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NiteRider
Classic Dual Beam Light
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Submitted by
Speedub Nate
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow-up review to one I posted over 4 years ago.
My NiteRider Classic dual beam is now 8 or 9 years old. It gets used regularly, but not constantly.
Although its light output is put to shame by newer HID lighting systems, the 8.5w low and 20w high beams have proven more than sufficient to lead me whereever I choose to go.
I cracked open the NiteRider bottle battery in order to do install a new battery. I replaced the old NiCd cells with higher capacity, smaller NiMH -- so now I get about 50% more run time at a lighter weight.
I also threw away the NR "Wall Wart" charger and use a Maha C-777+ II to maintain my battery (the original constant current charger combined with a lamp timer malfunction was partly responsible for the demise of my previous battery).
The light is compatible with NiteRider's newest mounts, providing compatability with oversized 30.9mm handlebars.
This is one of the longest lived components in my bike arsenal, most likely due to its beefy construction and simple switches. I'm counting on it to continue working for many years to come.
I've recently augmented the dual beam bar mount with a 10w NiteRider Head Trip, which has opened up my night riding world to a whole new level of visibility. Can't beat the combo for an inexpensive yet fully equipped route into the darkness of the night. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Wightman
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener, Ont., Canada
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath Waterloo | | Strengths: | Wow, what a difference. Very, very bright. Easy to install or remove for another bike. Small, fit very nicley on my bars. | | Weaknesses: | Easy to remove or steal. Just a QR and velcro. Just don't leave your bike in front of the corner store. | | Similar Products Used: | Battery powered light. (not that similar) | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Marlin | | Bottom Line: | The days are getting shorter and I tend to ride more around dark or just after. Most of the trails I ride are in or near forest. On two consectuve rides I ended up ten feet from SKUNKS. My old light was crap. It ran on 4 AA batteries. The first time I used the Nightriders what a difference. I wish my car lights would work this good. You can see forever(almost). Great lights. A must have. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike b
a Cross Country Rider
from Sodom in the North
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | boggs | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2.00 | | Purchased At: | from the devil deep down at the bottom of hell | | Strengths: | it was bright enough
it was bright enough for a pretty long time every ride
it was simple
it was durable
the cords were better than the ones niterider uses now | | Weaknesses: | it was dumb, really really dumb
the batteries eventually died
the dead batteries are expensive
| | Similar Products Used: | oh good lord--
niterider digital pro 12
niterider classic ultra plus gizmo pimp 2002
niterider classic single beam
turbo cat dual beam system
some sort of ancient specialized 12w single beam | | Bike Setup: | never you mind--it is irrelevant in this review | | Bottom Line: | i'm reviewing an OLD product here, the 1996 or so classic.
this is the one with the dumb charger and a big red button to turn it on and off with. god, i loved that light. i commuted with it, i rode many, many miles off road on some cold assed nights with it. the old niterider classic did'nt mind rain nor mud, you just turned it on and rode away down the hill. hell, mine only went yellow a few times when i was riding with a fresh charge, but that changed when the batteries got old.
so what? the battery got old after something like two years of commuting and twice weekly night rides all year round. i almost threw up in the bike shop when i found out how much the replacement cost, but he gave me a bro deal and i choked the vomit back down my throat. all was good becuase niterider quickly sent a new battery my way and i was back on the trails again. back on the trails, until i killed that poor battery out of my own stupidity, by somehow leaving it on overnight during a camping trip at boggs mountain. no problem, just curse for a while and plop down the money for another battery. bing badda boom, new battery, riding again.
you had to pay attention to how long these batteries were kept plugged into the wall. i did'nt, so guess what? ANOTHER DEAD BATTERY. this, i think was the niterider classic's demise as it was in niterider's heyday. if niterider would have only figured out something better than the microbrute (which i don't entirely trust) and the digital pro 12, (see my reviews) they would be the undisputed Kings of the Mountain today when it comes to bicycle lighting systems. now you get light systems that go haywire when ridden in the rain and charger options that apparently work but leave you asking questions when it does'nt do what the manual says it will do, for one reason or another.
yes, niterider still makes the classic and i have the new one now. it tell you what, though, i wish that niterider had made the old classic a little smarter and then stuck with a simple, reliable system that could be adapted to work with the older style connectors. as it is, i have an old headlight pod from niterider that is useless because i probably can't get the old school batteries anymore.
oh well. just another old useless part in my Bike Junk Drawer. i guess i might still be able to salvage the bulbs.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TODD PORTEOUS
a Racer
from FREMONT, CA
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | SECRET | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | bright when you need it, simple design, excellent reliability | | Weaknesses: | takes up to much room on my handlebars | | Similar Products Used: | trailrat | | Bike Setup: | trek 9800, trek 5000, gt sts 1500ds | | Bottom Line: | Been a good light from the start, take a couple of short rides when its new, the battery needs to develope a memory before you will get full burn time, I found out the hard way. I haven't even had to replaced the bulds yet. Get the micro brute, it makes charging the battery a snap without risk of damage to the battery. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ism409
a Cross Country Rider
from newJersey
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | ringwood | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonUSA.com | | Strengths: | KICKS ASS!
new microbrute-charging system allows for full charging in 4 hours.. New NMH battery no more NiCads! | | Weaknesses: | switch needs to be better thought out. You must cycle through the modes to get your desired setting. | | Similar Products Used: | night-sun | | Bike Setup: | 98 klein comp(yeah the trek)... all XTR, 2001 marzocchi bomber(atom race), thomppson seatpost & stem, raceFace bars, mavic crossLinks, GEAX blade 225(front)..200(rear).. | | Bottom Line: | These lights pretty much rule!
I use them 2-3 times a week. The charging could not be easier.. The new micro-brute charging system is so simple..just plug it in and forget about it. Same functionality as the digital systems of last year. The new battery is now NMH. The only downer is the switch..if I am on 20watt setting and need to go to high beam I need to cycle through the off position then 12 watt to get back to highbeam..Other than that if you do not need all the bells and whistles that the digital (and more expensive) versions of these lights provide GET THESE $200 cannot be beat! ....and that's the bottom line!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
iain
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, VA
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Dirt that goes down | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bicycle | | Strengths: | Great visibility, dual beam great. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | NiteRider TrailRat (for my helmet) | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Giant XTC SE1 barely stock anymore. | | Bottom Line: | I've had these lights for almost 4 years, I bought them when they were first releases as the Classic and they are great. They offer great illumination and the 12v bulb is great and is really all you need. The 20v is good for when you flying down a trail and need things brighter. The price is pretty high at $200 but the system is bomb-proof. You can actually run over the lights with your car and it won't hurt it. NightRider also makes lights for scuba divers and their systems can go fairly deep. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
WeedHopper
a Weekend Warrior
from Oak Park, CA
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Chesebro | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$190.00 | | Purchased At: | Speedgoat | | Strengths: | Simple, fairly bright, nice quick detach handlebat mount, 5hr charge (when working) | | Weaknesses: | Kinda heavy, the switch is really annoying because it cycles low, both, high, off. You have to cycle though off, makes night riding a little more exciting than it needs to be. The MicroBrute charger just stopped working a week ago. It's also a little expensive for what you get. | | Similar Products Used: | Digital Headtrip | | Bike Setup: | SC SL | | Bottom Line: | I like this light, the beam is pretty bright and the handlebar mount is especially nice, but I hate having to cycle through off as one of the switch options. Also, a week ago the charger stopped charging. I need to send it back to NiteRider, which sucks for a unit just 8 months old that has only been used around 10 times and never left plugged in longer than overnight. I purposedly went with a 'non-digital' so that this wouldn't happen. I also had to send my Headtrip in for service as well. I really wish I had bought Light & Motion. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark D.
a Weekend Warrior
from harrington park
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | the one i just rode | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$170.00 | | Purchased At: | tenafly bicycle workshop | | Strengths: | stays in place over anything, 12volts is enough for anybody, and the 5 hour charger is great in every aspect. | | Weaknesses: | haven't found any yet | | Similar Products Used: | trek something
planet bike something | | Bike Setup: | 2000 kona caldera | | Bottom Line: | i got thelight for wholesale, otherwise it is a little pricey, but it is really bright. noithing to complain about. the light switch is easy to operate and the order of the settings are easy to memorize bcuz you can't tell which one you are using while riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Bento
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | GG Park and the Headlands | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$165.00 | | Purchased At: | Pacific Bikes #5 SF Geary Blvd | | Strengths: | Really bright and great customer Srv. | | Weaknesses: | Charge time, Bulbs extra sensitive to impact. Try replacing one or even both, over 40 schekles. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized 4w. | | Bike Setup: | 89 Specialized GTP | | Bottom Line: | Bought the display model right off the rack. Good and bright. Dropped the lamp portion of the system. Both lamps toasted. Pissed me right off. Found a good deal in Alameda for more lamps. Still expensive. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad
a Cross Country Rider
from The Kettle, WI
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | CAMBA SYSTEM | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint.com | | Strengths: | All I can say is I have never had sooo much fun. I see alot of complaints on here about the charge. I just got the 2001 Classic Plus with the 5 hour microburst charge...And the NiMH batter instead of the NiCAD...The charge is fast and the lenght is about 3 hours on the low beam. The switch still sucks though! But its a blast flying throght the forest in the middle of the night...come to a clearing....stop turn off the light and take a gander up....you'll love the night more then the day after that. | | Weaknesses: | The switch....a indicator for the battery would be nice...but if you plan it right and bring a watch its no problem. | | Bike Setup: | Bianchi BASS -- carsrcoffins.com | | Bottom Line: | You'll never have soo much fun in the forest until you ride with your classic...hust make sure to get the 2001 Classic Plus. PEACE | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lucas
a Racer
from Scott Depot,WV
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 24 Hours of Snowshoe cource | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Ridge Rider Bicycle Company | | Strengths: | Bright,remote switch,cool looking, durable | | Weaknesses: | It is a pain in the @$$ to charge (I have the older version without the nice cutoff charger), a bit heavy I(expecially during night races where it gets really muddy and you have to pick up your bike and run),no indication of what light level you are at, you have no idea how much battery you have left. | | Similar Products Used: | Niterider Digital Pro 12 extreme,Niterider Digital Headtrip | | Bike Setup: | Does it matter? | | Bottom Line: | This is a pretty good light. If you ride more than 2 a mounth or race at night and want good results go with the Digital Pro 12 extreme. It is lighter,has battery guage,indication of light level, and more light levels to choose from.
If you get this light make sure that you get a plug in cut off timer to use with it. Acording to Niterider's manual the battery is done charging when the battery feels warm. Well my battery felt warm after 10 hours of charge when it was completely depleted before the charge, so you can't really go on the battery temp.
Overall this is an excellent light. Expecially since it has a new charger and stuff this year. It is durable and will take whatever you throw at it. Though if you are going to lay down the money for a handlebar lighting system you are better off just going for the Digital Pro 12 extreme.
Whatever you decide make sure you get a helmet lighting system too so you don't get a surprise on the other side of those switchbacks
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Mission Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | La Jolla Cyclery | | Strengths: | High quality parts and design, water bottle battery, very bright lite, not too heavy, quick charger/voltage regulator included so you don't kill the battery on recharge, NiMh battery. | | Weaknesses: | Having to cycle through all light options while using, ie. if you are on 12W then have to go to 32W (dual beam), you press the switch once, but going back to the 12W you have to press the switch 3 more times and suffer a moment or two without ANY lighting. PRICE. | | Similar Products Used: | Cygolite nite rover | | Bike Setup: | GF kaitai, SPD 747, LX/HT crankset. | | Bottom Line: | excellent product. unlike the cygolite where keeping the battery on the charger too long could harm it, the niterider came with a micro brute quick charger/regulator. it has a trickle charge circuit built in it so you don't over charge and damage the battery. the micro brute charger/regulator comes with the 2001 model and NiMh battery.
the light is very bright, and I rarely go to 32W dual beam, staying mainly in 12W. it does not go out intermittently on rought terrain and the mounting bracket allows you to center the light dead center on the handlebars.
all in all a great, albeit, expensive product. I give it 5 chilis for value, but 4 overall for the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate Estep
a Cross Country Rider
from Hayward, CA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | * Durable construction.
* Waterproof.
* Bright.
* Looks great!
* Height adjustable mount. | | Weaknesses: | * Poorly thought out switch design.
* Pain in the @ss to charge properly.
* Stubby switch cord. | | Similar Products Used: | Specalized 6 volt light | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Joshua | | Bottom Line: | I originally picked this up in 1996 to commute to work, and it worked well on the street. I soon found myself riding the trails at night, opening up a whole new riding experience.
I run the 8.5w bulb - this is worth picking because you probably won't find one in the box. This will increase your run time by about 50% over the 12w bulb, and is suitable for everything except downhills and high speed sections.
The bracket design allows the light to be pointed down for slower, more technical riding, and then swung up for higher speed jaunts.
Offset brackets are available in order to push the light to one side or the other of center.
The stubby switch cable limits switch position. I mount my switch over the brake lever clamp. If I were to mount it on the grip, it would mount too far in to the actual grip area and likely find itself under my palm.
The switch sequence forces you to cycle through the "off" position (off-low-both-high-off), and this has caused a few scares on dark nights. I sometimes think I'm using the low setting, click the switch once to get to the "both" setting, but find myself in total darkness instead. Just something to get used to.
This is a pain to charge properly. For starters, get a wall timer to dedicate to the charger. Fourteen hours is the max you are supposed to charge the battery for, and the timer will keep you from making an expensive boo-boo. The NiCads are finished charging when the water bottle battery becomes warm to the touch. Warm is a relative term, but get used to how it should feel. This will come in handy if you need to put a "half-charge" on after a short ride.
A half rate charger would give you some leeway, if you're willing to put up with a 28 hour charge time.
Value Rating: Deduct one chili for price, which is a tad high, but not unreasonable.
Overall Rating: Deduct one-half chili for charging procedures, one-half chili for poor switch. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lance
a Weekend Warrior
from Sugar Land, TX
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | This light is about the best you can buy, certainly for the money. I work as a Bike Patrol Officer and our police department's bike fleet is outfitted with these. We opted not to get the stupid red/blue configuration and went with the all white. I have used it on my personal bike on the trails and it has never failed. It stays in place and has taken quite a few hits and nothing has broken. The three lighting options make it perfect for whatever conditions you ride in. | | Weaknesses: | Battery life is not so good when you use both lights together. Solution......carry an extra battery. | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh M400 Police Setup - JUNK!
Cannondale Police package (my personal) with a few upgrades. | | Bottom Line: | If you are going to spend money on a light, get this one. It is durable and brighter than some motorcycle headlights. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adim
a Cross Country Rider
from Mill Valley, CA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Bottom Line: | All that I have to say is that cars usually flash their high beams at me, trying to get me to turn my Nite Rider down. All kidding aside, this is the best set-up you can have and will make poaching trails up in the headlands an absolute joy. Great battery life, kind of heavy, but if you've gotta invest in a solid light set-up (especially for those of you in the Bay Area that work at a dot-com until 11 pm every night and can only do night riding), then cash in a few of those options and get a serious set-up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dick Carter
a Weekend Warrior
from Des Moines WA
Date Reviewed: November 16, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Bottom Line: | Bike Commuter in Seattle. Light is heavy but bright. The charger crapped out. the tiny #22 wire broke at the grommet. Can't find another. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from cheshire, ct
Date Reviewed: November 7, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
brooksvalle | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
very bright and has different light settings . Light stays on bracket good and is adjustable in height and bottle battery stays in cage good. | | Weaknesses: |
if you go on long rides the battery might not last and probably wont if you use both beams. | | Bike Setup: |
99'iron horse 9.0 with xt,xtr and manitou sx-r | | Bottom Line: | very bright light. overall i would say that this is a very good light and niterider is definetly has the best lighting systems. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from Reno, NV
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
The light itself works great (see weaknesses) | | Weaknesses: |
about every year and a half or so I have had to replace the battery. (I charge it 2 to 3 times a week). After about 200 charges it will no longer hold a charge for more then an hour (12 watt). Then it cost over 150.00 to buy another battery.
I would check the price of replacement batterys between the different brands before buying another lighting system. | | Bottom Line: | The light is very good; The batterys wont hold a charge of more then an hour after it has been recharged about 200 times. (I think the manifacture claims 1000 charges)
When buying a lighting system, don't just look at how well the thing lights up the road or trail; also ask about the replacement cost of their batterys. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Benicia, CA.
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Annadel | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Very bright and white. | | Weaknesses: |
Heavy battery. Needs NMH or Lithium batteries. Lets get with the program guys! | | Similar Products Used: |
NR Cyclops 15w | | Bike Setup: |
I mounted it to Easton Monkey Lites, a slight riser bar. Mounted pretty well, I'm surprised! I think the quick release mounting bracket is a stroke of genius! Big yea! for that one. | | Bottom Line: | The 12w spot is good enough to get you home after dark, the 20w is wider and more helpful on tight twisty stuff. When both are on you can cook! I also bought a HeadTrip 10w too. The way I have my lights set up, my headTrip light beams just at the top of my Dual beam, extending the effectiveness and allows me to haul ass. Add the fact that anywhere I look I have light. That allows me to look for the turns before I get to them so I can haul ass in tight, twisty, tree filled trails.
Another benifit is those times you're faced with a big dip, bar lights can't help until you commit to the trail (that's not a good thing) and drop down into it. With HeadTrip all I have to do is look down and it's all visible. Another big yea!. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Wong
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco,CA
Date Reviewed: April 10, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Golden Gate Park | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Very Bright Light | | Weaknesses: |
The light doesn't stay secure at the mount during rough terrain and ends up pointing to the ground. | | Similar Products Used: |
Nite Sun | | Bike Setup: |
Trek Y50
Manitou FS ti | | Bottom Line: | Nice light but too expensive. Stick with the Nite rider Cyclops Pro 15Watt. There isn't much difference since both lights point at the same spot
anyway. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Ellis
a
from Tacoma, WA
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have mixed feelings about this light. The 20 watt flood light throws out a very wide beam but the 12 watt spot light is less effective. My 10 watt TrailRat does just as well as this 12 watt spot. When I use them togeather I can not see any better than using the 20 watt flood alone, so I conserv the battery and ride with just the 20 watt flood. For a hundred dollars less check out the Performance View Point dual beam. It uses a sealed lead acid battery and looks like it can compete heads up with the Classic Dual Beam. (The Performance light is also available with a Ni-Cad battery but then you only save about 25 bucks over the NiteRider.)
Reading the other reviews here about this light made me think that the Classic Dual Beam would be a huge imrpovement over my TrailRat but that is not the way it is!! I still rate it a 4 but the Performance light could have had a 4 too, and I could have saved enough to buy a TrailRat. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William
a cross-country rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: January 28, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Ever since I got the Dual beam Nightrider I haven't been able to get enough sleep. I can no longer find an excuse not to ride. The durability and quality are top notch. If you are really serious about riding at night, on road or off road, this is the light for you. The price is steep, but you really do get what you pay for. (I was able to find a slightly used one for a good price.) Kudos to Nightrider, and thanks Ernesto. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tmetzler
a cross-country rider
from Northern New Jersey
Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This light is truly amazing. It is brighter than my car's high beam. I have been riding a few times a week after work, in the dark, since October and have never wished for better or more illumination. As happy as I have been with this light, the best recommendation came from a little kid who I passed one evening. I stopped to illuminate a steep hill that he was walking up with his bike. When he got to the top his comment was, Gee Mister, that light is Really Really bright. 'Nuf said. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a cross-country rider
from California
Date Reviewed: November 11, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I ride with the dual beam system on my bars and a NightRider single beam spot on the helmet. This system is GREAT! It took a little bit to dial in the handlebar mount, but once I did, it has been rock solid. Customer support is great and they knew what minor thing I needed to do to fix a weird problem I was having (involved pushing the switch about fifty times to clear some silicon glue out after they had fixed a wiring short). A little story -- I was riding one night on a fast downhill and I didn't secure the strap to hold the battery. The battery flew out of the bottle cage and was dragging on the ground behind my bike. The battery NEVER came disconnected from the light so I could see without a problem as I came to a stop. Imagine trying to do that with some control in the dark? If I could, I'd give NightRider six chilis just for that! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from Apple Valley, California
Date Reviewed: October 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Ive just owned these lights for a month now , but before buying them I read up on them and did a lot of research, they are not cheap. I read every one of the reviews on this list and took the plunge. They are what they say they are, the charge times are extremely accurate and they are the nearest thing to driving during daylight, I dont want to exsagerate, but with both beams on at 32 watts you dont want for more. Ill admit that the bike mount is really poorly thought out and should be redone, but once you have it adjusted right where you want them to be they do not move. I would reccomend these lights to anyone looking for some good night riding. Interestingly enough I find myself wanting to ride more a nd more at night. They are also great day time protection so cars spot you, I have the 12 or 20 watt on when I ride street during the day too. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Hilow
a cross-country rider
from San Francisco, China
Date Reviewed: October 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This light smokes!!! Product support is damn good too! My high beam blew on the first ride from the box. I e-mailed Tim at customer support and got the replacement in a couple of days via Federal excuse. Since following charging directions I am experiencing about 50mins ride @32w. Not bad. I tried installing two 20w bulbs = 40w total. Talk about nutty power, too bright. Cars really take more notice. Riding in the city is no time not to go un-noticed by cars. 40w sucks the power too quick. Full 14hr charge 30+ minutes and the lights get totally yellow??, weird eh? Still enough erie yellow light left for the ride back. No other light like this one for bombing through homeless encampments in Golden Gate Park; scares the shit out of em'!! UFO looking!
I highly recommend this friggin light!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
clydehorn
a cross-country rider
from san jose, ca. 95124
Date Reviewed: October 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My buddies and I ride throughout the winter regardless of the weather. We all
have the nightrider dualies. One of my friends has last year's pro. I plan to
purchase the newest head pro in addition to my dual beam. We can't say
enough good about this lightset. When we ride on a dark night the three or
four of us look like a mach truck coming down the trail. The overnight charge
takes us beyond our two or three hour rides. When my present one wears out
I will spend the bucks and purchase the newest one. All my buddies agree. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Levine
a weekend warrior
from Chicago, Illinois
Date Reviewed: July 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought this light last fall and commuted all winter with it. Although the price made me grit my teeth, close my eyes and hand over the credit card with a shaking hand, it turned out to be worth it -- oddly enough, in this case, you get what you pay for. The light is beautifully constructed and simple to put on, take off and operate. The level of light is excellent -- on portions of the commute where there's car traffic and the street is pretty well lit, the light is bright enough to alert cars, and dark portions of the bike trail are lit up in blazing splendor. My girlfriend has been using a Cateye Hyperlite, and although it's not a fair comparison, the difference between them is like . . . night and day. I've looked at other lights in this category -- Nitesun, Serfas -- and this one just seems better thought-out and made. The only downside that I see is that the battery runs down pretty quickly when using the full 32W (about an hour), so if you don't remember to recharge when you get home, your next night ride will be a spooky one. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a cross-country rider
from College Park, MD
Date Reviewed: June 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've owned my Niterider classic for several years now without any problems and its been through three 24 hours of Canaan! I must say this light kicks major butt. The design is durable and virtually undestructable. The best design I've seen. Bring on the night with this light because of the bright light it puts out. One of the best product I bought for my steed. The warranty service is also awesome as well. I recently send my lights for warranty. DAVE and TIM of the service department replaced the battery and headlamp plug for free and sent it back to me within a week. Thanks a bunch guys! What more could you ask for in a company. Do yourself and your bike a favor. Buy NITERIDER. BTW, I don't work for them, I'm just another satisfied customer. Five flaming chilis | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a weekend warrior
from Los Osos, CA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have only owned the Classic for a few weeks now, but I was mainly looking for a light that was going to be durable, yet bright enough so I can take it out off road. I use it 75 percent of the time while commuting to and from work, which is only 11 miles round trip. What turned me on about the Classic is that I asked a lot of questions about whats good, durable, reliable, style of riding that I do, taking everything into consideration and rapping with my boys at (C.B.O) -Cambria Bicycle Outfitter, and they all use the classic because its proved time and time again. The undesputed heavey weight champions of lighting systems for all applications, and their excellent costomer service department, as opposed to Nitesun, etc. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a weekend warrior
from Los Osos, CA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have only owned the Classic for a few weeks now, but I was mainly looking for a light that was going to be durable, yet bright enough so I can take it out off road. I use it 75 percent of the time while commuting to and from work, which is only 11 miles round trip. What turned me on about the Classic is that I asked a lot of questions about whats good, durable, reliable, style of riding that I do, taking everything into consideration and rapping with my boys at (C.B.O) -Cambria Bicycle Outfitter, and they all use the classic because its proved time and time again. The undesputed heavey weight champions of lighting systems for all applications, and their excellent costomer service department, as opposed to Nitesun, etc. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a cross-country rider
from New England
Date Reviewed: February 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had one of these for a year now and I love it. It's built really tough and puts out good light. Besides the complaint that everyone else has (toggling through the different functions) I've found it somewhat difficult to quickly look at which beam setting I'm on. I looked into getting the plastic front part with the green fiber-optics above each light and it would cost me $40!! For a piece of plastic with two big holes in it! Also, it's kind of a pain to keep an eye on the battery while charging. If you just ignore it and let it bake it will cost you like $80 for a new battery ($10 for the battery, $2 for the cord, and $68 to make the cord all curly) Anyway, Nightrider has addressed all of these problems with the new Digital Pro but that's way too expensive. If I think about it too much I'd give the light 4 stars because of these problems, but when I'm on the trail, they dissapear pretty fast. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
S.Watt
a cross-country rider
from British Columbia
Date Reviewed: December 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been using the original dual light now for three years, can't beat it! As for the complaints about the switching on the new Classic, I can switch between the 12w and 32w in one stroke. The only problem is that the switch is located on top of the light, gets a little difficult when your riding fast and have to take one hand of the bar. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mountain Fraggle
a weekend warrior
from Pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: December 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The light pretty much kicks ass. It's very bright and durable. The only complaint is that you can't toggle back and forth between 12/32/20 but rather have to cycle through the settings going through the off position. This is not a huge problem, however, because you can click through the settings very quickly and I also use a 15 watt light on my helmet. A second light on your helmet is ideal, since you can't see around sharp corners with a handlebar mounted light. Basically, the light is great! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
So. Cal.
a racer
from Southern California
Date Reviewed: December 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got the Classic dual beam. It is a high quality light with plenty of candlepower. The only negative thing that I can say about the light has to do with the switching. You must cycle through all four positions of the 4 way switch to get back to your original position (the switch goes like this: off-12W-32W-20W-off). I would love to be able to be on the 12W low, then hit a switch and be at max power for going through intersections, then go right back to low power without cycling through all those other positions. A toggle or push button switch in series with the 20W flood bulb would do the trick. I'm considering doing this modification even though it will probably void out the warranty. Everything else about this light is just perfect, even the mounting (I mounted mine upside down so that the light hangs under the bar-it's much more out of the way there). Much better quality than the Nightsun systems. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
So. Cal.
a
from racer
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just got the classic a couple of weeks ago. It is well made and puts out a very nice beam (I ride the road on city streets). I agree with Singletrack God about the switching. You must cycle through all four positions of the switch to get back to your original setting (goes from off, to 12W, to 32W, to20W, and then finally back to off again). There is no way around this. As far as I can tell, this is the only thing I would change about this light. It should have a toggle or push on/push off switch in series with the 20W flood so that you can go from 12 to 32 and then right back to 12 watts right away. Everything else works great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich Perez
a cross-country rider
from San Angelo Texas, USA
Date Reviewed: December 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey, just got the light to do some night riding since it get dark earlier(standard time). I really like the thing. Sure beats the 2.5watt Cateye I was using. I've extended my riding time with the nightrider by about an hour. Just need it to get back to the car. The 12watt spot is usually enough although I use the dual beams when during switchbacks(hard to see around corners). It's good light from a good company. I was going to buy the digital version but decided to just get the tried and true classic. Alot of riders prefer it because of its reliability rating. A good light to consider. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard Beare
a cross-country rider
from Japan
Date Reviewed: November 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Well I have to say that I have owned a few lights in my time and the best so far is this one.I know that there are better systems on the market,but this one is perfect for the terain that I ride in Japan.If you are in Japan and want to drop me a Line go ahead. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Singletrack God
a cross-country rider
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: November 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Very bright, holds a charge well, and is waterproof. Overall, a very good light. One thing though; if you ride through rocky, rooty terrain (...typical east coast...) the multi-position handlebar mount will vibrate the light down to the lowest setting (pointing down to the ground). Found this out on a steep, rocky descent. I just set the light at the last position, and moved the mounting bracket itself. Kinda a pain, but no more movement. Also, the bar mounted switch goes from spot to dual to flood to off. There is no way to go from spot to flood back to spot without the unit going through the off setting. Dual beams really aren't functional. Save yourself some money, and go with the single 15w beam. Good for 2.5 hours, and you can't accidently turn it off while reaching for your shifters. Not as much light, though. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from McLean, VA
Date Reviewed: October 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
NiteRider Dual Beam System. Great light but a major drawback is that the connector that attaches the light to the handlebar mount is real Mickey Mouse stuff. The design seems sound but I have had problems with it and for the cost I expected a little more integrity from the manufacturer. Oh well, maybe they will read this and follow through on their great light systems and come up with a great way to attach it to your bike....? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MIKE PORTER
a cross-country rider
from CALGARY, AB. CANADA
Date Reviewed: January 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
THIS LIGHT IS AWESOME. SINCE I'VE PURCHASED THIS LIGHT I'M LOOKING FOR EXCUSES TO RIDE AT NIGHT INSTEAD OF DURING DAYLIGHT. THE NIGHTRIDER CLASSIC (DUAL BEAM) PUTS OUT MORE LIGHT THAN I'LL EVER NEED, AND THE BATTERY LASTS FOR EVER.
I HIGHLY RECCOMEND THIS LIGHT TO ANY AVID MOUNTAIN BIKER. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John K
a cross-country rider
from San Gabriel, Ca
Date Reviewed: October 17, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I LOVE THIS LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought the Dual beam light and I'm extremely glad I did. The focused beam outshinesmy friends lights, and when I'm riding a long downhill I turn on both lights. It's as close to riding during the day as you're gonna get. The lights are very well built. In fact their ads used to feature the light shining brightly under on of the tires on a van. You will not get this type of quality with any other system. It is worth every penny that I paid for it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a cross-country rider
from Los Gatos, CA
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I used to have the NightSun Dual-Beam... It was a great light, but it
sucks compared to the NightRider. The NightRider is completely
sealed, has a better switch, better mounting (the velcro strap for the
battery is a nice extra touch), has a better wiring harness and
connectors, and is simply a better light all-around. Plus, they
seem to encourage you to contact them in their literature, whereas
anyone who has tried to call Nightsun knows how snobby they are. The
Nightrider is absolutely awesome if you want to do some night riding,
definitely worth the investment.
| | Overall Rating: |
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