Light & Motion Urban 350 Bike Headlights

Perfect light to get an early start in the morning or get you home when the sun goes down. I ride 4 - 6 times per week and my fall and early spring rides start before the sun comes up. I usually put this on the mid or low brightness with a constant beam (it has hi, mid and low constant beam, plus a pulsing low beam). I've never had to use the bright beam. I've also never had it run out on me, but I'm usually only using it for 2+ hours per ride. I love how portable it is. It's not as bright or long-lasting as my Fenix BT-20 light, but it's far more convenient to not strap a battery pack on my top tube every time I ride in the dark. I'll still use my BT-20 for overnight relay rides, but for the most part, I only need a light for about 60 - 90 minutes before the sun comes up. For that, this light is really perfect...small, easily rechargable, bright enough for roads and dedicated bike paths, solid price point.I really like the pulsing light vs. the flashing light. Much less blinding to oncoming traffic and/or riders/runners/etc.Two drawbacks that are more user errors than product errors:1) You really have to push it onto the mount to make sure it stays. The first two times I used it, I thought I had adequately secured the light to the base, only to have it fly off the handlebars and hit the pavement at 20mph. Fortunately, the damange was limited to cosmetic scratches and a gouge or two. The light has continued to work great despite the drops. I have since realized that you have to push the light onto the base until you feel a little click as it locks into place.2) the small, plastic cover to the USB port isn't firmly attached to the light. This isn't a big deal, you just have to be careful to keep the cover close to the light while you are charging the light. Losing the cover wouldn't be a big problem, just might allow water or debris to get into the USB port over a long, rainy ride. The likelihood of this happening is very slim, and as long as you are careful with the cover, you shouldn't lose it.

I've ridden the 14 miles round trip to work in the Pacific Northwest 630 AM darkness and really like this light. It had been recommended on some bike blog as bright enough to really light up the road (which it does), way better than your typical economy light (and I was impressed with this), without being so bright as to be a dazzling hazard to oncoming drivers (which seemed to be the case). It lights up the road well, it's easy to take on and off or reposition, and I like the USB recharge feature. My only critique it does not hold it's charge for more than about 30 minutes when the weather is freezing cold (25-35 degrees); it stops working as the product cools off. HOWEVER, having lived in Fairbanks Alaska before, I can tell you that essentially ALL battery powered devices have the same problem, and I have never seen an exception, so I don't think it's fair to downgrade the product based on that; as well, most people stop riding at these temperatures, so I'm one of the lone fools. They are easy enough to strap on that I like it well enough that I may buy a second one and rotate them out, warming one up close to my body, while the one in use cools off.

Liked: It is compact, and very well made with the feel of a finely assembled tool. The light's output pattern and brightness are perfect for my suburban commute under neighborhood streetlights, and a quarter-mile unlit bridge span. There's a center hot spot that I aim about 20' ahead, and a softer 'halo' that adds fill to the dark off-axis zones. It is water-tight and has endured torrential rains without issue. The amber side lights are among its best features, alerting cross traffic while allowing the rider to monitor the light's mode from the saddle. Its tiny indicator light on the rear housing is a straightforward means of monitoring the battery level.Not So Much: IF the light is stored in sub-55 degree temperatures; for example, in the garage overnight, I found the battery did not hold a charge as L&M stated on their website [one and one-half hours runtime on high], To maximize its charge, I had to bring the light inside both to store and to charge it. This required removing it from the bike... not a big deal since the elastic mount made an easy removal/reinstal. Unfortunately, it required readjusting the light's angle each ride. A fixed mount with removable light would solve this, and make a nice option.During warmer weather, I'll still have to remove it for recharging because the light's covered microUSB port s difficult to access while attached to the bike. Even swiveling the light on its mount doesn't allow easy insertion of its charging cable. It's much simpler when removed.Overall: A nicely constructed, powerful little unit at a fair price, with room for detail improvements. So, the search for a perfect headlight continues, but this is the closest I've come that elusive goal.