#LIFTED CATEYE FULL#
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I've used it in some pretty nasty weather with no problems. This sits under a rubber flap that seems to do a good job of keeping water out. The X3 has a lithium-ion battery which is USB rechargeable, via the ubiquitous micro-USB socket now located at one end. > Check out our guide to the best rear lights here

Switch it off, and it'll come back on next time with the same mode(s) that you were using previously. Mode memory is always welcome on a light, especially with so many possible settings here. It's easy to operate both buttons together using one hand. Operation is pretty simple: push and hold a button to switch that side on or off, and push it again to scroll through the modes.

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There are flashing modes of varying frequency and intensity, plus a pleasing pulse mode which is a bit gentler on the eyes – good for when you're riding with mates. Using the lower constant setting on one side with a flashing mode on the other was my preferred option and gave enough juice for a week's commuting, which is my basic requirement of a rear light. Using only one side isn't a great idea, though, as it means that lateral visibility from the other side is greatly reduced. The 30-lumen flash mode is good for 30 hours, and would presumably do twice that if you only used one side. That compares poorly to the likes of the Knog Blinder R70 (review coming soon) and Bontrager Flare R (review also coming soon, but for now you can read about it here), both very bright lights that can manage over three hours on constant full-power mode.Ĭateye quotes battery life for each of the modes, assuming that both sides are using the same setting (see test report, below).

If you set both sides on high then burn time is a measly one hour, so you'll only want to use that on short rides. There are two constant settings, with the high mode giving 50 lumens per side versus 10 lumens for the low mode. I didn't really see the need for this but others might.īeing able to choose a mode for each side allows you to combine two different outputs from a single light, to eye-catching effect. That's a nice touch as aero road bikes are becoming more popular and some lights simply won't fit their seatposts.Ĭateye offers an optional Spacer X clip that allows you to attach the light to even more things, such as a bracket on a rack, a Fizik saddle clip or one of Cateye's FlexTight brackets. It'll fix to a seatstay or rack tube too, using the smallest of the o-rings, and there's also an extra rubber skirt designed specifically for use on an aero seatpost. It's a simple system but one that works well. It still sits neatly behind a seatpost, though, held in place with one of four rubber o-rings. The Rapid X3 is chunkier and weightier than the previous versions, obviously requiring more battery capacity to kick out that much light. Using it, I felt pretty confident that other road users could see me from any direction, even in poor conditions. As a consequence, you can mount it at any angle and it's highly visible, even from a side angle of more than 90 degrees. Unlike some other premium rear lights, which use reflectors or collimated lenses to direct their light in a beam for maximum range, the Rapid X3 is a spread-it-around sort of light. Unusually, the two strip lights are operated independently, each with its own button to select from the six available modes, giving a possible 48 different combinations (go on, maths pedants: I dare you). There are two separate LED strip lights now, and maximum output is lifted to a stonking 100 lumens. What Cateye appears to have done here for the new X3 model is simply stick two X2 lights together side by side, in a single package. Last year's Rapid X2 was a more powerful version of the Rapid X that I tested previously, taking advantage of improvements in battery and LED technology to kick out more light than the original – a claimed 50 lumens. It's pricey, though, and you'll want to use the full-power mode sparingly if you're going far. As with previous models from this range, it has outstanding visibility from the sides as well as from behind, making it a top choice for the busy urban environment.

#LIFTED CATEYE FULL#

Bigger and much brighter than previous Rapid X models, the new Cateye Rapid X3 rear light kicks out such a potent red glow on full power that you might think you could warm your hands on it.

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