In the Box
1. LED light unit
2. Battery pack in peoprene sack
3. Handlebar clamp OS and reducer for standard bars
4. Helmet mount
5. 1m extension cable
6. Charger
Cost £150
Initial Impressions
The immediate thing that hits you with this unit is the size, weight (260g) and quality.
1. The light unit is tiny and will easily attach to the helmet with no weight penalty.
2. The Li ion battery pack is also small. No need for the huge bottle cage mounts which can be really awkward on todays frames. It can be easily strapped to the back of the helmet or on the stem.
3. The quality of the light unit is top notch. Made from machined aluminium. The cable and switch sealed in there.
4. Burn times are OK if not brilliant. High power quoted as 1hr 45min, Medium 4hr 30min, Low/economy 12hrs, flashing lasts for ever!! The setting are accessed by a push switch which cycles through all the settings.
5. Charge times are 2-3hrs
6. Not cheap but not a lot else out there of this quality for the price.
In the Dirt
The unit gives out a pure white light which is amazing if you are used to Halogens yellow colour.
On the helmet it felt good. On low/economy power the range was weak and you definitely couldn't go fast downhill. I found that it was sufficient for climbing long fire road trails. You really need the high power for going faster.
The LEDs are bright but really lack the penetration that the HID units have. In some situations even on high power it seems to lack a little. If you are riding in light stone and sandy/limestone areas there is more reflected light than if you are riding in peaty dark dirt conditions. My first encounter was on a man made trail and it was awesome but then on the dark peat conditions of the Peak District it really struggled and I was going much slower downhill.
Battery life does seem to be at least as good as the manual says and even better in some cases. The great feature is when the battery is low it automatically flashes rather than cutting out. This is sufficient to get you home with at least some light. In this automatic mode it can flash for up to 7hrs.
It is great to have both a helmet and handlebar option. But found the velcro strap on the helmet mount too short and had to get it lengthened.
The leads were very tight once in place and I had great difficulty removing them. I think that this caused the lead to develop a break and I had to send the light back. Hope were great and there were no issues. The new lead is not as tight.
The Verdict
This is a good light and i have had it for 1 year. It doesn't have the out and out power of an HID but, to be fair, it is (at the moment) £100 cheaper. The Li ion battery pack is so light, doesn't develop a memory and is quick to charge.
No need to worry about broken bulbs and expensive replacements.
The handlebar mount is not QR which is a pain.
Would I buy it again? Yes because at the price it is OK. But If had the money I would go for an HID!!
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