Cat Eye EL400

Quoted message said:

I have a Cateye pair (taillight and headlight). Cheapies though. I was wondering if anyone's tried
the new tampon-sized Cateye for like $34.99?

I was at my LBS and they had a display but it wasn't working. Does anyone know how powerful it is
(I know the candle power, but I mean its effectiveness)?

I just received mine from Nashbar. I wouldn't want to rely on it in complete darkness, but I believe
that it would make you more visible in a low light situation. It puts out enough light to show
potholes and debris on the road. It's better than nothing at all.

I don't like the mount. While it is relatively secure, the light won't be falling of anytime soon,
it is not very rigid and allows the "light beam" to bounce around in front of you.

Wayne

CigarSki <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have a Cateye pair (taillight and headlight). Cheapies though. I was wondering if anyone's
tried the new tampon-sized Cateye for like $34.99?

I was at my LBS and they had a display but it wasn't working. Does

anyone

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

know how powerful it is (I know the candle power, but I mean its effectiveness)?

I just received mine from Nashbar. I wouldn't want to rely on it in

complete

Quoted message said:

darkness, but I believe that it would make you more visible in a low light situation. It puts out
enough light to show potholes and debris on the

road.

Quoted message said:

It's better than nothing at all.

I don't like the mount. While it is relatively secure, the light won't be falling of anytime soon,
it is not very rigid and allows the "light beam"

to

Quoted message said:

bounce around in front of you.

Wayne

Was wondering if the el400 is is repackaged el200, running on the 3 aaa batts as opposed to the 4
aa batts in the 200. They have similar working characteristics. Pat

patrick mitchel said:

Was wondering if the el400 is is repackaged el200, running on the 3 aaa batts as opposed to the 4
aa batts in the 200. They have similar working characteristics.

The optics are different. The EL200 LED's are further apart and also more visable from the side (may
also be larger?). Plus I would expect the 400 to use four cells to get the same voltage if it was
just a repackaged version of the same thing.

However, a smaller version of the 200 would be great idea. The vast majority of its bulk is the
battery compartment. A smaller version with AAA's might be acceptable considering that AA's last
such a long time with this light. Alternatively, just the head unit on its own would be useful to
wire up to a separate battery or dynamo of choice - perhaps to use in addition to more powerful
lights. It is much better than any miniture front blinky I've seen.

~PB

Quoted message said:

Was wondering if the el400 is is repackaged el200, running on the 3 aaa batts as opposed to the 4
aa batts in the 200. They have similar working characteristics. Pat

The EL400 is a completely new shape and features a new style mount that looks like it is designed to
be more of a multi use waterproof torch than a specific bike light. The website claims it is 90
candlepower if that means anything to you. It didn't seem overly bright in the shop, with a ver
narrow beam. Personally I would stick with their excellent HL-MC200 4xAA battery light to see by
with their 3 LED and white relector AAA powered unit in order to get peoples attention.