Raleigh's RSP Mico 1 LED Microlights are essentially inexpensive back-up lights rather than lights to see with, but they're brighter than most other cheap lights. They're easy to attach to the bike and they're rechargeable via any powered USB port.
Raleigh's Mico (not a typo) lights are available as a pair or separately. £28.99 gets you the pair. They're single bulb LED lights that superficially appear to be reasonably well protected from the elements, and from knock damage, by the tough silicone rubber that almost fully encases them.
To recharge you simply pull off the USB plug cover at the back and plug them into a USB port. So far, both the plug covers and the lenses have been resistant to moisture ingress but they're not a particularly tight fit so may well turn out to be the weak point in the longer term. We'd reserve them for dry weather use.
To fit the lights to the handlebar or seat post you just stretch the silicone band that's part of the casing and hook it over a tab on the top of the lens. Care is needed to attach the band properly, or if you have to adjust the position of the lights on the move. It un-hooks very easily if it's slightly twisted and you can't always see whether it's twisted or not in the dark. Gloves can make this even more tricky.
A curved underside and the silicone case means they stay put on any curved surface as long as you attach them properly and don't try to move them while you're riding. A more pedantic quibble is that you can't tell which is the front and which is the rear light until you switch them on.
Don't expect to get great beam definition on darker roads from the front light: the emphasis is more on being seen rather than seeing. But the rear light is good enough to stand alone and the front is way better than most other back-up lights for around town use.
Each light has two constant brightness options plus a flashing mode. Maximum run time is said to be nine hours. Presumably that's on the flashing mode as we initially got just over three hours on the full brightness constant mode before a recharge was needed.
The batteries are lithium polymer and you get a warning that a recharge is needed when the light starts to flash fast.
Verdict
Lightweight, tough and simple to use USB charged pocket sized lights, but the retention straps aren't great and we're not convinced by longer term moisture sealing.
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road.cc test report
Make and model: RSP Mico 1 LED Microlight Set – Front and Rear Lights
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?
Budget back up lights that are brighter than most. The rear is good enough to be a stand alone light. The front is fine as a bright back up but the beam isn't defined enough to see with on dark roads
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?
Single bulb LEDs. USB plug under rear cover. Lithium polymer battery. Silicone casing covers whole unit.
Tough but not convinced by long terms weather sealing where the back of the casing covers the USB plug.
Very easy to use but care needed with straps as they roll off easily if you try to move the light and it's hard to see whether you've fitted them properly in the dark.
The 'clamp' strap is an integral part of the light. Comment above applies.
So far OK but we're not convinced about keeping the USB plug weather-proof in the long term.
Quick and easy top-ups, starts flashing quickly when recharge needed. Very long life on flashing, only three hours or so on constant.
Rear light good enough as a bright stand alone light. Front light good enough as a back up.
Tough casing and integral strap seem durable.
Very light and pocket sized.
Good value as back-ups.
Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Fine as back-ups.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the light
Small size, light weight, USB recharges.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light
Fiddly strap not secure enough, especially when mountain in the dark wearing gloves.
Did you enjoy using the light? With reservations.
Would you consider buying the light? No.
Would you recommend the light to a friend? No.
Anything further to say about the light in conclusion?
If the straps were more secure and the seal around the LED plug was better these would be perfect back-ups. As they are, they're easy to use but compromised.
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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