Silva Velo 3LED Headlamp

Silva calls the Velo 'a perfect product for the advanced commuter' and that's as good a description as any of the light's strengths. The Velo's three-LED head is very similar to Silva's Minox head torch - the Swedish company has years of experience with head torches and is seeking to use that knowledge to break into the bike market.

Silva calls its triple-LED setup the Intelligent Light System. Rather than the large-diameter emitters commonly seen on modern bike lights, the Velo features a trio of small LEDs with the central one being equipped with a reflector and lens to project light a little further. The emitters off to each side provide a wide pool of light onto the road ahead. Claimed output is 110 lumens, but the light is spread widely and doesn't penetrate that far into the gloom ahead. Get above late teens speeds on unlit roads and you'll be wishing for a bit more firepower.

The Velo runs from three AAA batteries that live crossways inside the lamp unit itself, making it very compact. Access to the battery compartment is via a twist-off cap on one end of the unit. A knurled periphery aids grip and there's a slot for a coin or other improvised tool if needed. The cap's quite a snug fit thanks to the generous O-ring seal inside - Silva says that the Velo is fully waterproof, and it certainly coped admirably with downpours and spray.

Three power settings and a flashing mode are accessed via a small push button on the top. Cunningly, the rubber button is illuminated from behind by the outboard LEDs themselves, giving the button a gentle blue glow that makes it easy to find without being distracting. Repeated button pushes cycle through the modes in the usual manner, although it would be better if the flashing mode was outside the cycle - the only way from low to high is via flashing, and if you find yourself needing high you probably don't want a brief burst of strobing first. Holding the button down turns the light off. Claimed run times are 30 hours on high, 48 on medium and 90 on low. That's with alkaline batteries, expect to get somewhat less on rechargeables - really high-capacity rechargeables are hard to come by as AAAs. While even high power doesn't really cut it for brisk riding on unlit roads, low is perfectly adequate for being seen on streetlit ones and that's where the Velo is most at home, perhaps with the odd excursion on cycleway or towpath.

The head torch-derived lamp head has the possibly unique feature of an up-down pivot that lets you easily aim the light for different conditions without having to move the bar clamp. This is useful in as much as you don't need to pay too much attention when attaching the bar clamp - just correct the angle with the head as you go along. The pivoting head also allows considerable flexibility in positioning the light on different bar configurations - if you need to have the light sat up above, or slung below, the bars for any reason, the swivel can accommodate that. I had no problems with it rattling out of position even on markedly bumpy roads. There's no adjustability side-to-side but the light cast by the Velo is wide enough that that doesn't really matter.

The clamp itself is a hinged plastic affair that accommodates different bar sizes using a stack of shims. A small Allen bolt secures it, threading into a brass insert in the other half of the clamp rather than the commonly-found loose nut. This means that there's no nut to fall out, but the insert is pushed in on the inside of the clamp so any overtightening of the bolt acts to pull it out. This happened to us, but it pushed back in and less ham-fisted tightening proved adequate to hold the clamp in place. The light doesn't weigh much so there's no great force on the clamp.

Verdict

The Silva Velo has much to offer the commuter, with a useful pool of light from a compact, adjustable and pocketable package that won't need recharging every day (and can be refuelled from any corner shop). If your needs include faster riding on properly dark roads, though, shop elsewhere.