Simple Explanation - Why Ride Giant?
Address: 670 Houze Way, Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770-642-4057 Hours: Mon - Thurs 10am - 7pm, Fri 10am - 6pm, Sat 9:30am - 5pm, Sun 12pm - 4pm
I must admit, when it comes to new bike parts I get all geeked up about them. Stuff like power meters, latest aero carbon wheels and even gloves make me jumpy with excitement. In this case, it is all about a headlight.
For those of us who plan to ride during the winter, there are several options when it comes to training. A very popular way of training lately has become riding indoor trainers. This is very effective but can be mentally draining since sweating in a basement while sitting on a stationary bike is only fun for so long. Smart trainers, like the Wahoo Kickr and the Tacx Neo, can make indoor training more interesting but it still isn’t the real deal.
Lights are an important component to everybody's winter training equipment. In the past, I have used several lights with no issue. If you bought a light with enough battery capacity, you could ride 2-3 hours in the darkest of nights, however, there were always a few things I wished my previous lights had that the new Recon addresses. One of them was a good mount that would place the headlight where it wouldn’t clutter my cockpit. The other was being able to know exactly how much battery life my headlight had left in case I wanted to keep riding (yeah, riding in 35-degree weather in pitch black darkness). The new Giant Recon HL1600 worked out both issues.
MOUNTS
Before I bought the Recon headlight, I had been using Cygolite, Nightrider and Serfas headlights. All of them were good and still are, I just wanted a bit more. They come standard with a handlebar and helmet mount (most) and would last 2-3 hours on low to mid settings, providing fair to good visibility at night. The new Recon ups the game when it comes to mounts. Here are the mounts that come with the new Giant Recon HL1600 and 900.
These mounts are very useful considering they already come standard when you purchase the headlight. The Go-Pro mount has effectively addressed a big nuisance of mine, having too much clutter on the cockpit. Now it looks PRO!
Different Mounts
CONNECTIVITY / BATTERY LIFE
Lights with big enough battery capacity typically have enough juice to get you through an average night ride without having to worry about it running out. For most, a winter night ride is no more than 2 hours, however, there are a few dedicated people who like to do 3-4-hour long rides and a simple “charge and go” might not provide enough peace of mind. The Giant Recon headlight has several features that make it very convenient for those 3-4-hour winter rides. Here are some:
Giant Recon Battery Life vs Competitors
CONCLUSION
Bottom line; I am very impressed with this light. It does what very little equipment does for me during these dark sinister months of the year, makes me want to ride outside. There are several other factors that make this light a must for every rider who intends to ride November through February. One of them is pricing. The Giant Recon HL1600, at $126, is less expensive than many lights that do not come standard with the Recon’s awesome features and a similar lumen output. Garmin produces an 800 lumen Varia Light that retails for $150 and is half the lumen output for $25 more! The Recon HL900 is $95 and includes all the good features as well! All that matched with Giant’s return policy make it of a no-brainer if you are looking to try a light this winter.
This review was based on my first ride impressions. I believe it is a solid product at a great price. While it might not be the sleekest looking or lightest head light on the market it certainly looks like it is high quality, the battery life is very good, and the standard mounts and features elevate your night riding to a different level. Two thumbs up, I highly recommend this light for those looking to keep their training strong during the winter months.
Luis Berrios aka. Pedro Sagan
Cat 2 / Giovanni's Tile Cycling Team President
Bikes: Giant TCR Advanced Pro / Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 29er
“My DO IT ALL bike. Out of the box it is 15 pounds with incredibly solid componentry. It has my all-time favorite Dura Ace mechanical group and the frameset just feels like an extension of my body, incredibly natural. It is mind boggling how comfortable this bike is for such a high performance-oriented machine.
Favorite Group: Shimano Dura Ace R9100
“Love the look and feel of the new Dura Ace R9100. It simply shifts as fast as your brain can think “shift” (depends on the person, it could be even faster!). Prefer it to the Di2 version since I am all about the feel… buttery smooth and incredibly precise… click, click”
Favorite wheel setup: Tubeless
“Tubeless wheels and tires roll great and feel comfy at lower pressures. The added puncture resistance (+ no pinch flats) makes them a secure and efficient setup. They are also very light.”
Favorite On-bike Nutrition: TORQ Gels
“While I am riding I like to take TORQ gels, especially the Orange Banana and the Strawberry Yoghurt ones. I take one 15 minutes before a hard ride and one every hour during the ride. For recovery I like to eat either sushi or a nice gyro platter… Yum”
Favorite Helmet: Giro Synthe (Firechrome color)
“The Synthe fits me great and does not make me look like I have a giant futuristic mushroom on my head. Love the fact that it is aero but also well ventilated. The color combinations make it an attractive helmet too, especially that Firechrome! FIYAHHH”
Favorite riding Shoes: Specialized S-Works 7
“To me, no other shoe has come close to the silky smoothness and pedaling efficiency of an S-Works shoe. These things fit right out of the box and I have a foot as flat as pre-1492 earth. Every single person that I’ve known owns a pair says they are simply the best shoes in existence.”
Mountain Bike of Choice: 2018 Giant Anthem Pro 29er
“I am a roadie at heart, but I do enjoy riding fast on the trails, so the Anthem seemed like a great bike for good speedy XC trails. The Maestro suspension from Giant makes the Anthem feel like it has more than 90mm of travel while keeping that blazing fast pedaling efficiency of a pure XC racer. The new geometry makes it predictable yet very playful. It is also light which satisfies my <road racer weight weenie> soul. The Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 29 is an incredibly fast and fun machine!.. did I mention GOLD!?”
Favorite Place to Ride: I love going to the gaps but… Italy
“At 160-165 pounds I am not a flyweight climber but something about getting into rhythm and holding a nice steady pace for hours at a time entices me. Feels like my heartbeat synchronizes with the flow of nature. My absolute favorite place to ride, however, is up somewhere in the Italian Alps. Beautiful views, good coffee and post ride wine & cheese is just heaven”
Legendary Service Since 1987
We are a short drive from downtown Atlanta and carry the largest selection of bikes around. On any given day we have over 800 pre-built bicycles in stock and ready to roll out the door. Come visit us and see why we are known for our price, selection, and legendary service.
670 Houze Way, Roswell, GA 30076
770-642-4057