Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)After researching various lights suitable for nighttime road use, I purchased the MityCross because of its light weight, bright beam, and lithium-ion battery (for cold weather and fast charging). I have had this light mounted on my handlebars for about 3 months now, and this is a huge step up from my previous 1W LED light.
The light is well constructed, using a thick handlebar mount, and a durable metal housing around the light, and the battery has a thick Velcro strap to attach it to the front stem. The size is astounding; the light is slightly larger than a golf ball, while the battery is about the size of an iPhone folded lengthwise. The light also comes with a helmet mount, which costs extra on many other light systems. The charger can be used in 110V or 220V outlets, which is a plus if you go overseas, and is very fast compared to NiMH chargers.
There are 6 modes, which are separately grouped into (high, medium, low) and (flashing, walking, SOS). Simply pressing the power button will start the light in high mode, with repeated presses cycling through medium, low, then high again and so on. The light can be started in flashing mode by holding down the power button for a few seconds and releasing, when the light is off, and can be cycled to walking and SOS, then back to flashing by pressing the button. There is also a three-LED battery gauge which "blinks" more slowly as the battery is drained.
Rated battery life for each mode: High=3.5hrs, Medium=5hrs, Low=17hrs, Flashing=50hrs, Walking=100hrs, SOS=100hrs.
The beam pattern is rather wide (compared to cheap LED lights), which is optimal for mountain biking. I would have preferred a more narrow and brighter beam for road use, but it does light up the pavement 100-200 feet in front as well as signs from thousands of feet away!
I prefer to use the "medium" setting at night, as it is rated for 5 hours, which means I only have to charge it once a week, and it still puts out a ton of light. In the daytime, I usually go with one of the two strobe options that are available for visibility.
I have not had any issues with this light while riding in rain or snow (not waterproof see UPDATE1), or when it was -10F outside. The light and battery are well sealed.
The only weirdness with this light is that it will automatically turn on in high mode when you plug in the battery, so you have to remember to turn it off. Otherwise, the light will stay on until the battery is drained. Also, when the battery is almost dead, the light will begin to flash on and off uncontrollably, which was not documented in the instructions.
Overall, this light is a terrific value in its class, if you are doing nighttime on or off road riding often, consider this light as it is a high-quality product that should last for many years.
UPDATE1: After three months of use, I have found that water can seep into the light through the button on top, which was causing the light to function sporadically. The light is completely sealed by rubber gaskets except for along the button and at the battery plug. I pulled out the button for a day, let the headlight dry, and now it works fine again, so I have put a large piece of clear packaging tape across the button so that water cannot get in through there.
UPDATE2: After nine months, the battery would no longer charge (the LED light on the charger was orange, a mix of red and green alternating rapidly). Fortunately, Cygolite allowed me to return the light system for repair and replaced the battery free under the one-year warranty (sent it in on a Friday and got it back the next Tuesday). The new battery looks the same except for having a different logo, so maybe it's better. I was very pleased with their excellent customer support, and will buy more of their products in the future.
UPDATE3: Announced August 1st 2010, Cygolite will be offering the Mitycross 400 and 320 for the 2011 year (price TBD), which I suspect will replace the respective Mitycross 350 and 300 models very soon. They will offer the same 3.5/17 hours high/low battery life, and have the same 240g system weight.
Click Here to see more reviews about: CygoLite MityCross 350 LED Dual LED Bike Light with Stem-Mount Li-Ion Battery
Incredibly small and impressively bright, the MityCross 350 LED bike light is an ideal choice for avid road and mountain bikers. The MityCross 350 boasts two third-generation, high-brightness LED lights, which combine to illuminate any road or trail without weighing you down. No more illuminating just a few narrow feet in front of you, or squinting to make out objects to your side. The light is also extremely versatile, with three brightness modes--high, medium, and low--and three flashing modes, including regular, walking, and SOS.And riders will love the light's Cross-Fire technology, which crosses the highly focused beams to double the viewing area. Other details include a quick-release handlebar mount, a helmet mount, a lightweight aluminum alloy casing, a compact lithium-ion stem-mount battery, a three-stage battery level indicator, and a four-hour Rapid Smart charger.
Specifications:
LED output: 350 lumens
Bicycle/special lighting modes: 3/3
Light type: 3rd-generation high-brightness LED
Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery level indicator: Yes, 3 stage
Battery charging time: 4 hours
Handlebar size: 25.4 to 31.8 mm
Run time: 3.5 hours (high setting); 17 hours (low setting)
Weight: 0.53 pounds
