Blackburn Quadrant Bicycle Light Review

I'm generous, at times, in reviewing books or CDs and saying 5 stars; and maybe this item is easier to judge; but I have no problems giving it a top rating.

In the past 5 or 6 years; I have used a number of headlights; mostly those with rechargeable batteries and they have served my purpose; but in a sense they have been bulky, or expensive, a bit of a hassle.

I will continue to keep a rechargeable battery headlight that I have since it lights up the road, just in case; but this one is easy to carry with one off the bike for security reasons, has a price that can't be beat, in fact, I find it astonishing that one can get such a good lighting system for under $50 dollars, let alone less than $25 as in this case. It is really a fine product; and very good for local riding (meaning 20-30 miles). For touring, maybe more lighting is needed; but it certainly let's you be seen and I don't have any problems with how well it does illuminate.

I especially went out of my way to purchase this; I often wondered what some cyclists I would see were using with a strobe light type of light on their bicycles; it may have been one of these and I have been pleasantly surprised with it's quality.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blackburn Quadrant Bicycle Light

Product Description:
An essential measure for any safety-conscious biker, the Blackburn Quadrant Bicycle Light will help make sure you see the road and drivers see you. The Quadrant is constructed in a tough, water-resistant case and utilizes four super-bright white LEDs. This bicycle light features optically-boosted center LEDs that light up what is ahead, and wide angle side LEDs with side-light pipes that provide 180-degrees of visibility. Blackburn's Quadrant light runs on four AA batteries (included) for 110 hours in steady mode, or 300 hours in flash mode.
About Blackburn
In 1975, Jim Blackburn set out to design stronger, lighter, more innovative and more reliable cycling products. The first were bags and racks designed for touring. From there, Blackburn grew. Over the next 30 years, Blackburn's spark of innovation would lead to many revolutionary products, like the first high quality aircraft aluminum rack, the first dual stroke minipump, the first oversized mountain minipump and the first dual stage/dual stroke floorpump just to name a few. For 2005, Blackburn's creative spark is burning brighter than ever. And as we head into our 30th year, Blackburn is re-dedicated to designing smart, reliable, no nonsense accessories that are essential to your riding experience.

Want to buy Blackburn Quadrant Bicycle Light at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Bell Dawn Patrol Headlight Review

I recently purchased a mountain bike for around the town commuting and needed a good inexpensive headlight for the night rides that I do.

I went to Copelands Sports Store at the mall and found a couple of cheap clearence items in the bicycle section. Then I came across just what I needed! Bell Dawn Patrol headlights! Xenon powered, side portal beams as well. I knew what the word Xenon meant so I decided to take a chance and buy two of the lights to mount on my bike. Total cost (since they were on Christmas clearence = $4.75 each!)

I went home and first put on the headlight mounts. This was totally easy and tool free. Just turn the little round knobs and unhook the clamp and then clamp the hook over your handlebar of your bicycle and then turn the knob to tighten.

Next came the actual headlight unit itself. This headlight takes 4 AA batteries so be forewarned that you can go through batteries quickly if you ride a lot at night like I do.

I quickly invested in a battery recharger and 8 AA rechargeable batteries the same day.

Unlocking the battery holder mechanism can be a real pain at first. You need to really hold the headlight firmly with one hand (in this case your stronger hand, my right hand) and then you take your thumb and second finger in your left hand to push open the unit. It can be a real pain to open the first time you get this light.

I put in the 4 AA batteries and depressed the on/off switch and BOOM, the Xenon headlight came on! It is an EXTREMELY bright light with fresh batteries and you do not want to look directly into its beam.

Riding under ideal city conditions with street lights around you, you will be okay. It's a light to be seen with, not to see what is in front of you as the street lighting will out do these lights.

However when riding an unlighted trail and some streets/cul de sacs where street lighting was minimal I was extremely pleased with how bright the two lights lit up the trail; the ground and the sides as well. With fresh batteries, the light will be pretty bright. Overtime as the batteries run low, you will also notice that the beam will decrease in brightness. This means to get new batteries! There is no low battery indicator light on these headlights.

I would highly recommend that you get two of these lights and a rechargeable battery system as well. It is a fairly inexpensive system to invest in if you just want to be seen. If you want to be seen and BE ABLE TO SEE clearly your riding path, then you may want to invest in a HID (High Intensity Discharge) system which can run anywhere from $55.00 to $500 at your local REI store. These lights are the brightest lights I've ever seen but cost you an arm and a leg.

But for just normal city riding to just be seen the Bell Dawn Patrol Xenon bicycle headlights work just fine for me.

(Also I have crashed once on my bike once before, and one of the lights popped off the handlebar mount. I also lost my batteries inside as well... oh well. :( )

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bell Dawn Patrol Headlight

Product Description:
Black, high impact plastic. Bright headlight with illuminated side lenses. Fits all bicycles. Mounts on handlebar stem. Uses 2 "C" batteries not included.

Get 28% OFF

Want to buy Bell Dawn Patrol Headlight at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Cateye EL-700RC Triple Shot Rechargeable LED Bicycle Headlight Review

Overall technology:

This light uses old LED technology which make it shine only 130 lumen and the NiMH battery make it weigh over 800 grams (1.5 lbs) total.

Attaching to your bike:

The system it uses to attach to the frame is cumbersome and not very reliable. The size of the battery gets in the way of the water bottle.

The light mount quick release doesn't work well.

Vendor of this light and CatEye:

I didn't do enough research before purchasing it because CatEye doesn't use lumen in their advertising for obvious reasons. Their rating of 20000 candlepower is meaningless.

To return it, this vendor charges 20% restocking fee which is ridiculously high especially if you buy a high price item such as this.

How does it compare?

To compare its brightness I took it with me on a tour of specialized bike stores and REI and shined it along the lights in those stores (TriNewt, various cyglites). At REI all lights were brighter including a 90 dollars Cygolite with just one LED!

Trail Performance:

On the trail it performs OK and since your eyes are dark adapted, it shines just enough light to see the path ahead. Battery lasted 4 hours but it dimmed very noticeably after 3 hours.

Basic features missing on this light are flashing modes and low beam modes.

Battery and charging:

The battery charging system and the battery are designed poorly and the first charge is going to be very idiotic with indicator lights not showing anything appropriate. Subsequent charges seem to work OK but you have to watch it charge and unplug it when its done or the battery will be damaged as the charger is not a smart charger.

Final Thoughts:

What I really want is the Cygolite TridenX for only 60 dollars more but can't justify either taking a 30+ dollar loss on this light or buying another 230 dollar light.

UPDATE: I decided to mod this light with newer LEDs (~240 lumen max each - original about 80 at 1 Amp), a new driver (1 Amp with potentiometer so that I can change brightness), new reflector optics and now it's finally bright with a nice throw. It cost me around 65 dollars for the parts and now I have a 700 lumen light which is more than 3 times brighter than before and using about the same amount of power (slightly more if cranked up to 1 Amp).

Now that I know the inner workings of this light I have to say this:
- Engineering of the product is mediocre. Brittle bolts break when turned.
- Poor product support where upgrades should be easy and done at factory every year so that they don't advertise outdated products as new.
- Designing the product with an adjustable driver.
- Using AA NiMH battery cells is really cutting corners that don't need to be cut.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cateye EL-700RC Triple Shot Rechargeable LED Bicycle Headlight

Product Description:
3 high-power LEDS with Opticube lens. Single bright setting with 3.3 hour run time. Intelligent 3-hour charger. Handlebar mount. Tough die-cast aluminum body is virtually indestructible. Locking cable connectors to prevent blackouts. 710 grams (25.0 oz) light, battery and mount.

Want to buy Cateye EL-700RC Triple Shot Rechargeable LED Bicycle Headlight at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Blackburn Voyager 4.0 Luxeon Bicycle Headlight Review

Safety is everything when you're in the dark, and require any light to get out of danger.

Headlights in comparison:
- Blackburn X3.
- Generic 5 LEDs torches
- Luxeon 2 LEDs custom mount flashlights

Adaptive Design:
The light can be mounted on virtually all bike handle bars. I have a custom hybrid road bike, my wife is a Sidewinder FX mountain, my 8 year old son's is BMX, and my little 1 year old is a Schwinn Mark III trailer. The quick release handle bar mount accommodate a handle bar tube as small as 1/4 inch, up to 1.75 inches. This is practically the sizes for 99% of the bikes' handle bar tubes and trailers' frames. The cool thing is, the mount also has an adjustable side-to-side angle for your light. It's perfect when you need a quick adjustment on your light beam from left, to right, and back to center, based on your travel path. If you need a quick use of the light as a flash light, the mount allows you to quickly remove the light by squeezing in the V-clip, and slide forward for a fast dismount.

Visibility:
- Morning hours: At dawn, with just a crack of sunlight in the horizon, your light only gives you enough lumen to see about 5 feet away. But, to motorists, your light is bright enough to be seen at 1/2 mile away.

- Night hours: When the sun starts to sink into the horizon, your visibility increases significantly. If there's still some light before dusk, you still able to see about 7 feet in front of you, and you can be spotted at 1/2 miles away. When there's no light left, and all you have are street lights, you can see about 10 feet in front of you, quite clearly, within a 3 feet spot light circle. The halo around your spot light (4 feet in each direction) gives you enough light to see obstructions, but not enough to clearly identify the obstruction, such as a log, or a shredded tire piece. You can bet you can be seen by motorists up to 1mile away. In total darkness, you can see 15 feet in front of you within the 3 feet spot light circle, and the halo around the spot light area can be seen quite clearly to identify everything, down to a 1 inch bolt. You're now can be seen as far as 1.5 miles away at level ground, and as bright as a motorcylists headlight. When the vehicle is close by, the LEDs can be quite blinding. If you mount the light onto your head with a helmet mount, you bet you can temporarily blind the drivers, like I have. There are passengers screaming out indicating that the LEDs are way too bright, and drivers honking horns to tell us to crank the brightness down. Sorry, can't do that. Our safety goes above the irritation the drivers may have.

In comparison with the Blackburn X3 (2.3 watts and uses tons of power), this 1watt (powered by 4 AA-batteries) gives enough light to get you through the dark nights, or a fraction of the price. Combine with the X3, or another Voyager 4, you can light up the roads regardless of how much street lights are on, and how bright they are. Rather than spending hundreds on the expensive lights, the Voyager 4 can act as your first 10 feet supporting light on your handle bar, and your X3 helmet mounted light can act as your mid and long range spot light. In combination, these two lights illuminate my paths on my long commutes.

If you're going into dark trails or riding downhill faster than 15 mph, using only this light, you will outrun the light. This only gives you a good visibility of 15 feet ahead of you if you travel at 10 to 15 mph. You need to use this in combination with a good spot light for a far forward visibility. X3 is a good combo, since it only cost $60, rather than the $150+ for the X6 system, or the more expensive LEDs and Halogen/HID systems. This will give you the effective 20+ feet of illuminated path for less than $100, and you can max your speed out at 40 mph like I do with my road bike down the hills.

Side marker LEDs:
There are two yellow blinking LEDs that acts as side markers. These proves to be useless on all levels. They're not bright enough as effective visible markers, and they're draining the batteries for nothing.

Power usages:
There are three settings and three level of power usages:
- Solid highest brightness: The LEDs are on continually. The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 4 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 3.5 hours.

- Solid medium: The LEDs are on continually, but the brightness is reduced by half. The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 6 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 5 hours.

- Steady fast blinking: The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 8 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 7.5 hours.

If you use your light on and off, an hour or two each day, you can go as long as 9 hours for the solid light, or as long as 13 hours on blinking mode. Just be warned, when the batteries reaches the 1/2 way point of power spent, the LEDs will automatically dim to solid medium brightness strength to conserve power until the batteries are drained completely. The trick is to use the lights in blinking mode, which utilizes the highest power level or maximum brightness. The only annoyance is the blinking.The shell is nothing to laugh about. Although the batteries is housed in a twistable housing shell, the shell will not snap or fall apart on accidental drops. The shell survives so many of our three to 5 feet falls, onto hard concrete while we prepare for our trips, and launches from our mounts on quick stops because we did not ensure proper mounting attachment onto the mount. There are minor nicks and scratches because of the harsh surfaces, but the brightness remain the same regardless.

Overview:
If I have to invest in an effective headlight that doesn't break the bank to shine my path, this is it. Not only it's inexpensive, but it's a versatile to have on any equipment for good visibility in the dark. A couple of these strapped to your handle bar and helmet, and you're set to venture the highways and byways of the modern day. My suggestion is to use a combination of strong spot light (such as the Blackburn X3), in combination with this light acting as a flood light. With this combination, you can't outrun your light combos.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blackburn Voyager 4.0 Luxeon Bicycle Headlight

Product Description:
The new Voyager 4.0 will boldly go where no commuter light has gone before. With a potent Luxeon 1 watt LED emitter churning out 45 darkness-scalding lumens through a sophisticated beam-shaping optical lens, there is plenty of light to see the road or bike path. And unique to Blackburn, two independently controlled amber side LED's provide 180 degrees of feel-good, be-seen visibilty. The emitter uses the same anti-dimming Constant Current Technology as our powerful System X lights, and four AA batteries will provide 4 hours of runtime at full brightness or 10 hours on low. There is also separate flash modes for the side LED's and the main beam.

Want to buy Blackburn Voyager 4.0 Luxeon Bicycle Headlight at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Cateye HL-EL520 LED Bicycle Headlight Review

This light is almost bright enough to use as a single source for night riding, although I wouldn't advise it.It's best use is for when you want to be seen at night, because the blinking mode really is quite bright. In the regular non-blinking mode, it has a tightly focused beam with a bit more diffusion than previous models, so you'll see the beam and a bit of what surrounds the main focus area of the beam, and it seems to have more power than previous models too.But, in my opinion, it isn't strong enough or bright enough to light a large enough area ahead for safe night riding.

I use it in addition to the Topeak Moonshine Commuter light.Using both systems together, I get a really nice centrally lit area and a well lit larger area that greatly adds to my ability to see objects ahead.In addition, by using two light systems, I have a backup if one goes out.(I have a 13 mile night commute and I can tell you it isn't fun to do it in the dark.)

The light comes with an easily installed mounting bracket and the light is easy to attach and detach from the bracket.It is the same mounting system used by the previous models so if you have the old bracket you can use it to switch the light between two bikes.Also, it requires 4 AA batteries but they seem to last a long time.

So, the light is great for being seen, just don't expect it to be good enough as a sole source of light for safe riding at night.I really like this light when used in combination with a second system or for short night rides of maybe 1 or 2 miles.But for longer rides at night or frequent night commutes, I'd suggest you get a more powerful system.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cateye HL-EL520 LED Bicycle Headlight

Product Description:
Fifty percent brighter than Cateye's HL-EL510 model, this extra-bright one-LED white headlight generates 1,200 candlepower thanks to Cateye's OptiCube technology that optimizes lens and reflector brightness. The headlight also can be set on high or low beam. It runs on four AA batteries. Other features include side visibility and a tool-free mounting bracket.
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.

Get 10% OFF

Want to buy Cateye HL-EL520 LED Bicycle Headlight at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Planet Bike Alias HID Bicycle Light Set with Integrated Battery Review

This headlight fit my requirements perfectly. Since everything is contained in one relatively small sleek package, removing and installing is quick and easy. I at first worried that the mount would not be robust enough to keep the light from moving when going over bumps. No more worries - it has held its position going 30+ MPH over fairly rough asphalt. I ride a road bike so cannot comment on how well it would do off road.
Light output is excellent. It is probably about 30% brighter than my 15W halogen and has a wide coverage. I have to ride down an unlit road in pitch darkness on my morninig commute dodging potholes and the edge of the road. I reach speeds of just over 30 MPH and this light provides the luminence necessary to avoid those obstacles.
The 2.5 to 3 hours of burn time for this light is somewhat limited compared to others, but for me is perfect. I would rather have this capacity and the resulting compact size than to have a large capacity with the probable external battery. The unit uses a Li-Ion battery which is much better than either NiCad or NiMh in terms of capacity per unit size and weight, charge time, and any memory effects.
Workmanship is impeccable. This thing could be put in a museum. It looks and feels like a high quality instrument. The soft case that it comes in is very handy too.
My only complaint about this light would probably be with the mount. Although it is pretty easy to use and holds the light very well, once you get it adjusted to your handlebar it is easy to lose the adjustment once you take it off. Also, the adjustment resolution is a little coarse with one turn of the adjustment screw the minimum you can adjust. Not a big problem but I had to find something to complain about. You could avoid this by leaving the mount on the bike and just unclipping the light from the mount.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Planet Bike Alias HID Bicycle Light Set with Integrated Battery

Product Description:
See clearly at night and alert drivers and other cyclists to your presence with this Alias HID light set from Planet Bike. Designed to fit 25.5 mm to 31.8 mm handlebars, the light includes a 10-watt, high-intensity discharge (HID) bulb that employs Solarc technology to light an efficient path. Solarc bulbs offer several characteristics that distinguish them from other metal halide lamps, including small size, low wattage, a short arc gap, and a high color temperature. From a user perspective, the bulbs produce sunlight-caliber illumination that maintains outstanding brightness through its lifetime while requiring just one third the amount of energy required to power comparable halogen lamps. Cyclists will also dig the light's integrated battery and light head, which eliminate wires for a cleaner look and a quick attachment. Other details include a 14.4-volt lithium-ion battery that charges in just under three hours, a custom soft case for convenient transport and storage, and a 2.5-hour runtime on the high setting and a 3.25-hour runtime on the low settings. The Alias HID light, which weighs only 0.84 pounds, carries a limited lifetime warranty.
About Planet Bike
In November of 1996, Planet Bike was founded in Madison, Wisconsin. In many ways, Planet Bike began as a social experiment that dedicated itself to doing business in a different way. Instead of being just another company that develops and sells products with profit as its end goal, Planet Bike wanted to help bring about positive change for people, their communities, and the environment.
Despite being a simple machine, the people at Planet Bike have always believed that the bicycle has great potential to help improve the world and the lives of the people in it. From the start, they have embraced an alternative corporate purpose which seeks to help get more people on bicycles by making communities friendlier places for the self-propelled. By donating 25% of company profits to causes that promote and facilitate bicycle usage, Planet Bike hopes to make an impact.
Social experiments aside, Planet Bike was born from the heart of a cyclist with a goal of making innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories. Simply put, they strive to design and develop the best bicycle products in the world. In the company's short ten year history, they have made important product innovations within the bicycle industry. Advancements include the 4-line computer which is now a standard in the industry and the world's first self-contained HID light. Not bad for a company that ten years ago started as a one man operation. Today, while still a small company, Planet Bike continues to evolve and improve their product line with the goal of always striving to build accessories that make it easier for people to ride their bikes. Since 1996, Planet Bike's financial support of the grassroots bicycle movement has totaled $500,000. By 2010, they have made a goal to donate $1 million to organizations that are dedicated to making America a friendlier place for cyclists.

Get 15% OFF

Want to buy Planet Bike Alias HID Bicycle Light Set with Integrated Battery at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Princeton Tec Eos Bike Light Review

LED headlights are getting better all the time. This little guy is a one Watt Luxeon LED with very good power regulation. Regulation means that the light gets the most from a set of batteries and keeps the light at a given brightness instead of dimming as the batteries weaken. The Princeton Tec EOS has three brightness settings and a flash mode. I actually find the flash mode to be too slow to be useful on the bike and it flashes at full power but these are minor nits. I'd also prefer if the light used AA instead of AAA cells. So I guess there are two things I don't like about this light.

But the positives far outweigh the negatives. The light is small and is supposed to be waterproof to one meter. (I don't ride under water so I haven't tested that feature!) It's easy to operate and the batteries are easy to change. The light pattern seems to be just right for my riding. I use this light on my helmet but it also comes with a handlebar mount. I run the light at the lowest power setting most of the time and that's fine for reading my bike computer or cue sheets. The middle setting is better for general riding, spotting road signs and potholes and things like that. At the highest setting, you get the brightest beam but of course that eats through the batteries quicker.

I'm pretty sure the circuit in this light was designed by Willie Hunt, a real guru in bike lighting circles. And yes, I'm enough of a nerd that I actually keep track of things like that. Anyhow, the Princeton Tec EOS is my latest favorite bike toy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Princeton Tec Eos Bike Light

Product Description:
EOS BIKE LIGHT.The award winning Princeton Tec EOS Bike light takes self contained battery lighting to the next level! The combination of a Luxeon 1 watt L.E.D.and the Princeton Tec designed optimized lens collimator maximizes the beam by balancing long throw with localized lighting.

Want to buy Princeton Tec Eos Bike Light at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Cateye HL-EL530 LED Bicycle Headlight Review

I bike to and from work most days and bought this light for those dark nights when I work late. While it is brighter than a lot of other choices out there it definitely doesn't turn a dark road into a well-lit one.
The biggest flaw with this light is that it puts out a very, very bright center spot and a fairly weak corona around this small spot. When biking along the corona simply doesn't give you enough visibility to see an object in the road with a lot of time to avoid it.
Thankfully I bike somewhere that has enough ambient light from street lights that I don't have a lot of dark spots to worry about, but if that isn't you, spend more money to get a more powerful light.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cateye HL-EL530 LED Bicycle Headlight

Product Description:
Fifty percent brighter than Cateye's HL-EL500 model, this extra-bright one-LED white headlight generates 1,500 candlepower thanks to Cateye's OptiCube technology that optimizes lens and reflector brightness. It runs on four AA batteries and produces 90 hours of run time. Other features include side visibility and a tool-free mounting bracket.
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.

Get 10% OFF

Want to buy Cateye HL-EL530 LED Bicycle Headlight at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below: