Let There Be Light! Pez Reviews the Ravemen FR300 and TR250

We all know that bicycle-related technology has seen huge changes in the last three decades: clipless pedals, brifters, carbon frames, aero wheels, disc brakes, electronic shifting, tubeless tires, fat tires, gearing ranges and so forth. One area seldom mentioned is one of the most utilitarian: lights. From the dawn of cycling when carbide lamps were the thing to dynamo systems pressing the rear tire to low power headlights with big batteries we have now come to the era of lightweight powerful LED lights. After seeing lots of ads for Ravemen lights pop up on social media (Facebook: “We know what you like!”), I reached out to the company in Hong Kong and received a pair of lights to try out.

While the obvious use of lights is to illuminate the road ahead when out on your bike at night, more recently there has been a trend to “daytime running lights” (DLRs) by riders, akin to the requirement for drivers to have their lights on all the time in many jurisdictions. According to one website (and I cannot vouch for its accuracy or any supporting details), the rate of accidents experienced by cyclists was reduced by 47% during the worst time of the day, which is afternoon/early evening rush hours, through the use of DLRs. The Ravemen FR300 is specifically meant for use during the day, described on the box as an “eye-catching daytime running safety light.”

The handsomely-designed light weighs 75 grams and has some clever features. At maximum strength it puts out 300 lumens when “warning flashing,” which is pretty noticeable, but there are various other modes: steady beam at 200, 100 or 50 lumens, or rapid or slow flashing, both at 100. Battery life, rechargeable via USB-C, ranges from a claimed 4 hours to 24, and recharging time is 1.8 hours.

The FR300 is designed to mount on a Garmin-type computer mount and locks in quite securely. The advantage to this is that it reduces handlebar clutter with its low profile (and the light also is visible on the sides) but also because you can then attach a bike computer to the top of the light as there is a built-in Garmin mount there as well. Ravemen also provide an attachment which will allow use of a Wahoo bike computer as an alternative. Plus there is a little leash on the light that can be wrapped around the handlebars for additional security when riding on rough roads.

My experience with the FR300 has been very positive. The light is easy to use in cycling through the different modes and even offers a setting that automatically turns off the unit when not in motion for two minutes. My very small Garmin Edge 25 computer fitted nicely on the top of the FR300 and it should work for larger computers although cellphones would probably be too heavy. The steady 200 lumen setting is quite bright and will probably help you get home in failing light but the 300 lumen “warning flashing,” which apparently would run for 8 hours, is startling in its intensity. It should be noted that there are places (France and Germany come to mind) where flashing lights are not permitted on bicycles so the steady-state settings would be need there.

There is another little trick the FR300 offers: with the right bike computer mounted it is possible to “reverse charge” the light, passing current into the bike computer via a USB-C to micro-USB cable. There is a caveat here as your bike computer needs a micro-USB slot for charging (my Edge 25 does not use this) plus the slot needs to be at the bottom of the computer and not on the back, as was the case with a Coospo BC-107 I tried as well. On a very long ride this could be a helpful feature to keep a computer going all the way to the end but one suspects the charging would not be very fast.

Turning to the TR250 taillight, it has many of the features of the front light, including multiple modes, automatic on/off, and a recharging/low battery indicator. Maximum “warning flashing” power is 250 lumens and, again, this is very noticeable and would be very effective at night. A steady-state setting runs at 40, 20 or 5 lumens. The unit illuminates at a very wide angle and even features “smart brake sensing.” This is probably most effective using the light in the steady state as it would go to 100 lumens for 2 seconds as the motion sensor is activated, while the “rapid” or “slow” flashing settings are already at 100 lumens so it is not clear how much of a difference the brake sensing would be.

Ravemen thoughtfully provide no less than three ways to attached the TR250 to your bike, with a saddle clip, a seatpost clamp and even a backpack clip.

Ravemen began in business in 2013 with the goal of making a safe light suitable for night riding but also friendly to other road users and two years later the company introduced what it claims was the world’s first bicycle headlight featuring high and low beams. The firm’s website shows quite a range of cycling lights, meant for either night or daytime use. Our experience with the FR300 and TR250 is very positive. These are well-engineered and attractive designs that deliver what they promise. In a world of inattentive drivers, anything that can improve our visibility and safety is welcome. We have come a very long way from carbide lamps indeed!

• For more information, check out the Ravemen website here: www.ravemen.com
• Ravemen products are available through a variety of sources, including the company’s own shop: shop.ravemen.com
• or via Amazon through the official Ravemen Store: www.amazon.ca

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