Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Indiana! Date Reviewed: March 17, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$115.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Bright, long burn time, small battery pack, Lithium Ion w/smart charger. All accessories are included, even adapters for euro/12V auto are included. Works great for night commuting and non-technical night trail riding. Mount is very sturdy and has survived some abuse without cracking.
Weaknesses:
Not quite as good as the sun.
Similar Products Used:
Cateye blinkies and some other non Li-ion lights.
Bike Setup:
Trek hardtail with Deore/LX throughout and RockShox Tora 318 Solo Air
Bottom Line:
I will definitely be buying the Switchback 3 when I find a deal on it. In terms of trail riding, this light rocks as a helmet light when paired with a brighter handlebar light. It is sufficient for non-technical trails/bike paths. For commuting, I have no problem confidently riding 35 mph (downhill, of course) in otherwise darkness. The handlebar mount has a quick release which makes removal a breeze. The setup is quite light compared to NiMH systems. Burn times are true to advertised claims, and with a Switchback 3, adventure racing without changing batteries seems do-able. This is one of the most well thought out devices I've ever bought.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob R.
a Cross Country Rider
from Jersey Shore Date Reviewed: December 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Allamuchy
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
4 Modes of burn, high mode lasts 4.5hrs, med lasts 6hrs, handlebar and helmet mount, long cords, car charger
Weaknesses:
Product manual comes on DVD instead of hard copy (I'm being real picky here)
Similar Products Used:
Light and Motion (which is better, but twice the cost)
Bike Setup:
SS
Bottom Line:
Myself and my racing partner have used this since Summer 07 24hr mtb race. The lighting system is awesome, I highly recommend. If I could do over, I would buy two of these instead of the much more expensive L&M Arc, which is a litter better but 2x the price. Car charger is nice, and simple setup. Bottom line: you could ride challenging singletrack at night no problem with this system. I have not tried the Switchback 2 or 3, which are more expensive models. You could easily use this as your night riding light all year.
$
Overall Rating:
