Princeton Tec SwitchBack 3 Bike Light Review

I tested the SwitchBack 3 Bike Light on a number of mountain bike rides in the Tetons. The trails varied from a paved bike route, to a gravel road, to dirt singletrack. The SwitchBack 3 handled them all. I was very impressed by the brightness and beam distance the high setting provided. The beam on the SwitchBack 3 is very focused, which allows for light far into the distance. That's great for high speed descents and to get noticed by motorists.

I use the lowest beam while climbing uphill to save the battery life, then I use the High beam for the downhill. The light omitted by the Princeton SwitchBack 3 is white color, which helps you pick out the nuances in the shadows. This is a great light for those who compete in 24 hour races, because the battery recharges within two hours.

Beam Battery Life and Distances

HIGH   6 hours   140 Meters

MED   12 hours  100 Meters

LOW   50 hours  60 Meters

Princeton SwitchBack 3 Equipment

The SwitchBack 3 comes with so many components, I had to show them all.

1) The Light Itself

2) Owner's Manual

3) Battery Pack

4) Handlebar Mount

5) Helmet Mounting Strap

6) European Power Cord

7) Car Charging Power Cord

8) Extension Cord for Light/Battery Connection

9) US Power Cord and Charger

Princeton SwitchBack 3 Light on Bike

Here the light is mounted to my handlebars using the handlebar mount. The Prince SwitchBack 3 has three max-bright Rebel LEDs. To mount the light, you simply fit the mount around your handlebars, tighten the screw, then slide the light into the mount. I got bounced around pretty good and the light stayed put. The handlebar mount allows for side-to-side adjustment.

Battery Mounted on Bike Frame

The battery pack is supposed to hang beneath the top frame tube. I wasn't able to hang it, because of my rear shock and the cables. This was fine for gentle rides, but it would sag down on rougher rides. For the rougher rides, I ended up putting the battery in my backpack and mounted the light to my helmet.

Princeton SwitchBack 3 Light on Helmet

I prefer to wear the light on my helmet. You're able to shine the light around while your riding. Also if your riding on winding switchbacks, it's safer to have the light follow your line of sight. I had no trouble operating the light on my head. It's very easy to reach up and adjust the settings. I used the extension cord provided to extend the light's power cord to reach the battery in my pack.

Overall the Princeton SwitchBack 3 is solid high-performance bike light. REI has these on sale for $179 now, and that's a bargain for this light. If you'd like to get into night mountain biking, or are looking to upgrade, I'd highly recommend the Princeton SwitchBack 3.

Purchase the Princeton SwitchBack 3 Bike Like at REI for $179

 

Princeton SwitchBack 3 Light Brightness Settings

I tried to show the brightness settings in the pictures below. The pictures run from low beam to high beam.