Choosing Your Headlight
We just got our first shipment of the new Schmidt Edelux II headlights.
The Edelux II and the B&M IQ Cyo Premium really have raised the bar in headlight design. Their wide, even beams make night riding at any speed even more pleasant. At the same time, older versions of these and other lights continue to be available, some on close-out at enticing prices. For many riders, they offer a great light at an affordable price. All these headlights provide exceptional illumination as a part of a generator-powered system.
A full review of the new Edelux II, the B&M Luxos U and the B&M Eyc headlights is in the Winter 2013 Bicycle Quarterly. Here is a brief overview over the headlights that Compass Bicycles sells. Click on the links for more information or to order:
Schmidt Edelux II: You cannot do better than this. It uses the best optics in a sturdy and beautifully machined housing. The LED is placed with precision, so every light is perfect. (With plastic lights, you get a little variability from one light to the next.) The glass lens is scratch-proof and has an anti-glare coating on the inside to reduce light absorption. If you do a lot of night riding, the Edelux II is definitely a worthwhile investment.
B&M IQ Cyo Premium: With the same beam as the Edelux II, the IQ Cyo Premium offers 90% of the performance at 60% of the price. The plastic housing isn’t as pretty, and you have to be careful not to overtighten the mounting bolt. (The plastic mounting eye can split.) It’s a great light for serious night-time riding.
Schmidt Edelux I: The original Edelux offers the same appearance and quality as the new model at a closeout price. The beam has been good enough for fast night-time descents on gravel roads. Especially in urban settings with light pollution, you’ll be hard pressed to notice the difference to the new lights. If this appeals to you, get one while they last! The Edelux I also is available for “hanging attachment” (shown above), which is useful is you want to mount your headlight underneath the handlebars or underneath a front rack.
B&M IQ Cyo: The original IQ Cyo still is available at an unbeatable price. You get what was a state-of-the-art light just a few months ago for the price of a budget light. Just like the Edelux I, it remains a smart choice for riders who don’t often descent mountain passes at night.
B&M Eyc: They Eyc is the lightest real headlight available today. It offers a very good beam – very similar to the original IQ Cyo/Edelux – at a very competitive price. I would have no qualms doing Paris-Brest-Paris with this light, and for a bike that sees only occasional night-time use, it offers amazing performance for its weight and price.
B&M Lyt: The Lyt is a good light for around-town riding. It’s the least expensive light we sell, so if you are on a budget, it’s a great choice. Even this basic LED light offers much more light and a better beam shape than the best halogen lights of old.
At Compass Bicycles, we only sell what we consider the best products, based on our own on-the-road experience. I believe that our program features a headlight for almost every application. If you still use battery-powered headlights with poorly shaped beams and questionable reliability, now is a great time to upgrade to a generator-powered system. You won’t regret it!
Click here for more information on these headlights and the generator hubs that power them.
