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review

Exposure TraceR MK2 ReAKT rear light

9
£59.95

VERDICT:

9
10
Compact, light and super-bright, a great rear light that fits in seconds without tools and is reliable with good battery life
Weight: 
49g

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Compact, light and super-bright, the Exposure TraceR Mk2 ReAKT is a great rear light that fits in seconds without tools and is reliable with good battery life.

  • Pros: Very bright, lots of modes, good run-time
  • Cons: Expensive

Fitting the TraceR to your bike is easy thanks to the mount that Exposure has developed. The light snaps into a plastic cradle and a large silicone band secures it to the bike. It's secure and very stable; I've even ridden with it on my mountain bike and it hasn't budged at all. The bracket also angles the light down to reduce dazzling of people behind you.

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It's stupendously bright, kicking out 75 lumens in its most powerful mode. As with most Exposure lights, there's a multitude of settings available via its Optimised Mode Selector so you can tune the light to suit your needs.

You have a choice between constant and flash mode, the latter using the new DayBright pulse mode Exposure has developed to provide better visibility during the daytime.

The light also packs ReAKT, short for Ambient Kinetic Technology, a new feature being rolled out by Exposure. It's an adaptive technology and simply adjusts the brightness of the light based on braking forces and light conditions. It's similar tech to what we've seen in other lights such as those from See.Sense. It certainly works, though it's tricky to say how much it boosts your visibility to other road users.

Run-time is a generous 3 hours in constant and 6 hours in flash on the maximum mode, which is ideal for a typical commute and adequate for a decent training ride after sunset. If you need more run-time, simply change the mode to extend it to 6 and 12 hours in the constant modes, and 12 and 24 hours in flash mode. I generally found the claimed run-times to be consistent with what I was getting during testing.

The light is really well made, the metal construction much more pleasing than the plastic units of cheaper rear lights, which not only delivers added durability but also helps to justify the rather high price. The only small niggle is that the anodised logos are starting to look a little worn from where the unit has been rotated in its plastic cradle.

The on/off button and USB charge port are covered by a rubber belt. You can activate it when wearing winter gloves but it does need a firm press. Sealing is sufficient to ensure no water ingress when riding in the rain or hosing the bike down after a muddy ride.

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best rear lights for cycling

In terms of value, £60 certainly isn't cheap but you are getting a top quality product. Another one to consider is the See.Sense Icon I mentioned above, at £64.99. Like the Exposure, it has clever electronics that adjust the brightness and pattern to suit different conditions, and it's seriously bright at 95 lumens.

All things considered, the TraceR Mk2 ReAKT is a very easy light to use and operate and delivers excellent brightness and good run-times for day and night-time use. It's at the very top end of the rear light market in terms of price, but the performance is near-faultless.

Verdict

Compact, light and super-bright, a great rear light that fits in seconds without tools and is reliable with good battery life

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Exposure TraceR MK2 ReAKT

Size tested: 75 lumens

Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Exposure says: "The TraceR ReAKT is the answer for the cyclist who needs a super compact rear light, with USB convenience and superb build quality. ReAKT (Ambient Kinetic Technology) is the latest innovation enabling the light to adapt to conditions, flaring up under braking or entering brighter environments, becoming your safety beacon for the open road."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?

Exposure lists:

Ambient and Kinetic Technology

DayBright

Cable Free Design

Intelligent Thermal Management

Optimum Mode Selector - 3 Programs

Fuel Gauge

USB charging

Made in the UK

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very solidly built with aluminium case and firm plastic mount.

Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
 
9/10

Super-simple to use.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
9/10

No fiddling or faffing, it's easy to use.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
9/10

Has survived multiple wet rides and being blasted by a hosepipe.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
8/10
Rate the light for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the light for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the light for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the light for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's stupendously bright, with a multitude of settings. It's also very well made and reliable, and super-easy to use.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Easy to mount and simple to use, light and very bright.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

The light scratches easily in the plastic cradle – that's about all I could find to fault.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes

Would you consider buying the light? Yes

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

The price puts it firmly at the top end of the rear light market but it does justify it with top performance and a solid and easy to use design.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180cm  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, mountain biking

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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