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Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Front Light

8
£79.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Great beam shape and build quality for a good price
Good spread of illumination
Decent burn-times
Solid build quality
You have to scroll through flashing to get back to High
Battery life indicator could be more precise
Weight: 
202g

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 Ravemen LR1200 is a compact light with a big output, and a lens design that distributes the light from the single LED in a wide, flat beam. With good battery life, and the ability to be charged from a powerbank while it's running, the LR1200 works for both short blasts in the dark to overnight challenges. It's very good, but for more options, check out our guide to the best bike lights.

Ravemen has done its usual trick with the LR1200 by using the lens design to manipulate the beam into something that gives a wide spread, with minimal bleed up into the trees. Unlike the two-LED, twin-beam design of its PR1600, the LR1200 lacks the ultimate punch of the 'full beam' mode for empty roads at speed, but for such a small light there is really very little to complain about.

The 1,200-lumen High mode here still enables you to ride at high speed on descents, and if you were to leave it on the whole time you'd get 1.6 hours out of the battery.

The modes are changed by way of the button on the top. From the 1,200-lumen mode you scroll through three solid options: Mid – 600 lumens (3hrs), Low – 300 lumens (6.5hrs), then Eco – 150 lumens (14.5hrs).

2022 Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Curved Lens Front Light - top.jpg

Next is the 'Rapid flashing' mode with a 600-lumen flash, ideal for a daylight running light. Annoyingly, you have to scroll through this one to get back to High, but if you are quick enough it doesn't make the first flash, which is a bonus.

The LR1200 also has an intelligent daytime running option, which you turn on and off by pressing the power button for 3.5 seconds. Using the sensor on top of the light, it will run in that Rapid flashing mode when it's light outside, switching to the Low solid beam in darkness.

Run-times & charging

Battery life is indicated by the power button: it lights up green until 31%, then red down to 15%, then below that it flashes red. I think 69% is quite a large jump for the indicator to show just one colour, though. Many brands change colour at 50%. If you aren't starting out with a fully charged battery then run-time is a bit of guesswork, and you could have a lot less than you think. You can top the battery up from a power source while riding, though.

Run-times are realistic, with a bit of fluctuation due to temperature, and a full charge takes around 3.5 hours. It's charged via USB-C and you can also charge the light from a powerbank while using it, which makes it a contender if you like to ride through the night.

2022 Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Curved Lens Front Light - charging port.jpg

There are no issues with waterproofing; the LR1200 is rated to IPX6, and it coped with heavy rain and a prolonged blast from the hosepipe. The aluminium construction means it's likely to cope with being dropped or crashed too.

2022 Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Curved Lens Front Light - back.jpg

Included in the box is a charge cable and a mount that will fit 31.8mm and 35mm handlebar diameters. It's the same mount as used on many of Ravemen's lights, and it is secure on the handlebar and with the light fitted.

2022 Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Curved Lens Front Light - mount.jpg

You don't get the wireless remote found on the LR1600 that Dave reviewed recently, but you can buy a wired remote as an optional extra for £7. I find a remote a big benefit as you can change modes on the light without having to move your hands from their position on the hoods. A wireless one is much easier to set up, though.

> Best rear bike lights – check out our guide

There is also an optional ‘Upside down bracket’ that fits to the GoPro part of an out-front computer mount, if you have one, allowing you to run the light upside down under your handlebar – ideal if you don't have enough room up top, or if you want to run it under a computer, in line with the stem.

Value

The LR1200 is priced at £79.99, which is decent value for a light of this quality. That's the same price as the ETC F1500 that Emily tested in January, which gives out more power and has longer burn-times than the Ravemen, but doesn't have as refined a beam pattern.

The BBB Strike Duo 1200 is a fiver cheaper, but that doesn't have a battery indicator light, and Josh wasn't very impressed with the mount.

Conclusion

Overall, the LR1200 is a great light. It's very well made and has a good output with a 'friendly' beam pattern, for a decent price.

Verdict

Great beam shape and build quality for a good price

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Ravemen LR1200 USB Rechargeable Curved Lens Front Light

Size tested: 1200 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?

Ravemen says, "With the excellent daytime running light mode and maximum 1200 lumen output, the LR1200 is ready for your day and night riding, whether road cycling or gravel riding. Featuring battery run time extension function, the light could also be used for long-distance bike travelling or racing. The light is IPX6 water resistant and built with lightweight, yet a solid aluminium body to provide reliable performance even in harsh riding conditions."

A good balance of output and burn-time, and a well-made light.

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

Ravemen lists:

LED: 1 x high-efficiency white LED

Battery: 4000mAh/3.7V rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Dimensions: 106.5 x 34 x 37mm

Weight: 180g

Materials: the main body is made of aluminium with Mil Type III Hard Coat Anodizing, the rear part and the handlebar mount are made of durable plastic

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?
 
8/10
Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
9/10
Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
9/10
Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
9/10
Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the light for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the light for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the light for value:
 
5/10

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

The beam pattern lets it make the most of the 1,200 lumens on offer.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Wide-spreading beam pattern.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

The battery indicator could do with changing colour at 50% to remove some guesswork.

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

The price is in line with others on the market with similar outputs. The two I've mentioned in the review are about the same sort of money as the Ravemen, but I'd say it performs better than those in various aspects.

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

It's very good: a few tiny niggles here and there, but the build quality is excellent and the beam is nicely shaped.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 44  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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1 comments

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Global Nomad | 1 year ago
1 like

nice to see mention of an upside down bracket but would be good to mention if this compromises the 'refined beam pattern' - should be added to all light reviews I think

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