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review

RSP Urban 8 LED rear light

8
£24.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A nice little light and well suited to the urban jungle
Weight: 
82g
Contact: 
www.raleigh.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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The design concept of this RSP Urban 8 light bears more than a passing resemblance to Cateye's TL-LD 1000, with a row of LEDs facing backwards and a couple more at each end of a barrel shaped body. The net result is a light that can be seen from pretty much any angle, just what you want in a busy urban environment. Unlike the Cateye, which has a body covered in light directing knobbles, the RSP has a plain, transparent casing which lights up nicely and has nothing to interfere with the light it throws out.

The RSP doesn't have the punch of my personal favourite, the Smart 1/2w Superflash, but it has enough flashing patterns to get you noticed around town. Run time from two AAAs is claimed as up to 100 hours - that'll be in flashing mode we'd guess, which is plenty enough for it to be a fit-and-forget light for a season's commuting. Waterproofing (via a rubber o-ring seal at each end) is impressive. That is to say it survived half an hour in my backyard with a hosepipe turned on it. Let no-one say we're not thorough at road.cc towers!

The neatest feature is the nifty rubber mounting bracket which takes seconds to fit and is more stable than you might expect although it does limit options slightly if you want to mount the light on the skinny tubing of a rack.

There's nothing wildly innovative about the RSP but it's a good light that should be a trusted friend for many a commute. It's a little over-priced at full retail but a quick look online shows it to be available discounted down to as much as half price, which makes it a bargain.

Verdict

A nice little light and well suited to the urban jungle.

road.cc test report

Make and model: RSP Urban 8 LED rear light

Size tested: n/a

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Not at full price, but it's a good buy if you get it discounted

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 5\' 8  Weight: er....86kg

I usually ride: GT Rave - singlespeed conversion  My best bike is: Guess SC1 scandium

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,

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