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Exposure Switch Mk3 Daybright

7
£80.00

VERDICT:

7
10
You can get cheaper, but if longevity and reliability are high priorities then this light should be on your shortlist
Weight: 
78g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The latest version of the Exposure Switch, the MK3 DayBright, has been boosted to 475 lumens which gives it the output to be considered a 'see by' light rather than just a 'be seen by'. This commuter-friendly headlight offers great quality, decent burn-times and simple-to-use modes, although as always with Exposure lights, it'll cost you.

  • Pros: Impressive burn-times, quality build
  • Cons: No battery level warning while on, not cheap

The Switch is a great light either as a secondary source of illumination or the primary source for more casual-paced commuting, and now that it pumps out 475 lumens it is no longer restricted to use in an urban environment under streetlights for instance.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Like a lot of the original Exposure lights, the Switch offers three programs, high, medium and low, each with a constant and flash mode. Each one is selected by pressing and holding the on/off button down until the main LED flashes once, twice or thrice. Press once to switch between constant and flash.

Program one is the brightest, with that 475 lumens in the constant mode, while the flash is its DayBright option – as seen on the latest Blaze and the Strada RS. On this setting the LED stays on throughout at low power while it pulses with a single flash and then a double before going through the cycle again. It's attention grabbing and gets you noticed during the day as you filter through rush hour traffic and the sea of daytime running lights.

You'll get six hours of battery life, too; three for the constant mode.

If you need to see where you are going, the beam pattern isn't bad. It's more a spot light than many of the road-specific beams we see but it allows you to see where you are going at a decent enough speed, especially if you are travelling familiar roads and you know where the defects and potholes are lying.

The bracket is a simple snap fit affair attached to the handlebar via a rubber band. It works well but with vibration it can make its way upwards, so if you are using it as a light to see by you might need to keep adjusting it which is a bit of a faff.

Exposure Switch mk3 Daybright - mount.jpg

For programs two and three the output halves each time, while the burn-times double, so at its extreme on flash you'll get 24 hours out of a full charge.

Neither of these programs get the DayBright flash, they each have the more traditional pulse where the LED stays on with a consistent flash. It still does a very good job of getting you noticed without hammering the battery.

Unlike many lights, though, the Switch doesn't keep you updated on the state of the battery. When you turn the light off it does display the battery level at the lens with either a green or red hue, but there is no LED button to show you the traffic light display while it's running, so you have to keep an eye on your watch.

Considering the battery life and power output, the Switch is a very small and low-bulk light. Exposure has proved its quality over the years, and it is no different here. The CNC machined body is as tough as hell and the whole light will take plenty of knocks. The fact that the unit is built in the UK means, should you have an issue, aftersales service is quick and easy to sort. I've owned various Exposure lights since before I started writing for road.cc to the current day and if I've had issues they've been dealt with quickly.

Unlike Exposure's larger lights, the Switch is charged via a Micro-USB which makes it perfect for commuters who have access to a phone charger, rather than carrying around the specific yellow jack plug.

Depending how you charge it, the Switch will go from flat to fully juiced in less than a working day and the burn-times are realistic to those quoted.

Water ingress is the main thing that can be an issue when it comes to lights, but thanks to its rubber cover over the charging port the Switch doesn't suffer here. In heavy rain it keeps the elements out and even when giving it a blast with the garden hose I had no issues whatsoever.

> Buyer's Guide: The best front lights for cycling

Value is always the sticking point when it comes to Exposure lights; they're not cheap, but time and time again they have proved hugely reliable both in terms of the LEDs and their battery life.

For example, for the same output you could get something like the Oxford UltraTorch 500lm Headlight for £39.99, but that full 500 lumens will only get you 90 minutes' burn-time.

Another competitor is the Kryptonite Street F-500, which looks to be far superior to the Switch in terms of the amount of light it dishes out, according to our beam comparison engine. The battery will only last half as long, but the price is £44.99.

Overall, the Switch MK3 is a very good light. It's trustworthy throughout whatever weather is thrown at you, but you are paying quite a whack compared to the opposition. For an occasional light, I'd probably go cheaper but for something I need to depend on day in, day out, the Switch is hard to challenge.

Verdict

You can get cheaper, but if longevity and reliability are high priorities then this light should be on your shortlist

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Exposure Switch Mk3 Daybright

Size tested: Max 475 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, "Premium light geared for commuting with side illumination for 180 _visibility, USB charging and DayBright flash pattern.

"Can be helmet mounted (helmet mount sold separately).

"Available in a pack with TraceR DayBright rear light.

"In the box: Switch MK3, Handlebar bracket, Micro USB charge cable, Quick start guide"

It's a great light for those with an urban commute or riders who may find themselves caught out in the dark.

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

Exposure lists these features:

Output

LED Configuration: 1 x White XPL2 Cree LED

Lumens: Max 475

Battery

Battery: 2,600 mAh Lithium-Ion

Runtime: 3hrs - 24hrs

Rechargeable: Micro USB

Charge Time: 4hrs

Construction

Weight: 77g

Anodised 6063 Aluminium

Water Resistance IPX6

Dimensions

Length: 94mm

Head Diameter: 30mm

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

Very simple to set the program and mode.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
8/10
Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
9/10

No issues whatsoever.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
9/10

Impressive considering its size.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the light for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the light for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the light for value:
 
5/10

 

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

Absolutely great as a secondary light source, while stepping up to plate if needed as your sole illumination.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Excellent quality.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

No battery level warning while on.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There are other lights out there with better beam patterns for less money, but the Exposure responds with great build quality and impressive burn-times.

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 overall score

Its simplistic design and amazing build quality will see it last years. It's a very good light but it is pricey against rivals; if you're happy to pay more than you strictly need to for the same power output, you won't be disappointed.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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