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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: APRIL 26th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Lelumia The Beast Rear Light
88g £31.99
The Lelumia the Beast Rear Light is a five-mode model, delivering 150lumens and some decent run times, too. The sort well suited to long commutes and dusk till dawn all nighters. Trailers and tag-alongs too, for that matter. Given 65 lumens is the lowest output, It’s arguably a little on the brash side for town work or group rides. but otherwise, it offers a lot of bangs for modest buck.
Pros: Very bright, generally practical run times, relatively quick charging.
Cons: No auto kick down, no aero post mount.
Materials/Specification
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The large domed shaped lens is referred to as “total internal reflection” is made from Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), a synthetic resin, which is a common substitute for glass given its durability. There isn’t any collimator technology employed here and looking inside at the diodes, mounted in the traditional way, there’s a pleasantly old school aura.
The casing and integral clip is made from polycarbonate and feels softer than some composites, yet very rugged (it is the stuff of riot shields, afterall) and the clip easier to mount and release, without ejecting come the first hint of a lumpy lane. The lithium polymer cell is like most, fit n’ forget and reckoned good for 300 charge cycles before dipping to 65-70% of its original capacity. This charges from the ubiquitous micro-USB cable, so no drama should you lose it. The top mounted charge light indicator blinks red when charging, blue when fully juiced.
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The port cover is a snug, neat fit, which is good news, given The Beast “only” meets IPX4 for weatherproofing, which is technically splash proof, but while I draw greater reassurance from those meeting IPX6, in practice and for road duties, I’ve never had any issues, even in heavy rain.
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As a precaution, a slither of silicone grease on the port cover would provide peace of mind, especially, if you’re fitting it to a low-slung touring trailer, or riding in harsh conditions, sans guards. In terms of output, this ranges from 150lumens from the two day-flash settings. One is the standard red, the other a red and white combo, another 100lumen double flash and a single, 100lumen red flash.
Finally, we have an “Alter” intermittent flash, which is “only” 65lumens. More than enough wallop for most contexts, although a lower 15-20 lumen option would be nice for town and around, or as a “get you home” kick down, when the battery’s low on juice.
Talking of which, run times are cited as Modes Red Day White/Red Day Double Flash Red Flash Alter Flash
Lumen 150 lm 150 lm 100 lm 100 lm 65 lm
Runtime 4h 4h 9h 9h 18h
Switch 3/5
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The switch is a nigh-on flat square located just below the lens. I was surprised by how easy it was to locate, even when its pitch black and I’ve been wearing winter weight gloves. It engages with a soft click and subsequent prods cruise through the modes and a sustained ½ second press powers down. Less sensitive than I suspected, there’s been no issues with unwanted engagement when bouncing around in a bag, or jersey pocket. Lelumia do not list a memory function but ours has reliably powered up in the last mode selected.
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Mount 3.5/5
There are several mounting options. The integral clip means it can cadge a lift on jersey pockets, luggage loops etc. There’s some useful give, so it’s easier to fit and remove in a hurry, though tenacious enough not to get ejected come the first hint of a bump. I’ve hustled along green lanes and bridlepath with no issues. This clips into a rubbery “watch type” strap, which is similarly reliable.
No problems with seat post diameters between 25.4 and 31.8.
The lack of aero compatible post mounts may be a turn off and it makes tenure to box section tubing (such as my Bob Yak homage trailer), or seat stays more of a lottery.
Charge/run Times 3.25/5
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These are broadly faithful to those cited. Bargain on two hours from the mains, an extra 15-20 minutes from a laptop/similar device. A little charge light window shows red when charging, turning blue to denote fully fuelled. Aside from a period where temperatures were between minus 1 and minus 2 degrees, I have returned within 7 minutes of quoted run times. During the freezing period, I was running the double flash- 8hours 30 before powering down. Now, I always carry a backup light, for said eventualities but an auto kick down (say to a 10, or 15 lumen flash, lower even) should reserves fall below a certain point was a missed opportunity, in my view.
Output 4.25/5
Leading on from this earlier point, there is no getting away from the fact this is a seriously bright light, across the board. The Red day flash is 150lumen and though there are brighter-some packing 450lumens, The Beast’s is certainly up to the job of keeping riders well and truly on the radar.
Even during intense winter sunshine, fellow riders reckoned they could pick the light out at 200 metres, 250 plus when skies turned cobalt.
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I was initially sceptical of the white diode’s benefits per se, save for being different, distinctive. However, it seems effective at holding people’s focus, especially on trailers/tagalongs. (Which are more vulnerable to a knock since other road users tend not to be looking for them).
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Out of curiosity, I’ve run these settings on 5am blasts along the backroads. A friendly trucker reckoned he could pick me out at 500 metres and that’s with mist creeping across the fields. the Red/White (also 150 lumen) 525metres. The 100 seems good for 350 metres and the 220-degree arc offers a good cloak of light, most beneficial when entering the flow of traffic, negotiating roundabouts and similar. These distances are amplified slightly up high. I am talking jersey pockets and post mounted luggage, such as the Carradice Carradry SQR Bag and Axiom Ocean wave City+ Seat Bag rather than helmets. Frankly, aside from daytime, this kind of punch is aggressive for anything other than pitch black roads-great for faster sections.
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If you’ve to negotiate an A road, or two, this is your mode. 100 lumens strike a better balance of performance and economy in these contexts. Need to hit the town? Straight to steady 150 lumens. Yes, you’ll stand out like the proverbial sore thumb (so another good bet for trailers, tagalongs, and a recumbent) but, so long as you’ve not mounted it to a helmet, you’ll stop short of wrecking retinas and inducing pathological hatred.
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Even allowing for the competing Illuminations, dare I say distractions, 150-180 metres seems the consensus. as for the 65-lumen alternating flash, this has become my default when I want to be seen along the lanes and get best run to charge times- perfect for dusk till dawn all-nighters and nigh on 18hours, fully juiced. Frankly, this has ample punch for most contexts, including overcast winter days.
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Weatherproofing/Durability 3/5
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IPX4, or splashproof from all angles may not get the pulses racing but adequate for road riding. I’ve had no issues in freezing temperatures, sleet and heavy rain. I’ve left it in situ when giving bikes warm sudsy bucket washes. Never missed a beat and I’ve never felt the need to add a lick of silicone grease to the port cover, thanks partly to its concealed location. Silicone grease is good precautionary step, mounted low, on a trailer specifically, where it's likely to get blasted with all kinds of crud. Otherwise, with basic care (and keeping the battery charged, not running it flat too regularly) I haven’t spotted any obvious weak spots.
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Value 3.25/5
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Probably the closest comparators are Cat Eye Viz 150, which comes in at £31.99, meets IPX4 and packs 150lumens but also has a 15lumen flash, which lends itself better to town riding. The mounting kit is more versatile, catering better for aero section posts and seat stays.
Magicshine Seemee 180 Bike Taillight is a few quid more (£34.99). As the name suggests, it pumps out 180 lumens (albeit in the braking mode). It also features an ambient light sensor, which automatically adjusts the light, to suit conditions. Peripheral punch doesn’t rival that of the Lelumia, or the Cat Eye but it is very bright and also a better bet for town centric riding. Then of course, there’s Topeak Taillux 100, which delivers 100lumens, in all modes. In some contexts, thanks to the 9 diodes, produces a more intense pattern of light. It also enjoys a more comprehensive fitting kit and some very generous run times. However, at £41.99 a good bit steeper than the Lelumia.
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Summary
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Lumens aren’t the be all and end all. Subjectively, I’ve developed a soft spot for the Lelumia The Beast. If you are primarily riding in sub/urban contexts, there are better options. On the flip side, riders prioritising an extrovert daylight running mode and regularly navigating the darkest roads may well find the Beast’s blend of price, power and run times very appealing.
Verdict: 3.5/5 Potent yet affordable rear light but a bit fierce for some contexts.
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Michael Stenning
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PUBLISHED APRIL 2022
