Cateye AMPP400S

The Cateye AMPP400S is a pocket-friendly front light that will not only help to keep you seen but light up the road or trail ahead when you need to see where you're going. It does this at a pretty good price, too.

The AMPP400S builds upon its predecessor, the AMPP400, with a USB-C charging facility. This means it's more efficient and convenient to charge than its older sibling with its micro-USB charging setup.

The price is kept down by using a hard plastic construction rather than an aluminium body found on more expensive lights. I like the sleek yet simple design, with neat graphics that look good on any bike. It's robust and solid without feeling overly cheap and plasticky, and the cut-away sides and knurled top make it easy to grip, even with gloves on. I didn't drop it once during testing.

The light is rated as having IPX4 water resistance, which in simple terms means it can be splashed or used in heavy rain and will be fine, but it cannot be fully submerged in water. I had no problems when caught in bad weather, it worked fine.

Mount

I like the simplicity of the FlexTight mount, which is like a large reusable zip-tie with a tightening wheel, known in the trade as a worm wheel. This might not sound overly tech but it works well and keeps everything securely in place. It's also simple and quick to fit. Even riders with limited spanner skills will have this fitted in seconds.

The simplicity of the design means it's quick and easy to switch between bikes, and what's also good is that it works with aero-shaped bars along with regular round handlebars.

Modes

As the name suggests, the AMPP400S offers up to 400 lumens at full power, and has five modes to choose from, for different riding situations. These include high, medium and low solid outputs, along with two flashing. You cycle through the modes easily with a push of the rubber on/off button.

The full 400-lumen beam is ideal for lit roads – especially in poor weather – and was also bright enough for me to see and feel safe on unlit roads. It even worked on open trails on my gravel bike on a clear night.

For most of my dry dark rides on lit roads I found the medium (200 lumens) or even low (100 lumens) modes were more than sufficient. I then used the flashing modes during the day to help keep me noticed by other road users.

The OptiCube lens not only pumps light directly out in front but also offers light on either side of the main body, adding useful side visibility when stopped at junctions. Being just 38.5mm wide, the AMPP400S does have a narrower beam than some.

One smart feature of this Cateye is that it returns to the mode previously used when switched back on, so you don't have to faff about if you have a favourite.

Run-times

The 3.6V 2,200mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery inside the AMPP400S has a claimed run-time of two hours on full beam, but I got around 10 minutes more. A neat touch here is that it then swaps to flashing mode – for up to three hours – so you're not left completely without any light.

In medium mode, the run-time doubles to around four hours, and eight hours in low.

As for the flashing modes, these offer impressive burn-times of a claimed six hours in 'Daytime HyperConstant' mode and up to 60 in straight flashing mode. This makes it a good light for day riding even if you never ride at night.

When the battery level reaches 20 per cent, the rubber switch glows red so you know it's time to recharge. When the battery does eventually go flat, the USB-C charging facility works its magic in around four hours; in most cases, it was less.

With regards to the number of recharges, Cateye says that the AMPP400S should be able to be recharged 300 times until the rated capacity drops to 70 per cent.

Value

The AMPP400S is very slightly more than its predecessor, but at a penny under £35 it's still well priced for what you get. It offers an extra 50 lumens over Giant's Recon HL 350 for the same price, and it's a fiver less than the also-400-lumens-max Sigma Buster.

It's a tenner less than the Ravemen CR450, but with that you get an extra 50 lumens and an aluminium body, so that's a good alternative if you want something more robust.

If you do need more power then Cateye's AMPP500S is £44.99 and delivers – surprise, surprise – 500 lumens in full beam mode, although the Gaciron Kiwi-1200 Anti-Glare Bike Front Light is only a little more than that – currently retailing at £49.61 – and Steve thought it was very good.

You can find more options in our guide to the best front bike lights (and check out our best rear bike lights guide, if you're in need of one of those too).

Conclusion

The AMPP400S is a good update on its predecessor, with more convenient USB-C charging. It offers enough output to help keep you seen on lit roads and delivers solid performance on unlit roads with its 400 lumens at full power.

It doesn't feel as robust as its more expensive aluminium body counterparts, but this is reflected in the price. This means it offers a good balance of performance and value if you don't want to spend a fortune on a front light.

Verdict

Well priced and powerful enough for seeing where you're going, as well being seen