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review
2024 Lazer Universal Rechargeable LED for all helmets - 1.jpg£29.99
VERDICT:
An effective and versatile little light that's easy to attach, especially to Lazer helmets
Lightweight
Easy to mount
Decent battery life
Dedicated charging cable
Weight:
22g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Lazer Universal Rechargeable LED For All Helmets is light, bright enough to use as a standalone and has decent run times. It's also simple to attach to any helmet and an absolute breeze to fit to a Lazer lid.
> Buy now: Lazer Universal Rechargeable LED For All Helmets for £26.39 from Swinnerton Cycles
This is very much a light that you could categorise as one for just-in-case use or an extra light to make sure you're seen. However, I found it more than adequate to use by itself.
It has five modes, ranging from a three-and-a-half-hour running time in its solid 40-lumen boost setting to 54 hours in a pulsing 5-lumen safe mode. The pulsing 20-lumen night mode will give you 14 hours and there's a fast flashing move mode that pumps out the full 40 lumens for eight hours 30 minutes.
I found these good in terms of both visibility and battery life for a variety of riding situations. I often kept this LED in my saddle bag, putting it on when I needed it, and I never found that the battery had died.
The only slight downside is that it needs a dedicated magnetic charging cable, which is not only poor environmentally – you're also stuck if you find yourself at the office without it.
It's a cinch to attach to a Lazer helmet – you just slot it in the rear and twist to secure it. And with the supplied Velcro strap you can connect it to other brands' helmets too – and I didn't find one it wouldn't work with. And you barely notice its 22g weight when it's fitted.
Its £29.99 price is about what I'd expect to pay for a light of this quality and versatility, and is a little less than the Topeak Taillux 25, which isn't quite as bright.
Our best rear bike lights buyer's guide covers more traditional lights at a wide range of prices.
Verdict
An effective and versatile little light that's easy to attach, especially to Lazer helmets
road.cc test report
Make and model: Lazer Universal Rechargeable LED for all helmets
Size tested: One Size
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it?
The light mounts to the rear of the helmet using a Velcro strap system and is compatible with almost every helmet type.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product
Weight: 21g
Brightness: 40 lumens
Battery: Rechargeable li-poly battery
Solid mode run time: 3h30
Blinking mode run time: 8h30
Pulse mode run time: 14 hours
Battery charge time: 2h30
Battery charging port: Magnetic charging cable
Rate the product for quality:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well – combining good run times and effective visibility.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The weight – stick it to your helmet and you barely notice it's there.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The charging cable – annoying that it's unique rather than a more universal USB or USB-C lead.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Emily tested the Gaciron Loop-100 Smart Brake Bike Tail light that is brighter and cheaper but doesn't have the same unique way to connect to Lazer helmets. The Topeak Taillux 25 DF, meanwhile, isn't quite as bright as the Lazer but it is just as compact.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It is a small but impressive light that you will barely notice when it's attached on your helmet. It connects nicely to Lazer helmets in particular and the battery life allows you to leave it in a saddle bag for when you need it.
About the tester
Age: 35
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
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