Ravemen PR2400 USB Rechargeable DuaLens Front Light with Remote

If your N+1 is getting out of control with both mountain bikes and road bikes – or you have a bit of a gravel fetish which sees you switching from road to trail multiple times – you should take a look at the Ravemen PR2400. With the ability to switch between a road friendly lens and the full-monty 2,400 lumen, five LED option, this is a light that covers all eventualities. Chuck in great build quality, a wireless remote, decent burn times and an easy-to-read display and you can't go far wrong.

I'm a massive fan of the PR1600, Ravemen's highest-powered road specific front light, and it's sat on my handlebar for the last couple of winters. The twin LEDs and lenses do different jobs: one offers a wide, flat 'dipped' beam, while the other gives a full-beam floodlight effect. A simple tap on the button switches from dipped to full beam, just like in your car.

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Since the world went mental last year though, my riding has centered around the large expanses of near uninhabited gravel trails on my doorstep, often linked by short sections of road. The PR2400 gives me that useable light on the road, while also delivering a huge amount of punch on the trails.

It's a single unit – as in there is no external battery pack – which is impressive, considering its small size and ability to kick out 2,400 lumens for 1.5hrs.

The Ravemen uses five LEDs. There's a central diffuse one for road use, while off-road mode adds in the four around the outside. Let's kick off with the road mode.

Light up

The way the lens has been designed gives the central LED that flat, cut-off beam Ravemen uses on its road lights. It gives decent spotlight up the road without the spread heading for the sky, alongside a wide pool of light just in front of your tyre to pick up potholes and other obstructions. If you haven't tried a light like this before, it really is amazing compared to many other competitors. The spread of illumination is very impressive.

You get five road modes, which you scroll through; there is no hi/low dipped beam like you get on the PR1600. High gives you 900 lumens (3.4hrs), Mid is 500 lumens (5.5hrs), Low gives 300 lumen for 11.5hrs and Eco allows 45hrs at 100 lumens.

The only downside is you have to go through rapid flashing to get back to the High setting, although as you have a 500-lumen steady beam alongside the flash you don't feel like you're switching from a country lane to a nightclub dancefloor, which is better than most.

Lights by Exposure have you switch to pulse mode with a long press, keeping it separate from the solid settings – something I wish Ravemen, along with a lot of other brands, would mimic.

Beaming with joy

Anyway, that aside. The beam pattern of the single LED is very good, and I found 900 lumens as much as I needed for all but the most technical of descents on wet roads where you don't get as much light bouncing back from the surface as you do in the dry.

A press on the mode button (the larger of the two) or the wireless remote switches you to mountain biking mode. Here you get three levels, which are High for 2,400 lumens (1.5hrs), Mid for 1,200 lumens (2.4hrs) and Low for a 600 lumen light that lasts 5.5hrs.

When using all of the LEDs, you are basically getting a classic full beam: a far-reaching high beam alongside a wide beam that covers everything directly in front of you.

Stay focused

Some lights claim massive lumen figures, but actually provide lacklustre illumination with it. The PR2400 really throws the light up the road (or trail) though, and wastes none of it. One neat little addition is the emergency mode. Press and hold the smaller button and it jumps to the 2,400 full output, whether you're in road or off-road mode at the time.

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A few times this saved my skin as I hit a technical section off-road. Also, if you are on an A-road you can use it to flash in HGVs, to let them know they've fully passed you when overtaking.

So, it's easy to operate and works very well when it comes to the beam pattern. It doesn't stop there though – this is one very well-built light.

The PR2400 is machined from aluminium with plenty of cooling fins, and the front and rear sections are screwed into position. It's certainly robust, and neither rain nor harsh shower testing caused issues with water ingress, thanks to its IPX8 rating.

Screen star

When it comes to usability, the PR2400 doesn't leave you guessing either. You get a full OLED runtime display showing burntime and which mode you are in. Battery life is as claimed, especially after a few charges.

At the rear, two rubber covers shield a USB-C charging port, and you can use either mains electricity or an external power bank while on the move for charging. There's a standard USB on the output side if you need to charge something else with it instead.

The mount is fixed to the handlebar by a setscrew – none of that rubber band malarkey here. Once fitted that's it; just slide the light on to the tapered mount and jobs a good 'un. The addition of a magnet is welcome, so if you don't fully locate it the unit shouldn't jettison itself down the road.

Value

Ravemen is asking £199 for the PR2400. That isn't a lot of money for a 2,400 lumen headlamp which actually delivers that sort of output.

Gemini's Duo 2200 Multisport front light is £229, for instance, and dishes out – as you've no doubt guessed – 2,200 lumens. It's split into two parts, though, as a head unit and separate battery. Still, it's lighter at 253g (the PR2400 is 321g) if that's important to you, and you get 2hrs of burn time at full power too.

Exposure's Race MK15 has an output of 1,450 lumens but, using its very clever Reflex ++ technology it will deliver 2,200 lumens when you need it, such as on descents. It's a very clever light for £250.

Conclusion

The PR2400 is a rare light, one that works well whether you're riding on the road or trails. The beam patterns are excellent, as is the build quality. If you do ride on various terrains I can't think of many other lights that deliver such a complete package for so little money.

Verdict

Delivers for both on and off roading thanks to high outputs, great battery life and brillant beam patterns