In a fast changing world, legislation sometimes gets left behind.Take bicycle lights for example – not so long ago, cyclists were obliged to use old-fashioned filament bulbs, even though red ‘light emitting diodes’ had been around for years in rear lamps, and they did a better job in most respects. Light emitting diodes (generally known as LEDs) consume much less power than filament bulbs for the same light output, and are compact, light, cheap to produce and virtually indestructible in normal use.

LEDs are now legal in bicycle rear lights, and some are produced to British Standard (or the European equivalent – usually German). However, technology has marched on yet again, and the white LED front lamps predicted by Professor Pivot (see A to B 28) have finally arrived in the market place. None of the front lights tested here (and few of the rear lights) are certified to British Standard so they should not, technically, be used as the sole source of light, although you’re quite entitled to use them as secondary lamps. Flashing lights (most of the examples below feature some sort of flashing mode) are illegal when fitted to the bike, but accepted to be permissible when fixed to the rider, or even luggage. Opinions vary as to the effectiveness or otherwise of the various flashing modes. What makes all this particularly daft is that although LEDs are bright, the beam tends to be very narrow or ‘directional’, so a proper mounting and careful alignment are particularly important. Someone should tell that to the manufacturers – most of the lights below have rather poor mounting brackets. A misaligned LED lamp is next to useless.

If you decide to carry non-approved lamps, it’s unlikely that the police will trouble you these days, but a word of warning – motor insurers have been known to refuse damages to injured cyclists where a bicycle was equipped with non-approved lights. In the eyes of the law, the brightness and effectiveness of the light are irrelevant.

The irony is that the new breed of cycle lights are extremely powerful, outperforming all but the very best filament lights. In really dark conditions, both the front and rear lights can be seen for well over a kilometre, and the front LEDs will pick out road signs, ‘cat’s eye’ reflectors and white markings at quite a distance.They’re also powerful enough to cut through fog and murk, and economical enough to treat as day-running lights in poor weather. Legal or not, they’re a terrific safety asset.

We’ve tested the lights for brightness at a range of 1.2km (3/4 mile), both head on, and at an angle of 45 degrees to the viewer. Even at this range, the best front lamps look almost as bright as a car headlamp, but don’t expect the same sort of light output.White LEDs produce an intense, eye-catching blueish light, but there isn’t much of it.

Cateye EL200 (WHITE)

Our star buy in the front light department. Although boasting only three LEDs, the EL200 scored ten out of ten for long-distance visibility, giving an even more intense beam than its larger more powerful stablemate, the EL300. It also did better at 45 degrees, with a reasonable score of 3/10.This lamp was rated best on the road too, producing a tunnel of intense light, but with enough scatter to illuminate hedges and verges close by, giving information on road position that some of the others lacked.

Battery life is claimed to be 35 hours, but our figures suggest that good quality conventional batteries would give 24 hours, and rechargeables anything from 8hrs – 20 hours. That’s still pretty good, but we’re talking four AA cells here, so replacements can be expensive, and a spare set rather heavy. When the batteries begin to run down, the light reverts to a weaker ‘back up’ beam, which is claimed to last for a further 75 hours.This is much less effective, but does mean you won’t be left completely stranded with flat batteries.

The EL200 slides onto a neat handlebar bracket, but for some reason, it’s allowed to swivel, making precise aiming a hit-and-miss affair. The bracket is held to the bike with a quick release too, so if you leave it, you could come back to find it missing. In any event, constant fiddling is not a good idea with lights that need precise adjustment, so we’d recommend ditching the quick release and fitting a nice conventional screw instead.

Worth mentioning in passing are the EL110 (single LED, at £17.99), and the MC200 at £19.99.This comes with a filament bulb, so the run time is only three hours, and and it isn’t even British Standard approved. No chance – the EL200 wins every time.

Range (head-on) 10/10
Range (45 degrees) 3/10
Weight 150g
Price £24.99
Power Consumption 76mA – 112mA
A to B rating 9/10

Cateye LD260 (WHITE)

This, we’re told, is a revised version of the LD250 – a single LED handlebar- mounted front light. Problems with lack of endurance have resulted in an unusual three-battery design, giving a claimed run time of 100 hours in continuous mode, or 200 hours flashing. As usual, our experience is rather different – up to 30 hours with good conventional batteries, but just six to 15 hours with rechargeables.

Light output is good, considering the size of the lamp and the single LED. At 1.2km, the brightness was rated at 4/10, but this fell to 1/10 when viewed at 45 degrees.

The mounting bracket is a little cleverer than usual, being adjustable in two planes – more or less essential when setting up these very directional lights. Battery replacement is a bit tricky though.The casing can only be removed with a coin, and the whole operation is fiddly and frustrating.

This light is also available as the LD260BS – a British Standard approved rear light. We’d say it was a bit weak, and it would certainly require a separate BS approved reflector, but if the authorities say it’s up to the job, far be it from us to argue.

Range (head-on) 4/10
Range (45 degrees) 1/10
Weight 60g
Price £12.99
Power Consumption 32mA – 40mA
A to B rating 3/10

Cateye EL300 (WHITE)

This is the one that’s making all the headlines. The EL300 is the only LED lamp specifically designed to replace a conventional filament lamp, but it remains technically illegal on its own. Power comes from four AA cells, and light is generated by an array of five LEDs, each with its own powerful lens. Welcome to the future – the EL300 makes all current cycle lights look like Edwardian acetylene lanterns.

So much for expectations. In practice, we rated the long-range brightness at 9/10 (yes, less than the smaller EL200) and visibility at 45 degrees at no more than 1/10.The EL300 produces a well focused beam, but unlike its 3-LED cousin, there’s very little scattered light, despite side lenses.The lack of scatter made the EL300 less popular on the road too – great for illuminating road signs on the horizon, but less useful for spotting pot-holes, branches and other road hazards close to.

Running time is claimed to be ‘up to 30 hours’, plus 80 hours on ‘back up’, but we’d suggest 17 hours at full brightness with conventional batteries, or five to 121/2 hours with rechargeables. Never, ever put your faith in manufacturer’s figures.

On the positive side, the EL300 has a proper cover secured by a proper screw capped with a knurled knob, so battery replacement won’t destroy your fingernails or leave you searching for small change.The mounting bracket is identical to the EL200, with all the pros and cons that implies.

Range (head-on) 9/10
Range (45 degrees) 1/10
Weight 295g
Price £32.99
Power Consumption 120mA -160mA
A to B rating 6/10

Cateye LD500W (WHITE)

This light makes no pretence of being a sole light source, but it’s often used this way, so we decided to test it anyway.Three LEDs are mounted within a British Standard reflector (this doesn’t make it a British Standard light though), and power comes from a pair of AAA batteries. Long distance light output is poor, at 4/10, but there’s a great deal of scattered light, so the brightness at 45 degrees is a reasonable 3/10.

The bad news is hopeless road illumination and a fashionably transparent casing that allows light to escape in all directions, destroying your night vision. Burn time is claimed to be 50 hours in continuous mode, or 100 hours flashing… Not in our experience.With good batteries, you should see 14 hours, or a rather disappointing 21/2 to 6 hours with rechargeables. Battery replacement is awkward and fiddly, thanks to a stiff ‘quick’ release, a neoprene seal with a life of its own, and a casing that clips feebly into place.

The LD500W does nothing that’s claimed of it, it’s over-priced, and extremely irritating.We probably wouldn’t use it if it came free with breakfast cereal.

Range (head-on) 4/10
Range (45 degrees)
Weight 60g
Price £18.99
Power Consumption 65mA – 83mA
A to B rating 1/10

Cateye LD600 (RED)

This long, thin lamp contains five LEDs and is arguably the brightest on the market, scoring a full ten brightness points viewed head on, but a slightly disappointing 3/10 at an angle of 45 degrees.As well as constant illumination, the light can be set to one of three flashing modes if you like that sort of thing.

Batteries are two x AAA, which are claimed to last 15 hours, although our results suggest 14 hours with good conventional batteries, or three to eight hours with rechargeables.The batteries live behind a sliding panel on the back of the lamp, making replacement easy, even in the dark.The only real weakness is the bracket, which clamps vaguely to the bike, fastened by a plastic ratchet thing that makes accurate positioning almost impossible.We’d suggest making a bracket of your own.

Mounting apart, the LD600 is both light and powerful. It’s directional, but still brighter than most BS approved lamps at 45 degrees.The batteries are easy to change, and AAA cells are small enough and light enough to carry a spare pair in your pocket.

Range (head-on) 10/10
Range (45 degrees) 3/10
Weight 55g
Price £16.99
Power Consumption 64mA- 83mA

A to B rating 9/10

Basta SL6 (RED)

The Basta is one of the best British Standard approved LED rear lamps, and available in battery, dynamo, or dynamo/standlight variants. It’s also worth checking out this helpful site https://www.wundermold.com/. It’s also fitted as standard to the Brompton, where it has a tendency to water ingress. On the positive side, the SL6 gives a good spread of light, it has an excellent reflector and with the full complement of four AA batteries (it can be used with two), it will run for 46 hours, or 14 to 36 hours with rechargeables.That’s a couple of weeks use for a regular commuter – for the rest of us, the batteries are more or less fit-and-forget components. Against the Super LEDs, light output is modest – 4/10 head-on and 2/10 at an angle, but it’s in a different league to the bulb-powered jobs.

Range (head-on) 4/10
Range (45 degrees) 2/10
Weight (c/w 4 batteries) 270g
Price £17.00
Power Consumption 82-116mA
A to B rating 8/10

Cateye LD500 (RED)

This one is superficially similar to the LD500W, but houses five red LEDs instead of three white ones, and costs a reasonable £9.99 against £18.99. Unusually, the LEDs receive full power when flashing, but reduced power when continuously on, so power consumption is broadly similar in either mode and maximum brightness is not all it could be. However, we awarded it 4/10 when viewed directly and 3/10 at 45 degrees, which is better than most. Despite using only two AAA batteries, the reduced power consumption means a battery life of 41 hours (conventional batteries) or 7 to 18 hours (rechargeables). Goodness! Not far off the 50 hour claim!

Just like the LD500, there’s a fiddly sealing strip, grotty bracket and all the rest, but with batteries lasting 41 hours, you won’t be changing ‘em too often, so it’s not half as annoying as it might be. If you’re intending to use this lamp on its own, it incorporates a British Standard reflector and gives a very reasonable spread of light. But we’d suggest bolting it firmly to a proper lamp bracket.

Range (head-on) 4/10
Range (45 degrees) 3/10
Weight 60g
Price £9.99
Power Consumption 28-29mA
A to B rating 8/10

Cateye AU100BS (RED)

This is another rare LED light certified to British Standard, so you can use it as your sole source of light, but only if you purchase a BS approved bracket.Yes, this lamp comes with the same diabolical mounting supplied with the LD600, which – needless to say – is neither British Standard (nor A to B) approved.

Against the latest turbocharged models, light output is modest at 3/10, but brightness is little reduced at 45 degrees, giving a score of 2/10.With six LEDs and a complicated array of prisms, the AU100BS gives much the same brightness when viewed from almost any angle – even from the sky, thanks to a vertical LED.These certification people think of everything.

This one uses a pair of AA batteries. Fitting is a bit tricky thanks to the usual coin arrangement and wayward rubber seal, plus batteries that need to be prised out with a screwdriver, whereupon they fly like bullets into the nearest drain. Battery life is claimed to be 40 hours, but 25 hours would be nearer the mark with conventional batteries, or eight to 20 hours with rechargeables.

Range (head-on) 3/10
Range (45 degrees) 2/10
Weight 110g
Price £14.99
Power Consumption 73-110mA
A to B rating 7/10

Our thanks to Avon Valley Cyclery for their assistance – ring them for a free catalogue on 01225 442442 Cateye lights are available through most good cycle shops – the Basta SL6 from Brompton dealers.