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CatEye HL-EL530 Lights
Product DescriptionThis light sets a new standard in brightness for an alkaline battery lamp, producing over 1500 candlepower from a single white LED. The latest in LED design and Opticube lens technology.Mtbr Bike Lights Shootout - over 50 bike lights reviewed, photographed and measured here.
User Reviews
Submitted by
Richard Beck
a Cross Country Rider
from Conyers, GA use Date Reviewed: August 25, 2011 Strengths: I have been using two of these EL 530 mounted on both fork blades on two machines and I love ‘em. Takes 4 AAs, lasts all night, and oncoming traffic lowers their high beams for me! My fork blade mounting brackets puts the light beams lower to illuminate objects better. The beams light up reflective road signs 300 yards ahead. Mounting them on the forks also keeps my handlebars free of clutter. These are the only lights I need for night riding on roads. Weaknesses: None Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: The '96 Olympic Course Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $45.00 Purchased At: LBS Bike Setup: Two Cateye EL 530 on fork blades, within reach and can be easily re_adjusted depending on conditions.  
Submitted by
Thuli
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: April 6, 2011 Strengths: Nice bright light, quite powerful for aa battery powered Weaknesses: The clip broke and now the whole thing is broken, won't turn on. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $60.00 Purchased At: ebay Similar Products Used: Home made lights, tiny cheap dual aa powered light 
Submitted by
OOShabadu
a Weekend Warrior
from Washington County, VA, USA Date Reviewed: January 18, 2011 Strengths: Very long run life, no need to recharge, just swap the batteries. Good point of focus, has good long range. I would compare it to a LED headlamp I have rated at 110 lumens. But with a longer range due to the beam focus. Weaknesses: Like everyone says, the strap clamp is substandard, but i have found the cure, wrap some athletic tape around your bars 3 or 4 times, then use the strap. It has stayed in place for a few months that way. It is a little bulky, but so am I, so who cares. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Iron Mountain Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $41.00 Purchased At: Ebay Similar Products Used: Coleman Xtreme LED head lamp, Cree Bike Setup: Rockin' it old school, '98 Jamis Dakar (CroMoly), LX derailleurs, XT crank, Panaracer Fire XC, Avid Single digit 7's, original Sun Rims with LX hubs, can't break 'em. 
Submitted by
Shawn
a Racer
from PA Date Reviewed: October 25, 2009 Strengths: Bright light in focal zone. Easy mount Weaknesses: TOOOOOOOOOOOO bright in focal zone. EL500 is a much better light. EL530 is way too focused. You cannot look from focal zone to edge of light without feeling like you are blind. Stay with the EL500 PLEASE. Come on Cateye!!!! Why did you go and screw a good thing up? Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: pavement Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $35.00 Purchased At: trexlertown Similar Products Used: El500 Bike Setup: Trek Madon 5.5, Token Corsa (lovit!!!!)
Submitted by
bikemaniac
a Racer
from Copenhagen, Denmark Date Reviewed: September 6, 2009 Strengths: Very very bright for at battery light using AA batteries. Weaknesses: Contcacts, see below Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Northern Tier Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $50.00 Purchased At: ww.dcf.dk Similar Products Used: None Bike Setup: Optima Trike
Submitted by
PEDALman
a Cross Country Rider
from Juarez,chihuahua mex Date Reviewed: July 3, 2009 Strengths: the mounting braket is asomw you can put in seconds it fits all handlebars i very power full Weaknesses: is too focus the beam and big Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: singletrack Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $63.00 Purchased At: power shots Similar Products Used: schwinn and bell Bike Setup: turbo tlaloc
Submitted by
Muddy Puddle
a Cross Country Rider
from South East England Date Reviewed: May 13, 2009 Strengths: It lights up when you switch it on. Weaknesses: Central beam too narrow and diffuses quickly at the edges. 3 years on and this Cateye product still has a crap handlebar mount consisting of a flimsy plastic strap that passes through a cheap screw thing which shears the thread if tightened too tight but if you don't tighten it up, enough the whole unit starts to rotate around the handlebar and you either end up illumunating the heavens or your front wheel. (Beware Cateye's rear light also have similar clamps and just as crap) Obviously Cateye don't listen to their customers or can't be arsed to. Luckily I found my old Cateye headlight mount (10 years old) and it fits perfectly and is so much better quality and is solid as a rock Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: North and South Downs Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $55.00 Purchased At: Evans Cycles Similar Products Used: As I said an old Cateye front lamp model not known Bike Setup: C Boardman team FS, Suspension RockShox Monarch 3.3 Air/Reba Race, Stem Ritchey Comp, H/bar Ritchey Comp Rizer, Brakes Avid Elixir R with 160mm rotors, Gears Sram X7/9, BB Truvativ GXP, Tyres Continental Speed Kings 2.1"
Submitted by
Mortiss
a Cross Country Rider
from Epperstone, Nottinghamshire, UK Date Reviewed: October 17, 2008 Strengths: Plenty of light for the price. Easy to mount (no tools required) Simple design. Uses AA Bateries Works! Weaknesses: Mounting bracket is not the sturdiest and light tends to move around if bumped or on long bumpy rides. No dim setting (but then I did buy it because I wanted more light) Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Anything with lots of technical climbs Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $80.00 Purchased At: Evans Cycles Similar Products Used: Petzl Head torch, blacks Head torch Bike Setup: Stock Claude Butler Cape Wrath D27 with Shimano PD-M520 pedals. (New Saddle on order, this bike has the worst saddle in the history of saddles)
Submitted by
the haro master
a Weekend Warrior
from tucson ,az Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008 Strengths: Bright, easy to mount, easy to turn on Weaknesses: kinda big but doesn't really bother me Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: fantasy island Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $25.00 Purchased At: ebay Bike Setup: Haro Escape 08
Submitted by
Peter Treloar
a Downhiller
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: July 14, 2008 Strengths: Looked like a more serious commuting headlight to purchase after reading reviews here, especially as compact battery mount. Weaknesses: Lasted one night before launching itself off my handlebars when going over a minor bump. Now broken, not sure how to fix. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Bike Commute Home Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $80.00 Purchased At: Ebay Similar Products Used: Planet Bike Blaze Half Watt Led Bike Setup: Trek 7200 Hybrid
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Tulsa Date Reviewed: February 17, 2008 Strengths: Well constructed. Can survive being dropped. Easy on/off. Weaknesses: not very bright Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $40.00 Purchased At: ebay
Submitted by
simon
a Cross Country Rider
from newbury, uk Date Reviewed: November 25, 2007 Strengths: Good amount of light for the money and uses 4x AA batteries. Long burn time. Quick and easy to remove from mount, switch is easy to use with gloves on. Weaknesses: The mount, it really is bad. I took the mount off my bike over the summer and put it back on again for the winter, I think I'll leave it on in future as it'll probably break if I take it off and put it back on again. Difficult to get mount to do up tight enough with the thumb wheel (no screwdriver slot) and even when its on it doesn't hold the lamp very stable. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 1 Year Price Paid: $90.00 Purchased At: lbs Similar Products Used: None Bike Setup: Giant Terrago used for on/off road commuting every day.
Submitted by
gerry
a Weekend Warrior
from hicksville, New York Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007 Strengths: Easy and quick to install. Takes four easy to find AA batteries. Nice combination of spot and flood. Light weight without the need for a heavy seperate battery pack and the included wiring. Low price for a light of this brightness. Weaknesses: Mount is a little flimsey. Probably not adaquate for dark country roads where high speeds can be attained going down hills where you would "out run" the beam. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $50.00 Purchased At: ebay as part of a package Similar Products Used: First light ever. Bike Setup: Raleigh Super Couse road bike. Mostly Shimano 600 components precurser to Uletgra.
Submitted by
Bod
a Cross Country Rider
from Kent, UK Date Reviewed: November 4, 2007 Strengths: Good spot light for up to 20 yrds in front of you. Weaknesses: Poor mounting causes light to slip, so needs constant adjustment on bumpy raos surfaces Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $75.00
Submitted by
Jason
from Denver, co usa Date Reviewed: October 27, 2007 Strengths: The light provides a bright spot beam that lights up far away objects. Weaknesses: The first year I had this light it worked great. Second year the light is working intermittently. If I hit a bump, light goes dim, hit another bump light goes bright. Also the mount constantly needs adjusting to keep light pointing straight ahead. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: any place I can pass cars Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $55.00 Purchased At: rei Similar Products Used: Nite-Rider Road Rat Bike Setup: Bianchi Pista, Trek 520
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