Light works great if you can get it to charge. Not just myself but a few of us nightriders have had the same issue. Plug it in to the usb port and it says it's charging but when we hit the trail it will go out within half an hour on the middle setting? My computer said it didn't recognize the device and wouldn't charge it. I had to use my apple converter to get it to charge. Also the little rubber part that protects the usb plug in disappeared after the first ride on both units I bought. I wish it had a gauge to tell you how much charge was in it.
I like everything about this light for commuting except the battery life. They claim 1.5hrs at 800 lumens but Ive never gotten close to that. My commute is 20mins each way and I have to charge it nearly every day.
This is a high quality product with a bright, wide beam. I love the sleek design. It has more of a slow pulsing mode rather than a fast flashing mode and I'm not sure how obvious it is to oncoming traffic but I typically use a steady beam anyway.
I use this light for commuting in Seattle. When considering price, weight, usability, it is my go to light even though I have some that throw off more light.
Take when I am not sure if I will be home before dark .also take it on evening walks .
The light is great, although it is true that the flashing light is just a pulsation, going from brighter to weaker. The instructions are inscribed on the side of the tube the light comes in. No one in my family could figure out about a third of it - we think we got the subject but not the idea they are trying to convey with odd pictographs. Words would work a lot better. Perhaps with time we will discover some function and then use that to interpret the pictographs.
This light does not have a strobe flashing function. I had to return this light after I bought it because it is not a good light to ride with during the day. The strobe flash helps a rider be seen by automobiles. I switched to a different light that had a strobe flash function.
Love this light, especially the flashing mode that does not flash on/off but goes between high and low (I assume this is so it is legal in places were flashing lights are not legal?).
However, I bought two and one intermittently and regularly just didn't work. Sent it back to L&M and ordered another. I am sure I will get a refund since I have dealt with their customer service in the past and it is nothing short of stellar.