It's that time of year again when the evenings close in so make sure you're well lit up on the road.
These are meant to be very good rechargeable (800mAh li-po battery) lights, similar to other branded ones (Moon, I think) but at a steep discount. Plus they come with a 3 year guarantee.
Rear ones available here: aldi.co.uk/hig…401. The rear ones are 100 lumens.
Be seen, be safe with this high brightness LED front bike light.
Contents
1 x Rechargeable COB bike light1 x Mini USB charging cable3 x Brackets1 x Pair of rings
Features
240 Lumens (maximum)30 high brightness white COB LEDs8 Modes in total: 4 Lighting modes (Low/Standard/High/Over drive) and 4 flashing modes (10% Flashing/50% Flashing/100% Flashing/Strobe)Water-resistantQuick release universal mounting bracketBelt clip design for installation on a variety of areasLow battery, charging and fully charged indicator
Guarantee/Warranty
3 Years
Suitable For
All Types of Bikes
Latest comments (39)
theblackbuck
2 Oct 17#39
Just took delivery of mine. Here are the run times if anyone's interested...
trickytree1984
1 Oct 17#37
I have the rear light and used it today. Very disappointed with the battery. On the highest setting in flashing mode, it didn't last 2.5 hours. I don't know when it died but it was dead at the café. Poor.
theblackbuck to trickytree1984
2 Oct 17#38
That's disappointing to hear. Mine is arriving this week and I was looking forward to testing it. Last year's model was well regarded and there didn't seem to be any issues with battery life. I'd be surprised if they made it worse so maybe you've got a defective one - might be worth getting a replacement, assuming you're happy with everything else about the light (and they have some in stock).
penfoldstuart
25 Sep 17#6
Last years were great, good light
tawse57 to penfoldstuart
28 Sep 17#33
I bought the rear red light today. Just been out for a quick half hour ride.
First of all, certainly the brightest rear light that I have ever used. Made me stop and think how pathetic my previous rear lights have been - and I have tended to try and find good rear lights in the past.
Very distinctive red glow all around the rear of my bike whilst cycling and I had not set it on the brightest setting. I went out in the dry and it started to drizzle heavily. Seemed OK. I have positioned it slightly underneath my saddle with the USB port at the bottom
It made me also realise how pathetic my 7dayshop Cree copy front light is - just had 2 more of them delivered as they were a bargain in the summer but I now find myself re-thinking my front illumination. Reviews of the white front version of this Aldi light say it is a good light to be seen with - there is a good video of this youtube - but does not illuminate your way. I am going to have a think about what to now buy as a front light.
I mean, whether to buy the white version of this and use in conjunction with my cree copy or just opt for a more powerful led that is bright and also illuminates.
Interestingly, I felt cars were giving me a wider berth but that may just have been wishful-thinking. What did happen though is that, at a junction, I stopped on a pavement for rest and noticed that speeding approaching cars all visibly braked as they neared me. But I also had that £1 red armband light - see my deal this week - on the back of my helmet.
theblackbuck to tawse57
29 Sep 17#34
Thanks for the review. I popped in to my local Aldi yesterday and, while they had some other lights on display, I couldn't find these ones. Were they on a shelf or in a display cabinet? And any chance you could photograph the saddle mount as that would be my prefered mounting method?
tawse57 to theblackbuck
29 Sep 17#36
The store I bought mine in had them on the shelves. I am in a second store now and they are in a display cabinet.
Just managed to find in the bargain bin a rechargeable 196 lumens front cree light, 1050mha battery, for £5.00. It was hidden under a pile of other guff. It scanned through at £1.69.
theblackbuck
29 Sep 17#35
Nevermind - they're back in stock online so ordered one!
il_capo
28 Sep 17#31
Do these lights come with mounting brackets you can leave on the bike, or must the mounting mechanism be removed with the light every time you park your bike if you are worried about theft.
tawse57 to il_capo
28 Sep 17#32
Come with 3 mounts - one to go underneath the saddle. One which is a flexible bit of rubber that can go around a seat-post or perhaps even a stem.
The third one is a belt-clip but possibly could go on the rear of a pannier rack.
I opted to use the saddle mount tonight. It has a little rivet in it that looks like a screw with a phillips head - it is not, it is a rivet. I tried unscrewing it as the tilt part of it would not tilt and I began to wonder if I would need to return the entire unit.
So I got some G85, squirted it in and around the rivet and the tilt mechanism, waited a couple of minutes - should have waited longer - and then gently pryed apart the two bits of plastic VERY slightly. After that everything was fine and I can now tilt the light.
I think the rivet had punched the two bits of plastic together too hard so that they were a tad compacted.
I think a weakness here will be the plastic when it has experienced cold - and goes brittle - or heat and, um, goes brittle. I imagine that, like with many lights, it will break sooner than later. I would hope that I would then be able to replace it with a similar mount by buying a cheap light set from Poundland or similar.
tawse57
27 Sep 17#28
Anyone have any thoughts ong the Apace Vision rear light?
theblackbuck to tawse57
27 Sep 17#29
There's many different brands selling a similar/identical light. This looks the same, same specs, and is a bit cheaper... amazon.co.uk/Bik…-24
I don't like these types because I don't like fiddling with the bands to get them on and off the bike and the build quality isn't usually great. However, for a tenner they're worth a punt (if you don't mind the attachment system).
tawse57 to theblackbuck
27 Sep 17#30
Thanks - Amazon have a lightning deal on currently for a GreenClick version like this - 2 for £6.99, but the battery size is small in it and some reviewers say that the battery does not last more than about 70 minutes.
There are others though, with bigger batteries for about a tenner, which now have bigger batts.
vsy
26 Sep 17#20
I've got a Cateye Volt 400 that I managed to pick up for just under a tenner, how would these compare to that? Thinking of getting them on my second bike
ArthurDent1 to vsy
27 Sep 17#27
I use a Cateye Volt 400 - on full power for unlit paths and lower power/flashing mode on lit roads. These will be equivalent to the lower/strobe settings on the Cateye; great for being seen but no so good for lighting up an unlit path. If you've already got a Cateye Volt it'd be cheaper to just buy a second mounting bracket for the other bike.
ANDYGUY
25 Sep 17#11
what is the reason for many of these lights to have strobes? .How is that a safety feature?.They often blind pedestrians as cyclist usually ride kerbside. and people using their car mirrors. I am a cyclist
theblackbuck to ANDYGUY
25 Sep 17#13
I'm guilty of that until very recently. I thought that having flashing lights would mean that people would notice me quicker - I didn't appreciate the effect on their eyes after that. Also, using the stobe function means that the battery lasts longer between charges compared to a constant beam.
I'm now waiting on my first StVZO (German regulations on bike lights so that they can't flash or shine into other road users' eyes) compliant light to be delivered though and I'm far too excited!
whatsthematter to theblackbuck
26 Sep 17#22
What model have you ordered?
theblackbuck to whatsthematter
26 Sep 17#23
I've ordered a Spanninga Axendo 60 from Athleteshop... athleteshop.co.uk/spa…usb. They're a Dutch company who have bought the rights to sell the now-discontinued Philips Saferide lights (apparently the most sensible bike lights) as their own. I haven't received it yet so can't comment from personal experience but you should look them up. There aren't many reviews of the Axendo available but loads for the Saferides. Athleteshop have them at a very good discount currently but delivery is another £6/7 and they - very cheekily and frustratingly - charge a c£1 fee to use a credit card or paypal.
ANDYGUY to theblackbuck
26 Sep 17#26
Haha snap. I am eagerly waiting delivery of the same.
whatsthematter
26 Sep 17#24
Thanks, looked at the Phillips before, but always difficult to get hold of. Found a German review, it looks good. radtouren-magazin.com/118…fer
theblackbuck to whatsthematter
26 Sep 17#25
Another one I was thinking about, but didn't like that the mount isn't quick release and it's harder to get hold of, was the Roxim x3 (http://www.roxim.net/product_x3.html). Very impressive looking beam! And you can attach it to a powerbank for extra battery life while in use.
mcrobbj
25 Sep 17#2
Solarstorm X3 on eBay miles better for a couple of quid more
theblackbuck to mcrobbj
25 Sep 17#3
7,500 lumens!!! That's crazy! Surely can't be legal on the road?
tedjourney to theblackbuck
25 Sep 17#4
Who cares! Its about being seen. Hell I'd have a world war 2 search light on the front of my bike if I could tow the battery!
theblackbuck to tedjourney
25 Sep 17#5
People can't see you if their eyes are shut because they're being dazzled/blinded. It could always be angled downwards, away from other people's eyes I suppose.
johnnystorm to theblackbuck
25 Sep 17#8
First up the solarstorm won't be anywhere near a genuine 7500 lumens, all the same they are very bright, however the beam pattern is likely to end up dazzling fellow road users so probably not that sensible.
Not really a fair comparison with these lights. These are for being seen with, as opposed to lighting the way for you. As a small, bright "here I am" light that can be charged at work on your pc usb ports or phone charger they are up there with the best. The solarstorms have patchy reliability and batches vary in build quality.
rossysaurus to theblackbuck
25 Sep 17#16
XML2 LEDs can only produce 900-1000lumens each so they are lying through their teeth. From 2 18650 batteries I would doubt they are getting more than 600 lumens from each LED.
LemonHead to theblackbuck
25 Sep 17#17
Or you could get one that's a little less bright.
A seller on eBay based in Jersey is selling 1800 lumen CREE lights for £9.99.
I have one similar to this, same amount of lumen too. I never put it on the highest settin either, bright enough for going through Richmond Park in the winter (no lights in the park by the way).
HAH. They won't be anywhere close to 7,500 lumens...
afroylnt
26 Sep 17#19
To be seen I think a flashing light is far better. In winter I use a low power flashing light and a much higher powered torch light to see where I am going.
Bogami
26 Sep 17#18
How long does the battery last on full charge?
M0RPH
25 Sep 17#15
Nope, who keeps receipts for £12 bit of kit? Doubt I'd have got anything and definitely wouldn't have wanted replacement.
M0RPH
25 Sep 17#12
Bought 3 of these last year. Really bright and was so pleased at the start.
However, bracket snapped on a rear one and lost the light. Next rear one started rusting in a couple of months then the switch stopped working. Another month and the front one did the same.
I definitely won't be buying another one.
theblackbuck to M0RPH
25 Sep 17#14
Did you try to get them replaced/refunded under the warranty?
darren.hardie
25 Sep 17#10
Bought these last year good lights only problem is the holders are crap replaced them 3 times in the end I made a new one at work out of aluminium.
theblackbuck
25 Sep 17#9
Yeah, I can see a need for really bright lights on unlit roads/tracks where you need to see as well as be seen. It's when such lights - especially when badly angled - are used on well-lit roads shared with other cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers that problems arise. People don't seem to realise that you don't need to shine the light directly into someone else's eyes for them to see it - and it could well do more harm than good.
mcrobbj
25 Sep 17#7
I cycle mostly on unlit cycle paths that some people walk on without a torch, they used to complain with normal lights so I dont mind if I dazzle them, its better then running them down. I obviously dip them. Most of the solorstorms ship with a freebee rear light which is probably no worse than the Aldi ones.
I use the moon shield-x ( would recommend obviously a lot more expsensive) on the back as one of the other posters says its all about being seen and I am sorry wearing dayglo yellow jackets makes sod all difference.
johnnystorm
25 Sep 17#1
They look the same as last years but with different shaped ends. Great lights.
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
These are meant to be very good rechargeable (800mAh li-po battery) lights, similar to other branded ones (Moon, I think) but at a steep discount. Plus they come with a 3 year guarantee.
Rear ones available here: aldi.co.uk/hig…401. The rear ones are 100 lumens.
Lots of other cycling gear on sale too: aldi.co.uk/c/s…-28
Be seen, be safe with this high brightness LED front bike light.
Latest comments (39)
First of all, certainly the brightest rear light that I have ever used. Made me stop and think how pathetic my previous rear lights have been - and I have tended to try and find good rear lights in the past.
Very distinctive red glow all around the rear of my bike whilst cycling and I had not set it on the brightest setting. I went out in the dry and it started to drizzle heavily. Seemed OK. I have positioned it slightly underneath my saddle with the USB port at the bottom
It made me also realise how pathetic my 7dayshop Cree copy front light is - just had 2 more of them delivered as they were a bargain in the summer but I now find myself re-thinking my front illumination. Reviews of the white front version of this Aldi light say it is a good light to be seen with - there is a good video of this youtube - but does not illuminate your way. I am going to have a think about what to now buy as a front light.
I mean, whether to buy the white version of this and use in conjunction with my cree copy or just opt for a more powerful led that is bright and also illuminates.
Interestingly, I felt cars were giving me a wider berth but that may just have been wishful-thinking. What did happen though is that, at a junction, I stopped on a pavement for rest and noticed that speeding approaching cars all visibly braked as they neared me. But I also had that £1 red armband light - see my deal this week - on the back of my helmet.
Just managed to find in the bargain bin a rechargeable 196 lumens front cree light, 1050mha battery, for £5.00. It was hidden under a pile of other guff. It scanned through at £1.69.
The third one is a belt-clip but possibly could go on the rear of a pannier rack.
I opted to use the saddle mount tonight. It has a little rivet in it that looks like a screw with a phillips head - it is not, it is a rivet. I tried unscrewing it as the tilt part of it would not tilt and I began to wonder if I would need to return the entire unit.
So I got some G85, squirted it in and around the rivet and the tilt mechanism, waited a couple of minutes - should have waited longer - and then gently pryed apart the two bits of plastic VERY slightly. After that everything was fine and I can now tilt the light.
I think the rivet had punched the two bits of plastic together too hard so that they were a tad compacted.
I think a weakness here will be the plastic when it has experienced cold - and goes brittle - or heat and, um, goes brittle. I imagine that, like with many lights, it will break sooner than later. I would hope that I would then be able to replace it with a similar mount by buying a cheap light set from Poundland or similar.
I don't like these types because I don't like fiddling with the bands to get them on and off the bike and the build quality isn't usually great. However, for a tenner they're worth a punt (if you don't mind the attachment system).
There are others though, with bigger batteries for about a tenner, which now have bigger batts.
These will be equivalent to the lower/strobe settings on the Cateye; great for being seen but no so good for lighting up an unlit path.
If you've already got a Cateye Volt it'd be cheaper to just buy a second mounting bracket for the other bike.
I'm now waiting on my first StVZO (German regulations on bike lights so that they can't flash or shine into other road users' eyes) compliant light to be delivered though and I'm far too excited!
Found a German review, it looks good. radtouren-magazin.com/118…fer
Not really a fair comparison with these lights. These are for being seen with, as opposed to lighting the way for you. As a small, bright "here I am" light that can be charged at work on your pc usb ports or phone charger they are up there with the best. The solarstorms have patchy reliability and batches vary in build quality.
A seller on eBay based in Jersey is selling 1800 lumen CREE lights for £9.99.
I have one similar to this, same amount of lumen too. I never put it on the highest settin either, bright enough for going through Richmond Park in the winter (no lights in the park by the way).
m.ebay.co.uk/itm…405
However, bracket snapped on a rear one and lost the light. Next rear one started rusting in a couple of months then the switch stopped working. Another month and the front one did the same.
I definitely won't be buying another one.
Most of the solorstorms ship with a freebee rear light which is probably no worse than the Aldi ones.
I use the moon shield-x ( would recommend obviously a lot more expsensive) on the back as one of the other posters says its all about being seen and I am sorry wearing dayglo yellow jackets makes sod all difference.