Lightweight, rechargeable, bright front light?

[dub-no-bass]

I've had a cateye EL610 for the last 2 years and have been quite happy with it. The fact that it's bright, rechargeable and had a 4 hour battery life ticks all the boxes.

Unfortunately I've managed to damage the mounting bit underneath it and it now wobbles precariously on its mounting bracket, so I need a new front light because this one is moribund.

It's mostly to be seen rather than to see - the only unlit part of my commute is across a park with no traffic... but I like having a very bright front light so that people aren't really sure if I'm a bike or a motorbike.

I haven't been keeping up with light technology and dunno what's considered good these days - any recommendations? I don't really want to spend more than £100, and rechargeable is a must.

Ta

 

[marinyork]

hope vision 1. Ayups which are rechargeable are more.

 

[Norm]

Strictly speaking, the Hope Vision 1 is not itself rechargeable as it takes 4 AA batteries.

Although you can, of course, use rechargeable batteries, and you can take advantage of it not being rechargeable by carrying spares or buying them at any 24 hour petrol station.

It is a fantastic light, though, and it's around £70 so that leaves you headroom to buy decent rechargeables.

 

[marinyork]

Strictly speaking, the Hope Vision 1 is not itself rechargeable as it takes 4 AA batteries.

Although you can, of course, use rechargeable batteries, and you can take advantage of it not being rechargeable by carrying spares or buying them at any 24 hour petrol station.

It is a fantastic light, though, and it's around £70 so that leaves you headroom to buy decent rechargeables.

Strictly speaking, neither is the cateye EL-600/610 it's just 3 AAAs that are taped together , I found this out when mine broke and I took it to bits. It was an absolutely horrid light compared to the Hope, much less bright but livable if it wasn't for those poor cateye mounts where they vibrate off and jump off the bike.

 

[dub-no-bass]

Thanks for this. Just a final question - does the Hope Vision 1 actually work on rechargeables? I had a Cateye EL-530 before the one that's just bust, and it wouldn't work with rechargeables at all - 4 fully-charged 2700 mAh batteries = nada

 

[HLaB]

Thanks for this. Just a final question - does the Hope Vision 1 actually work on rechargeables? I had a Cateye EL-530 before the one that's just bust, and it wouldn't work with rechargeables at all - 4 fully-charged 2700 mAh batteries = nada

Not a direct answer to your question but I use the smaller Cat eye EL 410 and it works fine with rechargeables but its an odd number 3xAAA. I don't know for certain about the Hope but rechargeable s have worked fine in all my lights.

 

[mark barker]

Maybe a really dumb question, but couldn't you just make a new mounting system for you existing light? Seems a bit OTT to dump something you're happy with just because a bit of damage has occurred.

 

[Hacienda71]

Maybe a really dumb question, but couldn't you just make a new mounting system for you existing light? Seems a bit OTT to dump something you're happy with just because a bit of damage has occurred.

Two jubilee clips cheap and effective

 

[andrew_s]

Maybe a really dumb question, but couldn't you just make a new mounting system for you existing light? Seems a bit OTT to dump something you're happy with just because a bit of damage has occurred.

Usually what happens is that the part of the base of the light that attaches to the mount breaks off. You are left with an uneven shape that won't slot in to anything and won't sit even or sably on the handlebars.

If you want DIY, probably the best bet is a block of polymorph (like nylon that you can mould to shape when heated in hot water) to fit between the light and the handlebars. Then use a large rubber band to hold it on.

 

[marinyork]

Thanks for this. Just a final question - does the Hope Vision 1 actually work on rechargeables? I had a Cateye EL-530 before the one that's just bust, and it wouldn't work with rechargeables at all - 4 fully-charged 2700 mAh batteries = nada

Yes. It works great with maplin, eneloop or any decent brand i.e. not uniross.

 

[e-rider]

nite rider minewt mini

 

[dub-no-bass]

Heh, they were Uniross batteries last time. I had no idea they were no good!

Apparently the EL-610 has a 2-year warranty, and I bought it <2 years ago, so Wiggle may replace it for me. I'm waiting to hear back.. If it saves me having to fork out another £70+, I'd happily go with a replacement for the broken light.

 

[marinyork]

Heh, they were Uniross batteries last time. I had no idea they were no good!

Apparently the EL-610 has a 2-year warranty, and I bought it <2 years ago, so Wiggle may replace it for me. I'm waiting to hear back.. If it saves me having to fork out another £70+, I'd happily go with a replacement for the broken light.

Uniross are basically crap. The charge just drains away much quicker than other brands and they seem much more prone to breaking.

By all means keep the single shot, I used to have one and didn't rate it because it just wasn't that bright and kept committing suicide with that mount, it's all right, but it is overpriced. Many other cateyes the mounts or where the mounts join break it's a known issue specifically with that light and with other cateyes - a friend's 520/30 has the same problem. I thought the battery life on the single shot was very poor compared to the hope (which wasn't surprising when you took it to bits and discovered it was 3xAAAs). If you ever do get a hope vision 1 in the future it'll work fine with any decent brand of AA.

 

[cyberknight]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26800

Cheap and takes 3 AAA batteries which you can get chargers + batteries for at most places.

$12.35 is er what £8 ?.

I run 2 of them mid winter on unlit roads at 6 am ie totally dark and i can see fine .