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Ravemen PR600 Rechargeable Front Light

8
£69.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Excellent and versatile commuter light
Weight: 
167g

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 Ravemen PR600 is a very rare beast, a road light with a proper German style cut-off beam. Add in a remote control and the ability to use it as a power bank and you've got a very versatile light indeed.

Dave reviewed the PR600's big brother recently. He liked it a lot. You can read his review here. The PR600 is less powerful than the 1200 and doesn't have a power gauge, but it's still a jolly good light.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The only other light I've seen with a proper cut-off beam was the Trelock 950 I reviewed six years ago. Six years is a long time in lighting and you get an awful lot of power for your money these days, which can make commuting along popular routes an unpleasant dazzlefest. It isn't hard to produce a light that won't blind oncoming traffic, including other riders, so I don't know why more manufacturers don't make them. Where Ravemen really scores is that its lights also have an additional LED that adds more punch for darker sections.

Ravemen PR600 -3.jpg

With 'only' 600 lumens on the highest setting, the PR600 is aimed at the commuter end of the market. The 1200 that Dave reviewed might have enough power for hooning around off-road, but the 600 is altogether more modest. The flat beam puts out 400 lumens on full power, which I found was plenty for unlit roads and paths. My use of the lower settings (200/100/50 lumens) depended on how bright the moon was or whether there were streetlights nearby, but mostly I stuck to full power. The beam is nice and wide, so you get a decent eyeful of verges and side roads.

The full 600 lumens only come into play when you switch on the second LED. That adds a more vertical central spot to the beam, which makes a noticeable difference to the distance you can see down the road. It's a setting I mostly saved for twisty lanes where there was more chance of running into a random badger/walker/huge hole. It's also handy for giving oncoming traffic (including badgers, walkers etc) more chance to see you coming.

> Buyer's Guide: The best front lights for cycling

On the highest settings, the 3400mAH battery gives you three hours of flat beam or two of full beam. If you want to eke out the battery a bit longer there are four more flat beam modes including a 50-lumen Eco setting, which will give you 16 hours.

Full beam comes with three modes and the lowest of those will give you 150 lumens for 7.5 hours. Sadly, the PR600 doesn't have the digital gauge of its bigger siblings (there's a PR900 too), so you have to make do with the usual coded messages from the power button to tell you how much juice there is left.

Ravemen PR600 -2.jpg

The USP of Ravemen's PR range is their ability to double as a power bank for your electronic toys. The battery has a capacity of 3400mAH, enough to charge my phone just over 1.5 times. Of course you'll have to balance your need for actual light (and not lose the cable), but it's a very handy extra feature. The supplied micro USB cable is flat and rubbery and feels a lot nicer than the bog standard items that usually come bundled with gadgets. It attaches to a separate USB port, so you can charge accessories and still use your remote (see below) at the same time.

If you don't like taking your hands off the bar to fiddle with light settings then the supplied remote switch is very nice to have. It plugs into the charging port and attaches with a simple O ring. The cable isn't very long, so unless you run it straight it'll only stretch to the tops. The remote only controls the settings, you still have to switch between flat or full beam using the switch on the light. That said, a long press activates Turbo mode, which is basically both barrels on full power. Handy if you need lots of light in a hurry.

Ravemen PR600 -4.jpg

Dave wasn't very fond of the bracket, which is the old school screw-on-to-the-handlebar QR variety. I didn't have any problems with it rattling or shifting around, but an O ring bracket would be more versatile and more in keeping with a light this good. The weird thing is that Ravemen actually makes a bracket for the PR600 with a silicone strap, it's listed on the website, but it doesn't supply it as standard and the distributor (www.bob-elliot.co.uk) doesn't list it as an accessory you can buy.

For £70 rrp you're getting a cracking light. It's very well made and packed with features. However, the next light in the series, the PR900, has a bigger battery, more power and a proper digital gauge, for just £15 extra. Although I liked the PR600 very much, if it was my money I'd be looking at its bigger sibling.

Verdict

Excellent and versatile commuter light

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Ravemen PR600 USB Rechargeable DuaLens Front Light

Size tested: Headlight: 85mm (L), 48mm (W), 27mm (H)

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?

Ravemen bills this as "The Safe Commuting Light for You And for Others".

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

Product Features

1. DuaLens Optical Design for Lowbeam Mode, providing broad closed range flood light with anti-glare low beam for commuting, no dazzle and glare for oncoming riders and pedestrians

2. Dual LEDs for HiLo Beam System, providing illuminating light similar to automotive headlight with far reaching high beam and low beam

3. Low battery warning and modes indicators

4. Micro USB charging port, compatible with most phone chargers

5. USB output port to charge other USB-powered digital devices

6. Intelligent thermal management circuit to prevent overheat of LEDs

7. Intelligent Memory circuit remembers the last used brightness level and mode when turned on again

8. Quick release design for easily slide in and out

9. Compatible with handlebar from 22.2mm to 31.8mm diameter

Tech Specifications

LED: 2*CREE XP-G2 with a lifespan of 50000 hours

Battery: 3400mAh/3.7V rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Dimensions (Headlight): 85mm (L)*48mm (W)*27mm (H); Weight (Headlight): 165g

Materials: The front and main body is made by aluminum with Mil Type III Hard Coat Anodizing; the rear part and the handlebar mount are made by durable plastic

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
9/10

I was genuinely impressed by the overall quality of the package. The light feels very well made and the accessories are good too.

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

Remote control is a nice touch if you don't want to take a hand off the handlebar.

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

Decent quality, but dated. Ravemen has a silicone strap version on its website, but doesn't supply it with the light and I can't find any way of buying one.

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

Ravemen say it's "submersible to underwater 2 meters for 30 minutes and always ready for extreme weathers and riding situations".

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

3hrs on maximum 'flat' beam and 2hrs with both beams on max. That's reasonable for a commuter lamp and you can easily stretch the life with lower modes.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10

Wide range of modes for pretty much any ride, bar fast downhill.

Rate the light for durability:
 
8/10

Hard to judge. Feels very well made, but battery and electronics are where lights usually fail and there's no knowing when, how or why. Almost everything about the light suggests thought and care, so I'm reasonably hopeful it will last.

Rate the light for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the light for value:
 
8/10

Given the features and build quality, it's very good, but the PR900 is even better value for just £15 more.

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

Very good.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Proper commuter friendly beam and very versatile.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Nothing really, although the bracket is old fashioned and the modes can be fiddly to navigate.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes

Would you consider buying the light? Yes, but I'd probably go for the PR900 for just £15 more.

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

It's a cracking light for the money, deserving 8 as a minimum – but if I was giving out a 9 it would go to the PR900 at £15 more.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 47  Height: 5' 8  Weight: er....85kg

I usually ride: Genesis Flyer  My best bike is: Hewitt Alpine

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: time trialling, commuting, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, audax and long distance solo rides

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