Can anyone recommend me some lights? I want to start night riding, and one day perhaps enter one of the 12 or 24 hour bike races, so I need them to last for a decent amount of time...
I know the new LED from hope are highly regarded. The 4 LED will be more than enough. But from experience I would have one on the bar and one on the head, so you could have 2X2 LED.
I would try to see what does other people you'll be riding with have. You don't won't to have much less than what they have or much more. Can't remember about how long the hope last, but I think it should be around 2-4 hours depending on the setting you use the lights.
You can always buy one of these cheap fenix torches for the head. I don't like having weight on the head so I went for expensive and light USE joystick.
The USE Exposure Joystick is a good bit of kit, I use one on my helmet and have the Cateye Triples on my bars. The Cateye triples were only £99 last year and are surprisingly good for one of the cheaper sets of lights around.
Merlin are currently selling lights with an extra 10% off this week only. I ride with a HID that has been problematic (due to battery problems, lamp fogging etc, they are no longer available to buy) and I have decided to order a new HID for this season. I have ordered a Light and Motion ARC Ultra HID which has 6 hours burntime from a Li-ion battery - currently around 240 pounds at Merlin. Several of our group ride with L & M HIDs and they give out a nice light and seem very problem free and spares seem easy to come buy in the event of crash damage. I still prefer HIDs to LEDs myself.
I also have an Exposure Joystick for my head which I bought to make up for the failings of my other light, not sure I'm really going to need it with the L & M but I also use it for commuting.
Can't wait for it to arrive, will have to use my old light this week but it will only be for the last half hour of the ride anyway.