Purchased At:
Harbor Country Bikes
Strengths:
Really bright for it's size.
Weaknesses:
Charger and battery
Similar Products Used:
None, first light I have used
Bike Setup:
Surly CrossCheck used for commuting and touring
Bottom Line:
I bought this light at the beginning of November. After receiving it the charger would not charge the light. I called Harbor Country Bikes and they sent one (another charger) right out. Everything went well with the light for a while. Last weekend I went on a night ride and everything was working. However, when I attempted to recharge the battery, the battery light stayed red for three days and never turned blue which indicates that it is fully charged. I called Niterider and they said it could be the circuit board in the battery and to send it in to them as it was under warranty. When it works it is great. I just hope to keep it working a little longer this time around
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
commuter
a Weekend Warrior
from USA Date Reviewed: March 31, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Bright light easy to mount
Weaknesses:
Battery died second time I used it. I had to pay return shipping for warranty repair. Two weeks later I had it back. It died again recently. Used sporadically over last five months mostly while commuting. No response from niterider when I tried to contact them this time.
Bottom Line:
The battery has problems. When it works it is great. Too bad that doesn't appear to be very often.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
frumthehills
a Cross Country Rider
from emmitsburg, md Date Reviewed: March 27, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
eastern panhandle bi
Strengths:
high, low beams, blue light very bright
Weaknesses:
battery, it just very big, sometimes I place it on top of the tube other its below the tube, its big so it slides alittle until you adjust for it
Similar Products Used:
trail rats and vista lights
Bike Setup:
cannondale 29, specialized epic marathon
Bottom Line:
once you get your battery set its a big bright light that you can adjust for where or when your riding, bright for down hill soft for uphill, soft for when other vehicles are coming its just a push of the button. its nice.
its pricy which keeps it low o the value, but I like it over all
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
simuk
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney Date Reviewed: January 28, 2009
Favorite Trail:
NZ South Island
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
St Ives cycles.
Strengths:
Brightness is exceptional. Reliability when used often. AWSOME warranty and service!
Weaknesses:
Battery pack will fail if not charged for approximately 6 months or so.
A lot of locally manufactured lightweight kits at a more compeditive price for light point.
Similar Products Used:
Fenix flashlight P3D
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign1
Bottom Line:
I purchased this light set-up for the Scott 24hr(team)and also used it several times during trainning.
The light performed sensationally even when treated slightly roughly as I tired out towards the end.No secondry light required.
It ran for about 3 hours on full brightness.
A remote switch would be great as on social rides it becomes a little annoying having to remove the camelback to switch it off.
After the race it sat fully charged on the shelf for a long period of time(approx 6-9mths). When the charger was plugged in the battery pack made a click sound and then both the blue and red lights flashed similtaneously. This means the battery pack charge circuitry is broken.(approx 18mths old at this point)
Upon returning the light kit to my LBS I had a new battery pack within 2 weeks ,no questions asked. In Australia warranty or out of warranty repairs can be sent directly to Jet Black Product Support.
So stoked about the warranty service. Big thanks to all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jgur88
a Racer
from Philadelphia, PA USA Date Reviewed: January 22, 2009
Weighing in the weaknesses, I weigh 170 pounds already with a 3L Camelbak and full gear for night-long solos. An extra 500g isn't going to break your back. The battery is large, yes, but I throw it right into a side pocket on my pack and can toggle the Hi/Lo just as easily as reaching for a cell phone in a jersey pocket while on the road.
I was descending fast with it on a no-moon night when a low-lying tree hit me square in the forehead, knocking me out briefly and snapping the light from the helmet mount. The light didn't even turn off, but the bracket broke right where two screws go trough the mount and onto the ball socket adjustment thing. It is a definite weak point. I emailed NiteRider and they agreed to send me a new mount at no charge and no questions asked. It just took about 6 or 8 weeks. They said they had just run out of them, but you know how excuses are easily made. I'm extremely careful with where the light is and making sure not to do what I did, but the tree came out of nowhere. Branches and other stuff have snapped at it, and it was fine for that.
Battery life is great, ultra bright enough to not need a light for the bars, have no fear with mud and water either. I pan to buy another one for the bars anyway as a backup for 24-hour solos. Also, at almost a dollar per lumen, the value is awesome. Definitely a great buy
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Leuck
a Racer
from Irving, TX Date Reviewed: December 21, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$495.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Great beam pattern, long battery life
Weaknesses:
Lousy rubber mounting strap, never gets tight enough causing the light to droop forward
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Flight
Bike Setup:
Optima Baron Recumbent
Bottom Line:
redesign the mounting method and it would be perfect
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mllfalcon
a Weekend Warrior
from mllfalcon@bellsouth.net Date Reviewed: December 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pinhotti
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
East Ridge Bicycles
Strengths:
Bright.
Weaknesses:
Battery.
Similar Products Used:
Turbo Cat, Light & Motion
Bottom Line:
I bought 2 of these lights last winter, and unfortunately I have not been able to use them until recently. The big problem now is that neither battery works. I hook the batteries up to the charger and the indicator is red and blue at the same time. This means that there is a electrical problem in the battery. So unfortunately, I still haven't been able to use it. On the plus side, Niterider has great customer service. Still waiting for the new batteries.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jthurber80
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountain View, CA Date Reviewed: December 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mora Hill climb
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Good beam pattern, strong handlebar fitment, excellent customer service.
Weaknesses:
Battery life (under 90 minutes on high); battery weight; questionable battery switch quality.
Similar Products Used:
Lupine Betty; Schmidt Dyna-hub w/Super-Nova head and taillight.
Bike Setup:
LeMond Fillmore (commuter)
Bottom Line:
This is a fine light, not too expensive. Battery is very heavy and is exhausted in less then 80 minutes on high. Battery switch is questionable. First battery (came with light) never charged and a new one took 10 days from Nite Rider Corporation -- and they required a $200 credit card deposit before they would ship out a new battery. New Battery was OK.
It's difficult to use these three lights without comparing them. The Lupine Betty is absolutely The Best (1500 lumens) and is a huge cut above the Trinewt (although more expensive at $1000). The Super-Nova is also a good light and, being connected to a Schmidt SON28 Dynahub, never requires battery recharging. But for a commuter light the Trinewt is just fine and not too expensive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mrchris42
a Cross Country Rider
from Carnation, WA, USA Date Reviewed: November 20, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Online somewhere
Strengths:
Bright
Durable
Easy to mount
Heat output is minimal
Bulb life
Beam color is white
Weaknesses:
Battery life in cold weather.
Power switch mounted on battery.
Similar Products Used:
Halogen
Bike Setup:
Titus Motolite
Bottom Line:
I like this light. The beam is bright, white, and fairly evenly spread out. The beam does not go as far out as most of the HIDs, but lights up the close/medium range stuff better than the HIDs.
The battery mounted on the frame in cold weather is posing to be a problem for 2+ hour rides as the red light is coming on around 1hr30mins on high and 2 hrs with mix of high/low beam, although not sure how long it will last before going out. In the warmer nights battery life was much better with 3 hrs on high beam.
The power switch is a pain in the azz. It is finicky, sometimes refusing to turn off, only switching between high and low (happens on my buddies light also). The switch is mounted on the battery -- which means if you have the light on your head and the battery in your camelback, forget about changing high/low (or on/off) beam while riding. This is because the light was designed around their $100 upgrade to the wireless switch (and, well, this light is not worth $100 more even with a wireless switch!!!)
So, because I need to adjust brightness while riding to get the most battery life, I cannot use it on my helmet (where I'd prefer to have it), only my bars (which also limits my battery life on cold nights!!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
qua77ro
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: November 9, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$310.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Picked up the wireless trinewt online. The light unit is rugged and significantly larger than the sol/minewts. The light has a good pattern. The flash mode isn't as bright as even the minewt x2, but for MTB, seldom would I want to use the flash mode.
Great 4hr charging speed
3 settings
Solid construction
Run-time
Weaknesses:
Battery size
Bar clamp should be a more solid unit. Using a rubber strap to hold on a $300+ light unit is a bit cheap.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider SOL, Minewt x2
Bike Setup:
Fuel EX 9 - XC/Trail
Bottom Line:
Great product, tons of light, solid construction.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
biker12
a Racer
from Charlottesville, VA, USA Date Reviewed: November 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Can't beat private land
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
BRIGHT, good battery power, charges quick, not too heavy
Weaknesses:
haven't found any yet
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Trek top fuel 9.8
Bottom Line:
Love it. Used for a 6hr endurance race(2hr day 4hr night) and didn't fail me once. Was brighter than many others out there and didn't even get to 15% battery left. A tad heavy if you are doing 24hr racing and want it on your head you are gonna want a comfortable helmet but overall its amazing. I would trade off the slight bit of heaviness for how bright and how well it works.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lgkiii
a Racer
from San Diego Date Reviewed: October 27, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$320.00
Strengths:
- Durability
- Battery life
- Brand reliability
Weaknesses:
- Location of on/off switch
Similar Products Used:
Niterider 15w halogen
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Expert with TriNewt on the bars
Bottom Line:
I've used this light three times now for some pretty extensive riding. It's a very good light. Throws a nice wide, bright beam. (I have to say, though, that it doesn't throw that "Oh My God, that's bright!" beam that some reviewers have raved about.)
One downer: I've tried several times to turn on the light on the fly and simply couldn't do it. Had real problems reaching down to my battery, locating the on/off button and turning the light on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Biohipman
a Cross Country Rider
from Danbury, CT, USA Date Reviewed: October 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ninham
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Friend
Strengths:
Well made overall, weight of Lithium battery. Actually is what they say it is regarding burn time, lumens, weight. Mounted on the helmet is easy and it works well if choosing helmet or handlebar.
Weaknesses:
Would be nice to have the on/off switch on the lamp rather than the battery. Not really a big deal to stop for a break and get it out of the pack to turn it on.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider HID
Bike Setup:
'07 Stumpy FSR Elite, '06 Rockhopper Hardtail
Bottom Line:
This light is as advertised. The brightness is sick with the three LED bulbs. Next to a good HID, the brightness is equal. Wider pattern makes it nicer to see branches. The LED technology is really catching the HID set-ups regarding brightness and they are more durable and cheaper to replace, also last longer. I have had it out a few tmes and it is great. It is not "yellow" nor is it the "blue/white" like an HID. I find it easier on my eyes than an HID. Highly recommended!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bikepete
a Cross Country Rider
from MA Date Reviewed: September 23, 2008
OK, who thought about this weak strap to hold the battery on? I think that they might have put the switch on the battery in order to keep heat from damaging it but this is going to make a new battery cost about 6 grand.
Similar Products Used:
Nightriders, Marwis and Vistalites, Oh My!
Bike Setup:
my Rocky
Bottom Line:
I like this light. Aside from the strangenesses (made that word up), the beam pattern is nice and full. The whole spread of light in front of the bike fills things in nicely and doesn't give me any blind spots in the periphery. Not cheap, but I don't pay retail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
your mum
a Cross Country Rider
from dingwall Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
strathpuffer
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
squarewheels!
Strengths:
bright as hell, light, looks good
Weaknesses:
erm.... i have only used the head mount, as i use minewt x2 duals on the bars
Similar Products Used:
minewt x2 duals on my bars...
Bike Setup:
cube ltd pro, although i have an ams hpc carbon full suss ordered!
Bottom Line:
really bright, light tight head light ite. seriously xc riders and marathon dh users should get this thing, not for commuting, they get by with 10 lumens
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lhbert
a Weekend Warrior
from la habra, ca, usa Date Reviewed: August 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
big sycamore loop
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$345.00
Purchased At:
whittier cyclery
Strengths:
bright, easy mounting system, long run times
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
turbo cat halogen
Bike Setup:
2008 trek fuel ex 9
Bottom Line:
This is my first LED system and it took a little getting used to the blue light coming over from a halogen system; however, I really love the lighting now. The light mounts easily to all sizes of handle bars and does not slip. The battery has a rubber base and velcro strap; I mount it to the downtube to avoid any interference with shifting or brake cables and the battery has not moved at all. I like indicator light on the battery to let you know when it is done charging. This a great reliable easy to use light, you definitely can't go wrong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bog
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey, BC Date Reviewed: June 18, 2008
* Very night light pattern - not much for hot or dim spots
* Good light penetration - can bomb down trails with no problem
* Very light compared to HID lights
* Should be durable as hell compared to HID
* Battery died on me and wouldn't accept a charge but Nite Rider sent me another one within days and also sent a postage prepaid envelope so I could send the old one back to them. Super quick service with almost no downtime and it didn't cost me a dime! With service like this I can live with the odd failure (the new battery has functioned perfectly).
Weaknesses:
* Can't adjust the head tilt on the fly. When I swith from bike to bike I have to break out the allen key to readjust the head. It should be easier than this.
* Battery died on me and wouldn't accept a charge but Nite Rider sent me another one within days and also sent a postage prepaid envelope so I could send the old one back to them. Super quick service with almost no downtime and it didn't cost me a dime!
Giant Trance XO - Fox F120RLC, XTR 970 drivetrain, Avid Juicy Ultimate brakes, Mavic Crossmax SL wheelset, Thomson stem/post
Bottom Line:
I'm considering buying another one for my helmet this fall. I use it on my handlebars and love the beam pattern/brightness and the light weight of the overall system. I'll buy this or a MiNewt X2 for my helmet. I won't use HID lights anymore because the bulbs are expensive and fragile.
Love this light!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, Wa, USA Date Reviewed: March 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Palisades
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
REI w/20% discount
Strengths:
Nice light pattern and color (this is a follow up review-see my review below)
Weaknesses:
I gave this light another shot (exchanged it at REI) after the cable junctio0n w/battery came loose and broke. Now a month or so later I have 2 more breakdowns! Extension cable had short in it. Button on battery has now failed completely! I also have a buddy who I ride with that has broken the helmet mount too. I have taken it back to REI again and replaced it with the Dinotte 600L...same price, brightness and color, they give you 2 batteries!! much better buttons, mounts, smaller headlight and batteries, seems way better so far.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider HID, Niterider digital classic
Bike Setup:
Maverick ML-7 full XTR
Bottom Line:
I would steer clear from this light unless you don't ride often and like replacing stuff, or maybe you like to ride home in the dark! Get the Dinotte. Unless Niterider re-engineers this light don't buy it!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Austin, Tx, USA Date Reviewed: March 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Barton Creek Greenbelt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
New Revolution Cycles
Strengths:
Lightweight battery, Long burn times, Plenty Bright! Battery indicator... This light has a very clean and even light output. No "hot spots" or glare.
Weaknesses:
The light head itself is kinda heavy. The casing is made out of alloy so you probably won't break it, but it is a bit heavy. But the battery is super lightweight.
Also the helmet mount is kind of a pain to get set-up or to switch back and forth between helmet and bar mounts.
Similar Products Used:
Nite rider Firestorm
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumper Hardtail. Thompson stem and post, FSA bars, Sram x9, XTR brakes...blah blah blah
Bottom Line:
I love this light. It is so bright I just run it on my handlebars, its plenty bright, I usually just run it in its lowest brightness setting. This light has an awesome light spectrum. It's just very clean and even lighting. Great peripheral lighting.
The HID I had before was just a spotlight. I never really liked it.
I highly recommend this light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig Cavy
a
from San Jose, Ca Date Reviewed: February 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
I road cycle/commute
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
The beam; the main body or the "spot" as it can be called is nice and broad with some spill which is what I could call a "usuable" beam; it puts most of the light in my path of travel and the remainder along the periphery. Excellent.
Weaknesses:
The battery size.. the thing is pretty darn big so there's no hope of fitting it under a 110mm+ stem or even along the bottom of the handlebars, both of which can be done with L&M's Li-Ion battery.
Also, the battery's velcro strap works only so well. When I strap it to my top tube, I have to do so as tightly as possible or the battery will rotate along the axis of the strap, such that the ends protrude. Niterider could've used either a broader velcro strap or two smaller ones mounted at the battery's ends to solve this.
The light head mount is also problematic if you use it on a road bike with dual control shifters because the shifter cables run across the front of the handlebars, thus across the beam of the light if you strap it at the center of the handlebars. I found an aftermarket mount to elevate the lighthead above the shifter cables but Niterider could've offered its own mount if they'd had the foresight to do so. I would've paid them $20-30 for a separate mount.
Similar Products Used:
Light & Motion ARC HID- solid mount usable on any handlebar; nice compact/lightweight/solidly-mounted battery; light-to-battery plug is both easy to grasp and is well sealed. The ARC is better than the Trinewt in all these respects.
Bike Setup:
2004 Novara Strada (road bike)
Bottom Line:
The beam of the light is good but the light head mount, battery size/weight and battery mount leave something to be desired. I wanted an LED light as good as my L&M ARC HID but I should've gotten DiNotte's 600L as I believe it wouldn't have had the shortcomings that the Trinewt does.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
a Racer
from Erie, PA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Competitive Gear
Strengths:
Produces a powerful beam of light. Its comparable to a single headlight from your car. On the road you get at least 30 yards of good lighting on the low setting. The darker it gets outside, the better the TriNewt performs. Its super tough and should be able to take a beating. some reviewers seemed concerned with the bar mounting straps - I think they'll last for a good long time. The light charges fast, 1 hour seems more than enough to top it off.
Weaknesses:
While it a great light, there are a few areas where NiteRider could up their game. While not a portly light by any stretch, the head unit would be too heavy for a helmet mount in a 24 hour event. On the positive side, there is not chance of this sucker getting damaged in a crash.
The mounting hardware makes pointing the beam a bit more difficult that it should be. I'm a bit nervous at how the retaining bolt comes loose - a lock washer should help this. So my solution has been to crank it down. In all fairness, once you get your beam position dialed in you really shouldn't be fussing with it too much.
Finally, the documentation that comes with the light isn't very clear. I only realized that it had a day-time flashing mode after reading someone else's review.
Similar Products Used:
AAA-battery LED lights. The most effective comparision is that with the TriNewt when I come down the road at night cars will wait to pull out even when I'm 100 yards away. A real confidence booster.
Bike Setup:
Currently riding the TriNewt on my cyclocross bike with fenders, knobbies, and bikerack with milk crate, on the winter roads in Erie PA.
Bottom Line:
For your money you'll get a light that will protect you on your night commutes and should have the burn times to hold out in 24 hour events. Look at NiteRider's list of supported events and you'll have some support at this summers races. A quality light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from AZ Date Reviewed: January 17, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Broad, white beam pattern
Weaknesses:
heavy light head
Similar Products Used:
Blowtorch HID, Digital Pro Halogen
Bottom Line:
This light works best on the bars due to its broad beam pattern. It really lights up the side of the trail to give you perspective. I run a MiNewt X2 on the helmet which is the perfect combination with a spot beam pattern. I have no problems with high speed descents with this combination. I believe they could save some weight from this light quite easily.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Racer
from Sacramento Date Reviewed: January 10, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Nice white light. Holds charge well. Strobe.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't cast far ahead. Light pattern. Hard to aim and adjust. Overall poor design
Similar Products Used:
Vistalite Code 25 Jetlites Shadow 2600
Bottom Line:
Basically, I thought this light just simply wasn't worth the $300+ price tag. I owned this light for about 1 month and ended up sending it back because I couldn't justify the $300 I spent on it for the performance it gives. I commute to work by bike everyday and need a reliable light that is easy to use and adjust.
The good is that the white light from the three leds is very pleasant color-wise. Although I didn't get a chance to do any very long rides, it did hold a charge well and charged quickly. The strobe feature is incredibly eye catching for day time riding.
The bad is pretty much everything else. Despite some of the light shots that are floating around the web, the light really doesn't cast very far ahead and I was out running the light at any speed above 15 mph. The light pattern was too diffuse to the sides and not bright enough straight ahead. The light is almost impossible to adjust on the fly. This includes several very poor design features including the light switch on the battery which makes it difficult to switch light levels if the battery is in your pocket and impossible if it is in backpack. Also both the handlebar and helmet mounting setups are had to adjust on the fly. The handlebar mount is either moveable, in which case it gradually loosens itself so that it flops around, or if you wish to keep it from flapping around it must be so tight as to be unadjustable. The new adjustment feature that niterider is hyping simply does not work. Also, I found the straight cords to be highly annoying (I much prefer the flexible, stretchable phone cord type cords ).
All in all I decided to stick with my vistalite nightstick with one 5w and one 15w halogen lights ($100 5 years ago), until I can find something better. The two cheapo vistalites work much better than the much more expensive trinewt.
I returned the trinewt and recently purchased a Jetlites Shadow 2600 for the same price as I paid for the trinewt. The Jetlites light is absolutely a significantly better light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, WA Date Reviewed: January 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Palisades
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Strengths:
Very even bright light, Battery life is good
Weaknesses:
Placement of the on/off switch is kinda lame for Helmet mounting( I have come up with a good solution-Velcro strap the battery to my camelback shoulder strap~Works very well and the on/off button is right there), battery/chord connection pulled out last night after only 10 rides or so, so I will take it back for an exchange hopefully it won't happen again although it seems like a weakness of the design to attatch the cable right to the battery where it can pull out pretty easy and even said it right when I bought it, mount for helmet a bit quirky too but works pretty good once dialed in
Similar Products Used:
Niterider HID Blowtorch
Bike Setup:
Maverick ML7...full XTR....fox shocks F&R
Bottom Line:
Love the light, but it is a bit quirky in a few ways. Light it very ample and quite even with no "spot" like my HID, works great for tight fast singletrack, easy on the eyes too, I hope they redesign it soon though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil
a
from Aiea, HI Date Reviewed: December 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
roadie
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
McCulky Bike
Strengths:
Another fine NiteRider product (well conceived product), LED, low heat, great brightness, no warm-up, instant on and instant intensity change and good product positioning although it's intensity will rival other HID lighting systems.
Weaknesses:
A bit heavy, not a real concern.
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Flight and MiNewt.X2 dual.
Bike Setup:
Standard road bike.
Bottom Line:
Excellent lighting system, almost as bright as HID lights but without the it's shortcomming. I'd like to see a TriNewt Dual, ~1000 lumens! Good purchase a bit expensive for just a lighting system but cheaper than most HID systems with almost the same output.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rp24Hours
a Cross Country Rider
from Irvine CA Date Reviewed: December 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Bikeman.com
Strengths:
Nearly as bright as my NiteRider HID, light weight, great run time, not much difference between Low and High settings, instant "on", simple mounting system.
Weaknesses:
Helmet mount is a little difficult to set up and cannot be adjusted on the fly, mounting system is too simple and does not provide enough vertical clearance to see over the cables and hydraulic brake hoses. Yet one more battery charger to add to my collection.
Similar Products Used:
Nite Rider HID systems, Light & Motion Vega LED, and a lot of low-end stuff.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth, XTR/X.0 set up for endurance racing.
Bottom Line:
I picked up my first TriNewt in September and have raced it several times so far with excellent results. NiteRider says in its ads that it is their brightest light. Well, almost. My Extech light meter says 560 lumens for the TriNewt at 3 meters with a white background as compared to slightly more than 600 for my NiteRider HID. On the trail, I have been riding with the Trinewt and the HID and it does not get washed out by the HID. I have run the combo both ways (HID on bars, LED on my helmet and vice versa) and cannot say which I like better. Runnung the TriNewt on the bars allows for power setting changes or a shutdown if you like while climbing. Putting the HID on the bars means that I have to use the bottle cage for the battery. The TriNewt battery is very light and you don't even notice it when it's in a jersey pocket. I've been so pleased with the performance, I just picked up a second one. Three chilis for value since it is a bit pricey, but it delivers and the battery life is great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Stackhouse
a Cross Country Rider
from Sanford, Maine, USA Date Reviewed: December 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mt Agamenticus
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
UniversalCycles.com
Strengths:
Bright, broad pattern, Bright, long burn time, Bright.
Weaknesses:
If you use as a helmet light the switch on the battery could be difficult to reach. Had some difficulty aiming it with the single screw mount on the domed clamp. Took trial and error of mount and remount until I finally got it right. If you move this light from bike to bike this might be a nuisance.
Similar Products Used:
Topeak Moonshine HID
Bike Setup:
Raleigh XXIX, TriNewt on handlebar, Moonshine HID on helmet.
Bottom Line:
The trinewt lights the trail like it is daylight. The pattern throws great distance and has even and broad spread. I use it on the handlebar where the beam is low enough so the brightness does not wash out the terrain and throws great shadows making it easy to pick a line in rough technical terrain. I thought my HID was bright until I mounted this puppy. I can't even see the HID beam if I shine it where the TriNewt is pointed. The handlebar mount is also easy to manipulate. I wonder how the rubber strap will hold up as the years go buy but as long as it lasts it is very simple to mount. I wish the mount (between the light head and the clamp) allowed for slight side-to-side tweaks without using a wrench but this doesn't seem possible so a bit tedious to get aimed at first but holds well in place thereafter.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from San Frasisco, CA Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any with jumps
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Strengths:
I don't have enough space to write all the stuff I like about this light. I've owned several lights, and this is by far the best. Brightness, battery life, quality light enclosure.
Weaknesses:
I would recommend mounting on the bar. It's a little heavy on the helmet. A little on the pricey, but I guess you pay for what you get...
Bottom Line:
If your debating on whether to buy a trinewt, stop. Buy one today, you won't be disappointed, I guarantee it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Racer
from Melbourne, Vic, Australia Date Reviewed: December 3, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Won at Kona 24hr
Strengths:
battery life- smaller than HID- amazing light compared even to HID- simplicity
Weaknesses:
NONE- PERFECT
Similar Products Used:
niterider flight, Nitepro Halogen
Bike Setup:
2008 Stumpjumper with Crossmax SL's Michelin XC Dry 2.0
Bottom Line:
I thought my HID Flight was the bomb until I used this at the Kona 24hr on the weekend. WHAT A LIGHT! I had the miNewt on the handlebars and couldn't even tell it was on. I noticed one of the other guys said that he had this on his handlebar and the mi-newt on his head- I'll tell you now that there is no way you need two lights when using this one on your head. If you can handle a bit of weight on your head (which is fine with a decent helmet that fits snug ie- no movement) then this is the way to go. The light instilled even more confidence than the Flight and I pulled out personal bests at night- in fact my best lap was at 4am! Thank you Niterider for giving me this unit- I won't ever go back to HID.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LKN2RYD
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Beach, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: November 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Relatively small, very bright on low or high. The LED light spectrum is not white like a flash nor yellow like a HID/Halogen. It is easy on the eyes...if your behind it - you are blind if you're infront of it! The price is not too outrageous. (Mine had a few scratches so the shop discounted it for me) The rubber mounting strap is heavier duty than its little brother the MiNewt. Comes with bar and helmut mounting hardware.
Weaknesses:
Size of the Li-ion battery. The gimbal swivel thing-a-ma-gig. It loosened every time I adjusted the light on the bar mount.
Similar Products Used:
NR Moab, Cygolite?? (commute), Specialized Fireballs (Not so good)
Bike Setup:
Intense Tracer, Specialized S-works M4
Bottom Line:
Love the lights color and spread. Comfortable going scary fast at night with the light. I also use it for commuting now. Battery life is long. Good for 12-hour races... Worth the cash after seeing my friends lights that were similar in price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jack
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Rosa, CA Date Reviewed: November 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any with dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$302.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Hands down the brightest light I've ridden with. LED's won't break when dropped or during a crash. Comes with extension cable and dual mounting hardware. Quality built product. Battery life on low is incredible! I got 6.5 hours out of it. I could have gotten more, but I didn't want to risk it.
Weaknesses:
The switch is located on the battery pack. If you want to stash it in your pack, you have to reach back to turn it off or adjust brightness. Possible rubber strap on the handle bar mount, only time will tell. A tad on the heavy side for helmet mount.
Similar Products Used:
Jet Lite, and Nite-Rider HID Unit's
Bike Setup:
Blur XC, XT/XTR mix, Mavic crossmax SL rims.
Bottom Line:
I would defiantly buy another one. Much better than having to buy bulbs when they burn out or break. This light rivals any HID system I've ridden with and it costs less!! The Li-poly battery is a bonus.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Oak Park, California, USA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cheseboro Palo Commado
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
Westlake Cycles
Strengths:
AWESOME Stadium Flood Lamp!
Weaknesses:
Heavy for head, bleached trails from head, but PERFECT when on handlebars combined with MiNewt.X2 on head.
Similar Products Used:
MiNewt.X2
Bike Setup:
Klein Rascal HT mostly XTR, soon to be supplemented by new Klein Palomino
Bottom Line:
I am now commuting over trails at night three times a week. I first bought the TriNewt on my helmet. But, it was a bit heavy up there and it really bleached out the rocks and bumps with no shadows. The shop suggested adding a halogen to the handlebars. I did that, and it was useless with the TriNewt massively overpowering it. I called NiteRider. They laughed at that combo - and said I should put the TriNewt on the handlebars and get the MiNewt.X2 for the helmet. WOW! It's like a stadium flood lamp. What a combo. I can see the trail perfectly now, all the bumps and rocks AND with the MiNewt.X2 on my head, I also see whatever I look to the side at. And the lighter MiNewt.X2 on my head doesn't even seem like it is there. In fact, my daylight 58 minute ride is only increased by about 2 minutes in the dark. So, it's really something.
There is also something about two lights kind of hard to explain but is definitely there. When I just had the TriNewt on the head, yes, I had light wherever I looked. But, something about swinging to where I was going seemed to be a little unnerving. Now with the TriNewt facing forward at all times, with it's ridiculously long and wide beam, it somehow works so much better.
I realize the combo is pretty pricey. But, it's opened up a whole new world and commuting for me.
Oh, and one night I had to go home with just the MiNewt.X2 on my head. It definitely showed the way, but I'm soooo spoiled by the TriNewt that it just wasn't good enough anymore.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hogboy
a Racer
from massachusetts Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
PR
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Bikeman
Strengths:
Nice build, new mounting system seems weird but it is better than clamps. It is bright as an HID with a better type of light that makes it easier to see than HID. hard to explain, but this light is better than any previous NR HID light. Now, anyone can make an LED light, but what makes LED's last forever is if they stay cool. This TriNewt as the pictures show, you see the heatsink fins. Well, when you actually handle one of these lights you see those heatsink fins go all around the back and has incredible airflow. NR did their homework.
Weaknesses:
actually, none really. I have been using NR lights for years and they really got a good design here. It isn't the brightest light on earth, you can shop for more lumens or whatnot. But the overall package, and incredible brightness, all together, this thing is the best NR has offered to date. I have yet to test battery life and runtime in freezing weather, if it is poor, this could be a weakness. I have only run it 2 hours at 35 degrees and it was great.
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Blowtorch, NiteOwl, Classic, Dinotte 200, NiteRider MiNewt X2 (the X2 is a cool light!)
Bike Setup:
CX race bike, Hardtail mountain bike, Surly 1x1, Surly Karate Monkey, and a Brompton. I will use this light on all of them
Bottom Line:
Awesome light for hammering singletrack at night, or riding the road at high speeds and not overdriving the beam. The beam reachs way out in front, and wide to the sides. It honestly is a very well designed package. And I am pretty happy that bikeman.com sells these for 300 beans when most others sell tham at 400 beans. woot !
5 flaming turds for bikeman, 5 flaming turds for niterider
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Parsons
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaverton, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: November 7, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
BRIGHT Light! Wide pattern, Great for dark trails/roads. Multiple lighting options (Hi 486 lumens / Lo about 276 lumens / Flash). Long run times (Hi 3:30hrs / Lo 7hrs / flash ???? but it's a long time), Fast charging batteries (w/overcharge protection). Lamp fits on a wide range of handlebar diameters. Complete setup (light/battery/charger/handlebar mount/helmet mount/extension cord/Velcro battery strap/storage case). Online registration for warranty repairs or return if recovered after being stolen.
Weaknesses:
No remote switch, so battery must be kept accessible, and risk exposure to elements (I live in Oregon... We have nearly every type of rain on the planet especially type 17 (dirty blatter so hard it doesn't make much odds if your wipers are on or off) ).
This light *may* be too bright w/o a remote switch, I've blinded a lot of innocent peds, and scared a lot of people who seem to have guilty consciences (they mistake me for a cop).
Lamp isn't compatible with older NR Universal Handlebar Mount. Mount uses a rubber mounting strap, I've got a concern about what happens after it fails? I want at least one spare strap as backup.
System is not compatible with 6v, 12v or NR Universal Tail Lights. Lamp is a bit on the heavy side, but the helmet mound put it on top of your helmet/head and that may counter any drooping of the helmet (I haven't tested this).
You cannot purchase an adapter to convert the system to a wireless system. The battery doesn't have the wireless receiver circuitry.
My major complaint is that this light doesn't vaporize cars.. ;)
Similar Products Used:
NR MiNewt X2s (2x), NR Wireless TriNewt, NR Classic Pluses (pre and post 2k), NR Evolution Smarts (5x), NR Headtrip, NR Cyclops.
Bike Setup:
2004 Giant Rainier.
Bottom Line:
This light is AWESOME... I haven't had more motorists complain about being able to see me before. Imagine Edith Bunker yelling "You are so Annoying!"
I've had several motorists approach me after I've nearly competed my commute and say "There's no way anybody can miss seeing you". Unfortunately, they were wrong... When I was hit by the car at night with 2x MiNewt X2's and the TriNewt on, the driver said that he didn't see me(He got ticketed, I got a broken leg). Not the light's fault... He didn't even look.
I'd recommend this to anybody who's going to do trail riding, night commuting, day commuting (flash), where they set light level they want and don't adjust it again until they finish the ride. Otherwise, be prepared to shield the light to avoid blinding peds.
I took steps to protect the battery from accidental damage from drops and moisture penetration (using a modifed waterbottle to shield it. Search "GPS, Lighting and Computer" forum for NiteRider TriNewt for instructions).
I've never owned a brighter light, anything beyond this could be mistaken for a supernova or a nuclear blast. With this light, it is possible to move from sharing the road to owning it outright.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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