Cateye is a popular bicycle accessories brand with a wide product range. They are known for their vast collections of lights and cyclo-computers apart from other accessories. We got the opportunity to test out the Volt 100/Rapid Mini light combo and here is what we thought.
Cateye has recently come up with a combo pack of front and back lights paired together, and one such combination is the Volt 100 front light and the Rapid Mini rear light. The Volt 100 throws a max output of 100 lumens, as its name suggests, and the Rapid Mini has an output of 25 lumens, which even though might seem like a small number, provides good visibility.
Cateye's low-cost entry-level headlight, the Volt 100 is primarily designed for safety rather than lighting up a dark path. Although its output is much lower than the many others of the CatEye family, the Volt 100 is a good option for riders on a budget who primarily ride on well-lit city roads. The small yet powerful Rapid mini rear light packs quite a punch with its 3 LEDs that give a bright 25 lumens output. The light is not very visible in broad daylight even in the steady mode, but the intended purpose of the light is visibility in low-light, which it fulfills to perfection.
With a well optimized design, the Volt 100 shines more light down towards the road and less up into the sky. This effective use of optics results in more light on the road than other lights with a symmetrical circular design. The Volt 100 however does not have a hard beam cutoff to prevent the light from shining into the eyes of oncoming motorists or cyclists, but at an output level of 100 lumens, that is less of a problem.
The Rapid Mini has 4 different modes that vary from a steady mode to a pulsing mode and two different flashing modes. The visibility of the light is quite high, being able to be spotted from more than 700m away at night. A fully transparent red outer body ensures visibility from all directions.
The Volt 100 has a rechargeable battery that takes about 3 hours for a full charge and gives a steady output for at least 2 hours on the brightest mode, 6 hours on the low brightness mode and unto 30 hours on the flash mode. The battery life of the Rapid Mini lasts between 5 hours to 30 hours depending on the mode of usage and takes a little less than 2 hours for a full charge. The low battery indicator comes on if the battery charge runs low and the light automatically switches to the least brightness mode. Both the lights come with an easy-fix mount that makes it very easy and quick to mount the lights on and off the bike.
Overall Rating
This combo pack of the Volt 100 and Rapid Mini from Cateye is for the everyday commuter who wants good safety lights for visibility and to be spotted on lit roads and city streets, and at a price of Rs 4,190 is decently priced for a combo. The more serious long distance and highway riders would however find this insufficient and would have to go for brighter and better lights.
Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.