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review
Lights - rear
RSP Silicone 3 LED rear lightRSP Silicone 3 LED rear light

RSP Silicone 3 LED rear light

8
by rob_simmonds
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Feb 4, 2013

13
£19.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Practical, packed with features and modestly priced. A very good light indeed
Weight: 
45g
Contact: 
www.raleigh.co.uk
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This cute wee RSP Silicone 3 LED rear light has plenty going for it: USB charging, a rubber strap that will fit any bike, a built in reflector and a rrp of just £20.

The LED revolution has worked wonders for rear lights. The addition of USB charging adds versatility and silicone straps mean that clunky mounting bracket are a thing of the past. I'm all in favour of that but what I'm not so keen on is the arms race to produce rear lights that are more like weapons than safety aids.

What I really liked about the Silicone is that while it has enough power to make you visible from miles away, it does so without resorting to the kind of willy-waving boastfulness of other (more expensive) lights. Nor does it have the kind of flashing patterns that would induce a marble statue to twitch. No, you just get three LEDs, one main beam and two supplementary and three patterns - steady, flash and alternate. I also rather like that the three LEDs make the light look a bit like a robot, but that's just me.

The strap is pretty basic - you can't adjust the angle - but it does the job and as this is not a BLINDING BEACON OV DETH it's not such a big deal. The light itself has a nice long clip with security noggins on both sides, which means it's ideal for clipping to panniers, saddle-bags etc.

Charging is dead simple- just pull out the silicone plug and attach it to a PC using standard USB lead. Charging time is quoted at 2.5hrs and maximum runtime on full beam is 11hrs. It make the Silicone 3 a great proposition for commuters. I gave it my usual backyard hose test, which it passed with flying colours, so waterproofing isn't a problem.

Overall I really liked this light. It has all of the good features you'd want from a modern LED rear light but without any of the boastfulness and hubris of pricier offerings.

Verdict

Practical, packed with features and modestly priced. A very good light indeed

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road.cc test report

Make and model: RSP Silicone 3 LED rear light

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product 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?

None! Nothing! Zip! Which perhaps befits a light that eschews boastfulness.

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

1 High performance LED + 2 LED

Integrated reflector

Li Ion internal battery

USB rechargeable

2.5 hour USB charge time

Full beam 11 hours

Silicone strap - swap from bike to bike with ease!

Flashing and constant modes

Water resistant

Integrated bracket

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

All round visibility is excellent, it's bright enough to be seen from miles away and it won't annoy or blind traffic coming up behind you.

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

Do you care about the weight of your rear light? If you do, this weighs almost nothing.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

At a RRP of £20 and online at £16, this is great value for the features and performance on offer.

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

Excellent.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Value, practicality and lack of pretension.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A really well thought out light. Lovely.

Overall rating: 8/10

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

 

RSP Silicone 3 LED rear light
RSP
Rear light
Light

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