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Topeak HighLite Combo Aero - front & rear lights

7
£32.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Lightweight, inexpensive battery light set with a 100cd beam, reliable mounts, & well sealed: fine for commuting
Weight: 
79g
Contact: 
www.extrauk.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Topeak make a lot of lights and the HighLite Combo Aero set is one of their cheaper options. Each light is small enough to put in a coat pocket, the bike mounts are reliable and they put out enough light that you're easily seen. You can buy them individually too.

The front light is not as quick as the rear to attach or take off the bike, though, and the new generation of USB charged lights will be seen by some riders as more convenient than batteries.

The standard of construction is robust for the price and the batteries are quick and easy to change. Both lights use triple LED bulbs and both are well sealed from the elements, at least to to the point where normal rain won't penetrate.

The HP Beamer front light uses two AA batteries with a claimed 30 hours use on constant beam or 60 hours on flashing: this obviously depends on battery quality. The rear light uses one AAA battery with a claimed 40 hours constant or 80 hours flashing.

The lights will flash quickly when the batteries are close to dead. The switches are simple three-mode affairs - on, flashing, off - and are easy to use with gloves.

Both the front and rear lights are ideal for regular commuting. The front beam is well diffused, good for urban or easy rural rides but not really up to anything demanding where surfaces need to be picked out accurately on darkened lanes. There's only a tiny amount of side visibility.

The front light comes with two tough plastic hinged clamps with steel Allen bolts, for use with 26mm or 31.8mm bars, plus a spacer and a threaded thumb-wheel for tightening. The thumbwheel is fiddly if you're wearing gloves.

The bracket has enough side-to-side adjustment, 5 degrees either side of straight ahead, to deal with most beam direction needs on different bar shapes.

The Redlight Aero light at the rear is attached using a rubber wrap-around strap. It's quick and easy to attach or remove and the strap is stretchy enough for any seat post (and you get a spare), and the back is shaped to sit snugly against the post. Again it's fiddly to loop over the light hooks when wearing gloves. Visibility is superb in terms of other vehicles seeing you from the side.

Verdict

Lightweight, inexpensive battery light set with a 100cd beam, reliable mounts, & well sealed: fine for commuting.

The light comparator

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Topeak HighLite Combo Aero - Front and Rear

Size tested: Black - Front and Rear

Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

It's a commuter lightset that does the job very nicely. Well made, limited side visibility on front light but both lights easy to position accurately.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?

Front Light: Injection Moulded Plastic construction, 3 Super Bright LEDs, 1.5V AAA x 2 Batteries included, 2 Modes Constant or Blinking, Claimed 30 hours or 60 hours, Bar Mount. Size 8.5 x 3.4 x 2.1cm

Rear Light: Injection Moulded Plastic construction, 2 Super Bright LEDs, 1.5V AAA x 1 Battery included, 2 Modes Constant or Blinking, Claimed 40 hours or 80 hours, Shaped Seat Post Mount. Size 6.6 x 2.4 x 3.4cm

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Tough construction. Seem very weather resistant.

Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
 
7/10

Relatively easy to use. Rear light a bit fiddly to attach with gloves but quick to fit or remove. Front light slower to attach and remove but secure when attached.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
7/10
Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
8/10

So far, very weatherproof.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
7/10

AAA batteries last longer than a full charge on most USB charged lights. Claimed 30 hours constant, 60 hours flashing on front, 40 hours constant, 60 hours flashing on rear.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10

Front bright enough for commuting use, not quite up to fast riding on rough surfaces or dark lanes. Rear very bright as a stand alone light.

Rate the light for durability:
 
7/10

So far, appear very durable.

Rate the light for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Relatively light, pocket sized.

Rate the light for value:
 
7/10

As a regular commuting lightset, decent value.

Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Great.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Long battery life and decent beam spread on front light.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Both lights a bit fiddly to attach wearing gloves.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes.

Would you consider buying the light? Yes.

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the light in conclusion?

A good compromise between commuting lights and more costly high power lights.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 58  Height: 181  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Merlin Ti  My best bike is: Ibis Silk SL

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

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