LED commuter light
RSP City Bright R - Rear LED Light
The City Brigh R rear light from RSP bears more than a passing resemblance to the classic Smart 1/2w Superflash, with a single 1/2 watt led set on top of two more humble leds. Think of it as tribute act.
Knog Boomer Rechargeable Front Light
Knog's Boomer Rechargeable front light has all the brands' trademark chic and belts out a decent amount of light into the bargain. Arguably the most waterproof of the plug in breed thanks to those beefy neoprene covers, there's a genuine child-like wow factor seeing the battery and circuitry through their clear bodies... well there is for me anyway.
Moon X Power 500 Front Light
The Moon X-Power 500 looks neat and compact and feels pleasingly chunky yet light.
Mounting the light was easy, the mount is easy to adjust and fitted very solidly to the bars, and stayed firmly in position without having to be cranked up stupidly tight. It has some horizontal adjustment too, so you can point the beam towards the verge and make sure you're not going to dazzle any oncoming traffic. The release switch is easy to locate and operate, even in gloves.
Niterider Lightning Bug 3.0
Much to the relief of the macho types and, I suppose, goths Nite Rider's Lightning bug 3.0 also comes in black, as well as white, red, blue and green… and the pink version tested here. Indeed a black one has alternated between helmet peaks and the Univega's prodigious WTB drops for the past twelve months, rescuing us when more sophisticated see-by systems got the sulks.
Silva Velo 3LED Headlamp
Silva calls the Velo 'a perfect product for the advanced commuter' and that's as good a description as any of the light's strengths. The Velo's three-LED head is very similar to Silva's Minox head torch - the Swedish company has years of experience with head torches and is seeking to use that knowledge to break into the bike market.
Lezyne Super Drive LED Front Light
I've been combining Lezyne Super Drive with other high-powered and helmet lighting for regular nocturnal blasting. It's another of the super-commuter plus lamps with plenty of presence and reasonable round town economy but don't just save it for suburbia-liberate those 450 lumens for some serious open road training.
Cateye Econom EL-540 Rechargeable Front Light.
Cateye's EL540 is a viable alternative to dynamos for commuting and utility riding round town and in the sticks. Don't be fooled by the slightly quaint looks and AA Nimh power source, cutting edge technology squeezes every last ounce from the single LED and it's powerful enough for navigating unlit backwaters by. Forgetful types will be reassured by the fact the cells can be swapped for common or garden alkaline types without impairing performance.
Blackburn Voyager Click front light
Blackburn's Voyager Click Headlight mightn't be leading the pack in the lumens race but rather like horsepower or megapixels, figures are only half the picture. Thirteen measly pounds buys two ultra bright LEDs, fiendishly user-friendly switch, battery sipping run-times and no quibble lifetime warranty.
Light & Motion Urban 300 Light System
The thing that comes to mind when picking Light & Motion's Urban 300 up for the first time is how small it is. Weighing in at just 114g it barely makes its presence felt at all, until it is switched on that is.
The Urban 300 is the middle light in Light and Motion's, new for this year, Urban lighting range, aimed at the road rider and commuter.
Knog Gekko 3LED Front Light
The Knog Gekko is a delightfully simple, yet bright and economical LED light fuelled by two AAA batteries and encased in a super tactile silicone shell. Our white samples allowed the bright beam to bleed through the casing as a ghostly glow that most traffic seemed to spot a good distance away in flashing modes when mounted around the bars. These are welcome get-you-homes should the swanky Uber lumen rechargeable systems do the unthinkable or as a cute dynamo companion, peripheral presence can prove a little hit and miss.
Singletrack MTB mag
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