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Submitted by
John Tye
a Racer
from Kansas City, MO, USADate Reviewed: September 12, 2007
Strengths: Wow - I used this light off road once in a very great while. Really just had it for in case. Light is very bright. Anyone saying an LED is brighter would be incorrect. Had a friend tell me his 5 LED light was brighter. It did lay down a nice bright white light but mine reached much, much farther. After our ride I asked him to point up to the top of trees and you could barely tell a light was shining on it. Mine could still reach 30-40 ft. up in the trees like a flashlight. Buy the way - I'll believe an LED is Brighter than a Halogen when they start putting LEDs on the headlights of cars.Weaknesses: Battery life would be it's only weekness. That is the price you pay for brighter.Bottom Line: I like this light so much rather than spending the money for a brandnew LED I just a minute ago purchased a second mount for my FUJI so I could just use this same light for night riding this season.
Favorite Trail: on and off road
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Purchased At: don't remember it was so long ago
Similar Products Used: n/a
Bike Setup: Schwinn Mountain and a Fuji Newest
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Marek Szymelis
a Cross Country Rider
from Lebork/PolandDate Reviewed: January 11, 2003
Strengths: small, bright, cool, ghigh quality housingWeaknesses: only ONE: battery life timeBottom Line: I have 2 mounts on each bike, last time I am using OptiCubes mostly (fits the same mounts, not so bright but lites endless). Very well designed, no problems with water. The housing is similar but better made than that of OptiCube. I wish Opticube had the same quality housing and it would be somewhat brighter, then it would be no reason to buy current eating halogens anymore.
Favorite Trail: marathon/XC
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Zuchlinski
Similar Products Used: HL-1500, OptiCube(3LEDs)
Bike Setup: XC bike with Alfton frame and Scott Atacama Pro
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Terry Hutt
a Weekend Warrior
from Running Springs, CA, USADate Reviewed: May 3, 2002
Strengths: This little beauty is the best designed small light I've seen. It puts out enough light for me to hold 20mph on a good road (I have excellent night vision) and lasts 3 hours on alkaline or industrial strength NiCads. It lasts 3.5 hours on NiMH and 9+ hours on lithium batteries. Even if your night vision is sub-par you should be comfortable riding this light at 15mph.
It's small and mounts above or below the handlebars. You can mount it without tools and it swivels left or right so you can point it into traffic.
You can change the batteries and even the bulb without tools. All you need is a coin or a key. I can change the batteries with my eyes closed - it's that simple. Why would any light be any other way?
This light is a must have if you plan on riding all night. It's so small and light you can leave it on your bike all day without hardly noticing it.Weaknesses: NoneBottom Line: I've got well over 100 hours on this light. If it ever breaks I'll buy another the next day.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Similar Products Used: Nightrider, Nitesun, Zefal, others
Bike Setup: Custom Serotta Concours
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Cross Country Rider
from lansingDate Reviewed: March 28, 2002
Strengths: cheap. super cheap.Weaknesses: kind of heavy, not real bright.Bottom Line: I tried using them once, and found that they are not really all that bright. I will probably just go back to using headlamps (petzl) that I can put on my helmet. For the money, you are better off with petzl headlamps if you are using this product off road. For my road bike though, not a big deal. I would use it, just so that cars know i am there.
Favorite Trail: poto trail, hell, MI
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At: mmba.org messag board
Similar Products Used: petzl tikka headlamp, princeton tec headlamp
Bike Setup: DB axis, mostly round wheels, mostly black tires
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Kanfield
a Weekend Warrior
from Podunk, USADate Reviewed: March 8, 2002
Strengths: I THINK this is what I have...
Bright as all get out. It's brighter than my car's headlights, and people start screaming when I get too close to them sometimes. Easy setup(is there a headlight that's hard to set up?), and it doesn't fall off. Also, no annoying screws in the battery caseWeaknesses: Batteries are still insanly difficult to replace, and they have to be replaced way too often. And 4 of them, at that. I need a crowbar to get the bottom ones out.Bottom Line: Definitly high quality. Horrible economy, though. The battery thing takes one hot dog off the score.
Favorite Trail: Whatever's in my way
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At: Scheel's (Yeah, I got ripped off)
Similar Products Used: Some crappy Bell thing that fell apart.
Bike Setup: Roadmaster - Beautiful blue mt bike in desperate need of cleaning.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Scotty
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.Date Reviewed: December 8, 2001
Strengths: really bright, awesome clamp, exellent value for the moneyWeaknesses: not quite bright enough alone for off road, oh yea one time I got a flat tire and hit a curb really fast and it flew apart that's allBottom Line: Well it was a little dim for off road so I bought another one and I have bad @$$ dual lights. Lots of light and they have always worked perfectly for me except that weird time one of them flew apart when I had a flat tire. The best light for the money.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: local bike shop
Similar Products Used: this other crappy light, I forgot what it's called but it sucked
Bike Setup: Trek 4000
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a
from Rohnert Park, CA, USADate Reviewed: October 6, 2001
Strengths: 360 vis takes advantage (a little) of the light that normally escapes the reflector so that's pretty cool I guess. It also swivels a little so you're not aiming your beam 2 feet left of center. Pretty good price.Weaknesses: Like other little lights it eats batteries like a bull-dog eating a porkchop.Bottom Line: Good little light for dawn and dusk especially around traffic. It serves as more of a safety device to show pedestrians and cars that there "is a little light coming my way". Wouldn't recommend for riding in total darkness or off-road, I don't think this light was designed for that. It is very easy to take on and off the bike.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: VistaLite Road Toad. This is a terrible light in my opinion. I gave my wife my old one and one day she asked me if I was trying to kill her. The lever that holds the light to the mount snapped off very easily it is cheap piece of trash. I use the Cateye Micro on all of my bikes now.
Bike Setup: N/A
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Gonzo
a Weekend Warrior
from Wellington, New ZealandDate Reviewed: July 4, 2001
Strengths: Bright lite good for road use, accepts battery case that uses 4 "D" batteries which give good run time. I use rechargeables and get about 10 hours with 2.4 w bulb. I also have a 6w but this only lasts about 4 hrs. The 2.4w good for commuting the 6w is excellent on the open road.Weaknesses: As other reviewers have found the on/off switch can come off when turning lite of. This has happened twice but fortunately have found switch. Wouldn't use this off road.Using "AA" batteries waste of money as chews through to quickBottom Line: Not having tried anything else I find it excellent for road use and commuting by adjusting bulb. Would reccommend as good value for money
Favorite Trail: Any Road
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Mitchell Cycles
Similar Products Used: Cateeye Halohen BL103H
Bike Setup: Specialized
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
András
a Racer
from UKDate Reviewed: March 21, 2001
Strengths: Good focus, quite bright, as long as it works. Uses AA cells, and just 4 of them (not 5 like some Sigma).Weaknesses: Bad contacts. Short battery life, forces you to use rechargeables, but then the battery indicator is a nuisance (well, basically useless). Worst of all, it tends to turn itself off occasionally.Bottom Line: Very good design, but I could do without the battery indicator, which would also save space. Some weeknesses with the contacts (all of them), but overall good for the price. Three for overall rating because it turns itself off in the wrong moment, making your ride anything but safe (note that you can't see the light has gone unless you lean forward!).
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Bike Setup: road racer
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Samuel
a Weekend Warrior
from Thetford, Norfolk, EnglandDate Reviewed: February 20, 2001
Strengths: Worth a look if you only want a better than average road lamp.
Excellent bullit proof quality as you would expect from Cateye. Well worth buying the additional power supply kit ( used 4 D cells) which extends battery life from 2 hours to approx 8 hours.
Cheap to buy - I only paid £14.95 for both Hl500II & power supply kit via a mail order Company.Weaknesses: Two replacement bulbs cost nearly as must as the whole kit!!
Limited off road use.Bottom Line: Good value for money but dont expect to use this lamp off road unless you are mad!!!
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At: Cateye HL500 II
Similar Products Used: Specialized vegas - Bright yellow piece of junk!
Bike Setup: Bianchi FY610
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
PROTON WAJA
a Weekend Warrior
from Kuala Lumpur,MalaysiaDate Reviewed: February 1, 2001
Strengths: Small,compact,easy to carry.........Weaknesses: No batteries included......i bought it with the taillight jibae no batteties that came with it...!! Cannot last long that TWO hours with rechargeable alcalines....
360 degree vis. got no use at all...Bottom Line: cateye ....
Favorite Trail: FFFRIM
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$18.00
Purchased At: Tin Meng Bicycle shop
Similar Products Used: Halogen
Bike Setup: BMW
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
lo_dee
a Cross Country Rider
from Southern Alberta, CanadaDate Reviewed: November 5, 2000
Strengths: Long lasting light for using AA's. Good mounting bracket. Easily adjustable/removable. Pretty white light.Weaknesses: Not enough light for serious off-roading with speed. But this product definitely works for road-riding.Bottom Line: This is the best of the cheap lights! I bought it as my first light and it worked for road riding and slow XC. I now have a 6/15 Watt set and use the Cateye in the middle as a great spot light 6 ft in front to help add a more focused light directly in front. This light outlasts my $150 Can. set for battery life, and is what I use to get me home on the road after the XC portion. It has also been in a pretty nasty spill and suffered no damage. Good light, great price for mild riding.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: I have a BLT 6/15 W light system that I use for the rough stuff. I bought the Cateye first and it worked, I just had to go slower.
Bike Setup: Trek 7000
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Sunnyvale, CADate Reviewed: November 5, 2000
Bottom Line: This review is for the HL-MC200, which is the newest revision of the standard Cat Eye 4 AA-cell halogen light.
Finally Cat Eye has fixed the fundamental design flaw in this light. The battery cover used to be on the back of the light, and the slide switch for the light was mounted on it. This meant that the cover would often slide off when you switched the light off -- and as it wore it would start coming off over large bumps. Plus the light was very heavy due to the slide-out battery carrier.
The new version fixes this. The whole top of the light slides off and the switch is a pushbutton on the back. No cover ejections, and the light weighs much less.
The light itself is excellent. It kicks butt on any 2 C-cell light and completely destroys the 4 AA-cell Road Toad. The beam is wide enough to see the road in front of me and still light up road signs. It's not just a warning for cars, you can actually *see things* with this light. I get about two hours out of a set of 4 NiMH batteries.
The light can easily swivel side to side, so I have to straighten it occasionally. But unlike the Road Toad the mounts don't wear down and start rattling after two weeks. They also don't mark battery orientation well, so it may take you a couple tries before it turns on.
I'm extremely happy with this light. It serves me well for my daily commute and I don't have to worry about people stealing a $120 system off my bike every time I park. Five chilis for value, minus one for side play and shortish battery life.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$22.00
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Roti Chanai
a Weekend Warrior
from Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDate Reviewed: July 27, 2000
Strengths: Cheap and good value for money. Reasonable bightness.Weaknesses: This product is good only for casual city use. Mine has occasional problems of blacking out - may due to poor insulation against water/rain/moistureBottom Line: It is cheap and provide reasonable performance. I don't like to ride at night too much and this will serve my occasional night riding.
Favorite Trail: FRIM
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Bike Setup: Kona Muni-Mula
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vancouver
a Weekend Warrior
from BC CanadaDate Reviewed: July 26, 2000
Strengths: Cheap... Nice looking... ability to adjust swivel left and right... Probably BEST cheap light out there!!
Nice design.Weaknesses: None that I am aware of as of yet. Very focused light which results in difficulty seeing outside the small projection area (but what do you expect)Bottom Line: Great light... My friend bought another CHEAPY light and my light destroyed it!! (His was rated at 3W or 3.5? ...mine was about 1.5 times birghter and cleaner)
My friend then upgraded to a Night-Hawk Pro 10W Single. Compared I am not going to lie. The Night-Hawk is obviously the clear winner...
The Micro has some uneven patches in it's lighted area whereas the PRO was very beautiful to look at (Perfect light with no shadow...a very even appearance)
However with that said... it was almost unnoticeable in city conditions... both lights (seemed to light up the same)
Where the PRO excelled was areas with no lighting whatsoever... the MICRO is too small a light to do secure night riding... not to say it can't be done... but it requires constant adjusting of the light in order to make up for the small light diametre projection. (i.e. city I move it up... trails aim it down)
I still like the light very much and have ordered a 5W bulb for it. I anticipate some much improved results... in addition I will purchase another CAT-Micro and leave it at 2.4W
I will use the 5W to make up for the dark patch immediately in front of my bike thus allowing for more secure night trail riding... the 2.4W will remain well ahead of my bike as it serves for adequate lighting in this regard.
And it will all be for CHEAP... I will post again with another comparison to the Night-Hawk Pro ($140 after taxes) My Cat Eye dual system ($60 after taxes)
I am hoping it will then becoming almost undistinguishable (aside from the cleanliness of the pro's projection)
Oh, battery life is LONG on the Cateye at 2.4W... and no wires or bottle batteries to deal with... I really like this)
Favorite Trail: Water Shed
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Bike Setup: 97 Rocky Mountain "Spice"
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