Review on Cygolite Dash Resistant Rechargeable Headlight by Daniel Evans

This compact bicycle lamp has many functions, but it is not so intuitive to use at first. The online user manual contains very little useful information, and the box contains instructions written on several pages and flaps. The packaging says there are different modes for day and night use, but there are no photos or diagrams of the different modes. I basically sat at home, shone the light into another room, and played with it long enough to guess which mode worked best for me. Here are my pros and cons: Pros: - Compact design (more like a bike light than a flashlight) - Bright (if you're used to cheap bike lights you won't believe how bright it is) Cygolite does one about 5 times as well stronger! Versatility (four lamps above can work as daytime running lights independently from the main light). You can turn on the main light just low, medium or high power and it has good spread. There are also several combo settings. I live in the city, so my favorite thing to do is use the quad lights on the low setting at all times, with the main light flashing so motorists can see me. - 350 lumens (Light is measured in many different ways, but it's enough for my purposes) - Sidelights (The two notches you see on each side allow for some sidelight. In my case, I would have liked more of them - On/ Power button (this button actually has a bunch of nice features: on/off, remembers the last setting which is great!, a low battery indicator and even tells you if you're running at full power for some reason - Quick install (simply put the flashlight on the handlebars and unplug the silicone/rubber connector on the handlebars (hook) - mini USB charger (has a silicone/rubber cover hoping to protect from the elements) Charges in 3 hours and the power button blinks until it's charged so I can adjust the light straight ahead) - Lithium Ion battery (no memory effect like Ni-Cad) - Waterproof (haven't ridden it in the rain yet so can't comment same) - us the factory reset button triplets (I think this resets it to factory settings) Cons: - Mounting strap only (no permanent mounting option and no accessory offering on the company website) This is a major con for me who is in of the city lives. I have to turn off the light every time I stop somewhere because it can be stolen. Other flashlights that come with a fixed mount also have a hand-tight screw, which isn't much better. Cygolite must think that everyone lives in the suburbs. - Weak handlebar pad (the light needs to be supported by something and that piece of silicone/rubber is very thin and weak and also slippery so the light needs to be tilted after hitting a bump etc). This was not well thought out by the company. The pivot doesn't have a real centering notch (the flashlight can be knocked off center fairly easily - it has many functions) - battery life (only an hour and a half at high rpm I think) Cygolite has good light sources, up to 1700 lumens and I have even bought their Hotshot 2W taillight. These two headlights are a big upgrade from my old set of twinkle emergency lights. I did a little research before purchasing and decided on this one. And finally, I'm just a regular cyclist and not affiliated with Cygolite in any way. As there are few reviews of Revain here I hope this helps. The instrument panel is set to flashing daylight. I see signs 6 blocks away and people were telling me to turn them off because it was very bright. However, according to the Cygolite website, it only burns for 75 minutes at this intensity. - Honestly I'm just trying to be seen and not to light the way, I think the 4 blinking LEDs do a decent job on their own. Cygolite offers 55 hours of battery life with this setting. For more safety, I use the SteadyPulse night mode (actually a triple pulse, not constant) which amazingly reduces the battery life to just 3 hours. So it's pretty clear that the main CREE bulb is consuming the most energy. I also bought a Cygolite Hotshot taillight and find it odd that the Dash uses a mini USB charging port while the Hotshot uses a regular USB port. Personally, I like the regular USB connector because it's easier to see and feels more secure. And although both cords are supplied, it's odd that I need two cords to charge two lamps from the same company. Without knowing it, I have a feeling that a rubber silicone stretch cord won't last that long. They already offer it as a spare part on the accessories page at a great price. I'd still like a bolt-on mount where I could just detach the light, like the Hotshot. Bottom line, I'm keeping both devices because of the many good reviews and usage of the products.