Lights Review - Compact LEDs

Self-contained lights are easy to mount and great for frames that lack a suitable battery mounting point. While most are aimed at commuters and roadies, some pack enough punch for fully-fledged off-road use. Here’s a look at some of the newest and brightest.

The photos above were taken using the same camera settings as the bike lights and should help to put everything in context. First up we have a $20 Dolphin torch, as purchased from the local hardware store (yes, that’s the dim one). Then we have some halogen car headlights on high-beam—that’s two 130-watt H4 globes with aftermarket IPF reflectors and upgraded wiring looms. Now check out how the tiny little LED bike lights compare...

Note: All of the night-time trail photos were taken on a Canon 5D (28mm lens) with a 20-second exposure at F9 and an ISO of 400. Ten reflectors on the trail are spaced at 10-metre intervals so the furthest is 100 metres away from the light. These images were taken on the same night as our last lighting feature. While they should allow for some comparison from one magazine to the next, there may still be variations due to different print runs.

NiteRider Lumina 650 (above) $149

Distributed by JetBlack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com

NiteRider is well-known for their high-end light sets—they’re often bulky but built to last, and amongst the brightest in the game. In addition to the big-gun lights, they also produce a number of more affordable compact models. The Lumina range includes three self-contained models with outputs ranging from 350 through to 650 lumens—we tested the range topping Lumina 650.

Not too long ago 650 lumens would have been considered a ton of light, in fact the brightest HID lights were around the 700 lumen mark. Nowadays you can get the same output from a compact single-LED light such as the Lumina. On full power there is enough light for real off-road riding, although the beam spread is on the narrow side for twisting trails and singletrack. The edge of the beam has a distinct ‘cut-off’ where the light just stops. This focused beam ensures that all of the light is directed down the trail in front of you but it also means there’s next to no peripheral vision.

With this sort of beam pattern, the Lumina works best when helmet mounted. The 650 comes standard with both helmet and handlebar mounts, so you can choose the option that’s best for you—fit it to your bars for road commuting and put it on your helmet for mountain biking. The helmet mount is well designed and easy to adjust but you do notice the weight on your head—176g isn’t excessive but the weight sits a fair way above the helmet which makes it more apparent.

The Lumina is easy to use on the trail, offering three power levels and no flashing modes within the main beam cycle (you have to hold the power button down to access the flashing commuter modes). As with most compact self-contained lights, you need to use the high beam sparingly—in this case it only goes for 1.5 hours. The lowest setting takes this out to over five hours but the 200 lumen output is only sufficient for non-technical climbing. The 400 lumen mid-beam takes the burn-time out to three hours. It’s likely that you’ll spend most of your time climbing on mid-beam and flicking to high whenever the trail becomes more challenging or when your speed increases.

The main strengths of this light lie in its compact size, micro-USB charging, easy to use mounts and the appealing price tag. It’s a bright and compact commuter light that will allow you to venture off-road if called upon.

Cygolite Expilion 700 (above) $179

Bikecorp www.bicorp.com.au

The Expilion is another compact commuter light that puts out enough light to take you off-road if required. Like most of these all-in-one rechargeable lights it features a USB port, so you can plug it into the computer and charge it whilst you work. Cygolite also supplies it with a 240v smart charger for faster charging when required.

Most self-contained lights use a non-replaceable battery but the Expilion battery can be replaced—it just slips into the back and you can buy spares in case you need to extend the runtime for longer rides.

The claimed 700 lumen output is pretty good for a compact single LED light, although the 1.5-hour high-beam run time will have you searching for the lower power settings in an effort to conserve battery power. With five different beams within the main mode cycle, the run time can be extended to an impressive nine hours but in most cases you’ll need the brighter settings when riding off-road. With all of these modes to cycle through, you may lose track of which setting you are on (more modes isn’t necessarily better when mountain biking). There’s also an unavoidable flashing mode within the main beam sequence, an indication that this is perhaps more of a commuter light rather than a purpose-built MTB light. At least the mode button is large, back-lit and easy to locate, so you can flick through the modes easily enough.

The beam pattern itself makes good use of the 700 lumens on offer. It offers a little more spread than the comparably sized Lumina and there’s less of a cut-off around the edge of the light.

The Expilion 700 comes with both handlebar and helmet mounts as standard. While its 168g total weight certainly isn’t heavy, the rudimentary helmet bracket sits up fairly high, so the weight is quite noticeable. The handlebar bracket is tool-free and solid enough but the small adhesive backed rubber pad had a tendency to come unstuck—it soon got lost so I replaced it with a regular rubber shim and all was well.

For a self-contained light at this price, the Expilion produces a good quality beam that will allow you to ride in the dirt. Put it on your helmet and combine it with a brighter handlebar light and you’ll be bombing the singletracks with confidence. It’s a worthwhile entrant in the commuter/off-road crossover market.

Lezyne Mega Drive (above) $220

Monza Imports (03) 8327 8080 / www.lezyne.com

Lezyne is well known for making classy looking CNC machined alloy mini-tools, pumps and more recently they entered the lighting market. Their lights are of the compact self-contained variety with most being geared towards roadies and commuters, but I was assured that their range-topping 1,000 lumen Mega Drive was up to the task as a proper MTB light.

With its finned, all-alloy CNC machined body, the Mega Drive feels solid and looks expensive. Charging is done via a USB port which is hidden behind the latch-secured door on the back—this design allows the unit to be water resistant and it also gives access to the replaceable battery. Lezyne sells spare battery packs if you need additional power for extra-long night rides and this further adds to the notion that this light is built to last—it’s not a disposable plastic job.

The light on its own sells for $220 or you can upgrade to the $270 ‘fully loaded’ package, which gets you a spare battery and an alloy handlebar bracket. We reviewed the basic kit and found the regular nylon handlebar bracket to be a real letdown. It’s the same bracket that’s used on all of their smaller commuter lights and it struggled to hold the 267g Mega Drive over bumpy trails, especially if the handlebars tapered in diameter where you were trying to mount the light. I’d suggest that mountain bikers would benefit from spending the extra dollars to get the alloy bracket (it’s also available separately for $23).

The nylon bracket mightn’t be fully off-road-worthy but the light output certainly is. Many manufacturers use the ‘theoretical lumen output’ when determining their claimed figures. Lezyne says that their figures are based on the actual measured output (Light and Motion and Lupine also make similar statements). Whatever the case, the Mega Drive is very bright for a 1,000 lumen light. It provides a powerful central spot that illuminates a long way down the trail. Complimenting this is a broad flood of light that does a good job at filling the foreground. Overall it’s geared more towards high-speed fire trail blasting but it isn’t out of its depth on twisty trails.

Mountain bikers will also appreciate the dual-mode beam options; you can either run it as a commuter/road light with three constant beams and one flashing, or you can have a simple twin-beam set-up that’s ideal for off-road use. High beam goes for 1.5 hours while ‘economy’ gets you 5.5 hours at a fairly useable 250 lumens. My only critique in this area was that the mode button wasn’t the easiest to find and operate with full-fingered gloves.

The power and beam quality of the Mega Drive really surprised me—for the money it’s an extremely bright and effective off-road light.

Light and Motion Taz 1200  $400

Distributed by JetBlack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com

At a cursory glance the Taz 1200 looks like a $30 disposable-battery powered light, but don’t be fooled. Like the other Light and Motion products that we’ve reviewed, it is impressively powerful and very bright for its claimed 1,200 lumen output.

What makes this light so good is the beam pattern. Not only does it pump out lots of light, it also distributes the light in a very efficient and effective manner. It really floods the foreground and illuminates to the sides as well. There’s no distracting hot-spot in the middle and no distracting cut-off around the periphery. The smooth and broad distribution of light made the Taz 1200 more singletrack-capable than any other light on test—it punches well above its weight. The only place where it fell short was on faster fire trail descents where the Lezyne and Exposure lights offered a little extra distance throw.

You can set the light up for commuting (with three beams and two flashing options) or simplify it by entering ‘race mode’ which lets you flick between medium and high. Charging is done via USB and you’ll get 1.5 hours on high beam or three hours at 600 lumens on medium power. The mid-power setting was quite sufficient for climbing and most non-technical trails. Road commuters will also appreciate the added safety that you get from the small flashing orange lights on the sides—these help to warn motorists of your presence when they are approaching from side-streets.

Mounting is tool-free and simple, with a broad rubber strap that loops around the bars. With most of the weight located towards the front, you do need to pull the strap pretty tight to ensure the light doesn’t move when things get bumpy (this is especially the case if you’re out in the rain).

Aside from the need to make the rubber mounting strap pretty tight (at least with the bars that I tried it on), there isn’t much that I would criticise with the Taz. The black finish on the alloy body did scratch easily but there’s not much to dislike on this well-sorted all-rounder.

Lupine Piko TL Max (above) $449

Distributed by Virtuascape www.virtuascape.com.au

None of the self-contained lights that we reviewed would rate as bulky but the German-made Lupine Piko stood as the smallest of the bunch—not too shabby when you consider that it is also at the brighter end of the spectrum. It also offers a longer than average burn-time on full power and unscrewing the handlebar bracket turns it into a super-bright pocket-sized torch. You can select from seven different beam programs that allow you to extend the run time massively (up to 45 hours at 50 lumens) and there are options ranging from a simple on/off setup up to a four-beam sequence. While you can select a flash mode, the light works primarily as a constant beam which is great for mountain biking. Charging is done via the supplied ‘smart charger’—it’s quick but there’s no USB charging option.

For 2013 the Piko TL Max has received a power boost and Lupine now claims a 900 lumen output (up from 750 lumens for this model in 2012). In typical German fashion, Lupine claims list to their measured output rather than a theoretical figure, and in our experience their lights are pretty bright.

For a compact light, the Piko offers a reassuringly solid feel. The body is CNC machined from 6061 alloy, then shot-peened and anodised—the result is tough and relatively scratch resistant. The detachable bar mount is also machined from alloy and a rubber O-ring holds the light in place. It’s supplied with two O-ring sizes and I opted for the shorter one to provide the tightest fit for off-road use. While the light didn’t vibrate or slip, the unit can be moved unintentionally when fumbling for the mode button over bumpy ground.

Compared to other self-contained lights at this size, the Piko TL Max is very bright—it certainly seems to pack more punch than plenty of other lights that claim to produce 900-1,000 lumens. While there is plenty of power, the 22-degree spread is a bit on the narrow side with a distinct circular shape—the light ends abruptly and peripheral vision isn’t a strong point. As a result, the Piko is better suited to faster and more open trails rather than tighter or more technical terrain. The beam would be better suited to helmet mounting but that’s not an option with the 200g Piko TL Max (the 180g Piko 3 split-system is a more appropriate choice if you want a helmet light).

The beam spread mightn’t be ideal for a handlebar mounted MTB light but that’s not the primary goal of the Piko TL Max. It’s a robust and pocket-friendly torch that happens to pump out enough light for serious off-road riding.

Exposure Reflex        $650

Bike Box (03) 9555 5800 / www.bikebox.com.au

Exposure is serious about their self-contained lights and that’s all they produce. The Reflex is their latest offering and it’s claimed to put out a whopping 2,200 lumens on its brightest setting. That makes it 200 lumens brighter than their chunky cola-can sized ‘Six Pack’.

The added lumens and less bulk have come about through the use of new Cree XML emitters but the really trick part is the ‘Reflex Technology’. Exposure fitted the light with temperature sensors to track your speed and accelerometers (like those found in in smart phones) to gauge the incline. The data is used to control the light output, giving you less power when climbing or riding slowly and more power when descending. Whilst it sounds very clever, it’s got the potential to be really annoying if it doesn’t work well.

Thankfully this innovative system worked very well. As you climb, the light slowly dims and after 30 seconds or so it will have dropped to a low beam output. There’s still a good flood of usable light, even for technical climbs, but the lower light level dramatically extends the run-time. Speed up along a flatter section and the light gets a good deal brighter. Dive into a steep descent and almost instantaneously you’ve got full power. These transitions usually occur in a smooth and seamless manner, but go straight from a climb into a technical downhill and the transformation is rapid. The result is more light whenever you need it, even on short descents where you normally wouldn’t bother flicking to high beam. You can keep your hands on the bars through the singletrack and still get upwards of three hours from a full charge (although if it ran at 2,200 lumens continuously it would only go for 1:30—more time spent descending leads to a shorter overall burn-time). The auto mode can be overridden and there are a total of 11 mode sequences that you can choose from, but for off-road riding the Reflex system was great. We only opted for a manual setting on the road to ensure we didn’t blind oncoming traffic.

When it jumps to full power, the Reflex is at least as bright as their Six Pack model and light filters out in a more gradual manner around the edges. It still lacks a bit of foreground flood for tighter singletrack trails but overall it’s quite a good beam for most trails.

Another neat feature is the digital display on the back. It gives an approximation in hours and minutes of the remaining burn-time and also serves as a battery charge indicator. The Reflex comes with an intelligent charger but you can also plug into a regular USB port with the supplied cable, although USB charging will take a lot longer.

It mightn’t be cheap but the Reflex is a very innovative light that it lets you keep your hands on the bars whilst adjusting to suit the terrain. It also combines the punch of a full-sized high-end MTB light in a convenient all-in-one package.