SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING

Staying with the 100 lumen flashings, by my reckoning they are adequate for daylight running too. Anecdotally, other traffic picked me out at least 100 metres. Pre-dawn blasts are very much my thing. A curious farmer and a lone trucker both reckoned they clocked me at 500 metres. 

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This dipped to 300 with the steady counterpart but predictably the braking function bolstered that by 50-100 metres (mist and clear skies respectively). The 500 mode is mighty and even in intense sunlight, approaching riders reckoned they could pick it out at 600 metres. No excuse for a SMIDSY and great for deterring wheel sucking but anti-social at close quarters!  Run times sans brake light have been within a few minutes of those cited and reassuringly reliable. When reserves really tumbled and the unit kicked down to the 5-lumen bailout, it was sufficient to limp home on, but I felt a little too inconspicuous for my tastes. 

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Braking functions have come along quite a bit in the past few years, but they’re still not an exact science. The 200lumen braking function engages for two seconds when it detects a drop in pace and vibration. Output is potent, without being aggressive. On average, considering factors such as gradients, traffic and rider fatigue into account, bargain on knocking 15% from the run times. Thankfully, these are very generous, so not overly problematic, but something to consider, say if you’re a kitchen sink tourist, or recumbent rider tackling big hills.

Durability/Care 3.75/5

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As I said in my opening paragraph, the TR500 feels very solid and despite the IPX4 rating, it's never missed a beat in heavy rain and passed my garden hose test with flying colours. Charge regularly and avoid habitually running it low, no reason to think the TR500 won’t last a long time.

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Value 3.25/5

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There’s no doubt you’re getting a lot of light but £64 is also quite spendy. If you can forgo the braking function, Cat Eye Viz 450 is a four-mode model produces a maximum of 450 lumens (daylight running setting) 130 lumen group ride mode and gives change from £50. 

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Knog Cobber Big (£78.99) is another big model, well suited to trailers and similar contexts. It can be programmed via their app and is certainly very bright but doesn’t feature a braking function and is £14 dearer. Staying with the Cobber a minute, I remain impressed by its smaller sibling , which arguably provide all the power you’d need and is a good bit lighter than the TR500 but again, lacks the braking and daylight running function and outright punch. At £60, the Cobber Mid is only a few quid cheaper, too. 

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Magicshine SeeMee200 weighs in at £33.99 and is a compact cube model, pumping out a maximum of 200 lumens. It also has a tracer light, a braking function and an intelligent mode which allows the light’s sensors to determine output. It meets IPX6 for weather proofing and is certainly very bright. That said; having run one for a while, I found the brake light a little too sensitive, denting run times and that’s the only mode offering 200lumens. 

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 Summary

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The Ravemen TR500 is a lot more useable than size and output might suggest. There’s plenty of scope for suburban contexts, particularly in the lower, constant modes. The “braking” function is also highly effective, and I’m assured, captivating without destroying retinas, or fraying tempers at close quarters. The jury’s out as to whether the 500-lumen day flash is overkill although I’m fond of it and I’ve not had any negative feedback from other road users. 

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Dimensions, outputs and generous run times lend it to long rides along unlit roads-especially towing a trailer, or tagalong. Arguably there are lighter, dare I say, cheaper options for solos that seldom stray far from the suburbs, or pared to the essentials’ road builds. Ravemen CLO6 Rechargeable Lightweight Sensored Rear Light delivers 50 lumens, might be a better choice in these contexts-especially if you wanted a braking function.