jierik's Full Review: Cateye Bike Head Light Hl EL135
My previous cateye light fell apart so I looked for a replacement. I was surprised to find that this much smaller EL135 actually has comparable power specs in terms of "candlelights, whatever that unit means. Plus it was cheap and very small. I was anxious to wait for the light to arrive.
I have been very pleasantly surprised. The unit is very small and light and is made of a quality-expiring plastic and is tightly assembled. I am not sure if it is water-resistant, I guess it can withstand rain, but there are no gaps between the different parts. Really well designed is the attachment (or "base") which allows for tight fixing the light to a variety of handlebars. Also cool is the ease with which you can attach and detach the light from its "base", although the release button is a bit too close to the rear of the unit which requires a bit of fumbling to release it. I'm not looking forward to doing this in the winter. Anyway, getting it on and off the bike is a breeze. The design is oustanding.
Operating the light also is very easy. There is one button on the back, which alternately activates the constant or flashing mode. To turn the light off, you have to press for a second or so. The light is very bright and shines a relatively tight bundle towards the front which makes it relatively easy to spot potholes in complete darkness. I briefly tested visibility from a car-driver's perspective, and in complete darkness it is excellent although the light tends to get lost amidst a jungle of car lights in dense traffic. It is better to use the flashing option in those conditions, luckily it is very easy to change that while riding.
Battery life is amazing, considering that it only uses two AA batteries. Changing batteries is very easy and does not put so much of a stress to the casing as was the case with my previous "Opticube" which actually cracked around to points where the battery compartment is opened and closed.
All in all, for that money, this light is extremely highly recommended.
This compact commuter light uses three LEDs, Opticube lens technology and has a wide beam for increased visibility. Cat Eye's exclusive Opticube lens ...More at REI
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