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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: FEBRUARY 21st
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Cycplus Radar Tail Light L7
68g £81.12
The Cycplus Radar Tail Light L7 is a rear light with all the features of a middle range light plus more tech that gives it both a braking and radar function to warn vehicles approaching from the rear, whilst linking it to your computer (if compatible) via the app and it may just give you more information than you thought you needed as well as a useful warning, to help you keep eyes to the front. And there’s more.
Pros: solidly made, lots of useful functions, IPX6, wide-angle radar detection tuneable via the app, good charge time
Cons: no rack mount.
Specification
In the box you will find the unit, a seat-post mount with two adaptors – aero and circular etc.– two watch straps, a saddle mount, a lanyard, and, of course, a charging cable. There is also a very useful instruction booklet.
So, where does one start? Well, since it is a light, let’s begin with the fundamentals, although the lens area may look small, taking up about 8mm of the length. Size is not the be-all or end-all of illumination. In fact, the unit, which measures 76.5x37x20mm, owes its size to the mass of tech stored within the tough polycarbonate casing. Even so, the light gives presence round 270 degrees. Indeed, the lens cover acts as a collimator that enhances performance well above what the stats might suggest.
On the back of the casing is a half-turn bracket integrated into the casing, At the base is the press button switch and the charging point which is covered by a rubber flap which fits into recess very snugly. There’s also a small hole for the lanyard. At the base of the front of the light is a tiny indicator light for charge level and radar status. You can also see the charge on the App.
So, what of the tech? Well, first of all download the Cycplus App. This will enable you to update firmware. The process of linking to your phone is easy enough. With the firmware updated you are ready to go.
The radar aims to detect traffic approaching from up to 160metres away. It’ll flash five times per second when a vehicle is approaching form behind at more than 20km/hour, to alert the driver to your presence – if they haven’t yet cottoned on to you. With a suitably compatible device (ANT+/BLE5.0 required) you will also get an audible warning and you’ll even get to know the position of the vehicle and “danger level”, whatever that may mean. The radar light will only work, obviously, in Radar mode but not in blinking or “breathing” modes.
There’s also a braking function (not in blinking or “breathing“ modes) which gives a brighter light for two sections when you put on the brakes. Group riders might appreciate the L7’s peleton mode, which enables Team Synchronisation i.e. if there are multiple L7s they can flash all together in blinking or” breathing” modes. And, yes, it does remember which mode you are in and will turn itself off after three minutes of inactivity and activate itself again. Just remember the latter, if you are sticking it in a pocket or bag!
The small charge and status light is not easy to see in some lights and from some angles, so it is helpful that there is an auto sleep function. It would be very easy to leave the device on when it is in radar mode. Three minutes of inaction and off goes the L7, starting up again when movement is detected. Watch out for pocket activation, if removing the L7 from the bike.
Mounting and bracket 3.75/5
With two watch straps – long and short – and two adaptors, there should be seat-post options for any shape of seat-post. Just pick your preferred adaptor and away you go. Although not a great fan of saddle mounted lights, the bracket for mounting on the saddle rails works very well.
A half-turn secures the unit. Just be sure it has clicked in positively. Ours was a little stiff at first requiring a firm twist to ensure proper engagement in the bracket. Things worked a bit freer over time, but, truth is, a solid grip is to be valued when you have a bit of gear worth over £80. Mind you, I’ve never felt a real need for the lanyard attachment even when bouncing over tree roots and gravel trails.
The lanyard slips through a tiny aperture in the top corner of the rear of the unit. The guide recommends looping it around the saddle rails when using the saddle rail mount, but it is long enough to use if mounted high on the seat-post, too. Whilst it makes removing the unit a tad fiddly, it certainly adds security to your investment.
On a similar note, when removing he unit from the seat post, take are no to let the adaptor drop out. I’ve taken to fastening the watch-strap to hold it in place. There have been o attempted escapes since adopting that policy.
There’s no specific rack mount, but it may be possible to bodge one using the rack mount and some nuts and bolts form the spares box, should you wish to have a go.
Care and durability 3.75/5
Use the lanyard to make dropping the unit less of a possibility.
IPX 6 covers all everyday weather and dust protection. Given it the extra protection of its mounting positions – even without mudguards – and the neatly fitting plug that cover the charge port, there’s little chance of any ingress. I have conformed this by getting soaked on the way home three times and emptying a water can over it.
Beyond that, a wipe with a damp cloth has been all that has been needed to get rid of unwanted trail splatter.
Charging, modes and run times 4/5
There are five modes, which give a sensible mixture of two steady modes and two flash modes (one is a breathing or night flash). The final mode is for use of the radar function during the day. The maximum run time in the high flashing mode is 22 hours, with 30 the limit for the radar mode. Now within those parameters, length of run will depend on factors like how much the radar is in use and what levels you have adjusted the light to on the app. However, experience would suggest they are about right. There’s no kick-down mode when the battery charge drops.
The App does not seem to be able to link during charging, so depend upon he little light. Cycplus suggest two and a half hours for a full charge, but I have consistently managed closer to 2 hours from the mains, zero to full. On the unit the little light turns red when there’s less than 30% charge left and remains green when there’s more. Some may well like a third indicator to show when there’s over 50% or suchlike, bit that is a relatively minor issue given the battery indicator on the app.
That little light toward the bottom of the unit also acts as a radar mode indicator – steady is on, flashing is off.
Performance 4/5
The maximum illumination in any mode is 20 lumens. This is far from the most powerful light, in those term. However, lumens is a measure of light cast, and that is not necessarily the best way of thinking about tail lghts. Cycplus point out that they have kept the lumens modest to protect the cyclist behind. Even so, the impact of the L7 is much greater than the stats suggest. This si no an uncommon phenomenon with rear lights, in my experience. On an unlit lane, Mode 2 steady at 50% gives clear presence at 7-100metres, with Mode 1 steady at 100% taking it another forty or fifty metres. You can be seen form further, but those figures are plenty for the real world. Presence is harder to fathom in ghe bright lights of the city, but the flashing mode certainly seems effective, if you prefer it to the steady modes.
I have not been able to team up with another L7 to test the peleton mode, however, this feature can be found increasingly in mid to top-end rear lights. Equally, anecdotally, it seems that the 20 lumens max causes no offence at close quarters.
The radar function – detecting vehicles approaching form behind – seems to work as advertised, although an exact measurement is nor really possible in the context of testing. It is also hard to measure the impact on drivers, although, in heavy traffic it seems effective. On longer unlit night rides it may wake up drivers expecting to have the road to themselves. Drivers I have spoken to, suggest that whilst it may help, on a quiet, unit road, a bright tail-light is all that is needed. Mind you, that is not a criticism of the L7, and the drivers I have spoken to may have reason to promote how alert they are.
Linking up the radar function to a compatible Garmin GPS, I have to say that I did not find being told how far the vehicle is behind and what its danger value is particularly helpful, at first. Rather like with the first basic bike computer I used, I wanted to keep looking at it. I’d say it will be of most value to the head down, full-speed ahead speedster. That is no longer me – if it ever was – but I’ll not decry its use. I found the sound alert more useful, although not in heavy traffic. However, on all-nighter or on long stretches of empty road, I’ll concede that ot may wake me from my countryside idyll.
Overall, this works very well as a light – fundamental – and its other features will be more or less desirable depending on how and where you ride, who with, and how much you enjoy a bit of tech. I am not renowned for my enjoyment of tech, but, as ever, even I have to concede its effectiveness in many situations. I have found the tunability of the light useful, as well as the ability to check the charge level before hitting the road.
The App 3.5/5
The Cycplus app is easy to use and thoroughly intuitive. Note that after updates you need to reconnect and some of the functions may work slightly differently than they did in an older version. The app also gives access to some finer tuning. The brightness of the light can be adjusted in all modes. Simply slide it to the percentage you wish. This can have a big impact on run times. You can also turn other functions on and off. Being a bit of a fogey, I was really pleased with the ease of use. You can, of course, adjust things on the fly. Personally, I would not, but it is, as ever, your call.
Value 4/5
We recently reviewed the Magicshine SeeMee 100 AD Radar Light. Now this is brighter, hs more modes and is cheaper by a good thirty-five pounds or so. However, it claims to detect movement 25 metres behind – a long way short of the L7 – and not at the same width of angle. Run times are also shorter on the SeeMee 100 and it is not as tuneable.
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The Garmin RTL515 is more expensive, shares some of the main features, but has shorter run times. However, for day-time running fans it has a day flash set at 65 lumens. Bryton’s Gardia comes in the same price bracket as the L7, but again has shorter run times in radar mode. See.Sense ICON3 is a penny short of £100, but hosts masses of technology as well as having a 350 lumens top whack.
Summary
As the reactive lighting market growas and tech becomes ever more the norm, we should all remember we want a light that works – not dazzles or blinds – and it takes a leap of faith for many to trust tech over the look over the shoulder. However, the L7 does work as a light, and does not dazzle or blind; and the other functions are genuinely useful, especially to the faster rider who want to keep ahead at speed or who seeks that little bit more peace of mind by knowing that the approaching driver will get a little extra hint that there are cyclists about. Equally, running time of 22 hours is handy both for commuting and for a weekend away.
