Topeak Taillux 25 USB

The Topeak Taillux 25 USB is pretty simple as far as rear lights go, with just three modes, great waterproofing and a low-ish 25 lumen output. The USB connection means it plugs directly into a laptop or charger without a cable, making it ideal for commuters – or in fact anyone looking for a no fuss little light. It's not really bright enough for daytime use, though.

Topeak claims the Taillux 25 weighs 30g with its mount, although we measured it at 38g. Nevertheless, this is hardly a heavy light, and it's compact too at 63 x 27 x 25 mm.

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Okay, that's slightly larger than the Vel 20 rear light which also has a built-in clip, but the Topeak beats its run times.

Brightness

Despite punching out 25 lumens (five more than the Vel 20), the visibility isn't as impressive. This might be because manufacturers use various ways to measure lumens (especially with red lights), or it might be down to the source of light: the Vel usies a chip on board (COB) design, whereas the Taillux has two larger LEDs.

Whatever the reason, the Topeak is more than bright enough for the majority of rides, but I did feel it struggled to stand out on particularly bright days.

Modes

Some would argue that with just three modes, the Taillux 25 is under-equipped. Personally, I didn't find this was the case, and instead found the simplicity quite refreshing (especially against the uber-complex 'smart' lights I'm currently testing).

These modes can be toggled using the on/off switch on the top of the light. The raised profile of the button makes it easy to both turn on and change modes whilst riding, even whilst wearing gloves, and the minimal modes mean I actually knew which one it's in. By extension, I also have some concept of how long the light will last.

That said, I did find after popping the light in a backpack it had managed to turn itself on.

Run times

The three modes are a constant, blinking and blink sequence, with burn times of three hours, 30hrs and 40hrs respectively. With that in mind if your jam is long group rides, this probably isn't the light for you, as a longer burn time in constant mode would be desired.

However, for the average commuter these burn times are more than adequate, and exceed those of similar lights. For example, the Vel only lasts 1.5 hours (20 lumens constant) and the Knog Plug rear light manages three hours (10 lumens constant).

Charging

When charging, the indicator LED is solid green, and turns off when fully charged. This seems a bit backwards to me – solid green on most lights means fully charged. It's also worth remembering that, if you do plan on charging from a laptop, charging takes 3-4hrs instead of the claimed, mains-charged two hours.

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The simple silicon straps are easy to attach and detach on both round and aero posts (up to 34.9mm and 25.4mm respectively), and the mount even has a clip for saddle bags.

The two shapes of pad and three sizes of silicon strap mean fit is easy to tailor. The pads do a good job of protecting carbon seat posts from scratches and overall, the 'engineering grade polymer' case feels high quality.

The IPX6 water resistance rating is impressive – this is often overlooked at this price point. IPX6 means it can resist high-pressure and heavy sprays of water from all directions, and some fairly foul conditions failed to faze it.

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Thanks to the clear side panels, the Topeak light boasts 240-degree visibility, which helps at junctions and roundabouts, and is again higher than many competitors.

Value

At £19.99 the Taillux 25 sits at a competitive price point for commuter lights. For the same price, the Bookman Block Rear Light offers only 180 degrees of visibility and seven fewer lumens. I was and still am a big fan of the Vel 20 – though rated lower, it seems brighter than the Topeak and the twist lock clamp is very clever. However, with the Taillux 25 you get a proper IP waterproof rating and better run times.

Overall, the Taillux 25 is a pretty ideal package for urban commuters. The waterproofing is great, side visibility is good, and the design is simple yet effective. The light output is good enough too – so long as it's not very bright daylight, anyway.

Verdict

Simple, very waterproof and effective, but not quite powerful enough for very bright days