Light and Motion Vis180 LED rear light

There’s no questioning Light and Motion’s Vis180 wow factor with its thirty-five lumens producing a “Ready Break” cocoon of light around rider and companion-perfect for winter training, utility riding or commuting with trailers/tag-alongs. However, you’d expect something pretty special from an Led costing the best part of £100.

Prised from the packet, it’s quite an imposing piece of kit tipping the scales at 135g, although much of this is attributable to the substantial li-on battery. Most lights boast 180 degrees visibility but the Vis incorporates a dedicated lens and clever mounting bracket ensuring optimal output regardless of positioning. Despite suggestion to the contrary, it assumed the contours of my helmet perfectly, although the additional weight was noticeable for the first few miles. The large on/off switch is just the right side of positive, won’t engage accidentally yet gloved hands easily navigate between cruise and race modes. Simply describing these as high and low doesn’t do them justice. Cruise denotes the full sequential cycle of high, medium and low whereas race should be thought of as the economy setting, forgoing medium in the interests of battery life

Toggling between the two on the fly is quite tricky so I stuck with cruise for most purposes, remembering to fuel up at the computer’s USB more frequently. It’s one thing being extremely bright; it’s another being visible. General consensus when followed along unlit rural roads by friends and family is that it emanates a piercing arc of light, readily visible from 750 metres. Larger vehicles certainly approached and overtook with greater care-regardless of mounting point.

It’s no less prodigious round town, the glow slicing effortlessly like a beacon through the barrage of flickering neon and bustling traffic. This umbrella of light has made roundabouts and intersections notably safer from all directions.

Waterproofing seems well and truly sorted on production models-we’ve been charging along the lanes in freezing November deluge without a hint of concern-even with the USB cover left provocatively ajar. That said, the 180 remains firmly of the water-resistant genre so a slither of Vaseline is advisable between cover and contacts on bikes sans guards.

Verdict

Impressive output but at a price