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review
Exposure Strada 1200.jpg£289.96
VERDICT:
Tough light that offers excellent road-specific illumination, although it's expensive
Weight:
249g
Contact:
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.
- Exceptional
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Quite good
- Average
- Not so good
- Poor
- Bad
- Appalling
The Exposure Strada 1200 is a well-made and durable light that offers all the illumination you could need on the road and very good battery life, although it is an expensive option.
I can't imagine that you'll ever need any more light than the Strada 1200 provides. It's more powerful than ever. On one of my recent rides I headed up onto Salisbury Plain on a moonless evening to try it out in complete blackness and I was always perfectly happy with the amount of road I could see ahead. Even on fast descents I was riding in the same way as I would in daylight rather than backing off and taking things tentatively because of a lack of vision.
> Find your nearest dealer here
The Strada 1200 (we're up to the mark eight version now) offers up to three different modes: high, medium and – you'll never guess this – low. Those modes vary according to which of the five different programs you decide to use.
If you go for Program 1, for example, you get approximately 3 hours of battery life in high mode, 10 hours in medium mode and 24 hours in low mode. Switch to Program 2 and you get about 4 hours in high mode, 12 hours in medium mode and 36 hours in low mode. Obviously, you get a little less light in each of the modes with Program 2. You can also choose a flashing mode for daytime visibility.
You select the setup that best suits the riding you are doing. Chances are that you won't need the high mode most of the time. I just put it on for those quick descents in the back of beyond that I mentioned and times when the surface was particularly iffy – you might have a bit of potholed towpath on your commute, for example. I did most of my riding in medium mode, even when I was on unlit roads. You could go with one of Exposure's lower power – and cheaper – Strada lights, the 600 or the 900, if you're not too fussed about having a super-bright option.
> Buyer's Guide: The best front lights for cycling
All of the Stradas have two different lenses: a spot and a wide, flat flood. The LEDs are driven individually on the circuit board so that when you change between the modes the wide flood beam remains, but the spot beam is reduced to avoid dazzling oncoming road users. Leave the Strada 1200 in high mode when motorists are coming the other way and they're likely to flash their lights at you.
Switching modes is a simple matter of pushing a raised metal button on the back of the light unit (which is much easier to use with gloved hands than the capacitive switch on the last Exposure Strada that we reviewed) or using Exposure's handlebar-mounted remote switch, a button connected by cable to the light unit.
Bear in mind that the results shown here in our Beam Engine (see below) relate to the high mode with a focused spot beam that allows you to see into the distance. Dip the light down and the Strada 1200 looks less like a spotlight! You get a broad beam that allows you to see the full width of the road, including the verges (unless you're on a dual carriageway or something).
A small display on the back of the light tells you which program and mode you're using, the percentage of charge in the battery and the approximate run-time remaining. Although run-times vary a little according to temperature, I found this to be pretty accurate and it's a useful feature. If your ride home is going to take about 1:30hrs and the display is reading 'M 1:18' you know that it would be a good idea to switch down from medium to low mode.
That display reads the right way up even if you position the light upside down underneath your handlebar, thanks to an accelerometer that detects the orientation. Exposure calls this 'flip flop graphics' and it's a cool feature.
Build quality
A machined aluminium casing protects the internals. Drop the Strada 1200 and you might scratch the surface but you're unlikely to dent it and the light will probably carry on functioning, in my experience. You wouldn't want to drop it too often, mind, but I have a Strada from a few years ago that has taken more than its fair share of punishment and it's still going strong. It's starting to look a bit old and battle weary, but aren't we all?
The Strada 1200's casing is cut away slightly at the sides of the lens to provide extra visibility when you're passing junctions or riding in traffic. The top of the lens, on the other hand, is slightly recessed so you don't get any glare coming up into your eyes as you ride.
Exposure has been using the same hinged aluminium mounting bracket for years and it works just fine. The light itself is held securely in place on that bracket by a sprung pin. Putting it on and taking it off takes a couple of seconds and could hardly be easier.
You can't alter the angle of the light on the fly – that's a hex key job – so the focus will be a set distance in front of you whatever speed you're riding (as with many other lights out there). In truth, the amount of light the Strada offers means this is rarely an issue.
The Exposure 1200 came in at 249g on the road.cc scales which is a little more than some plastic lights of similar power (the Cygolite Metro Pro 1100 USB is 154g, for comparison) but that doesn't bother me, to be honest. It's hardly heavy.
What I would say, though, is that whereas the Exposure Strada used to stand out in terms of the technology and power it offered, other brands such as Cygolite, with its Metro Pro 1100 mentioned above, are now offering similar levels of lighting at lower prices. Check out our beam comparison for more. That said, the Strada still has a lot going for it, particularly in terms of durability, and you won't be disappointed by the performance.
Verdict
Tough light that offers excellent road-specific illumination, although it's expensive
road.cc test report
Make and model: Exposure Strada 1200
Size tested: Max Lumens 1200
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?
Exposure says, "The 1200 remains the premium road light, now with improved side illumination, flip flop graphics and the stem fit bracket set as standard means the Strada 1200 still delivers superlative performance without compromising the precious space on your bars. The 1200 lumen flat, road specific beam pattern is perfectly suited for rural roads and remote switching allows for ease of use meaning you stay in control without taking your eye off the road."
In the box: Strada 1200, Quick release stem bracket, Smart charger, USB charge cable, Quick start guide.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?
You get a whole lot of light here! The beam engine results we show relate to the highest power setting which really punches a hole into the darkness. The Strada 1200 looks a lot less of a spotlight in other modes.
Exposure lists these features:
*Road Specific beam
*OLED Status Display (the panel gives program and mode information before switching to a burntime countdown)
*Remote Switch
*Smart Port + (it automatically recognises accessories allowing you to power additional front and rear lights, use the Remote Switch and charge USB devices on the move)
*Cable Free Design
*Intelligent Thermal Management (patented technology in the circuitry of Exposure Lights stop the light from heating up to a point where the light loses power due to the elevated temperature)
*Optimum Mode Selector (allows you to easily select from a concise number of programs to provide the optimum lighting for your ride)
*Fuel Gauge (accurately displays battery power and burntime information so you can see how long you have left to ride)
*QR Bracket
2 Year Warranty
*Made in the UK
The light is 106mm long with a 44mm diameter.
The rechargeable battery is Li Ion 7,800mAh
Rate the light for quality of construction:
9/10
The aluminium shell is tough and protective.
Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
9/10
You just pick the program you want (the details are printed on the aluminium shell so you don't need to remember them). Once you've chosen the program, you just switch to the mode (high, medium or low) that you want.
Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
8/10
You need a hex key to alter the angle of the light – there's no quick release on the clamp. That can occasionally be annoying but it is super-secure.
Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
9/10
Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
8/10
The battery last about 36hrs on the dimmest mode and about 3hrs on the highest. Recharging takes 9hrs – so overnight, in most cases.
Rate the light for performance:
9/10
Rate the light for durability:
9/10
You might scratch the aluminium shell but you're going to have to go some to damage the internals.
Rate the light for weight:
7/10
Rate the light for value:
6/10
Other brands are now offering similar levels of lighting at cheaper prices.
Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It's a very good unit that provides all the illumination you're likely to need on the road in a tough package.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the light
The amount of light on offer and a display that gives you accurate remaining run-time.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light
It's not cheap. The only more expensive lights included in our beam engine this year are a couple of Exposure's off-road lights.
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 score
Exposure Stradas have always scored highly on road.cc over the years. This year's model is a little more powerful than the last version that we reviewed and in terms of performance it is a definite 9, but the fact that the competition has improved – meaning that you can get something almost as good far cheaper – brings the overall score down to 8.
About the tester
Age: 43
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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38 comments
The level of ego measuring in this comments section has made it a pointless read. Thanks for literally nthing.
...and it took you 4 years to read?
What I don't understand is if you look at the beam comparison pictures that road.cc has in their reviews, the Exposure lights look less bright than all the others at the same price and supposed output. And they are a little duller in practice too. They are still very nice though. Just not as usefully bright as you'd expect.
I have the Philips, it still blinds anyone small enough to be below the cut-off so I can't imagine using much brighter lights with no cut-off that blind anyone who looks at them. The Philips still doesn't seem to have been bettered as a cheap road light, It is a bit odd that nobody seems to want to make a light like the Philips at a reasonable price with the improved technology of the last few years.
I've used the Strada Mk 6 (1000 lumens) for the last two years, incl for winter commutes on unlit roads where it is super-reliable and v robust. It is fantastic IF you use the supplied remote switch. You can program the Strada to toggle between 'low' and 'high' beam and alongside the remote switch this works faultlessly.
'Full' beam will certainly dazzle any oncoming road users but IMHO is v desirable on fast descents etc. I have used STVO-compliant lights (B&M Ixon IQ premium). They are great but are seriously lacking on fast descents and other high speed riding where the rider needs to be able see well ahead. The Strada covers both very well - providing the user is responsible enough to dip the beam for oncoming road users. When doing so, the dipped beam is still just bright enough and concentrated enough so that you can see your route ahead despite oncoming car lights.
If riders uses this light responsibly (i.e. dipping the beam for oncoming road users) it is fantastic for road use. If they do not, it is because they are selfish, not because of any shortcomings with this light.
ps. The remote is a little temperamental in heavy rain. If, unlike me, you enjoy riding at night at high speeds in heavy rain(!) you might find you need to dip the headlight using the main switch which is a slight PITA
I have the 800 lumen version of this, it is the Mk7 version. I previously had the Mk4 version which only came as 800 lumens. I used to get told the Mk4 light was too bright on cycle paths by other oncoming cyclists. I got told by a pedestrian it was too bright as well. So when other users were about I would put it on half beam (400 lumens) and then it was fine. Sadly the Mk4 and myself parted company unexpectedly so I got a Mk7 replacement.
The Mk7 is not as bright as the Mk4. On full beam I still get told it is brighter than the sun but on half beam it is bearly usable. They probably introduced the 1200 lumen version to make up for the dimmer light in the 800. It's all about the beam pattern. If they can concentrate the beam so that it does not spill upward then 800 lumens would be bright enough and it would not dazzle anyone. If they can do it with car headlights that are up to 3000 lumen then what does it take to make it work for bike lights??
The other thing is on the Mk7 the burn time remaining display is completely unreliable. They must have used the same algorithm as Apple for the iPhone. Hope they have fixed that now.
They (Lupine at least, and possibly BuMM) clearly can. What they apparently can't do is make one that's really like a car headlight, with a real main beam as well as a dipped beam. Don't know whether that's just too hard, or forbidden by the German regulations lest nasty cyclists cause problems for the important road users.
I can say from experience that a high beam isn't required unless you venture off road and need to look out for low branches when going fast. The beam on road is much brighter as a result because you aren't wasting half of it lighting up the sky.
At least three reasons why a high beam is useful - off road part of the commute, seeing on difficult hilly sections of road, being seen 'over the rise' by traffic. Btw, I ride with an icon premium , so I do know about the advantages, but i do wish stvzo enthusiasts would stop being so bloody patronizing, and recognise there are drawbacks as well.
All lights have advantages and disadvantages ... the reason for an StVZO light is not because of advantages for the user (e.g. longer battery life for given illumination), but because they eliminate dazzle for someone who is coming the other way ... the same reason we have dipped headlights on cars.
Disagree. The advantage of an StVZO is I can leave it at full brightness when there's an oncoming car. If I had one of these 3 billion lumen CREE monstrositites I couldn't.
I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with as you basically just agreed with what I said. You can leave your StVZO light on full because you aren't dazzling oncoming traffic, which is exactly what I said.
Try to see beyond that (pun). My point is that because the light has the hard cut-off I can leave it at full brightness and not have to faff around with a tiny button or take a hand off the bars to shield the light every time there's another vehicle around.
[/quote]
... but i do wish stvzo enthusiasts would stop being so bloody patronizing
[/quote]
Couldn't agree more, they (one in particular) seem to think that no one who has a bright light has the decency to turn it down (yes, most lights now have different brightness settings) or shield it when there is oncoming traffic.
In my experience I've never known another cyclist to turn down or shield their light ... at least not until they are already about to pass when its already too late. Maybe things are different where you live.
Oh no, I don't like people commenting about beam shapes; it is annoying to me that they have an opinion that differs from mine, especially if it might reflect badly on my attitude to other road users if they are right; there should be a law against risponsible[?] people causing others to experience buyer's remorse.
There, I think I have dismissed the views of my fellow users of a web site that used to be quite a friendly little community in as contemptuous a way as possible.
You can report annoying ads here http://road.cc/content/page/227406-reporting-annoying-or-intrusive-adver... or by following the link at the bottom of this and every page on road.cc. Any ad that isn't ours will have a code on it a screen grab of the code is what we need to kill the ad. More about all that here http://road.cc/content/news/230562-bad-ad-update-2-its-all-about-code
Typing "f**ck o*f" in to the send message box may make you feel better but it isn't going to help (unless you accompany it with the ad code) and it may get you banned – especially if you go for the unasterisked version. It may not - but those messages do go to real people, and some of them can be quite tetchy. No, it's not me.
Anyway bottom line is we are acting to get rid of them and we certainly don't put them there on purpose or want them on the site. They are a massive PITA.
Gah! Just got it then myself
Thanks Tony ... I will take your advice. I only started typing the F word into the ad box after weeks of being annoyed by these ads scrolling my page without permission and playing loud ads for stuff I am not interested in. Its the way these ads take over your browser that is particularly annoying more so than what the ad is about. They are extremely intrusive partucularly as they will pop up again a few minutes after you cancel them.
Got one and it's excellent but is costly, as described.
BTW Road.cc...please get rid of those video ads. the review is barely readable because of them.
I agree ... those video ads are extremely annoying and won't go away ... even if you type "f**ck o*f" into the send message box ... they will come back on the next web page or refresh. Particularly annoying as they force your page to scroll up to the ad, so your reading is interrupted. The most annoying ads I've ever experienced. Don't be surprised if they prove counterproductive and the number of website visits drops.
*** PLEASE REMOVE THESE ADS from Road.cc ***
Oh no, i dont like the beam shape; it is going to melt drivers who look at it; it is going to blind pilots of low flying jumbo jets; it will scare the fish in the canal if someone uses it on a tow path; there should be a law against it because one irrisponsible person in going to use it on full beam.
There, i think i have anticipated all the silly complaints we are going to get from people who have never used it. I wish i could afford it.
I have no problems with this light as it is more suited than most for road use. It is not as good as a proper StVZO certified light for road use but is a step in the right direction. The illumination pattern does look good from a user point of view with nice wide even illumination at close range. Quite pricey though.
Dazzling drivers is dangerous because while they may be able to see you, they can't see anything else - including pedestrians and other cyclists on the road. Riding with this light on a canal is also dangerous, because pedestrians will be dazzled. Blind pedestrians on a muddy, slippery towpath at night, next to a pitch black body of cold water, is not a good idea.
You may call such complaints silly but countries like Germany, with their strict laws on bicycle lighting, have the right idea. Badly-aimed and dazzling bicycle lights are dangerous to other road users.
And if you ever find yourself in a position where you can afford this, don't buy it. Get a Lupine SL A instead, because that's not only brighter, but completely non-dazzling.
Can you recommend any UK sellers for Lupine lights?
Struggling to find on the google machine.
Thanks.
Currently the German shops are the only option I can see. Sure it's wonderful, but blooming expensive.
Try this Amazon UK search for StVZO...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dsports&field-keywords=stvzo
Just buy from them direct. Delivery takes a couple of days.
Trust me, it is an unbelievably good light, I doubt there's anything better on the market. The cutoff has to be seen to be believed.
The shop I used to work in sold Lupine. Astonishing lights.
Ha ha, funny. Try buying a decent bike light that complies with the German STVO (rules). They are very happy if you would like to ride around with a candle on your bike to avoid dazzling the SUV/Audi drivers with their multi-thousand lumen LEDs. I, for one, certainly value my personal safety over this "standard" of lighting, not to mention the importance of being able to see where I'm going.
I use a Cateye Volt 700, normally on the medium brightness setting (400lumen?) except for pitch black lanes. I do find myself scrabbling to either tilt the light or change the setting though if someone comes in the opposite direction. I would be interested to know how the remote switch works on the reviewed light: Does it simply switch between full and dipped beam, like in a car? This would be ideal IMO, as I really don't need to switch through all the various modes when all I want to do is avoid dazzling oncomming traffic.
The light has several modes and 2 or 3 settings in each mode. The switch moves between the 2 or 3 settings in the selected mode. I think the order is low medium high low medium high in 3 point modes. So shifting to non dazzling is a single thumb press on the remote switch mounted on the shifter hood.
I find that most oncoming cars will only dip their lights if you dip yours. If you start from a low point they will not bother because you are not affecting them.
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