Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

CatEye HL-EL135 Front Bike Light

$20.00

(17)

Item # 745522

REI Members get back an estimated $ 2.00 on this item as part of their annual member refund.

The REI Member Dividend

The REI dividend is a unique benefit of membership in the REI co-op. It's comprised of your member refund—typically 10% back on eligible purchases—and/or your REI Visa® card rebates.

Each March, active REI members and REI Visa cardholders who earned a rebate receive a refund in the form of an annual dividend notice.

Only active members receive annual dividend notices. To maintain your active status as an REI member, you need to make net merchandise or shipping purchases of at least $10 per year, unless you joined that year. Member numbers are issued in one name and only that person receives the member refund. Your number can be used by others in your family, but it cannot be transferred to someone else.

Questions? Call us at 1-800-426-4840 for more about your dividend or its redemption.

Learn more

This item may be available in your local REI store.

FREE U.S. STANDARD SHIPPING Through February 20. No minimum purchase! Learn more

More videos

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

This compact commuter light uses three LEDs, Opticube lens technology and has a wide beam for increased visibility.

Cat Eye's exclusive Opticube lens technology makes this light significantly brighter than its closest competitor with the same LED bulb
Flex-Tight universal mounting bracket attaches securely to just about any size handlebar; no tools required
Runs on two AA alkaline batteries, included

Imported.

Item 745522

View all CatEye products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

CatEye HL-EL135 Front Bike Light Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight

3.5

(based on 17 reviews)

71%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Long battery life (13)
Great visibility (9)

Cons

Weak beam (7)

Best Uses

Front headlight (12)
Good for commuting (9)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid cyclist (11), Casual/ recreational (6)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (5)

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 17 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Previous | Next »

Dec

2007

(11 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Poorly made, annoying design

By the greatest loaf of all

from Minneapolis, MN

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Bad switches

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

I'm a year round bike commuter in Minnesota, so my headlight gets a lot of use. This light would be decent if not for two major flaws - construction and switch design.

Construction - After owning this light for only a few weeks the connection between the mount and light fractured, and the light started flying off the front when I slowed down. I replaced the mount and it happened again. Turns out a piece broke off the cheap plastic casing of the light. It's now taped to my handlebars with electrical tape.

Switch - you have to hold the button down to turn it off. Not only is this annoying when wearing winter gloves, but it does nothing from stopping the light from turning on while sitting in a bag. I could understand if they designed it the other way around so you had to hold it in to turn it on, but no.

Can't wait to replace this piece of junk.

Oct

2008

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Value, fair performance

By love2bike

from Atlanta, GA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy on and off mounting
Easy to mount
Flash mode for day time
Long battery life

Cons

Weak beam

Best Uses

Front headlight

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

The beam on this unit is relative weak. It is not good for night riding without street lights but will perform will in dark spots along streets when commuting at night. For the money, a good choice. I've used mine for five months, commute about 14 miles a day in the dark and only changed the batteries once!

Dec

2007

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good backup, lightweight and pocketable

By pedtransit

from Santa Barbara, CA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Helmet/Removable mount
Long battery life
Portable pocketable

Cons

Beam is ok for it's size

Best Uses

Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

I ride for every day transportation and short commute. I like that this light is lightweight enough to carry all the time, in case I get caught in the dark unexpectedly. It's quick release has none of the protrusions that make other lights uncomfortable to carry in a pockit - even in jeans. It helps see potholes on a moderate speed commuteand it provides essential warning to motorists, especially in flash mode. Works well hand-held flashlight too. And the price is low. ***LED lights last long, but beam will get progressively weaker over time, as with any battery device. So replace your batteries before they get too weak. Forgetting this especially easy to do with tail blinkers. OVerworn batteries = less safety!*** Again, I recommend this light as a backup, though I often end up using it as a primary for convenience.

Jan

2010

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

great light for the price

By urbanplanner

from Los Angeles, CA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Great visibility
Long battery life

Cons

Hardware
Mounting

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

This is a fantastic light. Incredibly durable and very bright at night. Easy to be seen.

The major problem I've had with this light is the mount. I've broken two of them, being a daily bike commuter. I don't know why I've had such bad luck, but the plastic-screw system is very limited in its durability.

I currently have it mounted to my bike with half the mount, and an old bike tube, cut up. I'll use it until its dead, and I'll probably buy a new one, but the plastic screw/mount system really needs to be overhauled.

Oct

2008

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Bright light, hard to attach

By IdleBlizzard

from Bloomington, MN

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Great visibility
Long battery life

Cons

Difficult to attach

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

Excellent light and very bright. Easy to use single button on/off/flash. Just took me a little while to get the mount around my bars so I could attach the light.

Sep

2007

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

good light, better value

By mkhosh

from Irvine, CA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Great visibility
Helmet/Removable mount
Long battery life

Cons

Weak beam

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

Overall, this is a good light for city commuting and night time riding. While the light isn't particularly strong it helps you be noticed. Plus it's fairly easy on the wallet.

Sep

2007

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Nice Light

By Mr. Knife

from Minneapolis, MN

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Weak beam

Best Uses

Front headlight

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

This is a nice light for use around the city where there street lights and other light sources. It has flash and stready settings which both make the bike visible. It is not strong enough to provide great visibility for the biker if there is no other light available.

May

2009

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great bang for the buck, but no Trinewt

By Tucsanrob

from Ann Arbor, MI

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy on and off mounting
Great visibility
Long battery life

Cons

Weak beam

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

A great little light if you're in a pinch for some illumination. It has a surprisingly strong beam for a small disposable battery light. The only draw back is it's relatively short range, which tends to be a big issue for commuters who work night shifts (like myself). I plan to use this as a blinky after I get a NiteRider light kit. Also comes in handy as a flashlight with it's quick release catch.

Mar

2009

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Good light, bad mount

By beadskater

from Seattle, WA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Great visibility
Long battery life

Cons

Best Uses

Front headlight
Night commute

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

I used this light to commute, and it works very well for that. However, I also use my bike for competitions where I need to remove the light and put on my aerobars - the light mount is made from cheap plastic that is not rigid enough for the tool-free design. I managed to remove it once and get it back on with no breakage, but the second time I tried it snapped. I am going to replace it with another Cateye product, but one with a different mount type.

Oct

2008

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great little light

By Agilebiker

from Palo Alto, CA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Great visibility
Long battery life

Cons

Best Uses

Front headlight

Comments about Cat Eye HL-EL135 Bike Headlight:

This is an ideal little emergency light It can help you home in the dark in a pinch. I keep this small light mounted to the handlebars of my fancy, weekend ride bike in case I don't get home before dark. I turn in on in flash mode when there are any weather conditions limiting visibility so I will be noticed by cars. I have used for unplanned night riding when I don't get back before nightfall, but would not use this for regular evening commuting.