CatEye is a Japanese company that manufactures cycle computers, lights, reflectors, toe clips, bottle cages and other accessories which sell worldwide. We did an exhaustive review of CatEye’s rear light, the Rapid Mini Rear Light and here’s what we think about the product.
The smallest member of the Cateye Rapid family, the Rapid Mini packs quite a punch with its 3 LEDs that give a bright 25 lumens output. It has 4 different modes that vary from a steady mode to a pulsing mode and two different flashing modes. The battery life lasts between 5 hours to 30 hours depending on the mode of usage. The battery charges with a regular USB cable, which I found was the most convenient feature, as I can charge it with virtually any smartphone charger. The time taken for a full charge is a little less than 2 hours.
The visibility of the light is quite high, being able to be spotted from more than 750 meters away at night is really good. 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 the Rapid Mini fulfills to perfection.
Weighing a minimal 22 grams, the Rapid Mini is built sturdily and can withstand rain, road-spray and splashes from washing the bicycle. A fully transparent red outer body ensures visibility from all directions.
The light switches on and off with a long press on the soft rubber switch at the top of the light and changes modes with every click. There is also an automatic power saver mode where the light automatically changes to the least power consuming flash mode if the battery is low. There is also a low battery/charging indicator that is very convenient.
Small, compact and easy to fit on most seat posts, the light slides in and out of the clip-on mount that comes along with it. This way, the rubber O-ring doesn’t have to be removed and put back every time you take the light off the bike for charging. The light is compact enough to be fit on any spot on the cycle or the helmet. However, mounting the light on a saddle bag or a handlebar bag is not possible without purchasing a separate mount which is not included in the box.
Overall Rating
At Rs. 1,890, the CatEye Rapid Mini is a good, value-for-money product that we recommend one can surely invest in. Given, it’s not the best of the CatEye lights, but at this price, the Rapid Mini delivers more than expected and has quite a few good features that are available only in higher end models in other brands.
Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.