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review

KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset

7
£24.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Well-priced lightset considering the output, although the front mounting point is irritating
Good outputs
Quick charging time
Easy to fit and remove
Eye-catching modes
Front light uses the same angled mount as the rear
Weight: 
57g

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If you just want to be seen or you want a set of emergency lights, then you can't get much more reasonably priced than the KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset. They chuck out a decent amount of illumination, will cope with some rain and shouldn't turn on accidentally in your bag, and while they aren't perfect, you really can't really complain for this sort of money.

For a light to be seen by 85 lumens offers a decent amount of punch, and when using either of the two flashing modes you should hopefully get picked out by drivers among the background of a dreary urban environment. And if you are in the market for bike lights – front and rear, to see and be seen by – have a look at our best bike lights buyer's guide.

2022 KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset 1.jpg

In the box you'll find two lights: one front, one rear. These are basically identical to each other although – with the obvious exception that one is white and the other red.

They are operated via a button on the side/top depending on the light's orientation. You press and hold this button to turn it off or on, while a quick press lets you scroll through the four modes – two solid, two flashing. Because of their design both lights offer good visibility from the sides too.

Battery life ranges from three hours to 14.5 hours, which I easily achieved in practice, and they only take a couple of hours to charge through a USB input hidden behind a rubber cover. This helps to give the Sabre lights their IPX4 rating, which means they can resist water being sprayed at it rather than a biblical deluge.

2022 KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset - USB port.jpg

That said, I used the rear light on a seatpost on a bike without mudguards and even on wet days water ingress wasn't a problem.

2022 KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset - rear light 2.jpg

Their mounts are simple rubber straps that screw into the rear section of each light. It simply wraps around the seatpost or bar with whichever hole in the strap lines up with the hook on the opposing end. This makes fitting and removing them quick – ideal if you have to leave your bike unattended.

2022 KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset - rear light 1.jpg

The mounts are tapered, which works brilliantly on the rear light as the seatpost angle ensures the light sits vertically.

2022 KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset - front light 2.jpg

The problem is that the front has the same mount – so when you fit it to your handlebar it doesn't point straight ahead. It points to one side or the other, which I found really irritating. Even at this price, a separate mount for the front light shouldn't have been too difficult to include.

Value and rivals

That said, as they cost just £24.99 the pair I'm not going to complain too much. Yes, you can pick up lights for a fiver in a bargain supermarket, but you won't be getting 85 lumens, and they'll probably be running coin batteries that will work out more expensive in the long run.

We've tested other sets recently, such as the diminutive Knog Frog V3 Light Twinpack that Josh reviewed, but these only put out 40 lumens and they're nearly twice as expensive at £46.99 a pair.

The ETC Sarin 30 Lumen Lightset that Steve put through its paces is slightly cheaper at £40, but you are still looking at £40 for a set of 30 lumen lights.

Conclusion

Not perfect, mostly down to that front mounting strap but you're getting a high output and decent build quality for very little money.

Verdict

Well-priced lightset considering the output, although the front mounting point is irritating

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road.cc test report

Make and model: KranX Sabre 85 USB Twinset

Size tested: 85 lumens

Tell us what the light set 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?

An easy-to-fit lightset that offers great output for the money.

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

85 lumens

USB rechargeable

4 modes

COB LED

600mAh Li battery

3.5 - 14.5hr runtime

Charging indicator

2hr charge time

IPX4 for water resistance. It can resist spray force of water but not very heavy rainfall.

Rate the front light for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the rear light for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the light set for design and ease of use. How simple were the lights to use?
 
8/10
Rate the front light for the design and usability of the clamping system
 
3/10
Rate the rear light for the design and usability of the clamping system
 
8/10
Rate the front light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
7/10
Rate the front light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
7/10
Rate the front light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
8/10
Rate the rear light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
8/10
Rate the front light for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the rear light for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the front light for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the rear light for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the front light for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the rear light for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the light set for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the lights performed overall when used for their designed purpose

Simple to use and bright enough to stand out even in a busy urban environment.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the lights

Powerful output for not a lot of money.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the lights

The front mount means the light doesn't face directly straight when it's mounted on the handlebar.

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

They are well priced, coming in much less than competitors mentioned in the review, and those also offer less output.

Did you enjoy using the lights? Yes

Would you consider buying the lights? Yes, although I'd modify the front mount.

Would you recommend the lights to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The front mount could do with a tweak, but apart from that the Sabres are a well-built set of lights that chuck out plenty of illumination for the money.

Overall rating: 7/10

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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