Cateye AMPP 400 Front Light

The Cateye AMPP400 punches above its weight with a range of useful modes, an excellent mounting system and good battery life – especially on flashing mode.

The Cateye AMPP400 is a keenly priced, plastic-bodied light that impresses in terms of brightness and battery life. The combined button/battery indicator is easy to click on and off, the 2200 mAh battery gives good run times, and the modes are genuinely useful.

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The plastic-bodied construction feels pleasantly solid in the hand. The front lens is also plastic, and slightly wraps around the edges for additional side vision. I'm not convinced it would survive a drop onto tarmac without breaking, but thankfully the mount is solid and doesn't budge once tightened.

The on/off button (which doubles as the battery level indicator) is rubberised but only needs a shallow click, so should last – I've had squidgier buttons split after a few months use.

The button glows white during use, changing to red when the battery drops to approximately 25% full, and the two-second on/off press means accidental changes are unlikely. If you're in a hurry for the maximum output, a double-click puts it straight into 400 lumen mode. I had no issues using it with winter gloves.

The memory function remembers your last-used mode, too, which is a nice touch.

The AMPP400 uses Cateye's familiar FlexTight mounting, which is a worm-geared flexible strap with a thumb wheel. It can mount a variety of handlebars, including ovalised aero ones, as the strap is flexible enough to curve around them.

The light then slides onto the mount and clicks into place. It's a nifty design that can quickly be swapped to different bikes without using tools, and I had no issues with it slipping.

It's also possible to mount it upside down on the bars, as there's enough room for cables to easily pass in front. I preferred to mount it this way, for use as a really good secondary light, although the button/battery level indicator is then trickier to access.

If I could make an improvement to the AMP400, it would be to move the button to the rear of the light, so you could easily access it no matter how it's mounted.

Waterproofing

The AMPP400 is IPX4 rated, meaning it can take being splashed with water from any direction. I tested it on several rainy rides, and had no issues. It seems like it should shrug off a heavy downpour, but stay clear of rivers!

For such an inexpensive light, the AMPP400 is really impressive. It projects a bright, round beam that's enough for a steady 18 mph on pitch-black lanes, while the pulsing Daytime Hyperconstant – which flashes without ever going dark – is ideal for traffic. There's also a pure flashing mode which lasts a whopping 60 hours.

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The OptiCube lens sends plenty of light to the sides for visibility at junctions and the like, and as a bonus, also helps me see my Wahoo screen in the dark!

The battery is non-replaceable, but Cateye claims it should see 300 full charges and discharges before it drops to 70% of its original capacity. Charging time from pancake-flat is just over four hours. It's a little disappointing to see a micro-USB connection when small devices and phones are moving to USB-C, though a short cable is included.

At 120 grams it's a decent weight for a 400 lumen light, though the optional strap for helmet mounting is a little unappealing – the AMPP400 is rather heavy for helmet use.

Value

The AMPP400 is priced well. The Moon Meteor is close at 450 lumens and has a good variety of modes, for instance, though at full whack it's a bit short on run time. It's £24.99. The Blackburn DayBlazer 400 matches the AMPP400 for lumen output, but burns out even faster than the Meteor at less than an hour, and is £32.99.

Overall

The AMP400 is a great value light with some very useful modes, very good battery life and flexible mounting options. A rear battery indicator and a USB-C charging port would improve future versions, but for now – and for £30 – it's still a great choice.

Verdict

Great value with useful modes, a good beam and excellent battery life