NiteRider Swift 500 and Vmax+ 150 Combo Front and Rear Light Set

The NiteRider Swift 500 and Vmax+ 150 Combo Front and Rear Light Set works well for urban and daytime riding but the front light isn't powerful enough for use in the countryside and other poorly lit areas. All in all, though, it's still a decent pairing, thanks to the impressive rear light and the pocket-friendly price.

> Buy now: NiteRider Swift 500 and Vmax+ 150 Combo Front and Rear Light Set for £69.99 from NiteRider

Our best bike lights buyer's guide, best rear lights buyer's guide and best front light guide are the places to go for more info.

First look

From the off, the first thing I noticed was how both the brackets felt a little cheaply made because of the plastic used. Both did work to secure the lights to my bike, though the rear rubber strap was a little thick, which made it harder to pull and fasten around the seatpost.

Once in place, you can tilt the rear Vmax+150 upwards or downwards. This is a handy feature for ensuring that other road users can see the rear light wherever it's mounted on the seatpost.

The rear light also has a clip that allows you to attach it to a saddle bag or your clothing, which adds to its versatility.

Performance

Of the two lights there's no doubt that the rear was the star of the show, which is down to its 150 lumen maximum output and the options on offer. Its six different settings – four different fashing modes and two steady – cope with all sorts of different riding conditions, with the maximum setting very bright when you're riding in the dark.

However, the front just wasn't as impressive. It was fine for riding in built-up areas under street lights, where it was bright enough to make me visible to other road users, but it just wasn't powerful enough for riding in the countryside at night.

Even at its maximum 500 lumen setting it didn't feel sufficiently bright to illuminate much of the road in front of me. I'd suggest this makes it more of light to be seen by rather than a light for seeing by.

Battery

Both lights take around two hour to charge from flat to full, which is in line with what NiteRider says and pretty standard for similar lights.

When the lights are charging, the on/off button – which also controls the settings – changes from red to blue to indicate charging to fully charged respectively.

Both lights also automatically go into battery-saving setting when the power drops below 20% at which point the button turns from blue to red.

One aspect of both lights that impressed was their runtimes. At the front light's lowest 150 lumen setting I managed an impressive 15 hours 13 minutes until flat, much longer than the claimed 10 hours.

One area where the front light does come into its own is in daylight in its flashing mode – you'll get over 12 hours in this setting. And you could use it as a torch too for walking, where you'll get more than 24 hours at its lowest 30-lumen output.

The rear light managed over six and a half hours in its pulse setting, which is a little more than claimed, and in a fast flash you should get something like twice this.

The figures for both lights are very good.

And while I didn't have any issues during testing, the water-resistance figures for both lights is IP64, which is a little less than you'll find in a lot of lights these days, which are designed to withstand jets of water or even submersion rather than just a spray. It's unlikely to make much of a difference in practice but it's worth noting.

Value

With light sets having different pairings and intended markets it's difficult to make exact comparisons, but it's still clear that the NiteRider's £69.99 RRP makes these very reasonably priced.

The Sigma Buster 800 & RL 80 Lightset is a fiver dearer at £74.99 – and though the front has an extra 300 lumens the rear comes in at just 80 lumens.

Similarly, the Kryptonite Alley F-650 & Avenue R-50 Premium USB To See Set is a fair bit dearer at £104.99. As with the Sigma the front has a more powerful output, in this case 650 lumens, with a less powerful rear – in this case just 50 lumens.

The Trek Commuter Comp R Flare R City Bike Light Set costs £99.99 and both lights are less powerful than the NiteRider lights.

Overall

As a pairing the rear is let down by the slightly underpowered front, which is a shame. It's not that the front light is awful – it's fine as a light to be seen by in urban areas under street lights, but it lacks the oomph required for unlit routes. The rear meanwhile is suitable for both daytime and night riding in urban and countryside settings, and the price for the pairing is very reasonable, even with the front light's shortcomings.

Verdict

A reasonably priced set with an impressive rear light that's a little let down by an underpowered front

> Buy now: NiteRider Swift 500 and Vmax+ 150 Combo Front and Rear Light Set for £69.99 from NiteRider