Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA, USA Date Reviewed: October 29, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Excellent, focused light output. Bright enough to cast light far down a dark trail. Easy to remove and remount. Great battery life.
Weaknesses:
I have not found any.
Bike Setup:
Bar mounted light
Bottom Line:
This is a robust, bright light with an excellent battery life. It does a great job of illuminating the trail, with a bright beam focused in the distance and with a softer illumination of closer objects. It is also EASILY REMOVABLE, so you can take it inside with you (important if you do not have a secure place to park your bike when you commute). Because the mounting bracket remains firmly attached to the handlebar, you do not have to fiddle with the focus of the light when you remount it to go home in the evening.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fitchhollister
a Cross Country Rider
from PA Date Reviewed: July 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ruston LA, Lincoln Parish Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$184.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
bright, light, sturdy
Weaknesses:
I can't think of any.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
s-works
Bottom Line:
I like this light. I bought it based on the reviews here. I ride on the road with it and on trails. It has more than enough light. I bought the helmet mount but I haven't used it yet. I would recommend this light to other people.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glen
a Cross Country Rider
from Tacoma, WA USA Date Reviewed: May 19, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Top-quality design and construction! Plus many different light modes to choose from, lightweight long-lasting battery, very rugged overall.
Weaknesses:
Helmet mount a little flaky; it's in no danger of coming off but the single bolt tends to pivot a little so it requires fairly frequent tightening and straightening to keep the light perfectly straight & level, but no big deal. Sometimes the battery life indicator seems to be overly "pessimistic" in cold (e.g., low 30s) weather; maybe the battery voltage is lower in those temps?
Bottom Line:
It's a pleasure to use a product built so well. I mount it to my helmet and the battery is light enough that I mount the battery to the back of my helmet with the supplied velcro strap. The light is plenty bright overall; my only complaint is that sometimes the light gets a little lost on dark blacktop roads, making it hard to see all the details of the potholes, but I suspect any comparable light would have the same issue. It actually seems better off-road since it lights up vegetation and natural surfaces extremely well. Since the light is on my helmet, I keep accidentally banging the light against hard objects and I'm amazed that the light still looks like new; the finish never gets dinged or damaged. The battery life seems very good for my needs and the charger works well. My favorite feature is the number of light modes; for example there is a fast and slow flashing mode plus an S.O.S. flashing mode, which I think is a "brilliant" idea. I use the fast mode for daytime road riding since I think it is very "annoying" and attention-grabbing so it probably keeps me from getting run over. I've used it in moderately heavy rainfall with no problems at all. My next light will definitely be Cygolite.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens, GA, USA Date Reviewed: February 15, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Cheap and Bright! Cygolite's customer service is great. I received the light with a small piece of the handlebar mount broken, and when I called Cygolite (I got an actual person on the second ring) the shipped two replacements free of charge. Also, the battery is tiny and truly does mount perfectly on the stem.
Weaknesses:
The mount is a little tricky if your handlebars have varying diameters or if you have a second set of brake levers on a road bike. Also, the beam isn't quite wide enough for serious trail riding.
Similar Products Used:
NiteHawk 10w halogen w/SLA battery
Bike Setup:
Relatively cheap cyclocross bike with rack and panniers for commuting
Bottom Line:
This light is fantastic for my 6 mile night-time commute. Compared to other Li-Ion systems, you can't beat the price. If all you need is a light that is bright enough for night riding on-road, then this one will suffice without breaking the bank. I doubt that it would be sufficient for serious trail riding, as the beam is simply not wide enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimmy
a
from LA, CA Date Reviewed: July 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Flashing mode gets attention.
Weaknesses:
White/Bluish light makes it impossible to see depth on a singletrack. Not good at all for aggresive trail riding or when the condition is dusty or foggy.
Similar Products Used:
halogen lights.
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR
Bottom Line:
I bought the light based on the review here. But it turns out that for aggresive single track night riding the light isn't up to par with the halogen light I am currently using. The white bluish color fails to give depth to the rocks on the trail. And, when it gets dusty or foggy you will experience a sort of white out.
This light is great for road riding. It gets a lot of attention when it's in the flashing mode. For night single track riding, the hue of the light needs improvement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from London,Ontario,Canada Date Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint
Strengths:
This light is very bright and the beam pattern is well suited for high speed driving. The battery is very light and compact in size. The mounting system is very slick and is quite rugged. You do have to support the light on the bottom when you push the buttons on the top. This is not really a problem because I do not fiddle with the light when I am riding. I turn it on high beam and ride!
Weaknesses:
I purchased this light from PricePoint.com and when it arrived I got the impression it was used. The charger was out of the box and so was the light. The charger did not work unless you twist the wire a certain way. I contacted Cygo and I hope they will fix this for me, if not I guess I will put a new connector on the charger. I cannot find any other weaknesses with this system.
Similar Products Used:
BLT Halogen 21W system.
Bottom Line:
I considered this light versus a HID system from Light and Motion. It took me a while to finally decide but I figured that if this light was not bright enough for me I could still use it as an auxillary light because it is so compact. So I was pleasantly surprised to find this light was capable of meeting my needs off road. I usually travel at around 20 - 40 km/hr through twisty paved sections of trail with no problems but you would be over driving this light at any higher speed. At lower speeds in the technical dirt sections you simply aim the light a little lower and it gives you all the light you would ever need to get through safely. As a final note, the strobe function is extremely bright and has a flash rate of a real strobe light.... very cool!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sam
a
from Laguna hills Date Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
It does everything it claims.
Weaknesses:
The bar mount seems a bit flimsy and can move around a bit when you put down on the buttons.
Similar Products Used:
Blackburn X6 and a couple different planet bike models.
Bottom Line:
This is the first light setup I've found that will go a complete week of commuting to work and back without needing to be charged (it's only dark on the way back). I can go about 2.15 to 2.5 hours without charging and to me that it a big deal. I've tried various brands that claim to be able to go 3 hours or more (including the very crappy Blackburn X6 system) and none of them have been able to do it. I haven't pushed the light to the limit, but I get the feeling that if I forget to charge it over the weekend, it would still be good for another ride or two before the lights go out. This light is bright, has a tiny battery (smallest I've ever seen) and has a long battery life. What more could you want.
The only downside I see is that the bracket that holds the headlight on the bars is in two pieces and is only supported by a single screw, so it can turn if you push down on it to turn the lights on or adjust the brightness. I've got in the habit of supporting the light with my fingers while pushing the buttons with my thumb and it works fine on the road, but may be an issue off road.
I'm taking off one Chili for the flimsy bracket.
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Submitted by
ernie
a Weekend Warrior
from pasadena, california Date Reviewed: May 16, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$190.00
Strengths:
Its pretty bright for a LED light system, love the auto-meters that tell u how much power you have left. And brighter than my old niterider 10w halogen. Battery weight=superb.
Weaknesses:
The beam is quite narrow, though bright, it doesnt project a wide enough swath that is needed on moon-less nights. Cygolite should throw in a helmet mount since this is their flagship LED unit.
Similar Products Used:
The niterider 10 and 12w halogen units
Bottom Line:
Cygolite claims the Lithium-Ion battery is 5 oz. Yep, they are right! This battery is the lightest I've ever seen for a bike light. The fast charging is fool-proof, the town clown can't go wrong with this unit. The construction of both the lighthead and battery is A+.
The battery is so light I wonder why they didnt extend the power cord so one can slip the battery into a pocket/hydration pack???
The Dual Cross models all are 20w and put out the same amount of light, its just that THIS model has a Li-lon battery which has according to the manual has 30 minutes less burn time than the NiMH battery 300 model. But thats OK because a NiMH battery is twice as heavy if not more.
BUT the box says the light has a 3 hour high burn time AND the manual says 3.5...wassup with that CYGOLITE? It better be 3.5 because thats what it says on every website that sells this unit.
I recommend this light for the first-time buyers and veterans like me because you really get your money's worth. The light isnt a powerful HID but is better than a halogen because besides putting out a decent amount of light, the burn time lasts way, way longer. No longer do you have to hurry your butt home down the trail before the light snuffs out or have to ride up the summit in the dark just to save power.
I was going to buy a HID from Niterider but when I saw how much a HID replacement bulb is ($100) I said forget it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sanjay
a
from Bedford UK Date Reviewed: May 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Shockingly bright light for its size. Very light battery. Excellent use of tiny leds for battery meter - very neat. Universal battery charger - works in the UK (Li Ion battery model).
Weaknesses:
None.
Bike Setup:
Road bike used for round journey of 22 mile commute.
Bottom Line:
I had never cycled on unlit country lanes in 15 years of cycling. Part of the reason was cycle lights were quite weak. But this light has changed all that and I've extended my daily ride this winter to include a long stretch of Buckinghamshire villages. Not only can you see the road surface for 8-12 meters ahead but cars take notice of you! This light has transformed my winter riding.
The use of LEDs for the battery meter is really neat. You know if you're going to run out before you set off on a ride!
And the charger works here in the UK just like Cygolite said it would. Cygo's customer service actually respond to emails. Not just that but they're really helpful.
I bought mine from Beyond Bikes and I think they shipped me a shop soiled one but they kept denying that. So if you're ordering from them be careful.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from Reston, Virginia, USA Date Reviewed: December 24, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$208.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Ultralight, reliable, durable and stellar customer service.
Purchased at REI w/ 10% discount. Nice white bright light that is ultralight and - I stress - reliable. Battery straps to stem and lasts over 3hrs wide-open. Battery charges very quickly. It is not HID bright, but provides more-than-adequate coverage for my daily 10RT miles commute and occasional off-road treks. I love and often use the different flash modes - its good to be seen. Dont fool yourself - you get what you pay for. This light is worth the cost…
Special note concerning Cygolite customer support: Cygolite replied to my emails concerning this product within 2 day. This is unheard of these days.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa City, IA USA Date Reviewed: November 13, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Exactly as described.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Much older CygoLite from 8 years ago. 30W Halogen.
Bottom Line:
This light is light and bright! Very bright! LED tech is moving up and at an affordable price, too! I am a repeat customer with CygoLite after my very old model,(8 years) finally bit the dust after a few too many overcharges which thankfully are not a possibility this new model. I highly recommend the extra cash for the Li-on, it is so light and sweet. Run times are accurate and also a bit longer than advertised. I recommend this product to all bikers, trail, commute, whatever! It rocks! You won't be dissapointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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