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There has been a Cateye shaped hole in my heart since we decided to stop carrying them at the shop I work at. We had a bad spell of lights breaking within warranty and that is not a good sign. We couldn't feel good about promoting them, so we ended our relationship with the company. The only realm where Cateye had a foothold in our minds was in the headlamp category, and to full that, we brought in the Ion 450 R and 800 R from Bontrager.

The 450 is a 450 Lumen light, and the 800 is an 800 lumen light. Both are USB rechargeable and have a variety of brightness and blinking modes. Outside of this, they differ in price, weight, design, and attachment method.

Price

the 450 is $49.99 vs the 800 at $99.99. $99 for a light is a lot to me so I would give the edge to the 450 here. 450 is honestly plenty strong so I can't justify the 800.

Weight

When I first picked up the 800 I was shocked by how heavy it is. For a front light, it is probably near a pound and I was not expecting that. The 450 is a lot lighter by comparison so I think it gets my vote in this category as well.

Design

The 800, with its tubular shape and Star Wars sort of look is miles ahead of the 450 as far as exteriors are concerned. It wins here.

Attachment Method

The 450 uses the much easier "cord and hook" type connector like the Flare lights. The 800 uses plastic clamshells which tighten with finger screws. It also only has enough spacers in the box to fit an oversized bar. 450 is superior in this category

The Winner Is: ION 450 R

Winning is all but one field, the 450 R would be my personal pick for a great bike head light. Be sure to check out a nearby store and see it for yourself!