£14.975
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Cateye Viz Rear Light

Cateye Viz Rear Light

RRP: £29.95
Price: £14.975
£14.975 FREE Shipping

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Description

Of course the Mini and the Micro are nowhere near the blinding output of the Viz 300. But having owned a Micro and still do. Even 25 lumens can be pretty blinding and dont ask me how I found that out. (just dont look directly at it and turn it on) Bargain on being visible at 125 metres (about the length of a football field) on a clear night, dipping to 80 when it's cloudy. The most startling thing about this light is how bright a mere 40 lumens can be when funnelled through effective lenses. The constant mode is very bright when seen from 300 metres away at night, and vastly more so than the higher lumen output from the lens-less Knog Blinder Skull. On this basis, unless your commute takes in a lot of fast daytime dual carriageways (my sympathy), I just don't think a case can be made for needing more than 10 times this output, as here. Very few brands sell lights with removeable/replaceable batteries any more. Environmental concerns aside, this transition is understandable as lithium powered units are so small and efficient and stay charged longer than NiMh (great for infrequent use) while the casing only needs a charge port and no battery door, which should mean that they are more water-resistant. Daytime Hyperflash (100 lumens):15 hrs Battery: [AMPP200] Li-ion rechargeable battery (3.7V-800mAh)

Although functional and reliable enough, it's a bit fiddlier than others, especially in the dark. Exchanging it for an oversized o-ring type improved matters. Modes Steve described this mode on the Viz 300 as luridly chaotic and it is – it's not just the bonkers output of those bright flashes but all the various rapid strobing that's going on at the same time, which makes this hard to ignore. Following behind this light in the daytime, I found that from around 100 metres it was very effective at being impossible to miss (and not overly bothersome) but from 10 metres it was pretty irritating. I didn't ride with this mode at night, so cannot report the thoughts of other road users. I would only use this mode if I was doing a lot of riding on fast A-roads in the daytime, and it would make me feel safer in that specific environment.The Cateye AMPP 100 Lumen Front Bike Light is a solid option for riders looking for the perfect combination of lumen output, weight, and price

Allows riders to place rear lights on various locations in both horizontal and vertical orientations. So Cateye decided it would be a great idea to discontinue the cheap and much loved Rapid Mini and Rapid Micro lights just so they could bring out a new product line with more eyeball searing lumens than you'll ever need that does nothing apart from blinding everyone behind you and inflating the price, Just so they could make more money off you. I found the final mode – Group Ride – the most useful. At 100lm it's bright but not tactical nuke bright, and it's actually easier on the eye than the dimmer flash as it always seems to leave something lit. Returning to the review, I honestly cannot see how anyone thinks 300 lumens is appropriate for a red light aimed at following vehicles or riders, whether at night or in daylight. I find 30 lumens is more than enough to draw attention. The Viz 150, which appears to have a very similar shape, has more than enough punch and is significantly cheaper than this unit.

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But it sure is a pain to fit. Plus, given the length of the charging cable included, there isn't much scope for just leaving it attached to your bike when topping it up.

But you can use standard AAA batteries with Cateye's inexpensive Omni and LD610 rear lights, which are still available. All in all, the build quality looks decent, with Jez saying in his review of the Viz 450 that he has used many Cateye lights over the years and found them to last for years. Value As the name suggests, Cateye's Viz 450 rear light can throw out an extremely bright beam, although the full power is reserved for an intermittent flash in the 'Daytime Hyperflash' mode. In some specific use-cases you might appreciate this amount of power, but for most cyclists it is overkill and potentially a little provocative. There are more socially acceptable modes, but you could also just buy a less powerful, cheaper light. ViZ100] φ21.5-32.0mm. Fits up to 130mm outer circumference. (SP-15) Recharge/discharge number of times: about 300 times(until the rated capacity drops to 70%) Water resistant: [AMPP200] IPX4On the bike the CatEye ViZ is simple, secure, effective and long-lived. The clamp needs a bit more attention once you remove it – and if you don't use lights on bright days it's a bit excessive – but other than that it's very good; it gets the job done well. Verdict The four modes are: Daytime Hyperflash, 100 lumens (15 hours); Constant, 15 lumens (5 hours); Flashing, 10 lumens (70 hours); and 'Group Ride', a pulsing 35 lumens. The ladder strap hooks into lugs either side, and I've had no issues with standard round profiles between 25.4 and 30.8mm. It's compatible with some box-section trailer tubing and helmets, too. Happily, there are less bright, less expensive options from the same range, and for my money the Viz 100 at half the price would be all the light I'd need. Verdict So, the modes are a bit topsy turvy. The one I got the most use out of, day and night, was the Group Ride mode due to its more subtle flash pattern. With the LEDs being lit longer it gives better side illumination too.

Minor niggles aside, the specification and performance are favourable and the price is good, although there's still a fair bit of competition. The Group mode is next in line for output at 50 lumens. To be honest, because its flash pattern is so much more sedate it actually seems brighter, but it's a bit too much for those sitting on your wheel.One thing I did notice though is still the use of micro USB. With the move of many electronics now to USB C, it would be nice to see companies making this change on bike lights as well. Plus with the higher potential power draw for faster charging, there is an additional upside beyond just being able to plug the cable in either way up. Cycle Centre Congleton Limited 2021. Cyclestore is a trading name of Cycle Centre Congleton Limited. All Rights Reserved Company No. 05107467 | VAT No: 593 733 507



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