Cygolite Expilion 350-Lumen USB Rechargeable Headlight

I purchased this light after struggling to see potholes and other road debris at night with my old light and I couldn't be happier. Running over stuff with a road bike tire (or into a pothole) turns my stomach every time, and this light casts a beam far enough I can easily avoid stuff even when cycling over 20mph. I know, most people get a light so cars can see them, and this does that too, but if you're a road cyclist where the roads are crappy (like here in Southern California) this is a must-have. Easy mounting with multiple hardware options, lightweight, easy to slide off if you're running into the store real quick, and USB CHARGING!!!! Happy cyclist!

I take long rides on my bike (up to 60 miles) and do occasional touring. I use front and rear flashing lights whenever I ride. They make me highly visible and have helped to prevent accidents several times. My old headlight broke after 2 years of faithful service. It used AAA batteries. I used Eneloop rechargeables, and was getting excellent service from the batteries. But I felt that the requirement to frequently take the light apart and change batteries shortened the life of the light. In fact, the light failed when i dropped the lamp housing while removing the batteries. A small tab on a connector came loose, which made it impossible for the lamp to connect to the batteries.

Looking for a replacement headlight, I saw this light by Cygolite and was intrigued. It wouldn't be necessary to disassemble the light. I could just plug the light in for charging while my bike is parked overnight. When i received the light I was pleased with how rugged it feels and how high the build quality is. The issue for me is battery life. Some Cygolites advertise 6 hours of operation between charges. There are times on tour when I can't get to an outlet overnight. It's not possible to stop at a convenience store and buy some AAA batteries for an extra day of riding. I want t be able to ride 2 or 3 days without recharging, When I got the light I charged it overnight, then started riding, keeping track of my hours to measure the actual battery life in flash mode. I don't know how long the batteries last, because I stopped the test after over 31 hours of operation. The low battery indicator still hadn't activated. That's more than I need.

I like the brightness of the light. It is very visible even in very bright sunlight. The mount is good, with plastic inserts for different bar diameters. But it requires a little care. The first time I mounted it, I didn't get the thumb screw seated correctly. The light fell off, fortunately while the bike was parked. The fall didn't damage the light. I was more careful when I re-mounted it, and haven't had any troubles since. The light is advertised to be rain proof. The weak point appears to be the USB charging port cover, which I have never been able to get properly seated. Since I haven't been out in the rain yet, it hasn't been very important. But the finicky cover is a weak point. I like the fact that the charging connector uses the mini USB connector, which is much more rugged than the micro connector popular on phones these days. The light has several modes (steady bright, steady dim, etc.) I always use the flash mode. Some Cygolites remember the mode. This light does not have that feature. It requires 5 presses every time I turn it on to get it into the flash mode. The manual is well written, but has some silliness. For example, compare the FAQs section with the Operation section:

FAQ Q: Can I use this light for activities other than cycling? A: No, this light is specifically intended for bicycle use only.

Operation: Special Mode - Walking SOS. (Didn't they just say the light is for bicycle use only?)

Another bit of silliness: be sure to use only Cygolite's AC charge adaptor. Other USB chargers might not have high levels of quality. ;-)

Now that I have found an excellent light, I need to find a use for those Eneloop rechargeable AAAs.

After being rather dissatisfied with some of the smaller front-mounted lights, I decided to get this one. At the current price, it's only about $20 more than the rather poor 4-LED rechargeable I had before. And what a difference that $20 makes.

I love having the "daylight flash" mode on this light. Cyclists shouldn't count on being seen easily during the day--anything from the sun to a vehicle passing by can obscure your bike from a driver's view. Anything that makes you more visible is a plus, and it's almost impossible to miss the bright daytime flash. Using it at night on the road would be ill advised, as it might in itself blind a driver. The daytime flash setting has a rated 24-hour runtime, so I don't worry about draining the battery before I can recharge at work.

There are four other standard modes. "Low" is the standard one, and itself puts out plenty of light for night riding in fair weather at moderate speed in an unlit area. It's rated for over 13 hours runtime, so it should get you through an all-nighter, if you're so inclined. It will also put out plenty of light for visibility on the road at night.

"Medium" puts out more light, and would be good for a faster speed in an unlit area, or for moderate weather. It would probably be a bit bright to use on the road. Rated runtime is 6 hours at this setting.

"High" is very bright. I don't see myself using this often, as you'd have to really be blazing down the trail to "outrun" your light at the medium setting. For severe weather it could be useful. 3 hours rated runtime.

"Boost" is essentially the daytime flash setting steady on. As with the daytime flash, don't use it at night on the road, as you will likely blind drivers and place them and yourself in danger. It's brighter than I ever really see myself needing. In a dark area, the low or medium setting puts out plenty of light to avoid obstacles, and the "High" would be enough for any weather that one could safely ride in. It would be useful if you needed to search a large area at night, I suppose, using the light as a handheld flashlight. The two hour listed runtime isn't bad for the flat-out highest setting.

There are also two specialty modes, accessed by holding down the selector button when turning the light on. The "walking" mode is a dimmer beam not really suitable for riding, but good for a night walk (and I use it taking walks with my kids at night). It's certainly plenty bright for that. Rated life is 24 hours, so it will give you a longer walk than you would ever take. If ever needed, that setting would also be excellent for a power outage, and would provide plenty of light until the power comes back on. It would also be useful for reading a map.

The other specialty mode flashes out "SOS" in Morse code. Not a mode one hopes to ever need, of course, but if you're injured and immobile, it might be one you're glad to have.

For miscellaneous pros, and a few minor complaints:

Pros:

*The included bracket and screw attaches easily to the handlebar and is very secure.
*The light detaches easily from the mounting bracket with a simple thumb release. You won't have to unscrew the bracket to take the light with you or charge it. For the price of the thing, I put the light in my pocket (it fits easily) if I'll be leaving my bike locked in a public place for more than a couple of minutes, so I'm glad it's easy to mount and remove. It reattaches easily and there's a good firm click to let you know it's secured in.
*Uses a mini-USB charging cable. Not quite as ubiquitous as the micro-USB cables normally used for cell phones, but it does include the USB cable, so you can charge the light from any USB source without requiring a wall wart. The cable is easily carried, I put it in my backpack in case I need to charge at work.
*The selector button has a backlit green glow and is easy to see in the dark. It also serves as a low battery indicator and a notification that you're on the high-power "boost" setting.

Cons:

*The cover for the charge port is a pain to get reseated after charging, as it's essentially a floppy rubber plug. It also feels like it would easily break loose. That would concern me a bit for the device's water resistance, but since I'll be taking the light with me if leaving my bike outside, that's not a huge issue.
*Doesn't "remember" the last setting, but always starts off at "high" and requires toggling through from there. Wish it would either remember or allow you to change the default.
*A flash mode usable at night would be nice, since flashing makes you the most visible for on-road riding, but the daytime flash is far too bright to have on at night. Ideally, you could toggle each intensity level between flash/steady.

All told, the cons are very minor. If you ride at night, especially in an area that may not have streetlights or similar lighting for part of your route, this light is well worth having on your bike, as it will let you see as well as be seen. Even during the day, the flash setting will ensure that a sun-blinded or somewhat distracted driver is much more likely to see you. A couple extra bucks for something your safety may depend on really is worth it, and this is a good cut above your average bike light.