Lezyne Micro Drive rear light

I have had two of these. They were super bright. I once mistook someone else's for a fog light that a driver had not turned off. The "dot, dot" flashing mode was my preference, with a solid backup light or two. The only mode I found pointless was a sort of light house mode. Rather than being on/off flashes, the LED dimmed out and in of the "on" phase. As a driver, I think it would be more of a distraction and the phases were too long for me, though the law only requires one flash per second. (Max 4 flashes/s)

I find the mount to be largely very good, though the lamp did often swing 5-10° to the left. The rubber bracket was super and the angle worked well against seatposts on 3 of my bikes - 72° seat tube angle? I never had confidence in side visibility but then, I always run 2 or 3 lights to cover that.

The unit itself feels solid and robust. That feeling lessens a little when removing the rear cap to charge. The USB doesn't flex but there is a gap between the machined aluminium and the internals which protrude into the rear cap. Charging is simple and can be done from a PC or phone charger socket.

The major issue for me is value for money when they need replacing every six months as a result of some failure or another. My first one died: stopped all together, without a hint of a photon from either the LED or the indicator light. My second refused to charge without very specific USB positioning, then failed to turn on. Both were returned, I await a refund on the second.

Has anyone tried a Guee Inox Mini R? I'm eyeing one up as a replacement for a micro drive.

I bought one of these for my wife with the Macro Drive front. I think it's a good light overall; it's not difficult to clip in/out, and it's nice and bright and feels solid.

The main issue though is the lack of options for mounting; my wife has a relatively large saddle bag attached with her gear in it which leaves only a small amount of seat-post showing and, with her frame size and saddle height, I think it ended up having to go on the seat tube and was below the top of her wheel. She now has it a bit higher, on a handlebar mount attached to the seat post, so it's to the side of the saddle bag but, obviously, it's pointing down a bit.

Ideally Lezyne should offer some alternative fixings; something like the CatEye saddle-rail mount might work, or possibly one like the handlebar mount but with the clip at an angle or adjustable or, finally, perhaps a small-diameter mount that could be attached to a seat stay.

Just need to point out that the light shown is mounted incorrectly - the rubber ladder strip is the wrong way around. There's a small tab that is supposed to go betweenthe mount and seatpost, that goes a long way to preventing the light moving once installed.

Also my experience having used one for 6 months in all weathers, day and night, is that this is a 4.75/5-star bit of kit.

It's genius. I am searching for something that could be improved. Can't really think of anything, except maybe a little bit wider rubber on the mount/post interface. That's it.

No e-mail, so I guess no-one wants it!

Too many modes but otherwise a superb bit of kit.
The mounting has got more secure of late, because some people lost their lights through not clicking them into the mount properly. You can't have it all ways...

Will do when in later!

Drop me an e-mail with your address.

Tidy. I'll have it. Fiver to save the children?

Lucky I didn't write the review, because I'd have been a damn sight more rude about it. Ludicrous piece of poorly thought out MAMILbait. But hey, CNC machining and 70 lumens!!

If anyone wants the one gathering dust in my big box of lights, drop me an e-mail. Free to a good home, just stick a few quid in your charity box of choice.

Review seems fair to me ... design is odd, side visibilty poor ... I also hate non-captive parts that can easily be lost ... if you like it then all well and good ... some of us don't.

And I disagree. I commute with this light. When I reach work it takes a second to remove. Then it takes a second to reattach. That's an excellent design. That it has to be removed from its cradle is a necessary evil to that design. It takes a second to remove from its cradle in the manner described above. It unscrews easily. It charges easily and quickly. In fact I'd say the only issue is that the indicator, when flashing, faces the wall.

As to side visibility. Really? You simply don't run single lights like this if you want side visibility. Yes, others do that better, but unless you get something like the L&M 180 (which isn't even all that good) you're not going to get very much to stop someone pulling out on you. That's where fibre flares and reflective sidewalls come in. In any event, if you look here it's MORE than acceptable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AJig3H5OhY

I've done thousands of miles commuting in the dark now and gone through many rear lights. This one is my favourite.

Harsh review, this is a great light.

The secure bracket is the way it is because it's predecessor was too short and the light could fall out. My original light was lost this way, but upgradebikes replaced it foc with a new light and new mount, and it is secure as anything. Doesn't move on my road or CX bikes, even when blasting down my farm track on the CX. I would buy this again in a second, and the backup from the distributor is great.

I give it a 10

Agree totally with the other commentators, this review is seriously harsh and a little pedantic on what is a fantastic light. I would hate to see anyone put off on the basis of this review.

I have been stopped by at least half a dozen riders and 2 car drivers to ask me what make the light was, such is the impact of the visibility to anyone following. As for charging - personally I love the USB feature. It fits a treat into an iPhone type plug with the lead removed and I have found it is typically charged in around an hour or less after a 3 hour ride. Why do you need to see it flashing, can't you just leave it and take it out when you need it? And as for losing the cap? Come on, that's a really soft criticism. Tidy your desk!

The cradle for attaching the light takes a bit of getting used to (maybe 2 uses?) just make sure you snap it right into the vey end and away you go. I have never had mine come loose despite coming off the bike last winter. As for removing it? Just push down on the light whilst holding the cradle with the other hand and it releases with ease - perfect if you want to take it off during the cafe stop.

I use mine on flashing mode, so jut a couple of presses of the button and away you go - hardly rocket science.

I was so impressed I bought the matching front light and would award this an easy 9/0 - best rear light I have tried, beautifully made with a quality feel.

Quite a harsh review I think, there is a knack to removing it from the bracket involving twisting the lens end downwards and there is no need to master all the modes, only the ones you use.

A bigger issue for me is that it doesn't fit into all usb sockets, all the ones at one of my workplaces were recessed and I had no way to charge it.

The aftersales support from Upgrade is top notch, I urgently needed a part for a Lezyne light bracket once and they sorted it out, no fuss, no charge.

The biggest selling point for me though is that I had a couple of decent lights but I have maybe seven bikes that regularly get ridden in the dark, so I needed something with a decent output which I didn't have to buy batteries for and I could quickly swap between bikes.

If it moves too easily around the seatpost self adhesive velcro will fix it, maybe even blue tac.

It's not perfect, but it is very good, I would rate it an 8.5/10.

Surprised by this review. I've got one of these, as well as an Exposure Flare, on the back of my winter bike. Given it usually retails for around 35 quid and is every bit as bright as the Exposure, I think its a cracking deal.

I've also got one. Two things - run times I get aren't that good and angle of bracket means it tends to point slightly downwards (on standard road bike geometry) lighting up the road somewhat. Still a good light though. Do agree that its easy to knock so the angle is not straight back, but I guess is a problem with all rubber band-type mounts? (Like bendetherobot I'll be investing in some Fibre Flares to complement it.)

I've been running this all autumn and winter. It's superb. Hint to the tester, if your desk is that messy don't blame lezyne. It's a better system, for this size, than a rubber covered slot.

I've never once knocked mine off centre but I do agree its not all that easy to get out of the bracket.

But,for me, it's indispensable