NiteRider Lumina Micro 900 Bike Headlight

The NiteRider Lumina Micro 900 Bike Headlight is a sturdy, no-frills model that, as the entry-level option in the Lumina range, delivers good performance for the price. It's great to use, definitely made me feel safe and visible, and aside from a slightly overactive lock mode, is easy to figure out. However, it is fundamentally let down by a flawed mounting lock which left me collecting it from the floor on multiple occasions.

While I did enjoy using the NiteRider, there are a few areas where I feel it could be improved: it has a strong 900-lumen capacity, but there isn't a huge amount of side-on visibility, and there's only the one flashing mode. The lack of a quick-charging USB-C port and the two-hour run-time on full beam means the Micro 900 is probably best suited to shorter rides.

Check out our guide to the best front bike lights for more options.

My personal preference is for lights to do the simple things well, without complex mode and button combinations that, to my mind, are just unnecessary bells and whistles, but you might find the five choices of solid 30/200/450/900 lumens and flashing 900 somewhat limiting.

At the minute, I'm mainly riding around London at peak times, so I mostly used the flashing 900 setting. I try to keep it lowered so as not to dazzle oncoming cyclists, but there are more advanced lights available, like the Ravemen mentioned below, with that kind of functionality. There's also limited side visibility. 

When I did need full glow on quieter, less urban roads, I was happy with the beam's road coverage. It has a strong, white, forward-facing beam and I could easily pinpoint potholes when careering along country lanes at speeds over 35kmph and felt safe using the light's one-button system on the move.

On the full 900 lumens you get just under 2 hours of life, with flashing 900 a claimed 11 hours. While 4.5 hours on 450 lumens is decent, combined with the fact that you can't charge and use it simultaneously, bikepackers and endurance riders will probably look elsewhere.

Mount

The light and mount weighed 160g on the road.cc Scales of Truth, which is competitive for lights of this spec. The mount doesn't require any tools and is versatile, screwing onto my vintage Reynolds bike's handlebar as well as my modern aero bars.

As is quite common, a small rubber mount slots inside the mount to create a tight and grippy fit. This can fall out, so be very careful not to drop it on a dark pavement at night.

The light slides into the mount nicely but doesn't lock automatically – which I thought was a bit of an odd feature; you have to lift the 'handle' to activate the lock. And once locked, the connection seemed quite fragile and didn't inspire confidence.

Out on the road, this did cause some problems. If I forgot to click up the 'handle', the light would almost instantly detach and fall down through my spokes to the floor. I accept that this was mostly my fault, but even when I had remembered to click up the 'handle', on a number of occasions the light was dislodged at high speed. The light is now pretty bashed but does still work – so at the very least it proves its hardiness! I found myself holding onto it on quicker, bumpier descents, having lost confidence in the mount's ability to keep it in place.

Lock mode

Talking of locking... the light arrived in something called Travel Lock Out Mode, to avoid burning the battery in transit. It has a habit of flicking back into this mode – so you might find yourself digging through the instructions while thinking you've got a dud light. (You'll need to hold down the power button for 10 seconds to release it.)

Charging

Niterider is proud of its Intellicharge feature, which pumps through quicker power transfer when you use a higher-wattage power source. Perhaps I don't have fancy enough plugs, but I was never able to activate this double-quick charging.

It's a shame, because NiteRider has opted for the slower USB over USB-C, which seems slightly outdated. It's also not possible to charge and use the light concurrently.

Build quality

The Lumina isn't waterproof, just water resistant to IP64, but it got a few decent drenchings without any issues. Elements of the electrics come with a two-year warranty, while the rechargeable battery cells get just a year.

Value

For £60 the Niterider Lumina 900 is certainly competitively priced. A max output of 900 lumens is good – there aren't many in this price range putting out this kind of power. It's also well made and from a reputable brand so it strikes me as decent value.

The Exposure Boost Daybright, for example, was well reviewed by Ed, but despite an excellent build quality, it doesn't have the night-time capability of the Lumina and is mainly a 'be seen' light. It has a max brightness of 350 lumens and now costs £80.

With the NiteRider you get another 100 lumens over Lezyne's Micro Drive 800+ for the same money, though that has USB-C charging and a higher waterproof rating.

The Blackburn Dayblazer 1000 has lots of different beam options and an additional 100 lumens for just a fiver more, but John thought it was let down by its rubber strap.

For another £20, the Ravemen PR1000 offers a bit more in terms of light variety and features than the NiteRider, and Stef liked the remote control button and was impressed by the battery life, though it's another one with a disappointing rubber strap.

Conclusion

The Lumina Micro 900 is a solid and sturdily constructed light, with a chunky mount that looks superior to the rubber straps used by some rivals, but couldn't be relied on. The light is also slightly let down by its strictly manual locking system, and some might be left wanting more beam options, but the battery life is decent and it won't be stopped by bad weather.

Verdict

Limited beam options but does the basics well, though the mount needs revising