You can now get the ExpiliOn 600 for $100 on Amazon. I have the 350 series and it's been a good light though I since put it on my wife's bike for her to use as flasher because I went with a different set of lights. But the ExpiliOn does use a self contained rechargeable and replaceable battery pack, you can buy an extra battery and use it as back if you wanted. So there's no need to try to figure out where to mount a separate battery and the wire to it.

I know that Cygolite is pretty darn accurate in their reported lumens and battery life expectancy. I also know some companies particularly Magicshine way over rate their lumens. My Cygolite Mitycross 480 is brighter then Magicshines last years 1200 lumen light, my friend has one and we compared.

But for under $100 you can't go wrong with the Cygolite ExpiliOn 600. I also really like the Phillips Saferide 80 light. This thing puts out more useful light then expensive 1000 lumen lights because Phillip used their motorcycle and car light technology in it and it cast a flat beam instead of wasting lighting energy lighting up a top of a tree. But this light does cost more but far less then other 1000 lumen lights.

Here's a pretty decent beam comparison: http://www.modernbike.com/light-comp...singleshotplus AND: http://reviews.mtbr.com/2012-bike-lights-shootout