Originally Posted by
American Euchre
There's no problem with the light falling off, it just doesn't stay in place on handlebars with a smooth surface. It tilts up or down as you hit bumps and it became annoying shifting it back in place mid ride. I have an easy fix for it, but a clamp would be far more secure.
A bit of friction tape, a rubber shim or even a bit of old inner tube under the clamp will solve the problem. Most clamps need a rubber shim under them to fit the bars and keep the light from moving. I'm no fan of the o-ring mount but even the clamps I use...which are much more positive...require something under them to keep the clamp in place.
Basically, it's not a deal killer.
Originally Posted by
American Euchre
I haven't had a wire break; the solder is the weak point.
I've not had a problem with the solder point and I've had a lot of batteries for the Magicshine clones. I'm not sure how you even inspect the solder point without disturbing the casing around the battery pack. My batteries are all shrink wrapped and the wiring is under the shrink wrap. I wouldn't expose the solder points anyway as the wrapping provide a level of strain relief to keep the wires from being pulled off.
Originally Posted by
American Euchre
The case isn't horrible. However, it doesn't seal the batteries so I don't want to use them when it's raining. Also, the velcro strap doesn't secure the battery in place. It slides around--not a problem functionally, just annoying. It's just another reminder that it's a cheap light and battery.
The velcro attached battery pack is a common method for even expensive lights. You pay 5 times as much and the pack will still slide around.
I put my battery packs in other containers because trying to attach two battery packs to the handlebars is difficult. The new container provides weather protection that the standard battery lacks. Given the difference in cost, I'm willing to spend a little money on a compromise.
Originally Posted by
American Euchre
It's definitely safer to get a wider beam and wider range of vision. The narrow beam is overkill imo.
That's only your opinion as is whether or not a wider beam is "safer". A wider beam means less light per square meter. A narrower beam has more illumination over a smaller area and allows me to see obstacles that I might run into better.
But, as I said above, it's not like the LED lights available are tight spot lights. Even the tightest ones I've found have a beam angle of 25° to 35°, which classifies them as flood lights.
Originally Posted by
American Euchre
Only the cygo metro meets it's lumens ratings. The expillion does not. See the testing site linked.
That's shaving things a bit too thin. The Expilion puts out 98% of the light that is claimed. That's not a "failure". It's, at worst, a slight variance and, quite possible, within the variance of the measurement.
Originally Posted by
American Euchre
There are minor flaws, but there are multiple minor flaws, which in combination make it as valuable as it's price, which is not much. You can't use it in the rain, you have to be very careful handling it, lest the wire disconnect at the solder point, and unless you DIY the attachments, you are forever nudging both the light and battery pack into place.
I would definitely go for a cygo metro probably a 700. It has a clamp, no exposed battery, no cheap wires, it basically solves all of the problems associated with the cree.
Also, there is a warranty.
What you are missing is a very large flaw in the Cygolite Metro (and similar) lights...the cost. At almost $80 retail, most people can afford to buy only one of them. I've been riding in the dark for more than 35 years and I would
never depend on only one headlamp. Stuff happens and a single light can leave you in the dark.
There's also a matter of the run time for the Cygolite Metro 700 which is only about 80 minutes. We are quickly reaching a time when you need lights going to and coming back from work. If you ride the average 10 to 12 mile one-way mileage that I see for most people on Bike Forums, that's just outside of the ability of the 700 to handle for a round trip. If you forget to charge it up at work, it's back to leaving you in the dark.
As for a warranty, too much is made of that. I've had multiple lights over my 35+ years of night time riding and I've never had to make a warranty claim. Even the cheap Cree lights have never failed me. But, for $20, warranties aren't worth the price of postage. If something goes wrong with my lights, I'll just get another one. LEDs are changing anyway so it will probably be an upgrade...which is another problem with expensive lights. Replacement as the technology changes is costly.