Description:H.I.D. lamp system with 4.0Ah NiMH battery
Unbelievable power in a package that takes up less space than similar existing systems. 4 Straight hours of light as bright and white as the sun, mounted on your handlebars, aimed right where you need it. Combined with a 5hr MicroBrute charger and 27oz 13.2v NiMH battery pack. 24 hour racers say this is the best light available.
Features
Ultra Bright Metal Halide Bulb
New SurLok Connectors
MicroBrute™ 5hr charger with In-Vehicle charging optional
CamLok™ QR Handlebar mount
Waterbottle style battery pack
4.0Ah NiMH battery pack
System weight: 34 oz (mount, head lamp and battery)
Submitted by
El Matador
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal Date Reviewed: February 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
- Bright - Excellent Battery Life - Charges in 2 hours - Reliable
Weaknesses:
- Enduro style battery has weak cord (see review) - Surlock system still disconnects too easily - Forward mounting system on helmet makes front heavy
Similar Products Used:
L&M Arc HID (which is superior to the Niterider, IMO)
Bike Setup:
Commuter and XC bikes
Bottom Line:
This is light is very bright and effective both as a trail light and as a commuter light. The battery life is excellent and does last to the claimed 3.5 to 4 hours. Charge time is also excellent, accomplised in the fast 2 hour claim. My main complaint about this light is the weak power cord that extends from the enduro battery pack. The cord's rubber housing will crack at the point where it meets the pack and will expose the inner wires. This happened within 4 months and now at 1 year it has complete torn. I did not abuse the battery as it always sat safely with enough slack in the cord to not add any stress to the rubber housing. If you can find the Blowtorch on clearance for around $260, then it's worth it. But at full retail, it's not worth it. For my money, I would rather buy the L&M Arc HID if you're gonna spend $350ish.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alon
a Cross Country Rider
from La Verne Date Reviewed: November 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Marshall Canyon
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Incycle
Strengths:
Clear, strong white light with an excellent burn time (still getting 3 plus hours)
Weaknesses:
Been through 2 bulbs, am now on my third. Each bulb has varied from 90$ to 100$+. Even though I was very careful with the 1st replacement, somehow the inner element broke. I understand if it took a huge spill but just trail riding
Bike Setup:
Stock Enduro Pro 03'
Bottom Line:
Even though I was very careful with the 1st replacement, somehow the inner element broke. I understand if it took a huge spill but just trail riding should not cause the element to disconnect from its inner housing. Once again let me say that it's a 100$ bulb. It's a tuff call.At this moment I still am positive about nite rider products. But I will throw in the hat if one more bulb breaks and b_tch and moan to everyone about the bulbs weaknesses.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcel
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange, CA Date Reviewed: November 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Old Camp
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$399.00
Purchased At:
SwitchBack
Strengths:
Lights up the path very well
Weaknesses:
Reliability: What good is a night light if it is not reliable? You can get jacked up if the light turns off while riding alone, downhill at night. The switch went bad, sent it in for repair and was still bad after I got it back.
Similar Products Used:
Older 10W Nightrider.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight.
Bottom Line:
When you pay $ 400 for a high tech flashlight you expect it work. If it does not work you send it back for repair and expect it to get fixed. If it comes back and still does not work you go buy another light that you can depend on like a Jet Blast.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Skipshot
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA Date Reviewed: September 15, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
200.00
Strengths:
BRIGHT! Long run time @ about 4 hours.
Weaknesses:
Cable connector is not easy to use, just hope it doesn't disconnect if you don't have a backup light.
Similar Products Used:
Performance View Point
Bike Setup:
Bianchi lugged steel hard tail
Bottom Line:
Compared to the Performance View Point lights, this light is far superior in terms of light output and run time. I ride long, densely forested single track trails around here and this is the light for me. The light angle doesn't need to be adjusted much since the beam is so bright and wide. I used the Performance lights for about two years, but the battery didn't have a long enough run time for the amount of light I needed, and consequently there were many times when the power died and I needed to follow my HID equipped buddy to get back to the car. I found the Blow Torch on sale for $200 (50% off) and was glad to spend the money to make night riding safer and more enjoyable. Consider an HID light if you have long rides (1.5 hours+) deep in the woods.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island, NY Date Reviewed: July 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Cathedral Pines
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Ebay (Brand New)
Bottom Line:
Follow up review to my last post below (2 or 3 posts)!
At the end of last season my light did not want to turn on. I called niterider and they gave suggestions. After that the light did come on when I held the power button down for a longer period of time. This spring I tested the light and it worked. Went to use the light for a 4th of july night ride and it was dead, so the ride was cancelled! Niterider told me to ship it to them for service. I paid $40 for a bench check. Received a call the following week saying that the ballast was no good and that would cost $48 to replace. I decided to have it fixed for a total of $88! I had mentioned to them that I used the light as a work light for doing yard work several times last year and used it for one bike ride. I had also drained my battery pack on several occasions thinking it was better for the battery. I would leave the light on to drain the battery. Now I find out that this light needs to be on a moving bike so that it gets air flow! I can't blame niterider for the ballast problem at this moment, only myself. If the light acts up again from normal trail riding, then I will be real angry about it. Also, since I bought the light new on ebay, it was not covered under warranty since it was not purchased from a bike shop. I was one month past warranty and figured something would be covered!
I did get to use the light last weekend and I had another awsome night ride! Now I am considering getting a storm 2.0 for $288 or a cheaper trail rat for $90 to use as a helmet fill light. A bar mount light is nice, but tricky when making turns in tight single track.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
G Olin
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Cuyamaca State Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$290.00
Purchased At:
E-Bay
Strengths:
Incredibly bright! I use it on my commuter bike and it makes me feel safe. It's not totally dark when I ride to work, but the HID light ensures drivers will see me. I uses the tail light both day and night when riding in traffic.
Weaknesses:
Causes interference with my wireless computer.
Similar Products Used:
Performance View Point
Bike Setup:
Merlin Mountain Full XTR XTR hubs/Bontrager rims/street tires for commuting Mavic crossMax for offroad
Bottom Line:
I don't know if this is a widespread problem, but my wireless computer will not pick up the wheel sensor anytime the light is on. This problem was driving me nuts for months before I figured it out.
I'd give my wheel a spin at night when I would get my biking stuff ready and it would work fine. It always worked on the way home from work, but never in the morning.
At first, I thought my computer was going bad and that it was the cooler temp in the morning or something. I bought a completely new computer thinking I'd fix the problem, but no dice.
Just for the hell of it one afternoon on the way home, I turned the light on when the bike was moving and as soon as the light came on, the computer stopped reading speed. Simultaneously, the lights went on in my head too.
I guess I'm going to have to have to get a cheap $20 hard wired computer because I hate not getting credit for my miles. One thing is for certain, I will never get rid of this light regardless of the computer side effect.
This NiteRider HID is the best upgrade I have bought for any of my bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Weekend Warrior
from ca Date Reviewed: November 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
very bright, easy and fast mount system
Weaknesses:
expensive.... but worth it
Similar Products Used:
performance fireballs... should be called lighters.... wait even a hnad held lighter is brighter
Bike Setup:
fisher sugar 1
Bottom Line:
the lights are the best i have owned i first had fireballs. night rider makes a great product. i have never had a lick of problem with this light. only wish i had a helmet mount to go along with the bar mount. it is expensive in a way this is good..... it will make you use your light spending that much, you have to ride at night.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lee
a Cross Country Rider
from watchung,nj,usa Date Reviewed: November 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$290.00
Purchased At:
wheel world
Strengths:
light was bright when it worked
Weaknesses:
no warning when battery is low, shut off 5 miles in woods and would not work after
Bottom Line:
I bought this light from wheel world, I used it 2 times on very flat trails by my house and it worked as advertised, then on the third time out (and 5 miles in the woods) it just dimmed out like the battery suddenly died and only would start after 5min and then immediately fade out to nothing. I had a real nice walk out of the woods that night! Anyway, I thought maybe the battery needed charging but when I hooked up the charger it remained green or fully charged. Since I only had this light for 3 days I called Night Rider the next day and spoke to customer service, If you can call it that! The lady had very little technical knowledge of her product and it sounded like she was reading general rehearsed answers to my questions. She told me I would have to send it back to WheelWorld and then they would have to send it back to night rider then they would evaluate what was wrong, then fix it, send it back to wheel world who would then send it back to me most likely a month later! I said, "I only have owned this thing 3 days and it is defective, is it possible you can charge my credit card and send me a replacement until I send you this defective one? Her Reply was,"we do not deal directly with the public, and you will have to follow the procedure I told you" I then called Wheel world and they told me to just send it back to them and they would refund my card and deal with nite rider. Man talk about really bad customer service after the sale! I will never own another nightrider product, I just ordered a Cygolite hid and will comment when I get it. By the way Wheel World has very knowledgable staff and very good understanding and resonable customer service.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island, NY Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Cathederal Pines
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Ebay Dealer
Strengths:
Super bright as daylight without that yellowish halogen glow!
Weaknesses:
None that I can see! Ok, maybe a wider angle beam if any?
Similar Products Used:
2 bell xenon AA battery operated units on handlebar.
Bike Setup:
Giant 2003 NRS fully customized with top end parts!
Bottom Line:
I have used this twice on the trails so far. The first time it got dark about 2/3 of the way into our ride and the light helped light the trail on our way out of the woods. Second ride was much later at night and darker! With 3 of us riding tight single track, I led the way with this handlebar mounted HID BlowTorch light. My buddies followed behind with helmet lights (HID w/leds and halogen). I had a tough time following the trail and anticipating direction changes. I would sometimes start turning one way, only to realize I neded to go the other direction. This light was definately super bright and lit up the pitch black woods! My buddies found it easier to navigate with a helmet light. So now I am thinking of getting a cheaper helmet halogen unit to compliment my HID handlebar light? Unless I spring for a helmet HID light and make things even brighter :^ )
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$436.00
Purchased At:
Simon's Bike Shop
Strengths:
Quality construction. Super bright. Long runtime. Long, continuous bright light!
Weaknesses:
These lights are so bright, they piss off oncoming cyclists, pedestrians and cars. People will get upset with you as you burn their retinas. They are expensive but worth it.
Similar Products Used:
BLT, Cygolights, Nightsun
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Instinct and Cannondale Road Bike.
Bottom Line:
I had some purchaser remorse because of the price, but after trying them, absolutely loved the lights and am very happy. These lights turn night into day. They work so well, I did not want to end my ride. You can ride any time you want at night with these lights, with full confidence. Unbelievable is all I can say. They are phenomenally bright. Illumintaing!!!!I got 4.5 hours out of them the first ride. Be warned though, you will not make any friends with on coming traffic. These lights melt their eyes and to be honest, I had a lot of upset people screaming at me. They are that bright. I bet they will be made illegal they are so bright.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
charles moore
a Racer
from moreno valley ca usa Date Reviewed: September 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:
none road rider/bmx'er
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
jenson
Strengths:
run time,brightness
Weaknesses:
brightness, lack of usuable light, hype does'nt equal reality
i used my cygolite with 15w spot, 20w flood nightrider bulbs. this gave me almost enough light for the coyote infested canyons i have to commute thru.(i am very afraid of the dark , of what i cannot see, yes i am a wuss)the hid light promised night into day.....nope. the light is bright for a single bulb but there is not enough ummm, definition or thickness? to the light. It lights us very far but not in a usuable way. i have some 30mph downhills and the light does not light up the cracks in the road enough. I can easily out ride the beam pattern. My other set up gave me more usuable light but at full burn , i only get around 40 minutes max. i can get 1 1/2 hrs using the 20w sparingly. My commute is one hr. with the hid, 4hrs of run time and i can burn it going home during the day. the light is very visable during the day. i think i am going to sell it and buy the nightsun dualbean hid, i hope it does the trick
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Robertson
a Cross Country Rider
from Fresno CA USA Date Reviewed: September 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
the one I'm on
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$270.00
Purchased At:
wheelworld.com
Strengths:
brightness, battery life, charging time. The Blowtorch now ships with a 2.5 hr charger (formerly 3.5).
Weaknesses:
A lighter weight battery would be nice, but given its 4-hr performance its hard to gripe about that and be serious.
Similar Products Used:
Performance dual Viewpoint 32-watt Halogen, 1999 and 2003 models
Bike Setup:
'04 Specialized Stump FSR, stock
Bottom Line:
Spring the bucks for this light. Its worth it. As everyone says its *bright*. If you want illumination for safety's sake, this is absolutely the product regardless of your planned use. I've gone thru two generations of Performance dual halogens over several years and this single light is far better. Focus it right and you have both short range road illumination sufficient to see details of what you're about to roll over as well as a decent long view of the direction your road/trail is going to take.
But if you spend this much on a *light*, 'sufficient' isn't what you are after. You want daylight, which you can have if you focus the light down a bit further than I was comfortable doing as I also wanted longer range. I spoke to NiteRider customer service today and asked about hooking up two Blowtorch lights to one battery. Turns out i'm not the only nut who wants this. A 'Y' cord is in production and may be on the market in a month. Since they wanted $225 for just a light unit, I bought a second complete blowtorch system for not much more online. That will let me focus one low to blaze the first 30-40 feet of ground and one up to take in the ground further and the trail ahead. Just like a dual halogen light, but using phasers set to kill :-)
A word of advice: Don't hook this up to your helmet (you can buy a mount separately) unless you discipline yourself to look around by moving your eyes and not your head. Glance over at someone driving next to you and their eyes will melt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Venice Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Pauley Creek
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
don't recall
Strengths:
Bright. Reliable. Long burn time. Short charge time. Awesome customer service.
Weaknesses:
Not resistant to being chewed by the mutt.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Handlebar mounted...
Bottom Line:
Mainly I'm here to review NiteRider's customer service. The light is every bit as bright and reliable and so forth as everyone says. Top notch.
I owned my light for about four months before I ever even used it. Then, after perhaps a month or so of riding, sharp bumps started causing the bulb to shut off. I'd be bombing down a forested trail, slaloming tree trunks, and suddenly all goes dark... Yikes!
"Okay," I think, "so I'm going to have to deal with a warranty claim. But not tonight, tonight I'm going to go ride." his went on for anoher month or two. One night I got my stuff all set out, ready to go, went inside to see a man about a horse, and came back out to find that my girlfriend's dog HAD EATEN THE POWER CORD OFF THE LIGHT.
Fiirst I killed the dog. Then I shaved down the wires, soldered 'em and wrapped 'em in electrical tape and figured "That four bills isn't going to last very long." I broke up with the girl not long after and moved back to where people make sense.
Just kidding about the dog.
A couple months after that I finally decided I couldn't grip with this light that kept shutting off. Sooner or later I was going to get killed by a low-hanging branch. So I called NiteRider, explained the sitch, got an RA number, packed everything up, enclosed a check for $40 and sent everything off.
It came back about five days later, wires repaired, bulb replaced, CHECK RETURNED, good as new. This was a light that had been out of warranty for months.
The light has performed flawlessly ever since. That's customer service. That's value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
a ta
a Cross Country Rider
from plano Date Reviewed: June 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
bright light
Weaknesses:
lack adjustment of brightness and easy adjustment of aim
Bottom Line:
These are bright light but I suppose any HID light will be bright. I wished there was a way to temporery dim the lights in situations where you do not want to blind somebody. I have considered working out a homemade piece of tainted plastic to flip over the lights to dim it a little. Overall, these lights make it possible to ride at night during the hot Texas summer
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete Kreishman
a Cross Country Rider
from Bethesda, MD Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
hehe... the road
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$319.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Bomber construction, SHEER POWER, great bar mount, perfect beam spread
Weaknesses:
Still a really expensive light
Similar Products Used:
Performance Viewpoint, tested L&M ARC
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Saeco team frame, Ultegra Triple, Rolf wheels, Syncros Ti post, Salsa stem/ITM bars, Speedplay X3 pedals
Bottom Line:
The only thing I can really say is WOW. I just really put the light through its paces tonight with my commute home from work. More than half the ride is on Beach Drive in DC and MD, a ride that is completely unlit, densely wooded, and a truly scary experience with my old halogen light.
At first glance, you don't notice much on a really well-lit road, but as soon as the street lights run out it hits you. This is a serious friggin' light. A quick stop to make an up/down adjustment (super easy with NR's no-tools thumb wheel on the bar mount) and I was set. And yes, one car flashed its brights at me, but such is life.
As I got onto Beach Drive and had no lighting from anywhere but my handlebar, the first thing I noticed was just the sheer volume of usable light this thing throws down the road. The range of the beam was ample even for 30+mph descents, and the less potent flood part of the beam reached across both lanes of the road and took away that unnerving "tunnel of light" sensation I had with my old light. After a little extra tightening at the mount (done on the fly), the light didn't budge even on bumpy road.
In all honesty, while it still hurts that I paid this much for a bike light, I have never felt safer riding at night than I do with the blowtorch. I'll see about the durability later I guess, but this system puts a ton of bright white light out in front of you, literally from your wheel to 50+ yards ahead and well out to the sides.
I honestly have no excuse to not ride at night anymore. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this product to anyone who commutes in any condition other than broad daylight. The confidence and feeling you get from using this light make the purchase 100% worth it. So even with the heavy price tag, 5 chilis for value, too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ibis Breezer
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, Republic of Texas Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The next one I ride
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$289.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
HID lights are so bright they will blind oncoming traffic, I consider this a plus because then the automorons will stop when they approach me instead of pulling across my path. Especially effective with fat@$$ old bluehairs whose cataracts make them night blind. I also like the water bottle style battery pack, works well on my bike since it has bosses for 4 bottle mounts.
Weaknesses:
Pricey. Especially when you add the upgrade spot bulb for $90 (available from NiteRider direct and maybe a few online places). For that reason I only gave 3 turds for value.
Similar Products Used:
NiteRider Digital Evo, TrailRat, etc. I started with NiteRider products, and I still use them to this day. Off-road incandescent lights are fine, but on the street I am HID all the way.
Bike Setup:
Commuter Terrorist Bike, M1A2 Main Battle Bike built just for trips to and from work. No more needs to be said except that the entire frame is wrapped with 3M DOT-2 grade reflecto tape. The bastids can't say they didn't see me coming.
Bottom Line:
This is my second BlowTorch, the first is still with me after a long dark winter of daily commutes. I have added a second unit to my handlebars with the optional spot bulb #6614 (another pricey option, but worth it's weight) to give me a little more reach when the bike is travelling fast. Probably way overkill for off-road but a nice setup for commuting because it reaches way beyond the range of the standard wide-angle bulb that comes with the BlowTorch.
This is an expensive setup but I think my life is worth it. I have had police officers stop me to examine my lighting because they are just sure my lights are illegal. They may be, technically. The problem is bicycle lighting is not regulated the way automoron lights are. This setup will bubble the paint off a car at 100 meters and instills a level of confidence that you will surely appreciate after dark when you are barrelling down a dark alley at 20mph into approaching traffic. Just watch your 6.
Death to the bluehairs, Cars-R-Coffins.
YEEEEEEEEEHAAAAWWWW!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn Stuart
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, Texas, USA Date Reviewed: April 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
DownTown SA
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$389.00
Purchased At:
Bike World
Strengths:
4 hour charge time in less than 3 hours, quick cam lock stays secure even over the roughest conditions. The main thing that I love about this product is that it is the brightest light, it was well worth the investment of $389.00 plus makes me less of a chance of becoming a hood ornament while comuting downtown SA.
Weaknesses:
I have not seen any weakness with my blowtorch so far.
Similar Products Used:
Fireball Sport
Bike Setup:
F400 Cannondale with XTR shifters,Toppeak beam rack. The rest of the bike is stock to Cannodale 2003 specs.
Bottom Line:
I'd rather invest in a product such as the blow torch that makes night time into day light!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
miznax
a Cross Country Rider
from Hacienda Hts, CA Date Reviewed: March 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
I love them all
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Very bright, white light. Easy to setup & use. I've still never used up all the juice on 1 ride. As long as I mount it tight enough on the bar it will not fall down.
Weaknesses:
The mount has gotten loose where the light sits in the track of the mount. It falls to the bottom of the track and feels like it's going to fall out of the mount, but it never has, even over the bumpiest of bumpy trails. The cables have been known to get easily disconnected, but that rarely happens now that I'm more comfortable and aware with the system.
Similar Products Used:
None. I'm not going to compare this against a POS light I got from Wal-Mart, there's no comparison.
Bike Setup:
stumpjumper hardtail, enduro pro & KHS Flight 700.
Bottom Line:
I love this light. I've never seen a brighter light on the trails or on the road. True it costs a grip but it's well worth it. I've been using mine for over two seasons and have gotten every penny worth. This light will be my undoing.
I'm giving it 5 Chilis for value because you cannot get a better light for the money and 5 Chilis overall because even with the weaknesses I mentioned it still reigns supreme.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russ
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: February 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Galloping Goose
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Lots of light for trail riding. Built-in ballast makes less to remove from your bike when locking up. Very fast charger and long battery life. Found light only flickered when the terrain was REALLY bumpy and was not an issue. Has worked without any problems since I bought it.
Weaknesses:
No battery charge indicator. Sometimes turns on when connecting the battery even if the previous state was off.
Similar Products Used:
Handlebar-mount halogen headlights.
Bike Setup:
'95 Nishiki Timbuktu (Nothing to brag about)
Bottom Line:
Very happy with this light set and would definitely buy again. It is expensive but I found it for less than half the price on E-bay. If you're a serious rider, I think it's well worth the extra money. I tried the helmet mount and it wasn't for me. The biggest drawback in my opinion is blasting someone's eyes out when you look at them to talk. Even though this is an expensive light, I have given it a good value rating because HID lamps are always expensive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from San Jose, Ca. Date Reviewed: February 10, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Brighter than anything I've tried so far, burn time, customer service.
Weaknesses:
A bit expen$ive.
Similar Products Used:
Night Rider Trail Rat, Digital Evolution.
Bike Setup:
Many bikes, many setups.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO A PREVIOUS POST (scroll down a couple of reviews): After seeing my somewhat negative review of this product, Matt from Night Rider contacted me and suggested I return the unit to them to be checked out. The brightness of the light, or lack thereof, didn't impress me much. Well, it turned out that I had a bad bulb which N.R. replaced free of charge. Got it back about 2 weeks after I shipped it to them and I can now say it works as advertised- nice and BRIGHT. Really though, the coolest thing about this story is that someone from N.R. took it upon themselves to help me with my problem- not many companies out there anymore that will do that sort of thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Sanders
a Cross Country Rider
from Bainbridge Island, WA Date Reviewed: January 11, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$349.00
Strengths:
Very bright. Long battery life.
Weaknesses:
Three main complaints: (1) the on/off switch is too sensitive. I've tossed it in my saddle bag on occasion, only to have the light turn on inside the bag, presumably from the motion. It generates a lot of heat so that can be a problem. (2) The light doesn't reliably ignite. Sometimes it takes 5-6 efforts to get the light (as opposed to the power indicator) to come on. This can be a problem if you accidently turn the light off while riding, as I did once while adjusting the beam. (3) The connectors are awkward and seem cheaper than earlier models.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider classic and original Niterider single beam handlemount.
Bike Setup:
Bridgestone MB5
Bottom Line:
I'd probably still buy it again because my regular commute involves some big, unlighted downhills and it rains a lot around here. But if I didn't put a premium on having the brightest light, I'd wait and see if Niterider works out some of these bugs.
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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Sterling Heights, Mich Date Reviewed: December 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$348.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Everything
Weaknesses:
None found yet.
Similar Products Used:
Niterider Digital
Bike Setup:
02 Fuel 100, xtr comp, raceface crank, mavic crossmax wheels, Hayes Discs, Manitou Black Elite Air
Bottom Line:
This is for the Niterider Flamethrower the upgrade from the Blowtorch. Found a good deal from Ebay. Have had absolutely no problems what so ever. The new handlebar mount adjusts extremely easy and is very stable. Never moves during rides even on rough terrain.The brightness is unbelievable, no need for a helmet light with this, it casts enough light on the sides to illumniate around all but the sharpest corners. Night rider must have fixed all the problems with the previous hids because this light performs flawlessly. No cutting out on bumps and only used one light on the voltage meter for an hour on the highest setting in 38degree weather. Will let you know on the long term.
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Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from San Jose, Ca. USA Date Reviewed: December 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Snail Trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Reliable, well made.
Weaknesses:
Not bright enough for the $$
Similar Products Used:
NIte Rider Trail Rat, Digital Evolution.
Bike Setup:
Many bikes, many setups.
Bottom Line:
I wish I could say I had the same opinion of this product as most of you who have posted here, but I can't. It just hasn't lived up to the hype. It's well mad
$ 389.00
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