Greg, via e-mail -- This will be year #4 these lights have been to 24 hours of Canaan/ Snowshoe. They have been great. I love em. Lighting is something I don¹t have to worry about.

Jim, CA -- “This is a sweet system. Easy hook up, bright lights, happy nights.”

William, AZ -- “When I was first shown your system, I thought it was too expensive. After setting it up, I have changed my opinion. Excellent system.”

Steve, MI -- “Your willingness to help with personal service over the phone, topnotch quality, and fair price, again - thank you. Remember. Rubber Side Down.”

Matt, NM -- “This is the best, brightest, and most versatile light I have ever used! Keep up the good work!”

Rob, MA -- “Beautiful machining!”

John, VA -- “My rescue squad uses the S25 system on our bikes, and they are nothing shy of incredible. Most public safety organizations that I know use the same lighting system. I liked them so much I bought a set for my personal bike. Thanks for a great system.”

Bruce, CA -- “Hot stuff, look forward to using it hard. Keep up the current company culture. It reflects in products & literature.”

Mark, CA -- “Beautifully made!! I went in to buy Nite Rider and came out with yours because of craftsmanship.”

Alex, OR -- “I just wanted to let you guys know you built a great website...it was very helpful when it came time to buy.”

Mark, OH -- “My job takes me across this great country of ours. Thanks TurboCat for lighting up the nights of America.”

Warren, CANADA -- “This light is everything you said it would be – bright, solid & functional. The ni-cad batteries work well down to – so far – minus 20° F.”

DIRT RAG #77 February 2000 "TurboCat QRDS30N"

“Just like DIRT RAG, TurboCat celebrated their 10th Anniversary in 1999. In those ten years, they’ve learned a thing or two about lighting the way for trail riders, and it shows in a simple, functional, clean piece of machinery.”

The TurboCat literature talks about how bicycle lights are not rocket science, and are actually pretty easy to understand. They go on to say that all you need to know is: cosmetics, brightness, beam pattern, run time, cost, weight, battery life and ... hey, I thought they said this was easy. For some reason my head begins to spin and my eyes begin to glaze over whenever anyone discusses the finer points of lighting systems. But for the purposes of this test, and the fact that I was going to race in the dark, I did my best to sort out the necessary info. So let’s see what comes to light, shall we.

First, what is DualSource and why do I need it? Helmet lights provide shadowless, flat perspectives that can confuse your depth perception and make obstacles hard to see. Handlebar mounted lights create the shadows that allow you to see details clearly, but their light goes only where your handlebars are pointed. So, for the best of both worlds, you need both lights. That’s DualSource.

Picture this. It’s 2:a.m.; you’ve just passed the baton to the next rider; you’re ready to get some much needed rest before your next lap when your support crew tells you that the next rider is sleeping and they had to dive her light to the teammate who just left. How fast can you pass your lighting system on to your teammate’s bike? Well, let’s just say that I was sawing logs before you could say “24 Hours of Moab”. (That is, once I removed the annoying bracket that she had on the bars from her lighting system.)

So, the S10 handlebar mount is very easy to attach to any size bar. The little clamp is adjustable plus they provide little rubber tabs for a sure, snug fit. Easy on, but better still, easy off – you don’t have brackets on your handlebars at all times. It’s also a very slim system that fits easily no matter how your bars are set up with bells and shifters and motos and all.

The TG15 helmet light is also very easy to mount. A Velcro strap slips through the vents in your helmet. The mounting bracket is backed with Poron® rubber pads that ensure no bouncing around. Again, easy on-easy off.

Next up -- functionality. The S10 single beam handlebar light weighs 3.87 ounces and can be rotated 180° in all directions, up and down and side to side. Its 15 watt bulb has a runtime of 2.1 hours and a bulb life of 200 hours. The switch is a strange looking cord with a bulbous end that you squeeze to turn the light off and on. Simple, yet functional.

The S10 battery has connectors for two lights so you can upgrade to a dual beam simply by adding a second light. The TG15 helmet light weighs only 3.5 ounces, also uses a 15 watt, 12° spot beam bulb for 2.1 hours of run time and a bulb life of 200 hours. A waterproof switch is up on top of the light itself – it’s easy to reach even with gloves. It’s also easy to adjust the position of the light – not tools are required, just reach up and tilt up or down.

Final phase -- riding. For how simple the mounting systems are, these lights really do stay put. I noticed no jiggling at all from either light source. The addition of the helmet light turns out to be a nice benefit. My previous night riding experiences have been with a handlebar system exclusively, so it was a pleasure to be able to see where my head is pointed instead of just where your bike is pointed. The S10 flood beam was very wide and bright, and it lasted for my close to two hour night lap with light to spare (which is more than my teammates were saying about their lights). The TG15’s spot beam was more direct and was a real help when my eyes got weak, being that it was 2:a.m.

Turbo drive battery technology turns the 10 watt bulb into a 12 watter, all by applying a basic principle of sending 10% more voltage to the bulb than it’s designed for. The result is a 40% increase in light output all the time (run times are duly noted). Basically, I don’t care what they do, as long as it means more light. This does, however, wear the bulb out faster.

The weights of the batteries, both in your water pack and in your water bottle cage, should not be a factor as far as I’m concerned. If you’re gonna use a light, then you’re gonna use a battery. If you’ve ever carried a full water bottle, then you’ll be able to carry a battery. With changes in batteries (from what I tested here) you can get run times of up to 3 or 4 hours.

All TurboCat lights are CNC-machined form aluminum alloy with stainless steel hardware that won’t rust. The TurboCat warranty covers batteries for two years (prorated for the second year), bulbs for 30 days and materials and workmanship for five years. In addition, you’re covered by TurboCat’s special “Crash Warranty” – if you break it, they’ll fix it for the cost of parts plus $9 labor.

Just like DIRT RAG, TurboCat celebrated their 10th Anniversary in 1999. In those ten years, they’ve learned a thing or two about lighting the way for trail riders, and it shows in a simple, functional, clean piece of machinery.

Retail Price: $299 (with ni-cad batteries; $229 (with lead acid). All these items are sold separately. --- Elaine

TURBOCAT NOTES: Elaine’s S10 was equipped with a 15 watt, 17° flood beam bulb. DualSource systems are available with 5, 10 or 15 watt spot beams on the TrailGuide helmet mounted light, 10 or 15 watt flood beams on the handlebar light, and several battery choices.

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