NiteRider Lumina Pro 1300 Front Bike Light with NiteLink

The NiteRider Lumina Pro 1300 Front Bike Light with NiteLink is extremely capable, offers impressive brightness and it's simple to use. And unlike with some of NiteRider's other models, the 1300 has modern features such as USB-C and the ability to charge it on the go.

Josh recently reviewed the NiteRider Lumina 1000 Boost, which on the surface appears to be the same light. It looks almost exactly the same and the outputs are close enough that you're unlikely to notice the difference.

However, I believe that despite looking the same, these are two very different lights.

Output

So, first things first, the light's output – as the name suggests – is 1,300 lumens, which puts it in the 'light to see by' category. I used this on some rides on very dark country lanes in the middle of a UK winter, so this concept was very much tested to the limit.

The beam itself is wide, so you have good all-round visibility rather than lighting just the immediate path ahead of you, which I find very useful. This has a wider beam pattern than the 1,000 Boost, with the beam length much the same.

Modes and run-times

The light has eight modes that provide 200 lumens for six hours in its low setting; 400 lumens for three hours at medium; 90 minutes at 1,000 lumens in high and 45 seconds at 1,300 lumens in its boost mode. There's also a super flash mode, a pulse flash, a fast flash and a 70-lumen walk mode that'll give you 17 hours.

My testing suggests the times are pretty accurate, and I found them ideal for the type of riding that I was doing – though your needs may be different. If I was doing longer night rides where I was relying on it for lighting the way ahead of me, rather than just for being seen by, I'd probably go for a light with a constant setting over 400 lumens, which is not quite bright enough, but less than the 1,000-lumen high – which is easily bright enough but has only a 90-minute run-time.

Changing between the modes is simple. To switch between constant and flashing you hold down one of the two power buttons; to cycle between modes within each setting you just do a short press on the plus button to go for a brighter option or the minus button to go dimmer (in constant), or to opt for a different flash.

Each button has a separate LED display underneath it, so you always know exactly where you are.

Battery life is indicated by the four LEDs along the top, which I found very effective, as it lets you see what the level is, rather than just showing you when the battery is below a certain percentage, which is often the case.

Charging comes courtesy of the included USB-C cable, which is quicker than micro-USB; it charged from flat to full from a computer in about four hours. And you can also charge the light on the go, so although you only get 45 minutes at maximum output, you could theoretically run it for as long as you have chargers for, making it useful for bikepacking or longer night rides.

This light is also designed to work with NiteRider's Nitelink, which lets you connect with a NiteRider rear light using a handlebar-mounted wireless remote control, though this will cost you an extra £50.

Build

The light feels robust and likely to survive most drops or smashes thanks to its aluminium construction and fibreglass-reinforced light housing. I managed to drop this a few times during testing and while it has picked up a few scuffs, there was no real damage. The IP64 rating means it's totally impervious to dust and resistant to water spray from any direction. So provided you don't ride through a river this should cope with normal day-to-day use.

I used this on a number of rides in some truly awful winter weather, when it survived assault by wet dirt and grit without issue.

Mount

The NiteRider's mount is pretty good, but as with the 1000 that Josh tested, it will only work on a round handlebar – so it's hard luck to any aero bar riders. Apart from that, I found it secure on the bar, and there's also a shim that fits between the mount and the bar to prevent scratches, which is a nice touch.

There is a little bit of movement when you're riding, which isn't surprising when you take into account the light's 195g weight. But this was never bad enough for the light to shift into a new position on the bar, just a slight wobble when riding over rougher surfaces.

Value

The Lumina Pro 1300 costs £170 at its full RRP, which is expensive but it's not the dearest light we've tested by any stretch of the imagination – our best bike front lights buyer's guide tops out at £299, for example.

The Exposure Joystick Mk17 costs £190 but Mike thought it 'one of the very best helmet- or handlebar-mounted lights out there'. It's a little less powerful at 1,150 lumens and doesn't have USB-C charging but it's a tough and compact light and weighs a mere 98g.

The Cateye Volt 1700 USB Rechargeable Front Light is a tenner more, but it does have a 1,700-lumen maximum. Iwein appreciated its beam shape and power, but it's heavier than the NiteRider, you can't charge it on the go and it still has a micro-USB.

Coming in at just £79.99 is the ETC F1500, which puts out 1,500 lumens and Emily rated it for its excellent power output and USB-C charging, though she'd have appreciated greater waterproofing.

Conclusion

I'm pretty impressed by this light. It pumps out enough illumination for most situations and it's intuitive – so you always know what setting you're in and the remaining battery life. I particularly like the ability to charge it on the go and that it has the faster-charging USB-C rather than the slower micro-USB. All of these factors help to make this NiteRider an easy light to use.

Verdict

Bright and easy-to-use light with USB-C and the ability to charge it on the go