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review
£17.99
VERDICT:
Impressively simple rear light with good visibility and great design
Light and slim
Easy to detach
Highly visible
Cable-free charging
A bit wobbly on aero posts
Weight:
18g
Contact:
This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends
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.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Knog Plus Rear Light is an impressively simple light that weighs almost nothing, yet at 20 lumens is bright enough for a useful visibility boost. The magnetic mount, cable-free charging and decent battery life – given its tiny size – in the flashing modes make it perfect for winter training, though a limited burn time in steady mode can limit that option to commutes.
The key principle behind this is simplicity. The slim body is full of COB LEDs, and can be plugged directly into a USB port for charging, meaning no cable is required. Plus it's just 18 grams (including the mount), and the 'face' is only 66mm x 14mm.
> Find your nearest dealer here
The light attaches to its mount via a strong magnet, which loops via elastic band around your seatpost. Attachment is quick and easy, and the magnet means you can even reach back mid-ride and clip the light in. I really like how easy this is to pull out and charge directly from a USB socket.
The Plus can wobble more on aero seat posts than regular ones, giving the occasional rattle over sustained rough surfaces. You can clip it to a rear pocket, however, and it works well on the back of a helmet, too.
Performance
The Knog Plus takes four hours to fully recharge, and offers five modes. I favoured Pulse mode, which easily outlasts my winter rides with its claimed 8.5hrs. The longest claimed runtime is Eco Flash at 40hrs – it's still pretty visible, too – while the shortest is Steady at 2hrs.
I tested Steady mode at home and Pulse on my rides. Both matched the battery life claims, and a month's consistent use hasn't affected that. However, longer-term use can see that drop – while the light tested almost two years ago as part of the Knog Plus Twinpack is still in regular use, it now can't manage even 90 minutes on Steady.
That said, there's either variation between units, cold air really affects them or Knog has improved its batteries, as that original unit couldn't manage more than 1hr 45m while riding on Steady when new.
To be honest, personally I feel no need for a brighter rear light, as 20 lumens is easily enough for a driver to see me. Similarly, I have no need for a light to last longer than four hours.
> 18 best rear bike lights for 2020 — boost your day & night visibility
Therefore, the Knog Plus meets my needs really well and is far less bulky than many brighter, more feature-rich and expensive lights.
Value
The retail price for the Knog Plus is £17.99, and for that the value is excellent. The only cheaper one we've reviewed in the last two years is the BBB Spot Rear Light at £14.95, but that has a more awkward mount, only three modes and a build that feels cheap even at that price.
The Topeak Taillux 25, meanwhile, is £20, but bigger, heavier and not as bright as it should be.
More powerful options, such as the Knog Blinder Road R70 or the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 300 are considerably more expensive, at £55 and £50 respectively.
Overall
I've been massively impressed with the Knog Plus rear light. It will appeal to both commuters and committed winter cyclists, and given its tiny size and weight (and affordable price) it's a great second light or emergency backup too. It's simple to use, easy to operate and a very handy thing to have.
Verdict
Impressively simple rear light with good visibility and great design
road.cc test report
Make and model: Knog Plus Rear Light
Size tested: 20 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?
Knog says: "The Knog + (pronounced "plus") front bike light is a super-bright, 100% waterproof and totally versatile USB rechargeable bicycle light."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?
From Knog:
Dimensions: H: 66mm x W: 24mm x L:14mm
Weight: 18 grams
Charge Time: 4 hours
Lumens: 20
Modes (and lifetime)
Steady - 2h
Strobe - 8.5h
Pulse - 4.5h
Fancy Flash - 10h
Eco Flash - 40h
The Plus rear light pumps out an impressive 20 lumens of light and has 5 different light modes. It'll keep you lit up all night long, with run times of up to 40 hours on eco flash. Efficient Chip on Board (COB) LEDs designed to provide maximum brightness level for up to 90% of the battery burn time for each mode.
NO CHARGING CABLE REQUIRED
The integrated USB plug makes charging Plus is a breeze. No charging cable required, Plus plugs directly into USB ports & is designed to be exposed to the elements. Just remove from it's magnetic mount and you're ready to charge.
MULTIPLE MOUNTING METHODS
Where can you mount the Plus? Where can't you mount it! Handlebars, forks, seatposts, pannier racks and stays. Vertical and horizontal. Standard and oversize handlebars and seatposts (22.2 – 31.8mm+). Anything goes.
IT'S WEARABLE TOO
Swapping cycling for camping or running? No dramas. Remove the light from it's magnetic mount and it now doubles as a wearable night running light and versatile camping light. Use the clip to attach the light to your tshirt, shorts, socks, headband, backpack, dog collar (we could go on...)
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?
10/10
Love how simple it is.
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?
8/10
No problems.
Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
7/10
Charge time is four hours, and the run times match Knog's claims.
Steady - 2h
Strobe - 8.5h
Pulse - 4.5h
Fancy Flash - 10h
Eco Flash - 40h
Rate the light for performance:
8/10
The 20 lumens output doesn't sound much, but I found it highly visible.
Rate the light for durability:
8/10
No issues after a month of consistent use (and a previous test unit is still going strong after two years).
Rate the light for weight:
10/10
At 18 grams it's super light.
Rate the light for value:
7/10
Compared to its competitors, a retail price of £17.99 is excellent
Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the light
Slim, light and very easy to detach for recharging.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light
The mount could be more secure on aero seat posts... I got a few rattling noises over bumpy surfaces.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's priced really well. The only cheaper one we've reviewed in the last two years is the BBB Spot Rear Light at £14.95, but that has a more awkward mount, only three modes and a build that feels cheap even at that price. The Topeak Taillux 25, meanwhile, is £20, but bigger, heavier and not as bright as it should be.
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
The Knog Plus light is exceptional. It does everything a commuter could want with ease, is tiny and weighs almost nothing, and is good enough for proper long winter rides too – in its longer-lived flashing modes, at least.
About the tester
Age: 30
I usually ride: S-Works Tarmac My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, club rides, Gravel on a CX bike
Nick hails from the west country and combines riding bikes with hitting balls with cricket bats and golf clubs. You'll find him riding a mix of road, cyclocross and XC MTB.
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Add new comment
10 comments
I've got a biscuit tin filled with dodgy lights; some work some of the time, others have broken clips and two have mangled USB connectors. A few of them cost peanuts, most of them didn't and one of them is a £100 Lezyne. This might prove one of two things: either I'm a ham-fisted oaf or lights aren't what they should be.
Maybe it's just confirmation bias on my part, but I keep reading bad things about Lezyne products. Help me out here please, does anyone have something good to say about them, from actual experience? That's not a dig at Lezyne, I think their stuff often looks great, but maybe I've just read the wrong comments about them.
I have a Lezyne Mega Drive bought in 07.14. It doesn't get used vey often but works fine. Nothing negative to report.
I also have a Lezyne Floor Drive pump bought in 08.12 to take touring. Excellent pump for achieving higher pressures than you are likely to get with a mini pump. Even if you have the biceps for the mini pump Lezyne does it wih a lot less effort and has a built in gauge.
I got a couple of CNC cages for my Getting to Work bike, excellent, they get loose over time and you just bend the wings in.
So good, when my expensive Ringles H2Os turned out too small, I went and got me a couple more of the Lezynes in black for my Ultimate Commuter.
They now do them in "Oil Slick"
My HV Micro floor drive is alright. Proper shiny, needed a new chuck, new one far better. Sort of wished I had found the Topeak version though...
I have 2 of the usb plug in lights which are covered up with a rubber bung. Have had no problems losing them unlike others but one of the lights just stopped charging after a year or so. The other is fine, funnily that one was on sale as the charge light indicator doesn't work properly, never turns to green, just stays at yellow. Still works fine though. I also have their super gps computer. Looks that only a mother could love and hit and miss navigation. Sometimes it just stops working mid ride. Not sure if that's user error but as I find using my phone to check where I'm going easier and more accurate I ignore it now. Also it doesn't always sync well at the end of a ride, again, might be user error, works fine for data collection though. If I was buying again and just needed data I'd choose one of their cheaper ones without navigation, actually, scrap that, I'd get a Bryton instead.
I have a couple of Lezyne zecto rear lights. They work fine. Micro USB socket is deeper than standard so not all cables work. But have held up to use and have reasonable burn time. I have heard of them falling off from saddle bag straps.
I still prefer my exposure TraceR, especially now I have worked out how to fit to seat stays.
I had a pair of knog lights, and while the design is great they are not long-lived. Neither is functional enough to take out for a ride now. Def going to save my money and pass on this one two, despite how pretty this is.
The magnet rusts and splits, the light is not very waterproof (1 destroyed) also if used vertically the light hops out and is lost forever (1 fell into the road and was run over by a car) . However it is perfect for TTs and as an emergency light, it must be the smallest decent light on the market.
Pretty damning. Too bad these reviews are not more searching.
I have one and agree.. the magnet isn't strong enough. Also the rubber retaining band is easy to lose as it is small and thin unlike the huge ones that come with Lezyne lights. Mine lives on a saddle bag now as an emergency night / daytime running light.