The Strada HID is the premier lighting system engineered with the latest in lighting technology. The 10 watt lamp produces a remarkably bright and intense beam with 3.5 hours of burn time. Our proprietary reflector design maximizes the reflector diameter and depth, therefore capturing the most light possible. It creates a smooth and uniform beam ideal for on or off road use.
Our systems are skillfully crafted of high strength 6061 aircraft aluminum and lightweight filament wound composite materials for the utmost in structural protection. Additionally, we supplied equal protection internally for both the headlight and battery housings. The proprietary design of the lighthead incorporates an internal heat sink, which draws heat away from the electronic assembly prolonging the life of the lamp/ballast system. And, our battery cells are supported by high-density, closed-cell foam padding for maximum impact resistance.
Another unique feature that sets us apart from the competition is our innovative mounting systems. The Strada HID and Vado Xenon systems come complete with both the handlebar and helmet mounts. The handlebar mount comes with 2 different sized pads, so that you can select the best combination for proper fit on your handlebars. The thumbscrew can be firmly tightened to secure the light head without fear of loosening up during your ride. The helmet mount features a low profile fit and adjustable beam angle.
- wide beam HID available (option)
- $329 price is with Fast Charger, $279 with slow charger
Submitted by
iceaxe
a Cross Country Rider
from Novi, Mi, USA Date Reviewed: November 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pontiac Lake
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Lumelighting.com
Strengths:
Beautiful & strong construction, durable, reliable, long burn time, most of all excellent light output. Simplicity
Weaknesses:
Bar & helmet mount both need improvement. The helmet mount can easily be modified, the handle bar mount is another story.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Halogen lights.
Bike Setup:
Doesn't matter for this
Bottom Line:
I've had this light since 2004 and has been very reliable. The light output & burn time is fantastic! Even the flood beam pattern is a touch on the tight side, I'm not sure what the utility of narrow beam would be. I had to modify the helmet mount to make it more stable on my helmet. The bar mount will only work on flat bars--but they have a Strada II in the works with a new bar mount that should work on a variety of handle bars.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Jung
a Weekend Warrior
from Palos Verdes, CA Date Reviewed: December 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
lumestrada.com
Strengths:
good even light pattern, light and simple
Weaknesses:
Poor mounting options (lume...are you listening?), I did try to use a Niterider mount to get it to fit my swept back bars so that the light can point straight. Lack of spare parts in the field. Putting the battery in an old water bottle solved most of my mounting problems.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider flight.
Bottom Line:
Lume, come up with a better mount on the bars and you would definitely sell more. Also going to Li-Ion is not that expensive nowadays, and you get big weight savings. www.batteryspace.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fred
a Cross Country Rider
from Minnesota Date Reviewed: November 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
Lumelighting.com
Strengths:
Well constructed. Sufficient run time.
Weaknesses:
Mounting options
Similar Products Used:
Cygolite Halogen system
Bike Setup:
Bianchi Alloro, Cannondale F600
Bottom Line:
The light looks great, but even though there are two mounting options included, they don't work on every bike.
The battery mount interferes with brake operation if your cables happen to be on the bottomside of the bike's top tube. I tried mounting it on the top side of the top tube but it wiggled its way down easily when I hit a few bumps. I finally ended up mounting it on the seat post with the extra wire extender.
The helmet mount works only if you can mount it across two ribs. It won't work on helmets with on center rib.
The bar mount will not work on oversized bars. The machined aluminum, although beautiful to look at, does not flex. The screw is a little difficult to thread when the screwholes don't match up, and that's rather tough to do when the mount isn't flexible. Lume supplies pads which fit between the mounting bracket and the bar but these tend to be more of a hassle than anything. They're tiny and they're difficult to fit. I just use strips of rubber cut off an old car mat. Just like those supplied with other mounting systems.
So the bottom line is, you may have trouble if you have cables that run along the bottom of your top tube, or if you have an oversized handlebar, or if you have a particular type of helmet with a rib running down the center, this may not be the light for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Money
a Racer
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: September 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Lumelighting.com/
Strengths:
Quality of components, durability and most of all SIMPLICITY. Absolutely beautiful construction: carbon fiber/6061/super heavy duty cabling.
Weaknesses:
Market Presence...if more riders only knew, this light would smoke the competition!
Similar Products Used:
MARWI Nightpro, Nitetrider, Turbocat, Vistalite.
Bike Setup:
Matters to me, but doesn't matter much to you, now does it?
Bottom Line:
I do most of my training at night, due to my schedule and because I basically prefer the dark. I wouldn't ride or race on anything else. I absolutely love the fact that it has an on/off switch and that's all. No need for a fuel gauge, it gets you 3 1/2 hours of light...period. On top of that, the fast charger is the way to go due to the fact you can leave your very expensive batteries on to condition and keep at the optimal voltage. It's worth the extra $20, so don't get cheap here. Also, contrary to a couple of questionable reviews, I've never experienced a company more dedicated to you...the rider. Give them a shot you'll love these guys!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy Hubbard
a
from Evansville, IN Date Reviewed: August 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
andrew@esmw.com
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
Direct
Strengths:
Great light, good design, quick charging with the fast charger, wide beam gives good coverage for the road
Weaknesses:
Heavy when you hold it, but helmet-mounted I don't notice it
Similar Products Used:
Marwi 12w halogen
Bike Setup:
Catrike Speed recumbent trike
Bottom Line:
I use this light for road use (thus the wide beam) and love it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Burlington, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: June 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Albion Hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Lume website
Strengths:
Not Plastic, Dual mounting
Weaknesses:
Shape of battery pack
Similar Products Used:
Nite Rider Classic, BLT (Both halogens)
Bike Setup:
2004 Specialized Epic S-works
Bottom Line:
The materials used are the best I've seen. The workmanship and and finish are excellent. Simplicity usually = Reliability. This light is as simple as it can be, hopefully time will prove the equation. The weakness in the battery pack shape is that if you head mount the light and have a crash, landing on your battery will be like landing on a pop can(but much more solid). I preferred the flatter style of the BLT battery pack. (But not the flimsy BLT connectors). The price is another strong point, even with the Canadian exchang rate, and all other fees/taxes the bill was about 400 CAD. I also considered the NR HID but you have to choose head or handlebar mount. I prefer head mount for mountain biking, and bar mount for my road commuting. The Lume does both well. I highly recommend this light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trailnut
a
from Berkeley, CA, USA Date Reviewed: February 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Butchers Creek, Downieville
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$310.00
Purchased At:
Lume site
Strengths:
$310 for a 10w hid light lights looks sleek, well-made
Weaknesses:
$40 charged for a 2nd bar mount, but the light needs a phillips screw driver to remove and mount...same with helmet mount...definately not a quick release. battery mount to top tube (min's sloping) is slow ans awkward. Grrrrrrrr :(
Similar Products Used:
my 1st HID light. have ad several NiteRiders (of limited durability)
Bike Setup:
crmo steel hardtail with 5" Z1 FR ETA fork & 8" Hope Mono M4 disk
Bottom Line:
i would not buy this again. the bright hid light itself is super (for the price) and the mounting on the flarbar is secure, but the battery mount to top tube sucks...slow and wobbles and tends to slide down. broke on velcro strap trying to tighten the strap. the 2nd bar mount $40 is nearly useless cause it's faster to move the mount than to unscrew teh light to the mount and to re-screw on to the helmet mount or on to the 2md bar mount. gurrrrrggg.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
D B
a Cross Country Rider
from Redmond, WA Date Reviewed: February 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
CCC
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
Lume w/MTBR discount
Strengths:
Ultra Bright, Long Burn Time
Weaknesses:
No Quick Release
Similar Products Used:
Nite Rider
Bike Setup:
For the trail
Bottom Line:
I have ridden at night once only so far so this is an initial review. Bought the HID Wide beam with slow charger (next time I would buy the fast charger) from Lume with the MTBR discount. $260.00 Shipped and when you compare to the other $400.00 light systems you would buy Lume too. The burn time was well over two hours and I never turned it off and that was the end of the ride. My previous light (which I had borrowed) only lasted for 1.5 total, that's it. I know I made the right decision in buying this light. My only beef is that there is no quick release to remove the light from it's mount. So each time you choose not to use the light (day ride) you have to remove the whole bracket. I think I will just get a back-up helmet again and leave it hooked up-no worries!! Buy one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Racer
from Gainesville, FL, USA Date Reviewed: February 25, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Razorback
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$315.00
Purchased At:
www.lumelighting.com
Strengths:
solid construction, even white light with a nice bright spot in the middle, good price.
Weaknesses:
The cables are very hard to disconnect but at least I know it will keep water out and they won't accidentally disconnect.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro Expert
Bottom Line:
I've been very happy with my purchase and in spite of other reviewers having problems with the bulbs burning out (which does concern me) if I had to make the decision over again, I would still go with Lume.
It throws a better light pattern then the HID lights my buddies are using and it is a bit stronger and brighter as well.
If you are going to do much riding at night then do yourself a favor and get yourself a HID. Any HID light is going to be worlds better than anything else on the market. I know they are expensive but if you can scrape together the bucks you won't regret it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tony
a
from Switzerland Date Reviewed: January 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$310.00
Purchased At:
Lumelighting
Strengths:
Great looking simple hardware and great lighting capacity. It really holds more than 3hrs which is ample for an evening ride.
Weaknesses:
30 day warranty is really too short, and even more so when you purchase it from Europe considering that the shipping time takes a week one way. So you have 2 weeks to test the product.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F400
Bottom Line:
As it happened I purchased 2 units at once (1 for a colleague) and one of the lamp turned out to be bluish with a very diminished lighting intensity, compared to the very bright white light of the functional one.(At least you can compare when you have 2 lamps!)
An Ex-Works quality check(for light intensity)at Lumelighting would be welcome before shipment to customers.
Thankfully the after sales agreed to exchange the defective unit without hassles, but the waiting time is a pain as you don't know where the product is during transit since the insured US Postal Services Lumelighting uses does not allow tracking as would be the case with e.g. DHL or FedEx (cost saving maybe?)
Obviously the warranty of 30 days contributes to additional stress. So that's 3 chillis as a result of it but 5 for the value of the product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vickie
a
from Alexandria Date Reviewed: January 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
Follow up to my review: I used the Lume Strada for 6 days (total of about 15 hours of run time) before posting my review. On day 7 the light failed.
Lume’s diagnosis: bulb “prematurely burned out.” A bulb that cost $100 to replace and is warranted for only 30 days has burned out after 15 hours?! I guess I should feel lucky it happened on day 7 and not 31.
I told Lume I’d be willing to accept a replacement unit if they warranty the bulb for 90 days this time. After one disastrous experience with their product I don’t think I was asking for too much. Lume’s response: we can’t do that.
You take your chance with Lume if you want to. Me, I’m gonna use my refund to buy something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vickie
a
from Alexandria Date Reviewed: December 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$316.00
Similar Products Used:
CygoLite Explorer
Bike Setup:
Cannondale R800 Sport
Bottom Line:
GOOD POINTS
Very elegant design. Wouldn’t look out of place on the fanciest Colnago.
One of the least expensive HID lights on the market. Only the CygoLite zForce is less expensive.
Comment from a motorcycle cop, “Wow, that light is bright! Everybody should have one like that!”
BAD POINTS
The on-off switch is pathetically flimsy and hair-trigger sensitive. You can easily turn the light on or off by accident. Worst, in daylight you can accidentally turn the light on and discharge the battery without even noticing.
The power connectors are a royal pain in the neck. They are so difficult to unplug that recharging the battery is an annoying chore. Sure they’re waterproof but anything that requires such strenuous tugging to unplug is silly.
No automatic power off feature to prevent complete discharge of the battery, which doesn’t do the battery any good. Lume would say, “Just turn off the light when it starts to dim.” Simple enough, but human beings are forgetful sometimes while electronics are cheap.
No battery life indicator of any kind, not even a single red LED to indicate low battery status.
A short warranty: 30 days for lamp module; 90 days for battery, charger, and internal electronics.
NEUTRAL
At 10W the Strada is one of the least powerful HID lights on the market. However it does provide plenty of light and increasing power would leads to shorter run time or bigger (heavier, more expensive) battery.
Run time is a bit over 3 hours; good but not spectacular. The advertised run time is 3.5 hours, by the way, so Lume is not inflating the figure but brightness decreases significantly as the battery approaches the end of its run time.
A Li-Ion battery wouldn’t hurt. Li-Ion batteries are lighter but more expensive so including one would presumably raise the price.
Not cheap at $329. But then again, no HID light currently on the market is cheap. Make sure you go to www.lumelighting.com/mtbr.asp to claim your discount which brings the price down to $309.26 + $7.20 for shipping.
A claimed bulb life of 1,000 hours that is not user replaceable. This is common to all HID lights. Lume charges $100 to replace the bulb. (Ouch!)
COMPARISON TO A 25W HALOGEN LIGHT
The Lume Strada I have is the wide beam version. The only other bike light that I’ve used is a CygoLite Explorer. It has a 10W halogen wide beam and a 15W halogen narrow beam. So here’s the comparison:
HID lights have a higher color temperature than halogen lights, meaning the light is bluish. However contrary to hype, blue light doesn’t help you see any better. What helps is more light, and in that department the 10W Strada is about equal to the 25W Explorer. The Strada’s beam is not quite as good as the Explorer’s wide beam but reaches as far out as Explorer’s narrow beam. In short, nothing to complain about but nothing to write home about, either. As for power consumption (if you need a light for an all-night ride), the Lume wins hands down.
On a dark, paved, mostly straight trail, the Strada is good for a comfortable and safe 17 mph or so. I guess a good setup to go faster while still being perfectly safe would be two Stradas, one wide beam, one narrow beam.
CONCLUSION
I guess you get what you pay for. You can get more power, battery life, sophistication, and less weight in some other products (notably the Light & Motion ARC Li-Ion) but you’d have to pay quite a bit more for it. On the other hand, aesthetically the Lume Strada is second to none.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mitch
a
from NorCal Date Reviewed: October 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Direct from Lume - obviously
Strengths:
Design, quality of construction, brightness!
Weaknesses:
It would be nice to have a lithium ion battery option to save some weight.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Digital Headtrip
Bike Setup:
Road and Mountain
Bottom Line:
You will not find a better made cycling product. Very well made, beautiful design, attention to detail. Light is incredibly bright compared to my old digital niterider (halogen) - and battery life is much better. I have been using it commuting and have had it in very heavy rain with no adverse effects. This is important to me as I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest. I put the battery in a water bottle - seems to be the best solution - but the frame mount ties also work fine. Haven't tried it on my helmet - I prefer the bar mount because there is plenty of light. I opted for the wide beam. Good job Lume!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Garth
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: October 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Plains of Abraham
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$319.00
Purchased At:
Lume direct
Strengths:
Simplicity of design, weight w/ battery, BRIGHTNESS
Weaknesses:
Price, would like a handlebar mount that is truly quick release, dimmer switch for the cars that flash their brights at me!!!
Similar Products Used:
Nightsun XC
Bottom Line:
I do a lot of commuting here in the rainy Northwest and needed to replace my old Nightsun XC that finally gave up the ghost after 9 years. It was always pretty faithful for me, but to replace the battery was going to be expensive anyway so I decided to bight the bullet and spend the money on a whole new light setup.
I'll tell you right now I am extremely happy with my purchase of the Strada HID wide beam light. It is super bright, has good penetration (even with the wide beam pattern), and long battery life (for me about 3hrs 20mins)
My first time out with it, the very first car that passed me going the other way flashed their brights at me!!
Being that it is so rainy here in Seattle, I am happy to say that I haven't had any problem with water intrusion into the system yet. Hopefully this continues to be the case.
I wasn't too sure about having the battery hang on the top tube and not in a water bottle holder, how secure could it be? Well, the rubber grommet-like holders do a great job. The battery doesn't move!! I don't see how the battery could ever come out accidentally, and I now have freed up a water bottle cage for actually carrying water and can get it off my back.
From the quality of the light, to the efficient customer service, to careful packaging and shipping, I can only say that this is the Lexus of bike lights. If you have the money to spend, you won't be disappointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: September 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$310.00
Purchased At:
Lume
Strengths:
Strength & penetration of beam, run-time, fast-charger, build quality. Can disconnect cable almost at light, so you can leave light on helmet for morning ride, but don't have to put all back together to ride home in the dark at night. Price - it's the cheapest HID.
Weaknesses:
The light colour is perhaps too blue, giving a foggy appearance. Helmet mount doesn't have horizontal adjustment.
Similar Products Used:
L&M Arc, Cateye Stadium.
Bottom Line:
Having used the 21W Cateye Stadium & the L&M Arc as well, I can say that the 21W Stadium has the brightest beam. However, it is heavy, is expensive & doesn't have the mandatory helmet mount for MTB riding.
The L&M doesn't penetrate far enough, which means you can't ride as fast. The colour of it's beam is great, and although it's not really any wider than the Strada, it's very bright all the way to the edge of it's beam. So that's the difference really - the Strada (Wide) goes further but isn't as much of a flood-light. Shame we can't get both in the one light yet.
In the real world, the blue colour of the Strada is the only issue I have. I'd prefer it to be closer to the L&M in colour, as I find it gives a foggy appearance. Still, it I sold my L&M to get this one, and even at the same price, would do it again. The beam is much wider than any halogen, plenty wide enough in fact. But the issue for me was penetration, which the Strada does have.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bunky
a
from Washington, DC Date Reviewed: September 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Frederick Watershed
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$263.00
Purchased At:
lume website-deal through mtbr.com hot deals
Strengths:
Genius in simplicity. These guys are the samurai sword makers of the night-light world.
Weaknesses:
Helmet mount is a bit time consuming to mount on the helmet.
Similar Products Used:
VistaLite 530, nicad battery
Bike Setup:
N/a
Bottom Line:
Simple design. Simple to use. There are no fancy guages and LEDs and soforth. Battery. Cord. Lamp. All of which are beefy as heck. Put it on, turn it on, ride. Scary bright. Get home, plug it in, leave it there. I wouldn't recommend it with anything but the fast charger--not that I am in any rush to get on back on the trail at midnight having ridden for a good two or three hours, but because the charger tops off the battery with a switch such that you can leave it plugged in until you ride again. Yellow light=charging. Green light=good to go. No questions asked. I don't know much about the technical features of this light---I don't know how hot the bulb is, I don't know how many amp-hours the battery is, I couldn't tell you how much it weighs, other than to say that it seems like it isn't there. What I do know is that if you admire the basics done right this is the light for you. I mean, this thing is friggin bright? How bright? You'll probably have the brightest light in your crew, unless someone else has a Lume, too. And reliable? Rest assured that when you turn it on, you'll have, at a minimum, 3.5 hours of the brightest light you can find and will feel at ease taking it into the deepest trails you can find. Go ask your buds if they can say the same thing about their N-Company lights. Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't forget to look for special "hot deals" on mtbr.com website--saved me $60.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lee Carroll
a
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: September 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Lume
Strengths:
Incredible brightness, the wide beam lights the whole road for what seems like miles. The simplicity of design is beautiful. Plus it looks really cool. Lume customer service is also excellent.
Weaknesses:
Light clamp could have more flexibility for different sized bars.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Road bike
Bottom Line:
If you like cool things and ride in the dark alot, this is the light to have.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Albert
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland, New Zealand Date Reviewed: August 10, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anywhere in NZ
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
Lume website
Strengths:
-Light output, pattern -Appearance, Aesthetics -Simplicity -Customer service
Weaknesses:
-Pricey? I live in NZ, things sold here are pretty much half of the same product in US. for a 330 USD, thats a fifth of a engineering graduates salary in NZ!
Similar Products Used:
Topeak, Niterider
Bike Setup:
TST Ti frame, Spin wheel, XTR
Bottom Line:
This is the product that really worth the money! I had a niterider HID and topeak before, its just not up to the scratch of Lume Lume light went great length to ensure their product is competitive with NiteRider and Topeak, everything about the light is as good/even better than Niterider or Topeak, you wont regret for what you paid for...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dale Fortin
a Cross Country Rider
from Simsbury, CT Date Reviewed: July 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Stunt trail, Case Mt.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$235.00
Purchased At:
Lume via MTBR.com
Strengths:
Extremely durable, cool look, 3.5hr burn time, very very bright... this thing makes Niterider's HID look like a halogen system
Weaknesses:
Get the fast charger... I made the mistake of thinking that I would save a few bucks by not getting it... but it's worth every penny.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Storm
Bike Setup:
2003 Specialized Enduro Pro
Bottom Line:
Great lighting system for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Cincinnati, OH. USA Date Reviewed: May 18, 2004
Niterider, Cygolite, and Specialized Fireball (crap)
Bike Setup:
2001 Fuel 98, lots of XTR
Bottom Line:
This light is incredible. It's one of the brightest lights that I've seen/used. The wide beam pattern is also excellent. While other light makers are making their lights with all plastic construction, Lume is using machined aluminum and carbon fiber...at the same or less retail cost. The run time is great, you can easily acheive the 3.5 hr claimed from Lume. Go out an buy this light, don't even mess around with any of the other light makers. They are all more expensive for a similar product, and are nowhere near as badasssssss.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chun Lui
a Weekend Warrior
from Rosemead, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Any quiet street will do
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$263.00
Purchased At:
www.lumelighting.com with MTBReview discount link
Strengths:
This is an awesome light. The kelvin temp. is between 5500 - 6000, which is close to the color of sunlight. I'm not going to use it, but the helmet mount that comes with it, is a nice option. The construction feels very sturdy, well-made.
I purchased this light, mainly for night riding in the city streets. There are many long blocks of residental streets that have no street lamps here.
Lume Sales Dept. told me their light is rated as "water resistant", but not "waterproof", which is necessary for underwater usage. Our light will perform well in heavy rain or splashing from puddles. That's nice to know.
My Strada HID Wide beam came with a free thumbscrew. Lume must be responding to the reviews on this site...heheh.
Good Job Lume!
Weaknesses:
I guess it's a minor issue, but my lamp had little pieces of paper or lint inside the reflector / bulb. The only way to remove it, is to send it back to the factory. :(
I would like to see a quick release on it. I have to re-adjust the lamp, everything I take it on and off. Riding to the local Rite-Aid and have to lock the bike, remove the lamp and battery can be a hassle. I guess this light was designed mainly for trails where crimes are low.
I would also like to see an adjustable lense of some sort, for focusing from wide beam to spot beam. I think for the money, that would be a nice feature.
The fast charger gets very hot during useage. I'm not sure if that's normal. Though the battery does not heat up.
Similar Products Used:
None...unless you consider the HID on my car...heh heh.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F300 small frame with Continental traffic tires.
Bottom Line:
Overall, I believe anyone who can afford it will love it. Lume designed this as a powerful, yet simple to use light.
I hope the prices of HID will come down soon...love to buy one for the wifey.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: March 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
Lume Direct
Strengths:
Construction quality, ease of setup, electrical connections and switch. Beam pattern makes all the difference-go with the wide beam!
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
TurboCat, Marwi Nightpro, NiteRider.
Bike Setup:
Frame, wheels, etc.
Bottom Line:
These guys deserve your business. I've done my research, Lume just has all the right options for real world riding. Made of machined aluminum and carbon, one excellent beam pattern, both bar/helmet mounts, and my favorite feature a single on/off button! No special "fuel" guages, funky connections or plastic anything...I could not be happier. For solo racers I would recommend an extra battery and the overnight charger, because I just can't see why you would need to quick charge with an extra battery lined up. Also, the price is just about the same this way. All turboCat users should give Lume a try. I feel they are very similar in the way they treat customers and the quality that goes into their products.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George Yu
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego Date Reviewed: March 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$263.00
Purchased At:
mtbr.com discount link
Strengths:
Outstanding design: (1) NEAT BEAM PATTERN. I like the clean oval beam pattern (wide beam version) for on-road riding because it does not go all-over-the-place and does not blind drivers (as do the beam patterns from the Light and Motion and Nightrider HID, reportedly). (2) BETTER MATERIALS AND APPEARANCE. The aluminum and carbon materials and the overall design (e.g., exposed bolts) are way better looking than the all-plastic designs from other makers. (3) BETTER SIMPLICITY. The light switch simply works. I don't think anyone will complain that this switch is confusing or "too smart for its own good" (as people complain about in connection with the Light and Motion HID). (4) BRIGHT LIGHT. I love the HID lights' brightness.
Weaknesses:
As others have mentioned, there is no quick-release mechanism for the light, so if I have to remove the light to lock up my bike, there is the hassle not only of slowly turning the bolt by hand but also re-aiming the light.
Similar Products Used:
I tried a friend's nightrider HID light of some sort.
Bike Setup:
thrasher bike for in-city commuting and shopping.
Bottom Line:
A better functioning light than the competition's (except for lack of quick-release), better material and appearance than the competition's, at a considerably lower price. How do you beat that?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark VanderWoude
a Racer
from Burnsville, MN Date Reviewed: February 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Lebanon Hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Excellent workmanship, Carbon shell is awesome, machined aluminum is far superior to the rest of the market's plastic design. The light burns a hole in anything it is pointed at. I have the flood version and it still has an increadible hot spot. I blind car drivers in the middle of the day with this light.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Nightsun
Bike Setup:
Who cares
Bottom Line:
Buy them through mtbr before the 20% discount is gone or they jack up the price to the rest of the overpriced market.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from West hartford Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Case
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$270.00
Purchased At:
Lume
Strengths:
Powerful, good battery life, strong/bright beam, reasonable price, includes dual mount...handle bar and helmet
Weaknesses:
none identified
Similar Products Used:
cateye
Bike Setup:
AMP Research B4F4...21 lbs 14 oz
Bottom Line:
Great deal, dependable, reasonable, compact, great mounting bracket, long lasting life and powerful beam. New for 2004, can select on purchase focus of beam...pencel for road or broad for the woods! Very compact battery and good mounting.
I bought direct $270
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Racer
from San Diego Date Reviewed: February 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
You name it; mounts, cables, housing, bulb, charging... what else is there?
Weaknesses:
If I had to pick one, it's the mount diameter; won't fit my oversized (31.8mm) road bars.
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider; all of them from 1996-2000.
Bike Setup:
Hardtail (w/ Thudbuster post)for XC racing. Road bikes... too many.
Bottom Line:
Look, if you want a bright and highly reliable light, this is the "bomb". Not overly complicated with charging systems that fail or switches that require a NASA engineer to work them. Two mounts in the box so you can "swing both ways"; helmet or bar. Even the bar mount is machined from aluminum with a tightening knob made out of stainless steel. Damn! Bright? Blinding! I'll put it to you this way; my lap times in the dirt don't drop when it gets dark and my road rides are the same. Now if they had an integrated tail light they'd put that other Nite-something to shame... for good. Straight poop; I'm an industry wank, so I can get whatever I want for a damn good price. These are good even at full pop. You won't find a brighter light. The lamp and battery are made of a carbon fiber shell with machined aluminum end caps. Durability and unbelievably sexy looks... it doesn't get any hotter. The cables have fantastic plugs, so you'll never disconnect riding, no matter how rough the terrain or how bad you eat dirt in a fall (trust me on this one). Go to eBay and sell your other-guy lights and then get one of these... you will not regret the choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a
from San Diego Date Reviewed: February 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
2N08
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
eBay promotion
Strengths:
This Review: WIDE BEAM OPTION Strengths: wider, smoother beam with softer hot spot; still punches light out further than NiteRider HID; no upcharge for this option; no alteration in beam color. Better for helmet mounting than the stock "spot" beam is.
Weaknesses:
Still more narrow than some other products, be aware. So bright that you will blind small animals and curl leaves on endangered species.
Similar Products Used:
NightSun Team and Max, NiteRider HID, NiteRider TrailRat, Light & Motion single halogen, L&M HID, Performance dual halogen
Bottom Line:
--I am not a paid employee or reviewer for LUME, but paid for their product on eBay for a freelance review that eventually missed deadline. In the meantime, I have interacted with Lume on some issues with their new lights, and this series of reviews covers good, bad and ugly.—
THE WIDE BEAM version of the Strada is much better than the regular "spot" version for me and my fellow riders in singletrack and descents, providing noticeably better peripheral illumination and reduced glare at the center of the beam or upon obstacles. In our riding and evaluating group, we have pushed hard on a twisty descent that was quite difficult with the Strada Spot, but the Strada Wide Beam was quite good and showed a noticeable improvement in performance. The wider beam of the Strada Wide Beam allows one to set the beam "lower" and nearer, which is useful for descents, dips in the road, etc... yet without dazzling the rider’s eyes off the hot spot.
On MTB’s there's been a traditional dichotomy between wattage and beam spread: low wattage halogens are usually "spot beams" and deservedly criticized unless used as part of a bar/helmet combination of lighting rigs. High wattage two bulb halogens, like the NightSun MAX, the NiteRider two bulbs and the Performance dual, offer an excellent dispersion beam, but are limited to 20-30 minutes of "high beam" service and limited to bar mounting. With the power of the halide lights, a wider beam at high power is the ticket. The Strada Wide Beam illuminates a swath wider than their narrow spot, and much "cleaner" than that of the NiteRider, which has noticeable rings in it but is nicely contoured for beam width. The Wide Beam option actually uses a “dispersive coating” on the reflector, which widens and softens the beam, both at the center and in the transition-zone between the center and the edges. It gives noticeably more illumination at the edges of the beam.
The utility of a wide beam is even greater on an MTB when the light is mounted on a helmet. Although helmet mounting has the advantage of placing "light where you look", it has a few disadvantages: 1) helmet-mounting places the light in virtually the same "plane" as the rider's eyes, and deprives one from seeing shadows. The absence of shadows makes depth perception more difficult, and a spot beam creates bright, white spots with little detail if the rider looks directly as something that presents concern. A wider beam allows the rider to set the beam "higher and away", and actually to increase the planar differentiation of the light beam and rider's eyes while reducing the brilliance of the "hot spot". 2) MTB night riders often encounter dust from other riders. The dust illuminates, gives the rider the effect of "driving through fog with your high beams on". This is much more apparent with a helmet mounted light (“same plane” issue, again) and moreso with a spot beam
One of the aspects I enjoy about Lume’s bar-mount fixture is that I can move it while riding, yet it holds position quite well. The “Wide Beam” head reduces the adjustments required, because one can set it “high and away” yet still have peripheral light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darin
a
from Overland Park KS Date Reviewed: February 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
ALL
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Club Deal
Strengths:
VERY BRIGHT BEAM
Weaknesses:
None to speak of
Similar Products Used:
Night Rider HID
Bike Setup:
4 bikes
Bottom Line:
This light is unreal for the price and is brighter than any other HID I have seen or used. Bottom line I love how the narrow beam shines. However, the thing that I have noticed is that there are actually two beams. There is a big circle beam thats not quite as bright for up close area but then you have the norrow spot light focused down the trail so you can see whats coming up. When I first used the light I was concerned about how norrow the beam was. However, after adjusting the helmet position this was easly fixed and now I can see as well if not better than using a Night Rider HID. Night Rider has a great light and I own one as well but you will pay the Night Rider price. I was so suprised after receiving the Lume from the way it was packaged and the over all craftsman ship of the light. You can tell its very well made and everyone I ride with talks about how bright it is. I have had no problems to date and have had close to a 4hr burn time on one charge. The fast charger charges in about 4 hours. The weight is about like the Night Rider. I would have no problem telling anyone to buy this light. At a price below $300 for HID this is an unreal cycling value. Great job Lume! I give it a 5 on value and a 5 overall rating.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bobbster
a Racer
from Sacramento, Ca USA Date Reviewed: February 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Team Discount direct from Lume Lighting
Strengths:
Brightness, mounting options, light weight, small size, cost compared to other HID products, look and feel of metal and composite design.
Weaknesses:
None that I know of and I and my team members have been using the Strada HIDs for over 1 year straight.
Similar Products Used:
NR HID, misc. halogen lights.
Bottom Line:
I thought it was time to chime in regarding some of the reviews left below. It seems that some people are really nitpicking this product to death regarding the helmet mount, beam and cost. I have copied comments I made regarding the quality of the Strada several months ago during a discussion group and they still stand as true today. This is the best light on the market bar none. Please see below:
Weight: The Lume Lighting Strada HID system weight is 25.4 oz or 720 grams. It is important to note that some manufacturers 'forget' to include the weight of the mounts, cords, etc. in their system weights. The Strada weight of 25.4 oz includes the lighthead, battery, mounts, cords, everything you would actually use to run the light.
Beam Pattern: Both Lupine and NR use the standard off the shelf glass reflector supplied by the HID system manufacturer. Lume Lighting has developed their own custom reflector that doesn't have any of the shadows or jagged edges seen in the NR light. The beam is smooth and clean. As for color, the Stradas' I have seen are somewhere in the whitish/blue range and as far as I can tell that is more due to the bulb itself than due to any actual lighting company innovations. As for the narrow/wide option. I have heard that Lume Lighting is now offering both the narrow and wide beam versions of their Strada HID light to consumers. This should satisfy those that desire a narrow spot type beam and those that want the wider smoother beam. I have only riden with the narrow beam and it works great on the trail. It does have a more focused spot in the center than some of the other lights but the residual light surrounding the spot area is more than enough to see rocks, trees, animals, etc. during a ride. I occasionally ride with a halogen light as a backup and the two combined make for a perfect light setup. I don't like riding with only one light regardless of the cost because if I crash and it breaks it's a long dark walk home. The chances that both lights will break in a spill are pretty slim and I don't like the idea of wandering around in the dark just to save a hundred bucks.
Burn Time: The Strada is listed as 3.5 hour burn time and I have found that time to be very accurate. Personally, 3.5 hours has been sufficient for almost every ride I take and for a little more cost I have added an extra battery to my system for races and can ride up to 7 hours.
Mounts: The Lume lights come with both helmet and bar mounts (something all manufacturers should do but don't, in fact no other HID light comes with both) and both mounts perform well. The helmet mount is molded plastic and has enough adjustment up/down to point the beam pretty much where ever needed. I have been able to use the helmet mount on all three of my helmets and my team members have had no issues mounting on four other brands of helmets. Yes, helmet mounts in general are lacking a little in quality from all manufacturers but it seems that with a little effort from the end user they can all be made to work effectively on just about any helmet. The bar mount is machined aluminum and is secured with a thumb screw that tightens enough to keep the mount from ever moving out of place.
Cost: The Strada HID is the least expensive HID product on the market. Less than NR, L&M, Lupine, etc. They don't sell through bike shops; only through their website so they can cut out the middleman and give us (the end user) a better product at less cost. I can't argue with their logic because I get a great light for less than I have paid in the past for many other lights.
It is also important to note that all HID light hardware (the lamp and ballast to run the system) comes from one manufacturer (SolArc) and the only difference we the consumers are paying for is the pretty package and the quality built into the rest of the system. As for the Lume Lighting system the package couldn't be any prettier being machined aluminum and carbon fiber and the quality is top notch in every respect.
Just my two cents worth!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego Date Reviewed: January 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Left Fork of Bunker Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
eBay, promotion
Strengths:
This review: RUN TIME AND LIGHT INTENSITY Strengths: run time as advertised, light intensity very high, particularly in regular "spot" Strada head. "Wide Beam" Strada is a little wider, and much less harsh at center. Regular beam is great for road riding or helmet use on a motorcycle in the desert.
Weaknesses:
Regular beam is tight and narrow. It punches way out into the distance, but has a bright hot spot. Evaluate what's good for you.
Similar Products Used:
NightSun Team and Max, NiteRider HID, NiteRider TrailRat, Light & Motion single halogen, L&M HID, Performance dual halogen
Bottom Line:
--I am not a paid employee or reviewer for LUME, but paid for their product on eBay for a freelance review that eventually missed deadline. In the meantime, I have interacted with Lume on some issues with their new lights, and this series of reviews covers good, bad and ugly.—
Run Time and Light Intensity: The Strada HID lights are very good, operating as advertised. The Strada produces a very white, almost bluish, light. Compared to a NiteRider HID, the Strada's light is whiter and brighter. Adjacent riders with a NiteRider HID can see the Strada's beam illuminating through theirs. This "brightness" is partly a function of the beam concentration: it produces a definite bright spot in the center, with a significant reduction in brightness across the outer elements of the beam. I made a test run on my motorcycle, and this spot feature is very good at high speed with another headlight to fill in the darkness at the edges of the beam. However, on the mountain bike, the narrow beam presents some difficulties: it creates a bright "hot spot" if aimed too low at the trail, or when encountering an obstacle such as a rock, wall, bush, etc...
At the price point for a HID light, mountainbike riders want to use their light alone, so an additional, broad beam "filler" lamp may not be practical to resolve the issues with a tight HID beam. Check out MTBReview’s light pattern photos in their new section to get an idea of the beams. What may be hard to see is that the Wide Beam” Strada has a much softer transition from beam center to edge, and you can’t see that the Strada punches light out further than the other lights, especially the regular “spot” version.
Reflectivity from obstacles is part of "life" in night riding, but the distinct spot in the center of the Strada beam makes this matter worse. I tend to set my lights such that the center of the beam is pretty far out ahead of me, to the point that it doesn't appear as a "hot spot". With an adequately wide beam, this makes trail features easy to see, without one's eyes adjusting to the brightness of a beam set too low. The Strada burns very brightly, enabling me to set the spot very far out ahead, easily 30' further than a NiteRider HID unit, but this may be a function of the tight beam: where the NiteRider also illuminates the area nearer to the rider with a relatively even beam, the regular Strada “spot” punches light out into the distance, but leaves only a dim peripheral beam for the near surface and sides of the trail. In tight singletrack, this is annoying and noted by other riders as well.
So, I asked Lume if they had any plans to alter or "widen" the beam pattern on their lights? Would a new reflector be available for retrofitting to existing lights? Their answer was, “YES”. That Wide Beam unit has the same light color and high intensity as the standard spot beam. See my review of the Strada “Wide Beam” option, above.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a
from San Diego Date Reviewed: January 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
BLT to Noble Canyon to Pine Valley
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
eBay promotion
Strengths:
This review: MOUNTING OPTIONS Strengths: secure, easy and narrow bar mount. Bar mount is adjustable in-ride, easily. Helmet mount is light and simple, and included.
Weaknesses:
Helmet mount is not perfectly compatible with all helmets, and can be difficult or impossible to set up right.
Similar Products Used:
NightSun Team and Max, NiteRider HID bar and helmet, NiteRider TrailRat bar and helmet, Light & Motion single halogen, L&M HID bar and helmet, Performance dual halogen bar
Bottom Line:
--I am not a paid employee or reviewer for LUME, but paid for their product on eBay for a freelance review that eventually missed deadline. In the meantime, I have interacted with Lume on some issues with their new lights, and this series of reviews covers good, bad and ugly.— I hope it's helpful to you.
Mounting Options: the inclusion of both bar and helmet mounting kits with the Strada is excellent. This provides the user with all the options a system like this should provide and is a nice departure from other manufacturers' practice of selling the same products under two "versions", differentiated only by the mount and whether on not a cable extension is included. The Strada's bar mount system is elegant, secure and beautiful, matching the machined and anodized aluminum structure of the light head, perfectly,
The modular pad system for the handlebar was easy to use for a perfect fit, it secures well on the bar and is narrow enough to fit in tight places, such as on riser bars. I have a suggestion for the bar-mount: if Lume were to use a short countersink for the threaded section, it would be easier for the user to "find" the hole with the clamp bolt. It's reasonably easy in a well-lit area, but difficult in a dark parking lot. Just two-thread's depth of countersink will guide the bolt, I think. The helmet mount is not as well thought through as the bar mount, however: the single velcro strap can provide a secure fit, but only if the helmet vents are well situated for it. For some helmets, the strap must be run across the inside the helmet, instead of looping around individual "bars" and back up to the mount as a dual strap system would allow. This leaves a coarse velcro strap to rest on top of the rider's head, scratching the scalp and lifting the helmet if the velcro is cinched tight enough to hold the mount securely. A two strap system would be better. The helmet mount itself is durable in appearance, but limited in the amount of vertical adjustment it offers. On my helmet, the vent locations require me to mount it in a position that tilts the mount forward off the front of the helmet...too far for the mount to adjust in the scope of the ratchet. I have to run the light loose, past the last detent in the ratchet, in order to aim the light where I'm looking.
My best suggestion is that Lume develop a better version of the NiteRider mount, it uses two webbing straps and camlocks to secure either side of the mount, and then a ratcheted, channel-slide mount for the lighthead which gives a large range of angular adjustment to accommodate different helmet contours/placement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: January 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
BLT to Noble to Pine Valley
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
eBay promotion
Strengths:
This review: Fit, Finish and Appearance. Strengths: outstanding, jewel-like construction that draws attention at the trail head and makes roadies drool.
Weaknesses:
Power coard plug can require Herculean effort to undo.
Similar Products Used:
NightSun Team and Max, NiteRider HID, NiteRider TrailRat, Light & Motion single halogen, L&M HID, Performance dual halogen
Bottom Line:
--I am not a paid employee or reviewer for LUME, but paid for their product on eBay for a freelance review that eventually missed deadline. In the meantime, I have interacted with Lume on some issues with their new lights, and this series of reviews covers good, bad and ugly.--
Fit, Finish and Appearance: The Strada light system is outstanding. The presentation in the shipping/sales container is well designed, also. However, the inclusion of a soft "storage bag", like that provided by NiteRider, would be good. The box is even larger than the NightSun boxes, and not as conducive to transport as a cordura bag would be. In terms of construction, the finish on the light head and battery are perfect and appear durable. The lens glass is appropriately thick, and good to see.
The size of the battery and the mounting system are very good. The narrow cylinder fits nicely in a jersey pocket, easily in a water pack and unobtrusively in the frame mounts. In fact, it's so good looking that it deserves to be mounted on the frame. The rubber frame mounts are nicely designed and provide a secure fit to the frame, using the same velcro strap that is so annoying on the helmet mount. The velcro straps are long, and can be trimmed to fit your particular bike(s).
See my review on the helmet and bar mounting systems, elsewhere in this review thread.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dudeman
a Cross Country Rider
from San Mateo, CA Date Reviewed: January 23, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
lumelighting.com
Strengths:
Construction, simplicity, beam pattern, weight, etc. See below.
Weaknesses:
Price, but they are running a promotional discount now. Get this while it is cheap!
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Digital Nightowl II and Nightowl II, Turbocat 10w, Vistalite 10w.
Bike Setup:
Blur w/ Float RL 100 & Fifth Element Air. Kona Hot SS conversion with Marz Flylight 100. Bridgestone RB-1.
Bottom Line:
Before you buy a HID, consider the following. Niterider, L&M, Cygolite and the Lume HID all have the same ballast and light assembly, made by the same company, at the same factory. What differentiates all of them are the following: chargers, batteries, electronics, reflectors, housing, mounts, weight and cords/connections. And then there are the intangibles. Here is why I went with the Lume.
Chargers: This is a commodity now. The Lume, L&M and NR fast chargers are identical in substance -- peak chargers that get you there in about 4 hours. The Lume and L&M have the exact same charger, in fact.
Batteries: This is the great unknown in this area. In electric RC car racing, you can purchase batteries based on an individual cell's performance, measured in amp hours and voltage. The best battery packs have cells that are "matched" to each other so they all run for the same time at the same voltage, and in turn last longer because each cell deals with the charge in the same manner (i.e., does not overcharge) because it has similar characteristics as the other cells. With bike lights, none of the light companies are taking it to this level. You have to rely on their estimates of burn time and can guarantee that they are not taking the time to match their packs. So, in the end, this is a wash because all we know is that we are buying NIMH cells. Or, if you are rich, Lithium Ion.
Electronics: My theory with HID is that complexity = bad, simplicity = good. This is based on experience and common sense. Fundamentally a light should go on and stay on as brightly and as long as possible. The best way to guarantee that happens is to make the electricity hop through as few hoops as possible. With HID, you get great run time without the need to dim your lights. If you have two batteries with any of these lights you can easily do a solo 24 hour race without worrying about run time. And you do not need any sort of battery life indicator. Besides, electronic run-time devices are notoriously unreliable in real-world mtb conditions anyway. Lume has just what I want: a high quality sealed on/off switch.
Reflectors: This is a matter of taste. I prefer a spot over a flood. That is one reason why I did not want the Niterider HID. It simply does not project far enough ahead down the trail. If you want to see around the corner wear a helmet light. If you want a scenic 180 degree view, ride during the day. If you want to go fast, use a spot. L&M and Lume have virtually the exact same reflector, and it is the kind I like, a spot with a smooth transition to a flood.
Housing: Hands down, Lume crushes the competition here. The alloy/carbon fiber combo is light, strong and heat conductive. The conductivity keeps the ballast and bulb cool, which means it should last longer. The batteries are amazingly tough looking, and packed with foam to prevent movement. Battery cells are welded together in battery packs so a tight packing job is key to prevent any shorts. I don't know about the rest.
Mounts: All of the manu's are doing better here. I really like the Lume mount, as it is alloy and simple, and never liked NR's old quick release mount, as it was prone to weird failures. The Lume, like the L&M, gives you both a helmet and bar mount, as any $300+ light should.
Weight: Lume and L&M tie here, with cygo and NR being a distant third. Lume and L&M weigh 25 ounces, and does so with superior housing.
Cords/Connections: Lume is solid here. Simple and tough. Don't know about the others, but don't care. If they can't get this right they shouldn't be in the business.
Intangibles: Lume is made in the U.S. and looks badass.
I've been commuting 2 days a weak and doing one night ride a week for the past three months with this night. No complaints, period.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Bel Air, MD USA Date Reviewed: January 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Fairhill Park
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Very simple to attach to the bike, great design, very durable, connections are almost "bulletproof", FANTASTIC PRICE, excellent light (had several comment how bright it is).
Weaknesses:
Battery life is only about 3 1/2 hours. when it goes out, there is little warning (all or nothing). Battery basically must be attached to the frame, but they provide a great mounting system.
Similar Products Used:
Various Marwi and Niterider systems, but not the HID models.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Rockhopper (trails) and a Salsa Campeon (road and commuting)
Bottom Line:
For the price, it can't be beat. for trail use or commuting, it is great. For 24 hour events, make sure you have extra batteries. And get the fast charger; it charges the batteries in under 4 hours.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: January 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Nobel Canyon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
http://www.lumelighting.com/main.asp
Strengths:
This light is the most rock solid light I have ever owned! It's all machined alluminum and carbon fibre. Amazingly bright, even beam spread that levels other light's I have owned. At the price paid I got both a handle bar mount and a helmet mount (not two lights just mounts). The battery is 9.6 volt nimh and straps to the top tube so I can use both bottle cages (no I don't use a hydration pack). It has an easy to use plug that dosn't take any lineing up of arrows to get it to connect. All of this plus a quick charger!
Weaknesses:
I would prefer a quick release bar mount, but the one supplied is still better than other plastic clamps I have used.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider HID, niteowl, classic, Led Nightsun dual hallogen Vistalight nightstick
Bike Setup:
Bontrager single speed mountain bike
Bottom Line:
This light is for all who are looking in the $300 to $400 range. It works equally well commuting or 24hr racing. Even if this light cost as much as other HID lights (on average $60 less) it would be well worth the money. This is the end all solution to your lighting woes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott M.
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, Ill, USA Date Reviewed: January 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
www.lumelighting.com
Strengths:
It is super bright and lightweight. Battery can mount to frame or drop into jersey pocket. Cool look.
Weaknesses:
None yet after 6 months of riding.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Blowtorch
Bottom Line:
Overall the best light I have used. It is brighter, lighter and better looking. Comes with helmet and bar mounts and the battery pack works for both setups. No one else does that for an HID.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$ 329.00
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