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Lucas F40 Sport front light

5
£25.00

VERDICT:

5
10
Stylish and well-made contingency light but quite pricey for its output
Weight: 
32g

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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The Lucas F40 LED sport front light is a nicely executed 'bobby dodger' bijou enough to use on your best bike or as back up to a more powerful see-with light.

Boasting 40 lumens it take up minimal handlebar space and weighs a mere 32g. A neatly machined, anodized aluminium body houses its single LED, circuitry and switches, rechargeable lithium-polymer cell.

Aesthetics aside, aluminium is sturdier and disperses heat better than composites, giving internals the best hope of a long and productive life.

Bucking the trend for simple sockets with protective flaps, the F40 screws into its mount for maximum protection from the elements. Nonetheless, I'm inclined towards a quick lick of silicone grease around the threads for maximum protection. Despite some initial trepidation, ours passed my hosepipe test without incident and hasn't missed a beat on some decidedly wet runs.

The user-friendly theme continues with a combined lens and positive switch that couldn't be simpler to operate, even on the fly wearing stodgy 'lobster' gloves. Click once for high, again for low and a third prod prompts flashing.

Its rubberised hook bracket is similarly intuitive, although it benefited from some pre-stretch to make it easier to fit. It can be adjusted for horizontal (fork) or vertical (handlebar) positioning. While positively limpet like on thin steel forks, it struggled to reach round 31.8mm tubing such as handlebar centres.

Overall performance is impressive relative to the size. The full 40 lumens translate as a very pure, albeit halo riddled beam. This registers on other traffic's radar from approximately 70 metres on clear nights and open roads, dipping to 50m when hustling across town.

Medium mode is comparatively impotent though useful in that it conserves battery charge (it runs for 5 hours 41 minutes, rather than 2 hours 47 minutes). The flashing mode's nagging tempo is by far the most attention-getting, visible from 150/85 metres and so became my go-to mode. Better still, it lasts for 23 hours 52 minutes and there's ample warning before the battery gets too low.

Verdict

Stylish and well-made contingency light but quite pricey for its output

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Lucas F40 Sport

Size tested: Black

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?

"The KOTR F40 Sport delivers 40 lumens of light from its sporty, compact, lightweight aluminum body. Its simple push lens operation, toggles light modes for between 3 and 25 hours run time form a quick 2.5 hour USB recharge. The KOTR Sport range has been designed to complement the design of modern road bicycles and offers an unobtrusive, solution for the style conscious rider". Broadly true but doesn't have the presence of larger units with comparable figures.

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

LED Type - 1 high Lumen LED giving 40 Lumens output

Power Source - 220 Ah Li-Polymer Battery

Light Modes - 3 functions (high, medium and flash)

Run Time - Long run time upto 25 hours

Design life between 900 and 15,000 hours.

Charge Time - 2.5hrs, Weight - 29g

Extra Features - USB Re-charge

Mounting - Quick release rubber strap

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Well made and nicely finished.

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

Extremely intuitive.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
5/10

Simple to use and very tenacious but struggles with oversized bars/accessory mounts.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
7/10

Wasn't expecting it to pass my hosepipe test but it did.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
6/10

Good, rather than great in the steady settings, though on par with similar competition.

Rate the light for performance:
 
5/10

Generally good in flashing.

Rate the light for durability:
 
6/10
Rate the light for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the light for comfort, if applicable:
 
5/10
Rate the light for value:
 
5/10

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

Overall, there's a lot to like about the F40. It's compact, well made and nicely finished. However, dimensions limits their road presence and so very much a tertiary system during winter or contingency model for summer evenings.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Nicely made and finished. Frugal run times in flashing mode and user friendly lens-cum-switch.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Faces stiff competition from cheaper units boasting much greater road presence.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes.

Would you consider buying the light? No.

Would you recommend the light to a friend? On balance no, there are very similar designs with comparable specification commanding less cash.

Overall rating: 5/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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