BBB SpyCombo USB Front and Rear Light Set

Tell us what the light set is for

BBB says: "Multifunctional light for use in the city. Also a good light to use on outdoor activities where visibility is key, such as running or walking your dog."

Watch BBB's video for more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCKZ_ququ3E

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

Front light:

40 Lumens, 3 hours

20 Lumens, 6 hours

40 lumens flashing, 25 hours.

Rear light:

15 lumens, 3 hours

7.5 lumens, 6 hours

15 lumens flashing, 25 hours

Includes 2x usb cables, assoreted rubber bands, two bar/seatpost mounts, one combined front/rear mount with velcro strap.

Seems reasonably tough.

Simple push-the-lens operation and scrolling through limited but useful modes. Easy twist-in fitting.

The shaping of the rubber back-pad is not ideal. On the handlebar the light tended to move upwards (not helped by the rather slack rubber bands provided). On the back there's no account taken of the seatpost angle so the light points too far down. However, they are secure.

BBB advises against leaving the lights on your bike when you wash it, which suggests a lack of confidence in waterproofing. There is a seal between the light and mount, and at the lens end there is a rubber seal behind the head unit.

The test period was dry and benign. We shall see what winter brings!

Better battery life than forecast by about 20%. Recharge time around 2 hours.

The front light is fine as a day-running light or a get-you-seen urban night light but did have a tendency to point upwards. The concentric light-and-dark circles are not wonderful on dark roads.

The rear light is plenty bright enough for town and country but doesn't point back towards the traffic properly.

The test period's been pretty benign so this hasn't been a demanding test for the long-term durability of these lights. If the water stays out of the electronics they should be okay as they are simple and quite tough.

Negligible.

BBB might argue that the lightset's versatility makes it good value – one set of lights to do it all. For me, though, they just didn't deliver enough performance on the bike to justify this fairly substantial outlay. If you want to dress up like the guy in the video, with four sets of lights and one set for the dog, it'll set you back nearly £300!

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

The lights themselves are adequate, if unexceptional. The mounts are secure but not really bike-friendly.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the lights

Good battery life, simple to use.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the lights

Difficult to direct them at the traffic. Price.

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a crowded market out there with good lights available at all kinds of budgets. I thought these lights delivered modest-budget performance at a rather high price.