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Performance Viewpoint Older Lights

3.91/5 (22 Reviews)

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MSRP : $190.00


Product Description

Performance Viewpoint


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Reviews 1 - 15 (22 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Ray a Cross Country Rider from State College

Date Reviewed: November 13, 2003

Strengths:    Cheap for wattage, able to be pointed side to side, good mountain system

Weaknesses:    Reliability, ability to get spares

Bottom Line:   
I went cheap and regret it. The light I have is the dual (10 spot and 15 flood) light set up from a few years back, one generation older than the currect. When it did work, the useful light with both lights on was less than me 10w nite-rider trail rat.

Since they changed the standards of "their" lights I can no longer get spares from them. I think I could go to the compnay that actually made these lights for Perwhormance but I am just throwing in the towel and getting a Jet or Niterider. I suspect it is only the charger that has gone bad so I am going to try to buy one directly from the maker of battery chargers, such as SENS, New MarPower or the like.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Gettis ridge road

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $150.00

Purchased At:   Peformance on web

Similar Products Used:   An older Peformance light

Bike Setup:   NA
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Harry a Cross Country Rider from Nashua, NH

Date Reviewed: September 12, 2002

Strengths:    Small, lightwieght, inexpensive and easy to setup.

Weaknesses:    You will need a bar light for single-track riding but good starter light and cheap.

Bottom Line:   
Go with it if you are on a limited budget good bang for the buck. Just plan on buying a bar setup next year. And I don't know what some of the other guys were reviewing this baby comes with an NI/Hydride Battery not lead acid.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Musquash

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $99.00

Purchased At:   performance

Similar Products Used:   none

Bike Setup:   Trek 930 lx drive train rock shox and avid!
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Ken Sechler a Cross Country Rider from Frederick, MD

Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002

Strengths:    The light was resonably priced, produced a wide bright beam of light and has a good burn time (2+ hours). It is also very compact due mostly to the NiMH battery pack.

Weaknesses:    The strap from the helmet mount rubbed my head inside the helmet which was uncomfortable, but that can be solved by more careful installation on my part.

Bottom Line:   
This light saved my bacon. I used it during the 12-hours of LODI Farms. It provided a nice wide beam of light which was a godsend since the course was covered with wet slippery roots. It broke my heart when the battery finally died after two and a half hours of use. It's as good as any light out there and the price is right.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Frederick Watershed

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $120.00

Purchased At:   Performance

Similar Products Used:   NightRider Trail rat and various home-brew lights.

Bike Setup:   one-f'n speed baby
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Cal a Weekend Warrior from Fairfax VA

Date Reviewed: January 28, 2002

Strengths:    Single Pro is lightweight NiMH system, aluminum housing, clever quick-release clamp appears more durable than plastic track, easily adjustable, 15W seems like plenty of light, PRESUMABLY good service.

Weaknesses:    high battery replacement cost as with all NiMH's, too soon to know others, skimpy product info.

Bottom Line:   
Settled on this after:
1. Deciding, based on reviews here about lousy Night Rider service, to avoid that company at all costs.
2. Finding out from the horse's mouth that parts may become very hard to get for Vistalite's discontinued Night Stick system. Remaining systems on shelves are being sold for one-third their original cost in my area but the company told me it no longer has batteries and suggested other parts will be difficult to find.
3. Reading generally positive reviews here about Performance service. Having a store nearby helps and given its large stock of lights, I assume the Viewpoints will be around and serviceable for a while.

Shopping for a light was not fun and I hope not to have to do it again for a very long time.

It's too early for a meaningful rating.


Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Waterford Double-Cross

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $120.00

Purchased At:   Performance store

Similar Products Used:   none

Bike Setup:   mountain bike for daily road commuting and weekend trails
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Tim Choppin a Weekend Warrior from Bethesda, MD

Date Reviewed: November 27, 2001

Strengths:    Cheap, powerful, easy set up, returnable

Weaknesses:    Wiring is suspect, mounting was generally bad until latest version.

Bottom Line:   
I have had about 4 of these same lights (always the lead-acid because these things die way too frequently to spend more). Two died of poor wiring. One was crushed after it popped off the bike when I hit a pothole. Each time I returned it and was given a new one. And each one was a little better than the last.
The current version is actually pretty good for my use, commuting. I suspect it would be a little underpowered for hardcore trail riding. The mounting system is easy and secure and the wiring has shown none of the looseness that plagued earlier versions.
The verdict is that this is finally a reliable lighting system powerful enough for commuting and quite affordable.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Capital Crescent

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $70.00

Purchased At:   Performance

Similar Products Used:   None

Bike Setup:   Alternate between Bianchi Osprey and Trek 1220
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Puzman a Cross Country Rider from Wallingford, CT

Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001

Strengths:    cheap
light (NiMH battery)
seems reasonably well built
good mounting system (mine is the helmet mounted model)
cables/connections seem fine


Weaknesses:    light output not so great
Battery just covered with thin plastic; should come with nylon pouch or something





Bottom Line:   
Have used these for three night rides on local singletrack so far. I've charged them overnight with no problems (the battery pack gets pretty warm, though), its easy to find the on/off switch at night, I haven 't run down the battery on rides of just under 2 hrs, and they seem reasonably well built. My major complaint is that they just don't put out that much light. Bombing down singletrack at speed makes me wish there was more light output. I'm thinking about adding a bar mount light. They compare pretty favorably with the TrailRat, which I used all last season.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   the twisty ones

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $99.00

Purchased At:   Performance

Similar Products Used:   Niterider trailrat

Bike Setup:   LocoMoto
Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:1
Submitted by chris from santa cruz

Date Reviewed: October 2, 2001

Strengths:    The light's beam was pretty strong.

Weaknesses:    only 1 mount bracket. battery, though in heavy, seemed a bit flimsy. wiring is poor

Bottom Line:   
I bought this light for commuting (1 hr.) & it would conk out before getting to work (didn't have to worry about the return trip fortunately), though the beam was strong enough to see pavement. I only used it about 3 times when I hung my bike up on the wall (vertically)...immediately afterwards smoke started pouring out of the light piece, so i disconnected the battery. worked 2 more times, then died. Called Performance, the phone rep said that since I didn't still have store receipt & wasn't close to the store, I could mail it to the catalog & receive replacement along w/ check for shipping. I sent it back in the original box w/ the price sticker (99.99) still on it. I ended up getting back a check for 93.68, less than I paid for the light.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $100.00

Purchased At:   Campbell Store

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Steve Smith a Weekend Warrior from Silver Spring, MD, USA

Date Reviewed: September 21, 2001

Strengths:    Very light weight, good brightness, white light, good light spread for commuting. Great price!

Weaknesses:    I guess I need to further tighten the pitch adjuster because it sometimes points at the sky when I hit a pothole.

Bottom Line:   
I use the light for a 13 mile roundtrip commute in suburban Washington D.C. My previous light was a Trail Rat whose battery had grown pretty tired over the years. Needless to say, I need something reliable that can be used every day without fail. I looked into buying a NiteRider Digital NiteOwl, but after reading the reviews on this site, it looked like my money could be better spent elsewhere. I've only used the light for a week, so it's too early to draw longterm conclusions, but so far,I'm very pleased with my $99 purchase. It weighs half as much as my old light and is twice as bright.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $99.00

Purchased At:   Performance

Similar Products Used:   Niterider Trail Rat for 3 years.

Bike Setup:   Circa 1984 Trek 310 purchased on EBay for $85. Heck, my light cost more than this!
Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:2
Submitted by Donald Jones a Cross Country Rider from Shirley,MA

Date Reviewed: October 19, 2000

Strengths:    Good beam when it works.

Weaknesses:    Defective design. There is no strain relief for the electrical wire that enters the lamp.

Bottom Line:   
I commute 12 miles each way over some very dark roads. I needed a good light. I used this 12W single beam only a couple of times before the switch began to behave erratically. Shortly thereafter, I switched the light on and a big puff (cloud) of smoke came out of the light followed by a small short flame. The wire entering the lamp had arched and the flame was the burning wire insulation. End of light, beginning of a dark 12 mile commute home in a heavy rain storm.
Prior to the burn-out the beam did meet my lighting needs at an attractive price.
Called Performance, and they said return it. This is the great thing about Performance they're very easy to deal with, but what kind of rating can you give a product that fails so completely after such little use? I really believe a simple strain relief would have prevented this problem.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $90.00

Purchased At:   Performance mail order

Bike Setup:   Commuter
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by 2Elk a Cross Country Rider from IL

Date Reviewed: October 17, 2000

Strengths:    1)bright
2)relatively cheap
3)great/easy-to-use mount
4)good buttons
5)nice h20 battery bottle
6)high zoot machined light housings


Weaknesses:    1)housings can get extremely hot
2)lead-acid battery is heavy
3)remote switch is superfluous
4)connector is hard to engage

Bottom Line:   
Let me start by saying I have the ViewPoint 12/12 dual with the lead-acid battery. It's far and away the best lighting system I've owned. I use it mostly for commuting purposes so I can't comment on its offroad toughness, but it's almost overkill for commuting. My commute is only 45 minutes one way so having both lights on the entire commute doesn't even come close to draining the battery. Aside from the actual lighting, my favorite feature is the mount with its swiveling head and independent angle adjustment of each light; great design. The only big downside to the light is its inability to see around corners, but this is obviously an issue with all bar mounted lights, not just the ViewPoint.

In comparison to the other lights I've owned, the Niterider Cyclops was adequate with its 10w bulb, but it uses an incredibly inconvenient mounting system that prevented me from buying another Niterider; not to mention their outrageous prices. The Cygolite was a great value @$60 for a dual beam setup (and fine for mere commuting), but the casing & quality of materials was really lacking; not up to offroad use. I guess you get what you pay for.

In sum, it's hard to beat the ViewPoint in terms of quality or value. Considering it's made by Marwi, you should expect a quality product; and considering it's sold under the Performance name, the value is obviously there too.

Great product.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Porc Rim

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $135.00

Purchased At:   Performance

Similar Products Used:   -Niterider Cyclops
-Cygolite Commuter dual

Overall Rating:5
Submitted by Jeff a Weekend Warrior from Bloomington, MN

Date Reviewed: December 16, 1999

Strengths:    
Brightness

Weaknesses:    
The plug needs to have a clip release of some sort, it can come unplugged on the rough stuff

Bottom Line:   
I bought the Viewpoint Single because it was the brightest light I could afford and I am extremely impressed. It is on sale there now for $79!! As you can see above, this is the first light I have tried, but I can't imagine needing anything brighter. I will be adding a helmet light soon to be able to see on the really technical singletrack, but for now I am very pleased. Oh yeah, and I somehow knocked the rubber switch cover off while out one night, and Performance shipped me a new one within a week, excellent customer service is why I will buy from them again.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   
Murphy-Hannerhan

Duration Product Used:   
3 months

Similar Products Used:   
None

Bike Setup:   
DBR Zetec Comp
Overall Rating:5
Submitted by NHK a Cross-Country Rider from Medford, MA

Date Reviewed: December 4, 1999

Strengths:    
Bright as the sun
Good burn times
Great value

Weaknesses:    
Contacts
Faulty switch

Bottom Line:   
I actually have a Marwi...the people who make the light for Performance (look for 'em). I have had a NiCad helmet mount unit for 2 yrs. At 12 watts, it is brighter than and lasts longer than the NiteRiders and Vistas that people I know ride. When I plug in a 20 watt bulb, the damn thing lights up every nook and cranny but the burn time is cut down (a little over 1.5h). The 12w is plenty for all but the highest speed decents.The switch broke, however. I easily bypassed the switch and now rely on pulling the cord for the switch. I occassionally have to stick a screwdriver into the contacts to keep the light from flickering. EZ fixes. Plus they were very quick in sending me a new cord when I needed one.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   
Fells, 'Nam

Duration Product Used:   
2 Years

Similar Products Used:   
Can only compare to those lights my friends bring

Bike Setup:   
Stumpy, full XT, 'zocchi
Overall Rating:5
Submitted by Ray a Weekend Warrior from Baltimore, MD

Date Reviewed: October 27, 1999

Strengths:    
Brightness
Quick release
Weight
Smart charger
NiMH battery
Cost

Weaknesses:    
Run time per charge
Battery shape

Bottom Line:   
This is the new Viewpoint SinglePro light from Performance. In comparing this with other lights out there,it is an excellent value. The light itself is a bright 15 watts, and the total weight is little more than 1 pound. The quick release makes it easy to use it on multiple bikes. It is also easily aimed in all directions. Run time is 1.6 hours; it is possible to purchase a longer lasting battery, but you can't substitute it up front. The battery is for water bottle cages, but one side is flat so it doesn't fit as easily as a completely round battery. Overall a terrific light at a terrific price!

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   
less than 1 month

Similar Products Used:   
Cateye MicroHalogen

Bike Setup:   
Specialized Allez Sport
Overall Rating:3
Submitted by David Huling a Weekend Warrior from Perry Iowa

Date Reviewed: June 29, 1999

Strengths:    
Heat dissapates well

Weaknesses:    
power hog, poor wiring

Bottom Line:   
Bombproof?? Everythings bombproof, it's illegal to
blow crap up. Plastic in the housings cracked, JB
weld fixed em. Wiring went bad, battery craped out. Went to two wire trailer connectors, Powersonic 7AH batteries and soon
a psc-6500A powersonic charger. All lighting systems seem to have problems.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   
1 Year

Similar Products Used:   
none

Bike Setup:   
specialized 96 fsr
Overall Rating:5
Submitted by allen a Cross-Country Rider from ral

Date Reviewed: June 23, 1999

Strengths:    
ability to aim lights to different locations.

Weaknesses:    
looks cheesy.

Bottom Line:   
great light setup for single trackin'. you can aim the the spot straight down and shoot the flood out in front of you for better coverage.(my buddy who has the nightrider classic dual, likes mine better!)

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   
dunn. rd.

Duration Product Used:   
1 Year

Similar Products Used:   
nightrider

Bike Setup:   
-y22-,raceface, judy, mavic, xtr
Reviews 1 - 15 (22 Reviews Total) | Next 15

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

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