Ravemen CL05 USB Rechargeable Lightweight Sensored Rear Light (30 Lumens)

The Ravemen CL05 rear light is great for night rides or dull days. The fast charging, the wide and bright face, and headlamp-sensing tech all suit commuting well, while the high quality build makes it more appealing than cheap and basic options. It's a bit costly for its output, though.

While there's nothing really outstanding here, there's nothing much wrong with the CL05 either – it's just basically good at doing what it's supposed to: shine red.

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It's been on my bike, flashing away redly, in some horrible weather. The rubberised buttons, chunky rubber bung in the USB-C charging port (short lead supplied) and its solid construction remain utterly unfazed. The IPX6 rating means it should withstand high-pressure water jets, and it does.

The mount is very good. The ballpoint pen-type clip on the back of the lamp is well shaped and strongly sprung (the plastics feel great), so it clips onto straps easily and securely.

It also clips very securely into the excellent seatpost mount. This adjusts for angle and can be tensioned with a screwdriver if necessary, while the silicone strap and V-shaped backing mean it sits securely – and vibe-free – on any diameter post, whether aero or round. 

It charges from flat in around 90 minutes, and lasts a little over 3.5 hours on full blast. That's considerably less than the claimed 4.5 hours, although to be fair it doesn't actually shut down until 4.5 hours – it spends a final hour on a low-power flash, having switched to it automatically.

While I suppose that's technically 4.5 hours 'in high mode' – you haven't selected any other mode – it's only 3.5 hours of solid 30-lumen light. Still, that covers an awful lot of night rides easily, and won't leave you unexpectedly in darkness.

I prefer it on flashing anyway, and easily got a week's rides between charges – Ravemen claims between 17 and 22 hours in three of the flash modes, and 8 hours for the hungriest (rapid flashing). It's entirely believable – I never had it go flat during a ride, despite regularly thinking I must be pushing things a bit.

As with solid mode, it cleverly switches to a lower power as it nears exhaustion anyway, but then so do I. At 38g, the CL05 isn't going to hasten this moment.

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Switching on the headlamp sensor sees it flash at its full, 30-lumen brightness as cars loom near, in the whimsical hope of making drivers look up from their phones. It only activates with very bright lights (over 50 lux, says Ravemen) and while it works, it inevitably chews the battery at a faster, and completely unpredictable, rate.

I don't like the sensor button for two reasons. One, the blue glow that tells you it's activated is basically invisible in daylight (should you have it turned on by accident). And two, it's exactly the same size and shape as the main on/off/mode button, and their markings are almost impossible to see. I still can't remember which button is which.

In mitigation, the CL05 isn't quite bright enough for sunny day use anyway, at least to my mind. And it's much easier to see the indicators if it's overcast, and easy in the dark.

At £25.99, the CL05 is a bit expensive for its output, if not its quality. The Topeak Taillux 25 is almost as powerful and £19.99, for instance, while the Magicshine Seemee 100 is £25.99 but has more than three times the power.

The ETC R65 65 Lumen USB Rear Light is also well worth a look at just £15.99, while Ravemen's own CL06 (full review to come) is brighter, longer lasting, and the same weight for not much more than the CL05 – £31.99.

If 30 lumens is enough for you, the Ravemen CL05 is a good choice, especially for dingy commutes and busy night streets. Its solid build certainly feels like it will last.

Confusing buttons aside, the design and construction of both the lamp and the clamp are great, while the charging and burn times are very useful. Put it on your bike and it will reliably sit there and flash, redly, for ages.

Verdict

Very nicely made with an excellent clamp, if not the best value for its brightness