Some of you may not enjoy having an ugly light cluttering up the smooth lines of your cherished racing steed. But the simple fact is, a good, bright rear light can be the critical difference between making your stupid-a-clock training ride or commute home from work a safe or tragic one. But how to choose one? We’ve attempted to make that potentially confusing process a little clearer by showing you five lights that are not only dead easy to mount but are also conveniently rechargeable via USB. The days of scrambling for the one-battery-in-the-house-that-works are thankfully over.
(From left to right)
Bontrager Ember USB ($39.95)
With matchbox-like dimensions, the little Bontrager is ideal for those who want something compact and lightweight that can be fitted to most parts of your bike or even your helmet. Its LEDs put out eight lumens and it’s visible from 600 metres away. It also offers wide visibility so you can see it from all sides. The Ember USB takes two-and-a-half hours to recharge via a supplied cable and will run for over 35 hours in flashing mode. The strap has a 16-degree offset so it sits at the correct angle when fitted to a seat post.
Burn times: Seven hours in steady mode and 35+ hours in flashing mode
Charge time: 2.5 hours
Battery type: Lithium-Ion
Topeak Redlite DX USB ($39.95)
This little aero-style light is so easy to use and mount you’d almost forget it was attached to your bike. It’s got a silicone strap and will fit most seat posts while having a top mounted switch that requires the lightest of touches to fire up its four LEDs. It runs in two modes: constant and blinking, with long burn times. You can also buy the RedLite with its matching brother, the WhiteLite, in a package for $69.95.
Burn times: 11 hours in constant mode, 30 hours in blinking mode
Charge time: five to six hours (mini USB)
Battery: Lithium-Ion
Knog Blinder Road Rear ($65)
Melbourne’s Knog have a knack for making bike lights cool through quirky but clever designs and a funky approach to marketing them. Their new Blinder Road rear light is loaded with one CREE-branded LED and three smaller LEDs that shine in five different modes including the nifty ‘peloton’ mode, which uses just two LEDs so as not to distract others in the bunch. The Blinder throws out a maximum of 70 lumens. It’s also water and dust proof and comes in a range of different body colours. The USB tab is in the back near the mounting strap but it comes with an extension cord if plugging the whole unit in your computer isn’t practical.
Burn times: 3.5 hours in steady mode, 13 hours in peloton mode and 20 hours in Eco-Flash mode
Charge time: five hours
Battery type: Lithium polymer
Lezyne Micro Drive Rear ($54.95)
The aluminium-bodied Lezyne (say La-zine) has a top quality feel while packing potent punch via its angry-eyed red LED. It puts out 30 lumens in regular mode and it can punch out 70 via a special daytime running mode that’s enabled by holding the power button down for five seconds. This mode will make you appear almost like a mobile emergency beacon during sun-lit hours. Scope-like lights such as these require a decent mounting strap and fortunately this comes with one; a multi position silicon strap that will ensure the Micro Drive Rear remains at one with the seat post. The bracket is also offset so the unit is at the appropriate angle. Can also be bought in a pack with the Micro Drive Front for $99.95.
Burn times: Five hours in flashing modes 1, 2 and Pulse, and 16 hours in low
Charge time: three hours
Battery type: Lithium-Ion
Light and Motion VIS 180 ($135)
From a brand known for its top quality lighting systems, the VIS 180 does what is says on the tin: offers 180-degree visibility. It’s got a laser beam-like main red light and amber LEDs that point to the side to let those to your left or right know that you’re coming through. It puts out 50 lumens and runs in four modes, including ‘Paceline’, which, like the Knog, throws out enough light without imprinting a burning stamp on the retinas of your bunch buddies. At 102 grams it’s not a light unit but feels extremely sturdy and able to survive if it came off at 60-plus. Not that it should though, thanks to a solid rubber strap. It also has a clever and user-friendly mounting bracket that allows you to point the light any angle you like and then be locked securely in position.
Burn times: six hours in High Pulse, 12 hours in Low Pulse, four hours in High and 20 hours in Paceline
Charge time: five hours (mini USB)
Battery type: Lithium-Ion