Submitted by
Jay Riggs
a Cross Country Rider
from Media, PA USA Date Reviewed: December 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Well built, excellent accessory package
Weaknesses:
Expensive. Upon purchase, battery had to be completely discharged to recalibrate the battery meter light. This was not an issue at all. Excellent customer service at Princeton Tec
Bike Setup:
Helmet Mount
Bottom Line:
Excellent build quality. Flexible battery mounting options. Excellent accessory package. Absolutely none of the issues described in previous posts. I ride hard and the helmet setup is sweet, though you most likely will have to re-adjust your helmet straps to find the center of gravity. You can find the right feel. very,very bright. Two outward spots with a center flood, so the light will not have a bright spot associated with other manufacturers. In fog this may be an issue. Excellent burn time. This is my first light of this type and I am completely satisfied so far. This is a very good lighting system. An excellent helmet light. This is the mounting option I prefer over the bar mount. If you want a great light, this is it.
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Submitted by
Ronin
a Racer
from G'ville in the Hills Date Reviewed: December 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tsali
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
eBay - New
Strengths:
Design Accesories - 2 Chargers, 1 International Adaptor, Straps, Mounts.
Weaknesses:
Quality - I have own this light 40 days, and this light has failed in 5 of the 7 times I have ridden with it. 1st Night ride = screws stripped out of the body of the light and thus the light falls off while riding a technical section of the trail. 2nd Ride = (After being returned by Princeton Tec) Light cuts off while mounted to the helmet. Customer Service thinks it may be extension cable, send replacement. 3rd Ride = Mounted back on frame, straps tears at the buckle, battery pack falls off. (This is on a fire road - not even a jarring trail!) 4th Ride = Mounted back on frame light cuts out and can not be turned back on.
Honestly this is a poor quality controlled product.
Similar Products Used:
Nightriders - especially useful after this product failed during the weekly group rides.
Bike Setup:
Bianchi Full Race Oetzi Hard Tail w/SRAM, Fox, and a worthless Switchback 3!
Bottom Line:
Do not buy the product if you need a reliable light. I have been very disappointed with its performance. It is a real pain in the a$$ to have to pull out from the group ride b/c your new light doesn't work.
Customer Service at PT is good but not great. They claim to call you when they receive the product but I have never been contacted to hear why this product has failed.
Whether it is poor QC or bad design, its price is high enough that their are enough other really solid performers it is competing against to pass this product over.
Good Design with nice accessories, but if it doesn't work then why bother...
Enjoy your riding and get a better light.
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Submitted by
Dwight Kellams
a Weekend Warrior
from Fishers, IN USA Date Reviewed: December 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$215.00
Purchased At:
Colorado Cyclist Close-out
Strengths:
Comes with everything! LED that puts out an adequate amount of light. Long runtime. Princeton Tec stands behind their product. Warranty and quick response to warranty claim.
Weaknesses:
Switch was defective and had to return unit and battery for warranty replacement. Frame mount battery strap broke - Luckily I had another since they sent me an entire new package and had a duplicate of everything except the battery and light unit.
Similar Products Used:
Light and Motion Vega - Just not enough light unless you just want to be seen or only ride in large groups. Fenix L2D CE Q5 flashlight.
Bike Setup:
Serotta Fierte Steel with Ultegra
Bottom Line:
Quality made product from a quality company that stands behind their product. Good value at list and great value on close-out. Unless Princeton Tec stays on it's toes and upgrades LED's as technology advances, it will quickly become dated - This is not unique to Princeton Tec, alll manufacturers have this problem.
Top performer in 2007 Light Shootout.
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Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ USA Date Reviewed: December 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Trail 100
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Super bright light, pretty good mounting system, car and wall charger cords included, lightweight. Long run time on fully charged battery. The battery charges in less than 3 hours and runs for 6 on the highest setting.
Weaknesses:
Heavy battery pack built like a brick (but will fit in a water bottle cage), battery loses charge while not in use. Also, it needs a power gauge on the battery so that you can tell how much charge is left. The only way to know is that the light will flash when it gets to the last 25 % of charge in the battery.
Similar Products Used:
Night Rider Head Trip
Bike Setup:
'06 Ironhorse MK III Sport
Bottom Line:
This is a very good white light. It is very bright. I use mine for nighttime mountain bike riding. It is bright enought that I am able to ride at the same speed that I do during the day. However, I have experienced that the battery drains itself while sitting on a shelf. I lost approximately 50% of the charge in one week.
I have not seen any lights on the trail that are brighter than this system.
$
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