Strengths: Quite indestructable, I've had these for two years now & look almost the same as new. No stitching or glueing coming apart. Very roomy inside so just wear thick socks which I have found to be the best way of keeping your feet warm. When everyone else is donning their overshoes in an attempt to winterise their only pair of shoes, these come out of the cupboard for me.
Weaknesses: No studs. These only get used in winter so a pair of studs would stay permanently fixed, if it was an option or at least they should have a more aggressive tread.
Overall: Bought these on the way to a race (SPC in 2001) cos I forgot my shoes. I was annoyed because I thought it would be a waste of money to buy another pair of shoes but I'm glad I did, my feet have stayed warmer throughout the winter. And incidentally, from a financial point of view my other shoes havent seen a winter so have lasted longer.
Strengths: Light & unwieldy NiMH battery that can be mounted anywhere in seconds. Only one lamp unit to do the whole job. Construction seems high quality & buttons easy to use on the move with gloves on. Smart charger with short charge time but long run time.
Weaknesses: Button is maybe too easy so multiple presses is possible. One lamp doesnt allow broad/spot beams to be separately directed. No spot unit. I'll let you know about the run time & longevity of the construction.
Overall: I go off road weekly & commute 40 miles daily. In the past I have had lights from the cheapest end of the range, Vistalite 410, Sigma etc which have all lasted max 2 winters each before popping over to Maplin to get a new SLA battey or the lamp units fall apart. OK I know, charging the battery for a week isnt recommended but I forget! Anyway, run times have always been a bugbear, I can cope with less light but I want two hours of usable light & not worry. I couldnt find anything under 150 quid that would do this so was going to get a Cateye dual ABS set, an hour of 30watts or 3 hours of 10w. Sounds ideal but the batteries were NiCad, heavy & could only be mounted on a special holder bolted to the bottle mount. No good as I want to switch between one of 3 bikes. Saw the BLT at Cycle Care in Wycombe & admitted this looks ideal, one lamp switchable between 5w (2.5 hours run time)& 15w (just under 2 hrs), a digital NiMH battery with no memory effect & a smart charger. Maybe I eat a lot of carrots but as mentioned before I wasnt as fussed about wattage as run time, 5w is fine for fast off road until I hit a tech section or descent when it is really easy to flick to 15w mode. 5w on the road is twice as bright as my usual light but with a broader beam so no problem there & it's simple to switch the system between bikes, no fixed mounts for either battary or lamps. Even without a fully charged battery my first ride gave 2'18" with a mixture of 5 & 15w usage. So far so good.
Strengths: Lightweight, strong & reliable. Proves that a full suss is faster uphill than a hardtail and going down or along is effortless. 3" at back & 4" up front has coped with 99% of 2 years riding around Europe.
Weaknesses: Dont try to sprint in high gears on the flat or tarmac as it will bob. Bushings cost about a £100 & will need replacing after approx 2000 miles. Fox shock needed an overhaul about the same time.
Overall: What my 'Pu has covered probably says most about it's abilities. I've done 2448.81 miles in 23 months on the 'Pu and has covered a multitude of activities. Two 'freeride' trips to the Alps, one long distance charity ride in the Alps, Kona 100s, Salisbury Plain Challenges, a couple of 24 hour races and many epic Leo Sayers in France, Spain, England, Wales. It didnt get trashed in the Alps which is probably due to luck (or slow speeds!) rather than frame strength each time but has been invaluable & much greater benefit than a hardtail in all other conditions.
