Originally Posted by cyclwestks
I have the non-digital version of the Gen3, & like the light it puts out, but didn't like the mount. Couldn't get the quick release to work on my bars, so I just rigged it up. It does last a long time on my rechargeables though, & coupled with a helmet light works, it works. I wanted the HL-EL 500, so I have one on back order & putting the Gen3 on my wife's bike, as she likes to ride at night with me. Hope I don't experience the same thing with the mount on the 500 as you have.
Well, if you take the light off the mount sometimes, look at the bottom of the light and see if you have a chip broken off it where it slides on. If you ever get that, I think I can pretty much guarantee you will soon have a second chip, then a third, then a fourth, leaving only the center on each side intact - and finally that will break.
So, if it does start to break, you might either see if you can figure out some other way of holding it on the bike or do what I've considered doing if I the company to replace mine - super glue the sucker to the mount. I'm thinking that if you use that or some other strong adhesive in the groove where the parts slide together AND to the top surface so it might contact the other part of the light/mount, that might provide enough support to stop the braking. On the 500, you could still change the battery because it just unscrews from the front. You can't do it with the 300.
Good luck and let me know how it works out. I don't recall how long it was before mine first started to go - certainly some weeks and I ride about 140 miles a week.