I mounted this side by side with a Topeak Moonshine HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlamp for comparison purposes, and made my normal pre-dawn commute for a week. The housing seems quite sturdy, and the battery connector is easy to open and close.The lamp mounting bracket has a nice dial-screw on it so it's easy-on and easy-off.The HL-EL830RC casts enough light for riding along the road, but it's far, far dimmer than the HID.There is no bright cone of light cast on the road and off to either side, as there is with the HID.The narrow light beam is comparable to a conventional halogen light.
The unit creates a startling amount of radio frequency interference(RFI); no possibility of listening to radio while pedalling! When riding in heavy fog, there's a strange rippling effect in the light beam, apparently it's flashing at a very high frequency. This thing apparently has a pretty elaborate electronic power supply, one more thing that can go wrong with it...but it has a 2 year warranty.
The on/off switch has a large tab on the handlebar fastener, and it knocks off easily when you try to switch the light while wearing winter gloves.The switch is marked "CAUTION HOT" but I detected no heating.
The battery lasts a long time, as advertised, but the charger is apparently not too "smart" -- the instructions tell you not to leave it plugged in at completion of the charge.So I use a timer.
Given the relatively high price of this light (comparable to an HID), the long run time and possibly long LED lifetime as compared to a bulb, are its main saving graces.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Cateye HL-EL830RC Triple Shot Pro Rechargeable LED Bicycle Headlight
Product Description:
Rechargeable in five hours with its accompanying charger, this bicycle headlight uses three hyper-powerful LEDs to generate a clear beam and Cateye's OptiCube technology to optimize lens and reflector brightness and focus. The light can be switched between high and low beams and offers up to six hours of run time. Designed for off-road riding and 24-hour racing, the light is light in weight (17.5 ounces/497 grams, including light, li-ion battery, and bracket) and can be mounted on a handlebar measuring 22.2 to 31.8 mm in diameter. The handlebar-mount switch includes a battery-level indicator. Other features include a rugged cast-aluminum body and locking cable connectors to prevent blackouts.
About Cateye
Founded in 1946 in Osaka, Japan, CatEye is the leading manufacturer of cycle computers, lights, and reflectors to cyclists in the world. In 1964, CatEye was the first in the industry to create a flashing lamp for bicycles, followed by their first battery headlamp in 1982, and the very first bicycle head lamp using white LEDs in 2001. The company's Opticube lens and reflectors make the brightest and most efficient LED headlights. while their LD500 remains the only rear safety light that can meet the rigorous CPSC standards for reflectivity.
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