SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING

Specification

​

Available in three colours- white, pink, or anodised black, the rugged aluminium shell serves to displace heat and protect against the usual, everyday carelessness. Particularly important for a design that’s also intended to be held for long periods.  A single diode is projected through an acrylic lens, which employs Symmetrical Optics Design.

This means the light can be mounted above, or upside down, beneath the bars without compromising output or dazzling oncoming traffic. There are two silicone diffusers- pink and white included within the package. These are designed to slip over the lens for a more ambient light-say when camping or reading. Contexts where you need to see clearly and without being dazzled by glare.  

​

IPX6 for weatherproofing is good, especially considering the price point and basically means it will withstand heavy rain, being taken into a shower, or rinsed down with a hosepipe. The USB C charge port is sensibly located with a snug-fitting cover, inspiring confidence. Its fuelled by a 5000mAh lithium-ion cell-unusually powerful for lights of this capacity. Afterall, the Ravemen LR1000 Curved Lens Front Light Ravemen LR 1000 Curved Lens Front Light | cycling-not-racingis employs a 3300mAh unit and its 1600 lumen stablemate Ravemen LR1600 Front Light | cycling-not-racing a 4000mAh. All three lights are designed to double as power banks but in theory this should give the Gaciron a slight edge. Measuring   11x3x3.8cm, its slightly longer than the LR1600 but fits nicely in the palm and doesn’t consume too much bar space.

​

Mount 2.75/5

​

This brings me to the two mounts. As I said in my introduction, there is a traditional handlebar mount very reminiscent of those used by Cat-Eye. A serrated strip is fed through and wound tight by a threaded nut. It has accommodated bar diameters between 25.4 and 31.8. However, ours continually vibrated loose, given a mile or so along anything less than baby smooth tarmac.

​

Experimentation revealed the light’s strip (which is attached to the light via tiny screws) was compatible with those employed by Ravemen’s LR series. This held everything vice like and inspired confidence on and off road. Having used this for a week to explore the light’s modes and potential. I was also pleased to discover it proved compatible with Gaciron’s Cetus 1700 Underneath Bike Light Gaciron Cetus 1700 Underneath Bike Light | cycling-not-racing . I ultimately settled on their Go-Pro type under bar mount, bolted beneath an auction site Garmin pattern unit. The best option for my needs and there was sufficient adjustment, so the light didn’t foul cantilever staddle wires. A subtle audible click denotes the light’s locked into place.

​

Modes & Switch 3.25/5

​

There are six. Four steady and two flashing. Ultra-High Steady is 1000lumens. High Steady is 600lumens, Medium Steady is 300lumens and Low Steady is 100lumens. Covers a lot of bases, except perhaps the darkest of country roads and trails. More about that later. Breathe is 100lumens and best thought of as a pulse alternating between 50 and 100lumens.

​

Daytime Flash is 300lumens, lower than some yet still genuinely effective. Sans bike, Gaciron recommends the High Steady (600lumen) for climbing/hiking steep sloped, rocky paths and fog, the Medium Steady (300 lumen) when walking along mountain roads and forest trails.

​

The switch is a raised square with a cat logo. Easily operated wearing full finger gloves, it feels positive, the light will emit an audible beep when powering on/off. The memory function defaults to the last setting used. Subsequent presses cycle through the modes and a double press alternates between steady and flashing.  There is also a locking option, which prevents accidental power ups in transit, or when bouncing around in bike mounted luggage.

​

Pretty intuitive and relatively straightforward on the move. Nonetheless, a remote would make this easier, especially when leaving town and heading to the sticks. Not a deal-breaker, but a missed opportunity, even if it raised the price by a pound or two. This also incorporates a charge life indicator.  Blue denotes 100-60% charge, yellow 60-21% and flashing red means 20-1% remains. Look at the base and you’ll notice a paw print. This is a foot, which allows the light to be securely positioned vertically, say when using it as a camping, or contingency light during a power cut.   

​

The sharp-eyed among you will have noted a feline theme. We’re told the XIAOMAN was named after a stray kitten who followed the designer back to the Gaciron offices and became a beloved pet. Sadly, she passed away and the light was named in her honour.

​

Output 3.75/5

​

In common with an increasing number of lights we’ve been testing, the output is better than budget models boasting similar numbers just a few seasons ago, illustrating how far optics and other technology has trickled down. Starting with the high steady, I found it slightly underpowered for navigating the darkest lanes, but I do stress, slightly.

While lacking the purity of Ravemen’s now discontinued LR1000, the spot and flood hybrid beam pattern was adequate for navigating at a steady 15-16mph. It’s more than adequate for climbing in these contexts.  Gaciron claims there’s sufficient throw for 200 metres and I’d broadly agree- at least on very clear nights, dropping to 140 metres and 80 when dense cloud and fog dominate.

​

Oncoming traffic seemed to tune in at around 60 metres or so, gauged by dipped headlamps and decreased speed. Paired it with the K-Lite Ultra Low Drag Lamp K-LITE ULTRA LOW DRAG DYNAMO LIGHT | cycling-not-racing I’ve been able to belt along the backroads and sweeping descents as fast as my legs can muster, although distance wise, we’re taking 30 miles.  Provided you’ve aligned the XIAOMAN correctly, there shouldn’t be any issues with dazzling other traffic along unlit roads. That said; there have been times when a remote would’ve been handy.  

 

Dipping to the High Steady 600 lumens, combining the dynamo produced 1300lumens and arguably provided the best match of performance and economy for longer outings. In clear to cloudy contexts, I could navigate at a consistent 17-18mph, which is still pretty reasonable. Much the same story off road when switched to Denise and paired to its 800 lumen Exposure Revo dynamo lamp.

​

Used as a standalone light, in the navigational sense, I’ve found the high steady optimal for dusk, or semi-rural roads, oncoming traffic slowing and dipping at around 30-40 metres and seemingly holding back at junctions and side roads. Same story when tackling bigger roundabouts, where it’s been potent enough to snare the attention of SUVs, busses and larger vehicles. Overkill, for suburban contexts, it still stops short of being abrasive. On a couple of occasions, when I've needed to drop down to save battery along very dark roads, no issues being seen by other road users.

​

When covering shorter, well-lit sections before returning to darker roads, I’ve not bothered prodding down. Popping the white silicone diffuser over the lens is another option. This proved similarly effective in congested town centre contexts too, although, where practical, I’ve slipped down to the Medium Steady (300 lumens).

​

True to claims, Off the bike, I’ve found the High Steady perfect for darker and more challenging trails, especially if I’m needing to tackle a puncture, or investigate an unsettling rattle. With the silicone diffuser attached, its cast a useful amount of additional light for night photography-contexts where a flash gun might be too harsh. 300 lumens is about right for more generic bridleways, farm tracks, map reading etc.    

​

The Low Steady (100 lumens) is still practical in the seen-with sense in town, unlocking bikes, rummaging through panniers for keys and similar duties.  Otherwise, I’ve generally defaulted to the medium steady, or its day flashing counterpart, which oscillates at an eye-catching tempo and sips battery.

​

Day flashes vary in their potency and again, much boils down to lens, diode and reflector quality. For example, the Ravemen LR 1000 offers 500 lumens, whereas The Sigma Buster1600 Sigma Buster 1600 & RL150 Light Set | cycling-not-racing a much lower 200.  Both cope well in bright sunlight, although better in overcast conditions. The Gaciron XIAOMAN has a similarly distinctive tempo, although performance in stronger sunlight is good rather than great.

​

This is reversed when the sun is less intense and I’ve found it very effective in cloudy, overcast and dusk conditions. Even though my dynamo lamps are bright, anecdotally, other traffic noted the XIAOMAN’s day flashing tempo first, the 700, or 800 lumen dynamo second.  Breathe has its place and would be my choice over the low steady for well-lit town centres and shared use paths, or possibly as a dynamo companion.     

​

Charge & Run Times 3.5/5

​

Gaciron cite 3 hours from zero to fully juiced and this seems accurate in the real world, using the OEM charge cable, 2hrs 40 using a 6V tablet cable. In temperatures between 5 and 23 degrees, run times have consistently been within 6 minutes of those cited.

​

Durability/Care 3.25/5

​

Over the past few months, I’ve accidentally dropped ours, resulting in a very slight mark on the anodised finish. Ours has also been subjected to regular wet rides, left in situ during sudsy bucket bike washes, not to mention 3 minutes sustained blasts from my garden hose.  It’s never missed a beat.  Gaciron tell me the 500mAh cell has sustained 500 charge cycles in a lab environment before there was a noticeable dip in performance, which for most of us, promises a few year’s hard use before it’s bin fodder.

​

Value 3.75/5

​

$59.99 (£45.01) is very competitive, especially given the design’s versatility.  Ravemen K1000 (£64.99) also offers 6 modes, coupled with an AI function that adjusts light output to suit conditions. In common with the Gaciron, it is also designed for underbar mounting. The higher IPX7 means it should resist full on immersion. However, we must keep in mind, the K1000 is £20 dearer. Magicshine Allty 1000V2 Daytime Running Light is £49.99. It also features 1000lumens, a claimed visibility of 320metres and 4 flashing modes, a daylight running setting.

​

There are two mounting options courtesy of the Garmin-type mount. IPX7 for weatherproofing and is designed to withstand drops onto a hard surface from 2 metres. However, it arguably lacks the same degree of versatility and we’ve not tested one, so can’t make real-world performance comparisons.  I’ve been impressed by Magicshine’s Hori 1300 Magicshine HORI 1300 Front Light | cycling-not-racing is another capable system but again is a £20 dearer, bike-specific and the mount isn’t included as standard.    

 

Steve found the Sigma Buster HL800 Sigma Buster 800 and RL150 Light Set | cycling-not-racing  capable in most contexts and simple to operate. I’ve also found its bigger siblings comfortable to use off the bike in similar contexts to the Gaciron XIAOMAN. However, aside from offering 200lumens less, the series only complies with IPX4 for weatherproofing and the 800lumen version is £64.99.

​

Summary

 I have grown rather fond of the Gaciron XIAOMAN 1000, and the overall performance is reassuringly good on and off the bike. The modes cater nicely for most riding and general outdoor contexts. My one minor grumble concerns the standard mount, which has tended to slip. A moot point for many riders preferring to free up handlebar space, while offering a sleeker, more practical effect.

​

Michael Stenning

Verdict: 3.5/5 Quirky yet versatile light that performs well in all contexts, although the standard mount merits revision.

​

Gaciron

​