Submitted by
jasjin
a Cross Country Rider
from Truckee, CA
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2008
Strengths: 3 stage light (low, medium, high), easily selected with a pop button on the light head. Fairly lightweight. Excellent battery life and illumination.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
Purchased for two police bikes. Illumination is superb, battery life excellent. I like this system so much, if I ever do any dusk/night trail riding, this is the one I will buy. I would probably supplement it with a helmet mounted light as well to balance the shadows. Overall, worth the money and a good value.
Submitted by
Frs1661
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2008
Strengths: Very bright white light for a Halogen. Handlebar mount has proven durable through numerous crashes. Decent battery life as well.
Weaknesses: NiMH makes for a bulky and heavy Battery... but IMO a good place to compromise for value. Not int
Bottom Line:
I've never been disappointed by the performance of my Jetlite. Great light for the money. However, if you can afford it there are LED and HID lights that offer better performance and lighter weight.
Submitted by
ilker tunay
a Weekend Warrior
from st. louis, mo
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007
Strengths: Strong light with good contrast and pleasing color. Good, screw in wire jacks.
Weaknesses: The "intelligent charger" went bust after about 1.5 years of occasional use, and since the warranty is only 1 year long now I have to purchase it again. There is no low charge indicator, except for the light turning "yellow", so you need to watch out for complete discharge, which can potentially damage the battery.
Bottom Line:
Good light, but the charger reliability is a serious problem.
Submitted by
John Boudreau
a Weekend Warrior
from Riverside, CA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2007
Strengths: Solid dependable construction
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I commute to work 4 days a week. My commute starts at 5am. This is the brightest halogen light I have owned that is rugged enough to take the abuse that an 18.8 mph ave. commute can dish out. The pot holes and broken glass are as easy to see as if it were daylight! Traffic actually waits for me to pass and that is something that none of the other lights I have used would have caused. I have been told that the light is bright enough to be mistaken as motorcycle. My commutes are about 45 minutes so I always have plenty of battery. Crashed at 19 mph in March this year. Broke my neck, broke my wrist, broke my bike, but not my Jetlite. Want a light that is hassle free, dependable, and rugged? This is it. Think the price is to high? How much is your life worth?
Similar Products Used: Cygolite (original bulb lasted 15 minutes and so did the replacement), Cateye (led aa light. I carry it in my pack as a back-up and a flashlight. Haven't had to use it as a back-up)
Bike Setup: Giant OCR C2 Formula 1 with Bionx 36 volt lithium-ion battery and 350 watt pedal assist rear hub
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Claremont, Ca USA
Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Strengths: I love this light! I use it for daily commuting and have never been dissatisfied with its performance. The beam stregnth, spread and adjustability are excellent. I've owned 4 OTHER lights prior to this, found faults with them all and would recommend this light to anyone. Why do I like it? Decent price point; easy on & off quick-release mounting; water bottle battery; great construction and machine work; strong battery-to-light connector; big on/off button that you can find with gloves on; great smart charger that none of my other lights had; looks good on the bike. If I were to use this light for mountain bike night riding, I'd recommend the 20 watt lamp, but the 12 watt is just fine for commuting.
Bottom Line:
I'd buy a Jet Lite product again without even looking at the competition first.
Submitted by
vic
a Weekend Warrior
from fairfield ca
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2006
Strengths: very bright,well made,best connectors,long burn times,
Weaknesses: absolutely none
Bottom Line:
these lights are absolutely as good as all the reviews you have read.my buddies and i ride in some of the most technical areas in the bay area hence the name ROCKville.we ride with the helmut mounted 20 watt flood light and the 12 watt spot on the handlebar.you dont really need the 12 watt spot but what the %#!!.we ride at full speed and there is nothing like it.it has made me a better rider also.the first time i rode with another friend who owns a dual light from the other company my single headlight was brighter than both of his on at full power.do yorself a favor and buy the best the name is Jet!
Submitted by
Scott Simmons
a Racer
from Austin, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2006
Strengths: High quality construction, Brillance
Weaknesses: none that I can think of
Bottom Line:
I'm mainly a roadie, commuter & racer I've been using this light for nearly a year and have dodged many a pothole, debris & cars because of it. Motorists really do see you. Yes, at first I had a hard time swallowing the price, but I can think back on many occaisions where motorists simply wouldn't have seen me with lesser AA battery operated lights (sorry, not one of them is sufficient to get motorists attention) thus this light has saved my life many times. Something I'd easily sacrifice $300 for. Enough said.
Strengths: Light housing and handlebar mount are very well made; twist lock connector is foolproof; fuel gauge is accurate and a lifesaver; great all-round system.
Weaknesses: none that I've seen
Bottom Line:
Jet Lites makes a great product. I have found no weaknesses. I've tried a few other lights, and the quality of construction on the Jet is far superior to the other stuff I've tried or looked at. If you don't mind dropping the coin, you won't be disappointed.
Similar Products Used: Cateye, Performance ViewPoint
Bike Setup: Kona Hoss
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Gilbert, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2005
Strengths: This baby has saved my bacon time and again. It is rock-solid reliable. The build quality is outstanding. The handlebar bracket is nothing short of fine machinery, plus the design allows not only easy aiming-while riding but also quick changes from bike to bike, road or mountain. So glad I went with this instead of HID. The light is natural, the beam pattern lights up the way perfectly. Since I stop and go a lot, having halogen's instant-on technology is a big plus for me. The Smart Switch allows me to extend the burn time (plenty of light for most purposes at the lower setting, and good enough for being seen at the lowest setting), the Fuel Gage keeps me informed of remaining power. The Smart Charger is as good as it gets - I set up a recharge station in a room off the garage and just keep the battery plugged in all the time. I have the handlebar mount 12w 13.2 v flood version, which lights the way like it was day. I also have a 6v - 15w headlamp on my helmet, which is used as a weapon to ward off cars approaching from the side, and boy do they get the message. I'm working on a mirror attachment so I can ward off those trying to run me over from behind, too. As for customer service, a call to Jet Lites gets you the man in charge, who really cares about his roduct and customers. He is extremely helpful.
Weaknesses: At lower power settings, there is some squealing AM radio interference which sounds like Rush Limbaugh about to run out of his little pills.
Bottom Line:
If you want great light, great design, great quality, night after night reliability, then this is the light for you, whether road racer, commuter, downhiller, or just casual street rider - if you can pony up the cash, go for the halogen 13.2 v Jet Lites with Smart Switch and Fuel Gage, I promise you won't be sorry. And if you are looking to buy a cyclist who rides after dark a great Christmas present ever, Jet Lites is the way to go.
Similar Products Used: Just an assortment of 4-AA lights, some of which were decent, but none of which are anywhere near the leage of these Jet Lites.
Bike Setup: Twenty different ones from K2 Razorback to 1964 Schwinn Super Sport road bike.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
IronMac
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, ON. Canada
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2005
Strengths: Works as advertised!
Weaknesses: None so far and I don't expect any!
Bottom Line:
Today's the second anniversary of my review on this light and I am happy to report that things are just going great.
I've been using it constantly on my early morning rides (4 am) over the past two years and I feel incredibly safe using it. I look at others on the street using those little LED lights and I can't help but laugh. This light has gotten the seal of approval by at least one police officer who waved me through an intersection.
I'm also extremely happy that I went with the SmartSwitch option because of its versatility. I don't see how anyone can go wrong with purchasing this light.
Submitted by
Manuel Islas
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Monica, CA USA
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2005
Strengths: Very well designed unit. Excellent workmanship. Powerful beam. The wire connections screw together tightly, not loose at all. The quick release handlebar mount works great! Highly adjustable handlebar mount, doesn't move by itself, only when you want it to. Very high quality quick release handlebar mount.
Weaknesses: Smart charger looks a little fragile but works.
Bottom Line:
I was surprised at the high quality and the good design of the unit. Pay the extra 20 dollars for the powersaver head. If you can afford it, get the fuel gauge option, that way you can tell exactly how much juice you have left. I have the 12 watt bulb, and for my use, riding on city streets, it serves my purpose well. The Cateye I also have is fine, but the beam is too much of a spot light and doesn't iluminate the road too much. I e-mailed Jet Lites twice with questions and Jim answered me the same day. Get this light.
Similar Products Used: Cateye HL 500, Serfas LED light.
Bike Setup: GT Talera
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from cerritos, ca. usa
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2005
Strengths: Very reliable
Weaknesses: Old cables
Bottom Line:
I used the lights for about one year. Everything was working fine then one of the cables were giving me troubles so I sent the lights in for service. Jim at Jetlites reccommended to upgrade all the cables to the new ones. The problem was they sent the lights to my old address and the lights were lost. To my delight, Jim just sent new ones at no cost. WOW! what a customer service, I reccommed this company because the lights work great and they back it up with awesome service. The new cables are far better then any other lights out there hands down. Great product and great service. Thanks JetLites
Submitted by
Freddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Harbor City, CA USA
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2004
Strengths: Very bright and clean 20 watt white flood beam, great handlebar bracket (think of the quality of a Salsa Flip Lock seat collar), 5 hour smart charger, power saver modes, and AWESOME customer service.
Weaknesses: None so far!
Bottom Line:
I'm delighted with this Jet Lite purchase. HID "technology" is not for me. I sent my Light and Motion ARC HID back in for repairs twice for the same problem (and now the problem is back). The light sometimes will and sometimes will not reignite after turning it off. On more than one occasion, this gave me some serious stress 12 miles out on a pitch black trail. Look at the reviews and you will find that reliability(something that is most important for a light) is still sketchy with HID systems.
With 20 watts on the maximum brightness setting, my Starfire single beam definitely provides enough light for technical singletrack trails. And even if you run it at the maximum brightness setting, there is still a comfortable 2 hour burn time. Use the power saver modes and get up to 4 hours of burn time. With a Jet Lite you really don't need a dual beam setup and remember, dual beams do drain the battery more.
That said I think I'll probably still be adding a single beam spot with a lightweight 6 volt battery for my helmet. This, I feel, will give me the best possible setup. With that I can climb with the Starfire in one of the lower wattage settings and then flick the helmet light on and fire up the Starfire to the maximum brightness setting when things get really nasty.
One last thing I really want to mention is that Jim at Jet Lites (as the other reviewers have mentioned) is an awesome guy to talk to. He patiently fielded all of my questions and then sent out my light immediately so that I received it in just a couple of days.
It's so disappointing when you read or listen to the hype on a product and end up spending your hard earned dollars on something that genuinely sucks. With a Jet Lite you will never have to worry about that. What you will get is a solid, dependable product that is made by a no nonsense company.
Strengths: Great light. I use it for my daily commute and early morning road rides in Fall, Winter and early Spring. Jim at Jet Lites answers all questions and knows what he's talking about. Excellent service, fast delivery.
- Excellent run time - Fast recharge - Bright, wide light beam (12W) - Durable - Easy to mount
Weaknesses: - Battery takes up a water bottle space
Bottom Line:
After doing battle with two different NightRiders, I read the reviews here for Jet Lite, spent a couple of weeks trading questions and answers with Jim, and bought one directly from Jim and Jet Lites.
It has been an excellent light. I use it for commuting, some on very dark streets. The battery life has been "as advertised," a big change from my NightRiders which were forever shutting down early leaving me riding on busy, dark roads without a headlight. Recharge time is exceedingly quick so if you come home late, the light is ready to go the next morning when you're off to work.
Highly recommended. If you have questions, give Jim a call or drop him an e-mail. He responds quickly and provides plenty of great advice on which light best fits your particular needs.
Bike Setup: LeMond Wayzata (great bike for all-seasons commuting, by the way!)
12W bulb in my Jet
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Don McInnes
a Weekend Warrior
from Port Elgin, Ont., Canada
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2004
Strengths: Quality, quality, quality. I'm a road rider, using this light for commuting on dark country roads, so i need a good light. I have the 20 watt bulb. The ride is about 52 minutes one way, but the last couple of days I've gone on almost 2 hour rides (approx. 1h:50m), and the light has lasted the full time each day. This is a fabulous light, with great projection, as well as adequate peripheral light, so I can see off to the side a bit. The central beam is a consistent solid light, with no variation, and therefore doesn't trick your eyes into seeing something that's really not there. I'm also glad Jim talked me into the smart switch, which allows me to drop the beam intensity when I'm tucked in behind my cycling buddies, waiting my turn at the front. I also really like the off-set light mounting arrangement; it puts the light right over the stem, and "cleans up" my bar, freeing more bar space for hand locations. The "no tools required" bar cam-lock mount goes on the bike in about 30 seconds; great. A friend of mine bought a BLT in the summer for an "adrenalin" ride; he was supposed to get > 2 hours out of his light, and he gets < 45 minutes. Suddenly, my light doesn't seem so expensive; would you rather pay CDN $200 for crap, or CDN $400 for quality? Oh, yeah, I also must say that Jim Taylor was very patient in answering my Emails, and phone calls (they have a toll-free number that works from 'way up here in the Great White North - bonus!).
Weaknesses: Cost. By the time I got it past my front door, it was over CDN $400, so it is not cheap. Also, I would prefer if the connection was made closer to the battery, instead of close to the light. That way, I can take the battery off the bike quickly without removing the whole wiring set, too, if I am going for a daylight ride.
Bottom Line:
This is a fabulous light, and I don't regret buying this light at all. I deliberated for quite a while about what light to buy, after my Nite-hawk went belly-up. The glowing reviews on this web-site about this light, as well as Jim's patience and explanations, finally convinced me that this was the light that I should buy. To this point, anyway, this light has not disappointed. All the reviews written below mine are bang-on. Do you want a strong light? Get this light. Do you want a durable, well-designed light? Get this light. Do you want a light that'll provide an honest 2 hours at 20 watts, and more? Get this light. Do you want a quality product? Get this light. Do you want to regret your purchase? Buy something else. It's true, you know; "Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten."
