Cateye AMPP900 bike gentle evaluation: Reliable, versatile, and fairly low-cost too

Cateye has been a mainstay within the biking accent market for a very long time, and I bear in mind having Cateye branded lights that took AAA batteries and used bulbs with an precise filament in them. In comparison with even reasonably respectable trendy lights – not to mention any from my information to the perfect bike lights – these previous ones have been principally ineffective, however Cateye has come a really good distance since them. 

The AMPP sequence is the most recent within the model’s line of normal goal entrance bike lights, taking up from the previous Volt vary. All of them function the identical fundamental type – A roughly cuboid formed physique atop the model’s wonderful FlexTight bracket – and vary in energy from the diminutive AMPP100 to the extraordinarily shiny AMPP2200. 

Having used the previous Volt 800 for over eight years (it’s nonetheless going, I ought to add), and the AMPP900 for a load of driving out and in of the town limits I believe it represents the candy spot for a very good ‘correct’ bike gentle, straddling the hole between extra premium choices and the perfect price range bike lights. It’s not too costly, not least as a result of it’s repeatedly discounted, it’s shiny sufficient round city for commuting on decrease energy, and out of doors the town limits it’s succesful sufficient to push the consolation zone from twilight into correct evening time excursions. It isn’t going to permit you to experience via the evening, however for a lightweight you may decide up for simply over £50 or simply underneath $60 that could be a huge ask.

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Design and aesthetics

Let’s not beat across the bush right here – most entrance lights take the identical fundamental type. You get an extended tube-shaped lamp that homes the battery and the bulb, and also you get a mounting bracket. There aren’t some ways you may stray from this setup with out making one thing very uncommon, although one thing just like the Outbound Lighting Detour does this nicely. 

The Cateye AMPP900 doesn’t break any moulds, however the type is nicely executed. The lamp itself is an elongated octagon in cross part (or a rectangle with chamfered edges, take your decide), with a sturdy aluminium housing and two grooves operating down both facet. In contrast to the previous Volt sequence lamps the battery isn’t detachable, principally as a result of eradicating the battery actually served no goal because it was charged through a micro-USB port within the lamp physique. The battery itself on this case is a 3,000mAh unit which is about on-the-money for a lightweight of this measurement. 

Up entrance you might have one massive, single LED bulb. The entrance perspex cowl is obvious in a central oval, and frosted across the edges. This frosted plastic extends across the sides into two strips, bouncing among the lights across the sides for added visibility. 

The bracket I’m an enormous fan of, however I’ll focus on that extra later. It’s uncommon in that it makes use of an infinitely adjustable, versatile bracket, however the brief model is that it means it will possibly match principally any set of bars you may consider. 

Cateye has swapped over to USB-C, and doesn’t embrace a cable within the field, however realistically you’ll have already got one. One gripe I had with the previous Volt lights is that the recess across the charging port was very small, which means solely sure cables may squeeze in, however right here there may be loads of room for no matter cable you occur to have mendacity round. 

Lastly, up high you get a single management button, which additionally acts as a battery indicator. With it you may cycle via the 5 modes – three stable and two flashing – and with a double press at any time (whether or not the sunshine is off or on) you may instantly name upon the brightest setting. 

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Efficiency

Unusually for a lightweight I’m going to start out with the mounting {hardware}. I’m in a fairly enviable place in that I’ve quite a lot of bikes to play with on a relentless rotation, and all of them have completely different bars. The Cateye FlexTight bracket suits all of them, and this goes for any of the lights that use it. As an alternative of a stretchy rubber strap that offers a wobbly connection as you get on cheaper lights, or a stable bracket of a set diameter that you simply typically get on costlier lights that may’t enclose flat, aero cross part bars, you get an extended, stiff-but-flexible ribbed strap. This strap threads into the rear of the mount, and is tightened by a free-floating dial. 

It’s extra fiddly than a easy elastic, however it’s far safer. You get about 45mm of depth to play with, so even the deepest aero bars needs to be nicely catered for, although it does rely on the circumference. It additionally signifies that, in a pinch, you may mount it to different uncommon locations like a fork leg. The sunshine can swivel within the bracket by about 10 levels both sides, so you may account for backswept bars, or any angles lower than vertical if you’re operating the sunshine on its facet. 

For neatness I typically used a Cateye to GoPro mount adapter so I may sling it underneath my laptop, and on this orientation it really works nicely and the mount is safe sufficient to be trusted, extra so than the equal I examined from Knog with the Blinder 900, however it does depart the sunshine the other way up.

This does not matter a fantastic deal as the sunshine isn’t a cutoff beam like it’s with one thing just like the Trek Commuter Professional RT, so you may mount it whichever approach up you select. The beam has an honest throw, however there may be definitely a brighter central patch with a step right down to the perimeters due to that exterior halo of frosting on the entrance aspect. Evaluating it to one thing far costlier just like the Publicity Race, the place the beam progressively fades out to the perimeters it’s definitely much less nicely executed, however when driving the beam itself by no means actually precipitated me any consternation. Cutoff beams are a more sensible choice when you’re solely utilizing it for commuting, as it’s much less prone to dazzle different highway customers, however for normal use I choose an quaint unfold beam. 

The highest button is comparatively small, however even in thick neoprene gloves I managed to fortunately cycle between the 5 modes even when it was slung underneath my bars; the button sits proud so that you solely must be within the normal space and also you’ll discover it simply superb. The indicator bulb switches from blue to purple if you find yourself at low energy, however this solely actually kicks in on the very lowest battery stage. If you’re already on low energy and may’t step down you’re quickly to seek out your self in complete darkness, and it received’t auto-dim as some lights will on low energy. Naturally, when you’re hanging it the other way up you received’t see the warning anyway, however given it’s not really a lot use I’d say you aren’t really lacking out a lot – simply cost it after each experience and also you’ll be golden. 

There’s a claimed two hours battery life at full energy, and that is about consistent with what I came upon on the highway. In freezing situations I discovered it drained a bit of quicker, however I don’t assume these claims are in any approach bogus. Across the metropolis I discovered the center, and even the bottom brightness was enough, and would typically use the flashing modes for commuting which use much less energy anyway, and out of the glow of the interior metropolis the utmost brightness was solely ever utilised when descending. A fast double-tap to modify it on, lock into the drops, and a single press on the finish to revert again to whichever mode you have been utilizing beforehand. 

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Worth

You don’t get a load of fancy ‘sensible’ options, however particularly at a reduced value I believe the Cateye AMPP900 represents sensible worth. It’s shiny sufficient for do-it-all use, so long as you aren’t driving for hours on finish at evening, and is greater than ample for commuting. The mounting {hardware} is market-leading by way of its versatility, and whereas I’ve solely a month or so of use with it, if it lasts so long as its predecessor then you definitely’ll have a working gentle for eight years plus. 

Verdict

I believe the Cateye AMPP900 must be among the finest, if not the finest price range bike gentle available on the market proper now. It’s nicely made, sturdy, shiny sufficient to simply cowl commuting duties and winter membership driving too. The battery life on excessive energy isn’t spectacular, however it’s in line with a lightweight of this measurement, and if deployed strategically the battery will final lengthy sufficient for many winter rides the place you’re solely beginning or ending in darkness. 

It’s a bit of cheaper than the Knog Blinder 900, and when you can mount the Knog the correct approach up underneath a pc I choose the mounting {hardware} that comes with the Cateye, although you have to to purchase a separate adapter to sling it beneath.