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review
Lights - rear
Moon Crescent rear lightMoon Crescent R

Moon Crescent rear light

7
by rob_simmonds
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jan 15, 2014

5
£21.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Good light but you'll need a disciplined charging regime to get the best from it
Weight: 
19g
Contact: 
www.raleigh.co.uk
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A stylish wee light from Moon, the Crescent packs a decent punch but the modest runtime limits its appeal.

Remember the huge D cell monstrosities that weighed down our bikes when we were kids? Be grateful if you're young enough not to, for they were dark times, often literally; the wretched things were about as reliable as a marzipan pickaxe. If you want proof of how far we've come since the LED revolution started, just check out the Moon Crescent.

The Crescent is a tiny package wrapping a strip of 15 LEDs in a translucent red casing. It's so small you'd be forgiven for wondering where the battery is and a quick glance at the run times confirms that the battery is indeed, very small. Of course being small, light and powerful (25 lumens) puts it in prime MAMIL-bait territory. That isn't to say that it's a case of style over substance, but with a maximum run time of six hours (and a mere 1:30 if you want all 25 lumens on steady) it's not a light that lends itself to regular commutes or long night rides.

The six modes are accessed by either a single press or a double click on the button. The button sits flush with the face, so leaving the light bouncing round in a bag pretty much guarantees it will switch itself on at some point, which is an annoying habit if you tend to remove your lights when parked.

There are three steady modes and three flashing, including a disco-twitch strobe that we're not entirely convinced about. The lowest flash setting gives you more than enough visibility (and the longest run time) and that was the one I used pretty much all the time. Yes, the light does boast 25 lumens but using them all gives such a short runtime that it's just not practical.

The robust rubber strap works well although it's rather over-engineered given the tiny size of the light. You can adjust the angle of the bracket through a number of preset clicks although it's stiff enough that you might be forgiven for thinking that it was fixed.

Charging is via the USB port, concealed under a hefty and well fitted rubber plug. Like it's big sister, the Moon Shield, the Crescent has a low battery indicator. I've been using that light for a year now and I've never actually seen it, which suggests that it's not particularly effective.

The ultra convenient rubber bracket means that this will probably find itself being pressed into regular service across my fleet, I just need to make sure I keep it properly charged.

Verdict

A good light but you'll need a disciplined charging regime to get the best from it.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Moon Crescent rear light

Size tested: n/a

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

15 chips high brightness red Led

- Rechargeable lithium polymer battery( 3.7V 300mAh)

- 6 modes : Standard / High / Over drive / 50% Flashing /100% Flashing /Strobe

- Quick release rubber strap handle bar/seatpost mount (fits 22-31.8mm)

- Quick release saddle rail mount

- Low battery, charging and fully charged indicator

- USB rechargeable

- Automatic fully charged cut-off system

- Side visibility

- Water resistant

- Size:70 x 19.5 x 12.4mm

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

Switch is a bit fiddly to operate with gloves on and is too easily activated in a pocket or bag.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
7/10

Simple silicone strap and hook system - probably more robust than a light this tiny needs.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
7/10
Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
5/10

The best it'll do is 6 hours, which isn't great for a rear light.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10

Good all-round visibility.

Rate the light for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the light for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

Weighs almost nothing, but the penalty is the modest runtime.

Rate the light for value:
 
7/10

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

Tricky - it's a good light, but the modest runtime means it's not great for regular commuters.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Neat looks.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Poor runtime.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes.

Would you consider buying the light? No.

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Only if their commute was short.

Anything further to say about the light in conclusion?

Stylish light for extending your ride beyond sundown.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 5' 8  Weight: er....85kg

I usually ride: Kona Dew Drop, Dawes Century SE, Carlton Corsa  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, Audax and long distance solo rides

 

Moon Crescent rear light
Moon

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5 comments

Avatar
Jharrison5 | 8 years ago
0 likes

A beautifully small and light design.

Unfortunately mine failed after 3 weeks.

Avatar
SamShaw | 10 years ago
0 likes

Interesting to see this review. I've just bought a Moon Comet rear light and was concerned about run time however I only ever really ride a max of 2hrs in the dark before work so plugging it into the back of the computer when I sit at my desk didn't seem like a big deal.

My Lezyne Microdrive needs a similar strict eye kept on the battery indicator, but it's easy to stick on charge either at home or work. Handy not to have to worry about replacing batteries, though the Moon Comet is only rated for around 500 cycles before they predict battery performance to drop off.

Avatar
Rob Simmonds replied to SamShaw | 10 years ago
0 likes
SamShaw wrote:

Interesting to see this review. I've just bought a Moon Comet rear light and was concerned about run time however I only ever really ride a max of 2hrs in the dark before work so plugging it into the back of the computer when I sit at my desk didn't seem like a big deal.

My Lezyne Microdrive needs a similar strict eye kept on the battery indicator, but it's easy to stick on charge either at home or work. Handy not to have to worry about replacing batteries, though the Moon Comet is only rated for around 500 cycles before they predict battery performance to drop off.

Rear lights seem to be heading down a 'smaller & brighter = better' route at the moment. My preference would be for runtime to be a higher priority rather than lumen counts. It feels wrong to be constantly on edge (did I charge it? will it get me home? Am I going to be left in the dark miles from home?) about such an essential safety aid. Just my opinion.

Avatar
SamShaw replied to Rob Simmonds | 10 years ago
0 likes
Rob Simmonds wrote:

Rear lights seem to be heading down a 'smaller & brighter = better' route at the moment. My preference would be for runtime to be a higher priority rather than lumen counts. It feels wrong to be constantly on edge (did I charge it? will it get me home? Am I going to be left in the dark miles from home?) about such an essential safety aid. Just my opinion.

I've never really had that problem with the Lezyne to be honest. It just becomes second nature to plug the thing in ever couple of days then unplug after a couple of hours and it's ready to rock. I find I'm less inclined to change batteries in lights, instead seeking to eek out every last tuppenceworth of power! I also run 2 rears, a Smart R1 along with the Moon. Useful for when one bounces off in the middle of nowhere and you don't realise until you're fixing a puncture in the pitch black!

As for the Moon Comet, the main reason I bought it was for the under-saddle bracket. My summer bike has an aero seatpost so traditional light brackets don't work. I've got a bodge job at the moment (a bit of foam and some zipties) but it's nice to have something proper.

Avatar
Paul_C replied to Rob Simmonds | 10 years ago
0 likes
Rob Simmonds wrote:

My preference would be for runtime to be a higher priority rather than lumen counts. It feels wrong to be constantly on edge (did I charge it? will it get me home? Am I going to be left in the dark miles from home?) about such an essential safety aid. Just my opinion.

That's why I took one German made set of rear lights off my bike because it couldn't cope with two 45 minute rides and had a specialised charging station which was always in the wrong place when I needed it.

I now run two front and two rear lights for peace of mind. Lezyne Microdrives are nice and can be charged from any USB slot.

What annoys me though is they always default to stupidly bright rather than economy mode...

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