Submitted by
targabill
a Cross Country Rider
from Webster, ma USA
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2010
Strengths: none
Weaknesses: Wire, connections, mounts, you name it
Bottom Line:
for the money there are 20 + light that are better then the nightSUn.. compare the wiring, connections, how hot it gets..the mounting system just SUCKS...
This thing is just a mr16 bulb silicon into a cage..
Trust me buy something else..
Submitted by
The_Mikester
a Cross Country Rider
from Farmers Branch, Texas
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2009
Strengths: Product support! It's the greatest!
But seriously folks, I use this for commuting. Low beam is good for most situations. When I want to make sure cars see me the high beam gets their respect!
Weaknesses: It's not pretty! Looks like it was made in shop class. I have had to replace the battery but then, I have had this since '96.
Bottom Line:
For me, at least, this has been a great commuting light. When I needed a new battery I got the innards from Interstate Batteries website for $40 (search on 'water bottle'). Just had to add a bottle. Fry's has the connector.
Low beam is good; high beam is great. And, the price on the website is within $10 of what I paid for mine over ten years ago.
I have loved night-riding for 25+years and having a good light only makes it better.
Strengths: All metal brick sh@* house. Gives plenty of light, long burn time.
Weaknesses: They sell old NiCd technology for the same price as NmH battery. Customer service.
Bottom Line:
Durable, well made and comparablly priced. There are many bad reviews of lights. The bottom line is that we are using these things in a very harsh, rough environment. Some people ride with more finesse than others, meaning some break stuff consistenty and some don't. If you are one who is clumsy, accept it and pay to replace your equipment. Sometimes things are defective and the company will replace for free. Nightsun is a special case. You might get the guy on the phone who is a total wank and gives you a hard time. I tried to ask how to remove the bulb/reflector assembly and the guy would not answer my question. I told him I made a nickel metal pack and he grilled me on why I did that. I told him I didn't like NiCd and he got pissed. He also would not answer why they charge double for old nicad tech. They sell Nicads for the same price as nickel metal. Basically, because I didn't want to buy a $150 Nicad, he would not answer any questions. Nightsun has great products, It's too bad the guy running the show chases buisiness away with his attidude.
Strengths: Bright (when working) Long run time (when working) Remote Switching (when working) Anytime you feel too good about yourself you can just call up and talk to the owner
Weaknesses: Battery not sealed, road salt killed mine in 3 Months. Mounting assembly has loose parts that get lost Insane customer service
Bottom Line:
When NightSun first came out with the XC it was the best on the market, now there is no reason whatsoever to put up with the limitations of this product or the company that "stands" behind it.
Submitted by
Erik
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2004
Strengths: Very good beam pattern, reliable design, bright 45watts of power
Weaknesses: Delicate bulbs: some last, some burn quickly. Limited high beam runtime, compared to HID only. Funky, outdated bar attachment method. Very BAD Customer Service
Bottom Line:
I bought two sets of "Max", now the "XC" on a shop discount many years ago. These were unquestionably the very best lights available, and they continue to perform well over time with only bulb replacement and REBUILT BATTERIES. Today, these are still better than any two-bulb HALOGEN set on the market, although the Performance 2-bulb unit is darn near as good for much less money.
Customer Service from NightSun is well known to be terrible, and that's generally related to the owner. Here's the way to revenge: it's a 12-volt system and if your battery dies, just cut it apart and build a new set using Sub-C batteries you can get at any hobby store selling RC cars. Use a cheap, clear water bottle, reassemble the batteries and wiring to match what you had and your charger will work fine, saving you about $110.00. Mine work great.
Top rating for utility, bottom rating for Customer Service.
Similar Products Used: NightSun Team, NiteRider Trail Rat, NiteRider dual beam, Performance dual beam, Light and Motion single beam halogen, Light & Motion ARC HID, NiteRider HID, Lume Strada HID
Bike Setup: XC- hardtail
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jimmy Chan
a Cross Country Rider
from South Coogee, New South Wales, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Strengths: Good overall light coverage for my style of riding. Nice design and compact unit to fit.
Weaknesses: Gradual battery degradation but this depends entirely on your use of the set-up.
Bottom Line:
I bought my first Nightsun Max in 1996 by mail order from BikePro in Santa Rosa, CA. They disappeared not long after but the lights kept on going. After three battery changes since 1996 I upgraded and bought the Nightsun XC recently, again through mail order from Cambria Bicycle Outfitter. In this time I've had one minor problem with the charger. It seems a lot of riders are experiencing grief with this equipment. Without trying to undo a lot of the criticism already levelled at Nightsun I just want to say that as a rider I understand much of the problems are brought about by intensely demanding rides in physically demanding environments. Fatigue and breakdowns are all part of the process. I take care of my gear and repair what I can when I can. Nightsun have been good in this area and I can't fault them at all. In my experience I have had a dream run with the Nightsun product and I will continue to use this gear.
Submitted by
michael kingsbury
a Cross Country Rider
from littlehampton,west sussex,england,uk
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2003
Strengths: Good lighting and duration
Weaknesses: Every year without fail for six years, the male/female connectors perish ( I ride all year round and all weathers) and need replacement. Also from time to time the switch fails-three times in six years. Now I find I can no longer buy parts in the uk and it sure is a pain to have to send off when you use it regularly. Hence i bought two pais. The same happens in both with equal frqeuency.
Bottom Line:
Not bad, especially if you ride only occasionally in fine weather. But the longevity of my cateyes is vastly superior.
Similar Products Used: cateye 10w/10w; cateye 10w/15w; cateye stadium
Bike Setup: gt lts and kona
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Lang
a Cross Country Rider
from Roanoke
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2002
Strengths: Run time on low-beam and brightness on high-beam. RELIABILITY: BULLET-PROOF!!! Also, great customer service.
Weaknesses: Poorly-designed mounting system, but you can live with it pretty easily. Kinda pricey but I got what I paid for so I'm not really complaining.
Bottom Line:
I mail-ordered this system after telling a local bike shop that I was looking for a system I could run for close to four hours on low-beam for a specific loop I like to ride. They carried nothing that would run that long and suggested that I buy something they did carry and, "Just ride faster!" I used this system for over four years and got a LOT of use out of it before the original battery finally gave up the ghost. No complaints there! Burned out one bulb, broke a bracket in a crash, lost a thumbwheel adjuster. I don't hold any of these incidents against Nitesun. I found that, contrary to what some people had told me to expect, I received EXCELLENT customer service every time. It has some more crash damage now, and the battery has gone well past its expected service life, so I'm looking for a new light now. May upgrade to a High-Intensity Discharge (HID) for even more fun but would recommend Nitesun XC without hesitation to anybody for trails (my primary use) or road, although I would suggest comparing it to whatever's on the market now since I bought it a long time ago. I wish there were a 4 1/2 chili rating because of the silly mounting system (which, for $250, should be MUCH better in many ways) but when I think about the reliability and customer service I experienced (especially when contrasted to Niterider) I'll round up.
Submitted by
Kenneth Carson
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
Strengths: Bright light, and great price.
Weaknesses: Hnadlebar mount could be better, but it is not bad.
Bottom Line:
Brighter then most of the other brands my friends have. I've got about 6 rides with them so far and have had zero problems. My brother has had a set for 4 years and they are still great. If you're shopping for lights give these guys a ring, they took good care of me and the price per watt rating is really good. They also have a decent run time.
Submitted by
Ian Humphreys
a Cross Country Rider
from Salisbury UK
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2002
Strengths: Have worked without any issue for 4 years. Bright at the time of purchase.
Weaknesses: By todays standards are too yellow and have a short burn time. Four years ago they were very good. Have been overtaken by most manufacturers.
Bottom Line:
When I crashed these I replaced the lamps and recieved good customer service. The replacement lamps shipped to the UK no problem. I seem to be the only one. In the last year the battery has really started to suffer, and having used all the tricks I know they have finally died. Replacing with Lumicycles from the UK as they are local and everyone is saying good things about them. No UK importer of Nightsuns now and looking at some of the posts not suprised. Have served their time well but it is now time to move on up.
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2002
Strengths: Nice, bright light, but only on high-beam
Weaknesses: Bad battery, worse customer service
Bottom Line:
I liked my Nightsun for many years. It lit up the trails well and once while biking home I flashed my brights at an oncoming car and he turned his down! It wasn't more than a year later when my charges lasted less and less time and the light was beginning to look very yellow. I called Nightsun to aks if this was normal of if I possibly had a problem. I got the biggest chewing-out I've ever had calling a company. He told me that I ought to try reading the instructions. There weren't any in the box when I bought it, I replied. He told me that was impossible (why would I lie?). He then proceeded to tell me that I had gotten plenty of use out of my light (maybe 18 months) and that I may need a new one. He said that, in a very patronizing tone, if I revved my car's engine to redline all day every day that it wouldn't last long either. I assured him that I used the high beam sparingly but he sad he didn't believe me (!). This guy basically chewed me out until I hung up. At the shop where I bought the light the guy said he knew the owner, that it was probably him that I spoke to and that, yes, he was a real jerk. I've had my headlamps sitting in a closet for years now. I will never, ever buy another Nightsun product again. Give me a break. No at least I know, from reading these boards, that I wasn't the only one.
Submitted by
John Wilson
a Weekend Warrior
from Tulsa
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2002
Strengths: It's a light - it works. (or I should say it used too)
Weaknesses: CUSTOMER SERVICE. This is the first time I have ever posted, and it takes a lot to get me fired up but people, this needs to be known. The other night, my water bottle holder broke and out came the battery for my XC. It ripped the wires out of the top of the battery. Not Nightsun's fault - no problem. Stuff happens right? Thinking I've got nothing to lose, I get home, pop the platic cap off of the top of the battery and sure enough, there's the shrink wrap where the wires connect. GREAT! One red, one black...just like what is still connected to the light. Simple enough - I'll solder the two back together and I'll be in business. Not so. I solder them back together and plug it in to charge and smoked the charger. I assumed the battery has shorted inside or something due to the impact. Oh well - stuff happens right? I call Nightsun service to order a new battery and charger. I tell the guy what happened and he immediately starts treating me like has something against me. I mean RUDE! So rude that I'm speachless. John McEnroe has nothing on this guy. He tells me that I didn't secure the battery in the water bottle holder correctly and that I should learn to read the directions before using the light. I tried to explain to him that the water bottle holder broke and that I wasn't trying to blame nightsun. Actually, I was just wanting a new charger and battery. (Not any more) Okay, I reiterate that my water bottle holder broke and that even had I read the directions, that would not have helped. Skip ahead, skip ahead. We get to the part where I re-wired the battery to the switch. I explained to this guy that I wired it red-to-red and black-to-black. It's as if he were waiting patiently for me to get to that part and rips me a new anal orifice. Says that isn't how it came from the factory. Not sure how I'm supposed to know that. I wouldn't be looking inside the battery if the wires were still connected, but anyway, beware people, if you rip (for whatever reason) the wires out of your XC battery, Nightsun wired it red to black and black to red. Why? So when this happens (and hey, it's going to happen a certain percentage of the time) people will wire it backwards and have to buy a new charger and/or battery. Bottom line, I hung up and came out to MTBR and just start reading the posts - seems like I'm not the first person that has been treated like a piece of s**t by this guy. Certainly the whole company can't have this attitude. Usually, I read the whining posts and treat them just like that - whiners. You can't please all the people all the time right? Nightsun, are you listening? You have someone that answers this phone number (626) 799-5074, that is treating your customers like crap! The person that answered my call, did so on Monday, Jan 28 at 10:50am. He was spineless enough that he wouldn't even tell me his name but you need to find out who was working that shift and fire that %^&*@#$ because he is costing you customers.
Bottom Line:
I'll never buy from this company again. There should be a zero flaming chili rating.
Weaknesses: Customer service. I am an old man and had used nightsun products for 10 years and they abused me worse than any company I have ever dealt with.
Bottom Line:
Their existence appears to be based upon "planned obsolescence" and they will not sell you the replacement parts you need. I had a charger fail and they actually REFUSED to sell me a new one!!!!! I have a new nightsun battery I can't use now. Please read the reviews before you buy this crap. It is truly bizarro world that this company can even stay in business. I'm thinking that the lights must be a cover for their real business. I would give them negative chilis but you can't do it.
Similar Products Used: Light and Motion ARC. People, this is the way to go but get it in helmet version
Bike Setup: Ibis.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
George Stokes
a Cross Country Rider
from Burbank California
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2001
Strengths: When you first ride with them its great!!!!!
Weaknesses: Well, after 10 or 20 charges they start to crap out. According to Nightsun you're not supposed to run the battery down completely; however as the battery dies ever more quickly with each use (catch -22) the thing quickly becomes useless. I ended up buying a newer and larger capacity battery and charger two years back in the hopes of correcting things. After coughing up another 120 I was careful to not run it down....(which meant switching it to low beam on descents that required high beam...or turning it off) and for the most part left it continously charging which nightsun says is O.K. to do....but it too has quickly degraded to the point where it is a yellowish dim light after continuous charge. Nightsun couldn't give a damn about it and were just as rude to me as the rest of you, with the exception of our foriegn friend. I'd also purchased Nightsun sunsport helmet light which overall did perform better than the XC but the bottom line is steer clear of this brand.They are unhelpful jerks who will not treat you at all fairly....I've wasted approximately 550-600 total with them and I'd be surprised if I ever got 40 good night rides out of this system. That includes TWO Batteries folks!!! I guess They really do own the darkness.
Bottom Line:
They don't deserve your hard earned cash or any more of your time.....keep looking.......
Strengths: Good light outout in both low and high.
Weaknesses: Weight, and the mounting system isn't well suited for riser bars.
Bottom Line:
Seems the XC light mounts are made for flat bars, I had difficulty in mounting mine securely to a low rise bar. Had to rubber shim the clamps a bit, and it still wasn't rigid. Also, the high beam is the only one that gives good output down technical hills, but it would only last 45 minutes at that power. I bought a Nightrider HID Storm 2 weeks after getting these lights. HOLY CRAP no contest the Nightrider rules!!! Daylight wherever I point my helmet!!! I can't even see the Nightsun Halogen light, it got washed out by the Nightrider HID.. LOL!!!. So I took them off the bike,and they are for sale now. Save your money get a HID system, it's the future.
