Cateye HL-500 Halogen Bicycle Headlight (Black)

by Cateye

Product Features

• Sleek headlight for safe bicycling
• Halogen bulb provides bright beam
• OptiCube? technology
• Optimal lens/reflector brightness
• Uses 2 C batteries (included)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring a halogen bulb, this bicycle headlight casts a bright beam so a cyclist can move about safely in low-light situations. It runs on two C batteries (included) and is colored a sleek black. Cateye's OptiCube technology optimizes lens and reflector brightness.

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.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000R6QR0O
• Item model number: HL-500
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,769 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money buying this., December 20, 2009

By 

allgoo19 (So Cal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cateye HL-500 Halogen Bicycle Headlight (Black) (Sports)

This was my very first bicycle light. Since then, I have used three other lights, Cateye HL500II Micro Halogen, Planet Bike Super Spot 1W LED, and finally Cateye HL1500 Hyper Halogen which I currently use and love it(see my review on Cateye HL1500).
I can't believe people still buying this at $13.- (plus shipping) while you can buy HL1500 for $12.- (includes shipping in Amazon). The illuminating power between the two don't even compare.
HL500 can barely enough to be seen by other traffic, much less letting you see where you going in the dark. If you adjust it to close range like in front of the wheel, the light illuminate enough to let you see the texture of the road but totally dark beyond that. If you adjust it to further like 20 feet, the light just disappear in the darkness. You can't even see a person walking toward you or you riding into him. I would say it's ok for very slow riding to 10mph.
On the other hand, HL1500 let you see about to 50 ft. in front of you. You can't tell who's the person 50 ft. away but you can see someone is there. It's a distance that let you ride at 20mph comfortably.
From my experience, all Cateye I have used were made of cheap plastic, probably ABS, while other makers (such as Planet Bike) uses polycarbonate. I wish Cateye starts using better material even if that means the price goes up a little higher.

I do not recommend this product, get a HL1500 instead.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bike Light, December 28, 2009

By 

C. Cox "Damien Purigen" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cateye HL-500 Halogen Bicycle Headlight (Black) (Sports)

I bought this light because I've purchased other Cateye products I was pleased with, but this light is just a joke. It would be OK for a little kid's tricycle but that's even a stretch.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old Reliable, June 24, 2010

By 

E. Thompson "caltrop" (Indianapolis, IN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cateye HL-500 Halogen Bicycle Headlight (Black) (Sports)

First, lites like this are not meant to see a mile down the road. They are so you can be seen.

This is a good old dependable lite. I have two of them and they have never let me down unlike some of the $300 lites I've had. But with advancements LED technology this lite is going the way of the dinosaurs.

I did put an LED replacement bulb in one of mine. It's OK but nothing casts a beam like good old halogen, at least not yet. Then I just don't like the BLUENESS of LED's.

To bad CatEye has discontinued this product that was a good seller for many years. But in this day and age of change, change, change...

I always have two lites on my bike. I've even once had both systems fail on a long dark ride at nite. A bulb burned out in one (CatEye HL-500II microhalogen) and the battery quit in the other $300 NiteRider lite after being fully charged before the ride (the NiteRider never did work right). So now I at least carry a spare halogen bulb.

I've yet to burn out a bulb in the HL-500.