Ravemen TR200 Smart Alert with Brake Detection

The Ravemen TR200 is a good rear light suitable for any type of riding, and the mounting system is versatile, working with seatposts, saddlebags and backpacks. While the battery life is also good, it is very slow to charge, and it's a little pricier than some for the output.

Check out more options in our guide to the best rear bike lights.

The build quality seems good and the light durable, comparing well with other lights I have owned. It also comes with a two-year warranty.

A water resistance rating of IPX6 is good enough to protect it in any weather that most of us would be willing to ride in. I used it during some heavy showers and saturated roads and it held up well. The charging port is covered by the usual rubber bung and is located at the bottom of the light, so if there is any water ingress it should drain out naturally.

Mounting

The unit is completed with a seatpost pad attached to the light, suitable for round or aero seatposts. It worked well on my Specialized Roubaix and my partner's Liv Langma, but it wouldn't easily fit on a bigger aero seatpost.

The light has a quick-release clip for attaching it to the mount or clipping it to a saddle bag or backpack. This is a great feature as my partner often uses a larger saddle bag and it does compromise the visibility of a rear light. I was initially concerned about stability but found it held secure on any ride.

I particularly liked the clip as you can easily take the light off if you are leaving the bike anywhere. It just takes a few seconds and removes any possibility of it getting stolen.

Modes & features

The light has six modes – three constant and three flashing. The constant outputs are 40 lumens, 20 lumens, and 5 lumens. Warning flash has the highest 200-lumen output, rapid flash has 100 lumens and slow flash 100 lumens.

It has four recessed lights with 270-degree visibility, making it easier to see from the sides. It's bright enough for any type of riding, from dark rural lanes to urban commuting.

It also has a memory function, so it'll turn on in the most recently used mode, which is handy if you tend to stick to the same mode most of the time.

I mainly used the medium constant or slow flash settings and achieved pretty close to the stated run-times, which range from 4.5 hours for constant high to 26 hours for slow flash.

The 800mAh battery officially charges in 5.5 hours – a bit less than that in reality, 5hrs 15mins – via USB-C, which is very slow for the battery size. The Lezyne Strip Drive 300+ LED, for example, has a bigger battery (1,400mh) and takes 2.5 hours to charge.

One useful feature is the auto-off which switches the light off if you haven't moved in a few minutes. It worked well if I forgot to switch it off, but never turned itself off when waiting at some lights, for example, and it's reactivated with the slightest of movements so you don't need to worry about it not turning back on.

It also has a brake sensor, which emits a two-second 100-lumen pulse when braking is detected.

Room for improvement?

I've also been reviewing the TR350, and with both lights the brake sensor and auto on/off can only be activated together. It'd be good if these could be separated as you might not always want to use both settings.

Another improvement could be the battery life indicator – it shows as blue when you have less than 20%, and flashes blue and turns to low power mode when it has less than 5% remaining. It'd be handy if it had an intermediate indicator for below 50%, say.

Value

At £49.99 the TR200 is relatively expensive for the level of output. For the same money you could get the Magicshine Seemee 300 smart tail light, which received a very good review, and Hollis thought the Lezyne Strip Drive 300+ LED Rear Light was excellent and that's a tenner cheaper.

There's also the Gaciron W12BR-200, which Shaun has rated highly. The mount doesn't sound as good, but it's just £22.15.

The TR200 is cheaper than the Knog Blinder Link - Saddle Light, though, which received a very good review from Stu and is priced at £56.99.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ravemen TR200 is a very good rear light. It's bright enough for any type of riding, the versatile mounting system is great and the battery life is good, even if it is very slow to charge.

Verdict

Powerful light with versatile mounting and good battery life