CATEYE - Volt 1700 Headlight with Quick-Change Battery

Yes, it's expensive, but it's more true than ever that you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to bike headlights. I've spent countless hours perusing Amazon reviews, website headlamp reviews, learning about LED generations and such, and discovered (both from reviews and also by ordering many headlights to see in person) that the VAST majority of lumen claims on bike headlamps sold on Amazon are completely bogus and overinflated by 2,3,4 or 5 times as much as they truly deliver. If the headlamp is $60 or less and claims 800-1200-1600 (or more!) lumens, you can bet it's false advertising. Caveat emptor.So, if you need actual real light that reveals the potholes in the darkness when you're riding your bike at high speeds in areas with no street lamps, or that reveals potholes and crevices on dark sidewalks when you're riding a scooter at night (even more dangerous! those small wheels can get caught in the tiniest crack if you don't see them coming), you have to PAY for a good headlamp that delivers genuine bright light.The features that I love about this Cat Eye Vole 1700 that set it apart from the other high lumen high performance headlamps:1. No separate battery pack to mount/strap onto the bike/scooter (which also means additional cord management issues, along with more futzing when you have to remove it all to re-charge).2. A removable battery that easily slides out so you can switch with a spare battery on the go. Especially if you're on a long expedition and find yourself caught riding after dark for hours (or because you forgot to top it off with a fresh charge before the trip), if the battery runs out, having a spare is crucial. Many other headlamps do not have switchable batteries, your only recourse would be carrying a second full light.3. Easy removal from the mount to either take it off for charging or to take it when you lock the bike to prevent thieves from grabbing it. Like the battery, it's a simple slide out of the mount.4. Considering the amount of light it delivers, it's a relatively compact design that doesn't overload the space on the bike or scooter handlebars.5. The mount is totally secure, despite all the vibration and bouncing (especially on a scooter bumping along on NYC city streets) the light stays angled exactly where I place it, with no shifting.6. Any standard usb charging cable will charge the batteries. This is the most common for headlamps these days of course, but there are still some out there that use regular batteries. But while those removable regular batteries have the benefit that you can carry spares, you have that same option with the Cat Eye if you buy a second battery (which as I've mentioned, most other headlamps can't do).The only con is as I said already, it's a pretty expensive light, and the spare battery is not cheap either. But the truth is it's only expensive if you think those other false-lumen claims for other cheaper lights are legitimate, which they aren't. For 1700 true lumens and a secure solid design and safe components that don't overheat, you aren't really going to pay less.

Awesome light! Love the flexibility of the different settings. With this headlight I feel totally comfortable riding my bike on a windy, hilly country road at night.The quick disconnect mount is nice. Easy to take the light off for charging. I also use it as a handheld flashlight all the time.

Great light. Obviously on the expensive side but I guess you get what you pay for.I ride to work at night and can’t see the road at all sometimes even with my other Cateye headlight (not sure of model #, but one of their cheaper models). But even on the low setting with the “1700” I can see just fine. The medium setting is perfect for my needs and that’s what I’ve been using. Can easily spot potholes and stuff.. And the high setting is almost too bright -It’s good to have it there if I need it and I think it’s good to have a headlight a bit over engineered when it’s this bright since you’re dealing with heat being generated by the device that could potentially damage it if it’s not built well.I guess my only complain is it would be nice to have a pulse setting that is at medium brightness. The pulse setting is only for low brightness.Other than that no complaints so far. I’ll update if that changes.Update April 22, 2021: The screw that attaches the light to the mount broke in half on me. It looks like this screw is welded into the body of the light, so not an easy fix. Been a great light, but disappointed the entire light is held on by one fairly small screw prone to stress fractures over time. — I should add that I mount the light on the bottom of my front basket so it hangs upside down and possibly has to endure greater stresses from shaking around down there a bit. Still.,.one little screw?—- Probably end up seeing if I can superglue it to the mount.

Description reads this weighs 0.33 pounds - NOT- it weighs 0.55 pounds, and with clamp, 0.60 pounds. Otherwise, it is a very decent light - I had the previous Cateye model for 8 years (which weighed 0.52 g) on my mountain bike handlebars pointing down right in front of tire, usually on low or medium depending on how long I'd be out (with a Lupine Wilma on my helmet for much brighter and farther down trail). This model claims 4 h battery life on medium - but I've not tested it that long yet. It has the best handlebar mount I've seen, and I've had several different brands over the years - holds steady on technical, rocky/rooty trails.

I bought this to replace my failing bike light which left me stranded in the gloom one early morning after I got dropped by a group of A group riders. Fortunately one came back and road behind me using this light for illuminate the way for both of us.It has three brightness and two strobe settings. I find that the low and medium brightness are usually enough unless it’s foggy or I want to aim the ligh higher to watch for deer. I’ve never had the battery run out and I do most of my riding before the sun rises if that tells you how good it is.I’d highly recommend.

I am a daily bike commuter in the Denver metro area. I need a light that is very dependable and this is it! It is very bright with good color. With the light at maximum brightness, it’s lasting longer than advertised. I have purchased and returned many other big namebrand headlamps. Only this one will stay with me.

bad experience

I’ve owned many of these so I know what I’m getting as far as product quality. What I didn’t know was that Cateye just threw the open box in an un-padded shipping bag and sent it off… what I received was a bag with wonderfully tumbled light parts. Congrats Cateye!

I get waved by motorcycle… they think I am one of them...