The NiteRider Classic…the name gives reference to its longevity. Using a dual beam headlamp housed with two insanely bright 12 volt halogen bulbs, this system turns any dark singletrack into daylight. This legendary light system gives the rider the ability to switch between a 12 or 20 watt halogen bulb, when maximum light output is needed use both 12 and 20watt bulbs together turning night into day. The Classic Plus system draws power from a 13.2volt battery constructed with the highest quality and capacity NiMH cells available. All of these features combine to make the Classic an excellent performer.
Submitted by
Julius
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$185.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bicycle
Strengths:
Extremely bright, easy setup, pretty cheap for the quality, functionality, charge time, and solid burn time.
Weaknesses:
Weight, velco strap for battery awkward.
Bike Setup:
BMC Fourstroke 03
Bottom Line:
This light system is awesome. No doubt the next best thing below HID systems. Even at the 12W setting it brightens up the trail very nicely. I've used this on a 24 hour race and hasn't failed me. My only gripe is the velco strap to secure the battery. I just wish there is some custom cage that can secure it better. The amazing thing about the system was how fast the battery charge goes full. Only 2.5 hours!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Psychodad
a Weekend Warrior
from Mission, TX Date Reviewed: November 10, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$249.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle Sport, Austin, TX
Strengths:
Lots of light. Strong, high quality design. Handlebar light switch. Adjustable. Proven and reliable product.
Weaknesses:
Frame mount of the battery could be designed to be more secure. Battery attaches to frame with velco strap.
Similar Products Used:
Sigma Evo and Evo X.
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 70 stock.
Bottom Line:
This little puppy can light up the trail. I use the 20 watt flood most of the time and hit the 32 watts when it gets technical. I can ride about as fast as I do in the day with this light. Quick 2.5 hour charge time. Strong, high quality, design. It looks and feels like it can take a beating. Handlebar mounted thumb switch is great. Good run times on battery.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin Date Reviewed: October 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
the "nut"
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$269.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
reliable, sturdy, brightness, runtime
Weaknesses:
nill
Similar Products Used:
lots of cheap stuff
Bike Setup:
'02 Sugar
Bottom Line:
I have had this system for 5 years now. I had to replace the 20 watt bulb last year, and had the battery rebuilt this year. Battery died due to my own gross negligence.. i.e. my poor charging/discharging habits.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbus,Ga Date Reviewed: October 27, 2006
This light system is a Classic Select only available at Performance Bike. This is the only 25w dual system(1-10w flood and 1-15w spot) that I have found anywhere for this price. Cygo lite had one called explorer but they use the water bottle style NiCad battery. The Nightrider uses a small frame-mount battery. I use my bike with a Golden Eagle RedMax 25cc engine for commuting to work. This light is my first system and it has met and exceeded my expectations. Most of the time, I only have to use the 10w flood. Plenty of light for my needs. If you are looking for a great light system for the price , this is it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a
from St. Louis, MO, USA Date Reviewed: September 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fast charge, reliable, and rugged with a good amount of light. Price when compared to HID.
Weaknesses:
Handlebar mount can't get real tight on oversized bars when you remove the rubber piece and it keeps sliding down on fast or bumpy downhills. 2 beams don't do a lot more than one. The flood lite setting is the best, so it seems like the rest of it is pointless. Handlebar mount only. It is not a HID.
Similar Products Used:
Rode with guys with everything from $10 lite to $$$ HID's.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Prophet, XT, Crossmax, lots of goodies.
Bottom Line:
Great light for the money. It puts out a lot of light, has some flexibility with different settings, great run time. Has never failed me. I gave it highest ratings, becuase it is very good for what it is.
I have HID envy!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George Hernandez
a Cross Country Rider
from Woodacre, CA USA Date Reviewed: September 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:
t
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
EBay
Strengths:
Very bright, lights up whole trail or road at 32w. Nifty, velcro on switch. Bottle cage battery is easy to use. Connectors are very secure.
Weaknesses:
More light = less run time. Heavy. You have to time your charges, but at least you don't trash the battery if you guess wrong.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider trail rat.
Bike Setup:
Raliegh hardtail.
Bottom Line:
My commute takes me down a long, steep, unlit hill where I'm pushing 50mph. With both bulbs going, I'm not even close to outrunning my light. On trails, I can go as fast at night as during the day (OK, that's not saying much).
I get less than an hour at full blast, but that was a test; I only fire up both bulbs for brief stints. The 12w is my standard light and then I go from there as conditions dictate. With a full charge, I get around 1.5 hours with varied usage. If you need lots of light, don't want to spring for HID, and aren't too worried about weight, this is a fine light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Shaw
a Cross Country Rider
from utah Date Reviewed: July 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
utah
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$205.00
Purchased At:
Beyondbikes
Strengths:
None yet. The light provides plenty of light for rocky single track.
Weaknesses:
Bulb burned out after first use. Switch malfunctioned after first use. Had to send back to nr to try and speed up the repair.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Santa cruz Blur xc
Bottom Line:
After much research I choose this light for price versus performance. The few hours that the light did work, it worked really well. I have severe doubts about the reliablity of this product. We'll see what nr does to resolve this issue. I am less than pleased that when I talked to nr and sent the product in they said they would repair and send back soon, I've been waiting two + weeks and nothing. They said if I wanted the product back faster i would have to cover shipping. It's all about the customer service. If the problem is fixed and the light works as it did for the two hours I got two use it I would rate this a really good product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greg guillory
a
from houston Date Reviewed: February 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Smithville
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
West End Bikes 713.861.2271
Strengths:
Built tough, bright well focused beams
Weaknesses:
No
Similar Products Used:
NR Evos, Digital Evos, Pro 6, Head trip, Nightsun XC, Vistalites, Cygotites
Bike Setup:
'06 Stumpjumper, XT, King wheels&headset,Avid ULT
Bottom Line:
The Classic Plus is a great light for the bars without the added venerability of digital controls. Each side can be used individually or both at the same. This thing blows away the Nightsun because the light is focued in a way that uses all the light produced and none is shining off into space. The battery is smaller and dosen't take a bottle cage. This light used with an Evolution or Digital Evolution on the helmet is a great setup for racing or just farting around and being able to see REALLY well. If you've never ridden offroad at night, you are really missing out. With good lights, you can see well enough to go just as fast as in daylight. Try it!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ted
a Cross Country Rider
from Westland, MI Date Reviewed: October 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
NiteRider
Strengths:
Reliable
Weaknesses:
The two lights on together doesn't really improve the field of light. They need to offset them so that the narrow beam points down the trail while the wide beam hits closer to the ground. SureLock connectors some apart surprisingly easy.
Bike Setup:
Cross Country
Bottom Line:
I bought this from NR at cost when I sent in my headtrip for warranty work. I also bought a Digital Evolution. The DE sucks. However, this one has save my bacon countless times and has yet to fail me.
I'm still giving up on NR as I 2 of the 3 lights I've owned have failed me. However, I think you can count on the Classic Plus.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alexander Luscher
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls NY USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Ellicottville
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$279.00
Purchased At:
Precision Bicycles
Strengths:
12, 20, or 32 watts but even the 12 watter spreads the light out ahead of you enough for huge confidence in fast technical sections. Also I've gotten OVER 4 hours with the 12 watt setting and it showed no signs of dimming. If you route the wires sensibly they never get crushed even on a rack. I've never had bulbs fail in two years either. Switch works excellent and every other ride the whole bike crashes in a creek and gets soaked :-)...still no failures. This thing has saved me from plenty of broken bones. Also you can ride behind a group of bikes and even the 20 watter will light the way for all in an emergency ! Can't praise the engineers enough for the fantastic projection and beam pattern in all settings !! Suddenly you can ride as quickly as you dare at night- all the Border Patrol and city bike cops use these around here...there's a reason ! Quite literally a 'mil-spec' system. Fairly low-profile mount too in case you need to put the bike on it's back you won't destroy the housing. Built like the proverbial plastic tank !
Weaknesses:
The battery is a little on the heavy side but hey this is Mountain-biking ! it's supposed to be a workout ! Once you have your dumb butt saved at night by this thing you won't care if it weighs FIVE pounds !
After your first ride at night with this setup -in any weather- you will utterly forget the price and be grinning ear to ear. You will also feel sorry for the poor slobs who picked a little lighter system with the pencil laser-beam and one power level. There's more to lighting than just watts !! these guys GET IT !! Thanks for a great product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony English
a Cross Country Rider
from Penrith, UK Date Reviewed: January 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Kentmere
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Wheelbase, UK
Strengths:
Power, light weight, bomb proof, reliable.
Weaknesses:
The switch.
Similar Products Used:
BLTs old and new.
Bike Setup:
Kona Explosive.
Bottom Line:
Have been using this light now for two years and it's never let me down once. Tough enough to withstand the rigours of a UK winter and enough performance to keep up with the competition. I commute to work via a 32 mile circuit, during the harsh British winter, in all weathers and this light has been my guardian angel - it's FANTASTIC!! The only problem I have encountered in two years has been an occasional glitch with the switch, although this has not affected my normal day-to-day commute in any way. It's simple to operate too, and a doddle to charge. Well done Nite-Rider, this lamp is the best I have ever used!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Manuel
a
from Washington, DC, USA Date Reviewed: December 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Revolution Cycles, Washington, DC
Strengths:
Long burn time at 12W. Nice adjustableness in mount.
Weaknesses:
Price?
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Digital Evolution
Bike Setup:
Specialized Sirrus a1 and Giant Cypress DX
Bottom Line:
The system works great. It has operated reliably during my use for an average of four days a week for the past year.
I already owned the Niterider Digital Evolution, and I bought this one because I wanted a light with a longer burn time to cover a commute that became longer and because I wanted a backup light since I was having a few cable problems, which I should point out were repaired by Niterider, with the Digital Evolution at the time.
I love the burn time on this light. With my previous light, I felt that my longer commute would have required charging everyday if I used it in the morning and the evening in order not to cut the 10W burn time too short. The burn time on this light at 12W gave me plenty of time cushion. In fact, I feel comfortable using it for three days of 45 minute commutes without charging.
The only thing I can complain about is the screw that tightens to hold the horizontal alignment on the CamLock QR Handlebar Mount. It loosens a bit over time and then a little bump will knock out the alignment I have set. Of course, then it is also easy for me adjust alignment on the fly as well. But this is not really a big problem. One should periodically check the tightness of all the screws and fasteners on a bicycle anyway, so I just add this to the check. Otherwise the mount is great. It can easily be switched to either side of the handlebars and easily aligned vertically and horizontally.
I've had to replace the 12W bulb twice in the past year. The first time was a few months ago. That was not surprising. I usually run in the 12W bulb so the 20W bulb rarely gets used. I was surprised to have to replace it again about a month later. However, this did follow riding in a heavy rain. The bike set wet for several hours after that ride and water may have seeped into some connections and my have shorted something. I replaced the bulb again and have had no problems since then.
It might not have the fancy fuel gauge that is on the evolution, but perhaps the simplicity is better for robust operation. Burn time has been reliable. And I like the water bottle shaped battery. When I purchased the Evolution, I had a bike that ran the rear brake cable above the top-tube. All three of the bikes I have now, run the rear brake cable below the top tube. Though the Evolution battery is designed to mount under the top tube, I can mount it under part of the handlebars, but that is a little awkward. So the water bottle battery type works better for me than the top tube mounted battery.
You probably can't beat the price for the brightness and burn time of these lights, but it was still a bit of money for me, so I'll give it four chilis for value. :) Because it has performed reliably for a year, I'll give it an overall rating of 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ian
a Weekend Warrior
from Trenton, MI Date Reviewed: October 10, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Huron River
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$279.00
Strengths:
Very bright light.
Weaknesses:
Charge gave out after 20 minutes.
Bottom Line:
I exchanged my first Classic Pro because of similar problem. The lights are very good while thay last. I have very poor night vision and when these lights work they are fabulous. I wish they would fix this quality problem re the charge lasting.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from Washington, DC Date Reviewed: March 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Colorado Cyclist
Strengths:
Very bright, white light
Weaknesses:
Very unreliable. Both bulbs failed within six weeks, and after four months the battery failed completely. The guarantee period is only three months, so I had the choice of paying a further $145 for a replacement battery or junking it. I junked it and bought a Marwi (which has a one-year guarantee), which I am very happy with.
Similar Products Used:
Marwi Pro Elite
Bike Setup:
Burley Runabout
Bottom Line:
Great light, but very unreliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony English
a Cross Country Rider
from Cumbria, UK Date Reviewed: November 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Awesome build quality, extremely easy to use, superb light pattern, very powerful. RELIABLE!!
Weaknesses:
Micro Brute charger doesn't give the specified trickle charge mode. Green light refuses to go into flashing sequence after a full charge. However, this problem (if it is a problem?) hasn't seemed to have affected operation of the system.
Similar Products Used:
Most of the BLT models.
Bike Setup:
Kona Explosive 853. Manitou SX fork.
Bottom Line:
This light set surely must be one of the best available. Having experienced problems finding a well made, reliable light system in the past, using the NiteRider has been something of a revelation. It's simple and easy to use, you don't have to put it in the fridge every first Monday in the month, power output is fantastic, and more important (for me) than anything else - it is RELIABLE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Seeley
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs CO USA Date Reviewed: March 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Jones' Downhill
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
N/A
Weaknesses:
N/A
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
Classic bicycle system, Headtrip helmet system.
Bottom Line:
I just wanted to let everyone know about the AWESOME service that NiteRider extends to it customers. I have a Classic system as well as a Headtrip helmet system. I had a small issue with a battery when I first bought my Classic. This was taken care of ASAP and shipped back to me overnight so I could get to a 24 hour race. I recently bought a MicroBrute charging system. I had a problem with the "MicroBrute" part of the system. It was all replaced, no questions asked. The people at NiteRider are the awesome!! I work in a customer service oriented industry and we beg for performance like this. I would NEVER own another lighting system than a NiteRider. The customer service is worth every penny!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Downhiller
from Aspen, CO Date Reviewed: February 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
LBS Aspen
Strengths:
3 light levels, reliability, super bright, quick release mount is easy to use, 5 hour smart charger.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Digital Evolution
Bike Setup:
Giant
Bottom Line:
This is the best handlebar mount light there is! Simple to use and highly reliable. 12watt low beam is great for most riding and gets 3 hours run time, 20 watt is there when you need it for 2 hours, and 32watts when you want to splurge at high speeds downhill at 1 hour plus. The 5 hour smart charger is great and I bought the car cigarette adapter inverter for charging at races, works great. I highly recommend this light!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Racer
from Newport, NH Date Reviewed: January 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
Simple, tough, reliable, microbrute charger
Weaknesses:
Have not seen any
Similar Products Used:
Niterider single beam
Bottom Line:
Folks, please read your instructions! It clearly states that when the battery is close to being fully discharged the microbrute will trickle charge the battery up to a certain level. During this time the LED will flash red. When the battery charge is sufficient, the charger will change to the fast mode and the LED will be steady red. When the battery reaches full charge, the microbrute will switch back to trickle mode and the LED will turn green.
My experience with this light has been very good over the last year. I did two 24 hour races and several rides during the fall with no issues and never wished I had more light. I also bought the auto adapter which is worth every penny at the 24 hour races.
One last time people, green = trickle charge.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mikeb
a Cross Country Rider
from Sodom in the North Date Reviewed: January 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
boggs mtn demo forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
directly from niterider
Strengths:
it's a dual beam system niterider's old mounts are pretty good
Weaknesses:
red cover over switch distentigrates very quickly micro brute charger doo dad is not so durable something in the system failed after a little more than a year's use almost every reviewer has had to send thier unit back for service niterider's customer service seems to be the same old sorry story
Similar Products Used:
see my previous review of this product
Bike Setup:
irrelevant in this case
Bottom Line:
oh god, this is getting depressing.
as i've told you all before, niterider sold me this system to replace my outdated digital pro 12 which siffered a catastrophic failure in late 2001. otherwise, i would not be using a niterider system unless it was purchased for me as a gift.
the bottom line is that niterider systems will work flawlessly if you carefully follow the operating and care instructions. if you don't, then expect your niterider to fail.
my question is why have the last three systems i've owned failed when i have followed the instructions to the letter? my classic plus is now waiting in the bike shop for an RA from niterider. he left a message with them today and they have not returned his call. i am hoping that they will resolve the situation quickly and to my satisfaction.
the classic plus works extremely well for me as an off road lighting system. my friends and i venture out on three to five hour night rides at least twice a week. having a light system with two wattages is critical on these rides, as we are sometimes riding at speeds which require a pretty bright light, i.e., at least twenty watts. the switch is designed so that it is right there by your right shifter and it is easy to cycle through the three different settings. the red cover on the switch is also made of cheap rubber, as it began to fall apart three months after i purchased it. i simply covered it with electrical tape, which did not affect the performance of the unit.
i'm also not sold on the microbrute charger's LED's. apparently, it will flash (red?) when the unit goes to a trickle charge, but i have not seen the system go to trickle charge to date--and i have left my batteryon the charger for up to ten hours, if not more. after ten months, the LED on the microbrute began to go off if i did not set it on the floor in a very certain way--but it still worked. i do not consider this to be a testament to the microbrute's durability, i consider it to be a testament to its cheap construction and materials.
i've had my classic plus just over a year. it worked fine until just last weekend, when the lamps failed to fire after an overnight charge. i tried using my extra bulbs to no avail, so something has once again gone wrong with my niterider system at a most inopportune time.
it seems as if almost every rider who has reviewed any niterider product here at MTBR has problems with it or has had to send it back--even those who give them good reviews. i am of a firm opinion that such a high rate of returns is entirely unacceptable for a product costing this much money. i, for one, won't purchase anything new from niterider, unless it be to pay for parts on my most recently failed system. otherwise, i will not buy a new battery from niterider once i kill the current one--i will look into what other manufacturers offer.
we will see how niterider deals with my issue.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frankienator
a Weekend Warrior
from SD CA Date Reviewed: September 20, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
South Bay Bikes
Strengths:
Works great!
Weaknesses:
Hard to tell which lamp is on from the cockpit
Bike Setup:
Sycip 'tail
Bottom Line:
I use this light abt 4 times a week for commuting and 1 time a week for night MTBing. So far it has been very reliable. There have been a couple of instances that I can recall where the battery died even though I was pretty sure that it was charged. But they happened abt a year apart so I don't think it's anything to worry abt. Once the little screw in the rear of the light body that holds the rail that locks onto the bar mount buggered it's hole. I took it to the Niterider office here in San Diego and their techie fixed it while I waited. He even gave me a coupla magazines and let me ogle his Ibis MTB (schweeet!). Dealing with these folks has been pleasant for me. The MicroBrute charger works great. I unplug it when it shows green and I have no problems. It does not overheat as far as I can tell.
I would buy this product again if I were on the market for a dual bar light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Racer
from tucson az Date Reviewed: September 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$280.00
Strengths:
the lights are nice and bright included velcro straps to secure the wires
Weaknesses:
the charger the position of the lights is not independently adjustable
Similar Products Used:
light and motion solo logic
Bottom Line:
The microbrute charger melted the day that i bought the lights. I didnt really get to test out the lights to much but they looked nice and bright even though the battery got less than half a charge. I am writing this review just to let people know that the negative reviews of the charger are well founded. My charger melted and started smoking. I would not leave it unattended the first couple times that it is used. I returned the nightrider lights and picked up some light and motion. I wouldnt say that the light and motion are far superior. I just personally dont really feel like dealing with the microbrute charger.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike b
a Cross Country Rider
from Sodom in the North Date Reviewed: December 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
boggs
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
directly from niterider
Strengths:
apparent simplicity microbrute charge just the amount i need for riding at high speeds at night
Weaknesses:
microbrute charger has never gone to trickle charge, even after being left on 5++ hours silly low/double/high cycling new cables don't look promising
Similar Products Used:
first generation turbo cat dual beam niterider 15w single beam second generation niterider classic niterider digital pro 12 some chintzy 10w specialized single beam
Bike Setup:
superlight 25.5lbs, dog dick red, no stickers
Bottom Line:
the mikeb niterider saga continues.
after my expensive digital pro 12 went kalbloowie during rainstorms in two consecutive winters, niterider apparently gave up on repairing them and offered me a $150 credit. i, being the ever-so-gracious and patient customer i am, accepted their kind offer and applied my credit towards the purchase of the latest version of the niterider classic.
i have ridden many miles with the niterider classic and have killed my share of batteries due to heavy use. however, i never did like the fact that you could'nt plug and forget the early generations of the classic system. with the New, Improved Version of the Classic Plus, the niterider rep i spoke with on the phone informed me i could leave the thing on the charger for a day or so. i have'nt done this yet, although i did leave it plugged in for about ten hours or so the other day and the system did not begin to trickle charge. i am hoping that this will not become a serious issue in the future...
i've also read here and been told by niterider that the charger and/or the battery gets HOT during the charging period. this has'nt happened either yet while i've been charging my system, however, i have not yet experienced any problems. keep in mind that i got this light last friday (14 dec) and have commuted to work three days and taken one hour and a half night ride. (i use my low sometimes combined with my high beams approximately forty five minutes five days a week during my commute home)
so far, i am happy with this system, and have been generally pretty happy with the niterider classic system i've used in the past. if you insist on giving niterider your money, buy this system with a caveat emptor regarding my (and other reviewers) comments about the trickle charge function of the charger. if you are having problems with niterider's customer service process, my advice to you is to be FIRM and to be ULTRA, ULTRA persistant and to send them a detailed description of the problems you're experiencing in writing, along with repeated emails.
i will not be altogether happy with niterider until my new classic plus or ultra or pimp or whatever the thing is called proves itself. i am happy that they gave me a hefty credit on my old system, but i'm sure that was just to get me off of their asses.
three stars based on what i paid for it (but they coul'dnt/would'nt repair my digital pro) and three overall, until my suspicions about the microbrute charger are dispelled.
i will submit an equally long-winded and scathing review on this product when i have ridden with it for a few months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Cole
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashland, OR USA Date Reviewed: December 18, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$269.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great beam pattern, high quality
Weaknesses:
lousy customer service.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Pro 6
Bike Setup:
Fisher Mountain
Bottom Line:
After looking at lots of brands, I bought the classic and have been very happy. My previous light was a Pro-six -the battery only recently gave out after 6 years. The beam patterns are smooth, and the remote switch is addictive. However, the microbrute recharger is supposed to blink when trickle charging so the battery won't get fried. It doesn't, and neither my LBS or Niterider could tell me why, so I have to wonder if it's actually doing the job instead of slowly killing my new expensive battery. Some hints for dealing with Niterider: 1. Don't e-mail. They won't respond. 2. Don't call. The voicemail will be full.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Fredericksburg,Va.USA Date Reviewed: December 11, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lodi Farm
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
GREAT AMOUNT OF LIGHT,NOT MUCH WT.ON AND OFF HANDLE BAR FAST.
Weaknesses:
MICROBRUTE CHARGER IS NOT RELIABLE.THIS IS THE FOURTH ONE.
Similar Products Used:
DIGITAL NITEOWL
Bike Setup:
2000 MOAB PRETTY MECH STOCK
Bottom Line:
GREAT SET OF LIGHTS.SO FAR I CAN'T COMPLAIN.I NIGHT RIDE 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK AND THESE LIGHTS DO THEIR JOB!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Racer
from Chatham,IL Date Reviewed: November 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Kickapoo
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$279.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Very bright, easy to operate while on the ride
Weaknesses:
None to speak of yet.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider evolution
Bike Setup:
01 gt I-drive team
Bottom Line:
Very bright, coupled with a helmet light almost like day (not quite). Worth the money. Constructions seems as though you could drive a car over it with no problems. I have't rode it long enough to drain the entire battery but it's lasted 2 hours on it's various settings with no problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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$ 279.00
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