Hope R4 LED Vision Lights Review

If you’re thinking of venturing out on a night-ride, the first thing you will be thinking about is acquiring a decent set of lights. And when it comes to mountain bike lights, there’s quite a variety to choose from.

I’ve heard it from both sides when it comes to selecting which will best illuminate the trail. You will all have heard of these people; the types who insist their £20 Chinese imports from eBay are just as good – if not better – than the reputable brands sold and recommended on mountain bike websites and magazines.

Now, for all I know, these lights really are the bee’s knees. The battery might well last longer than any other than any other around. They could be so bright, it is ‘like riding in daylight’ (I’m pretty sure i’ve heard that description from someone).

I have cut corners when buying mountain bike accessories before, and more often than not I pay the price when it doesn’t quite do the job properly, or lets you down at the most inconvenient time. That is why I didn’t buy in on these cheap alternatives.

The Hope R4 Vision LED Lights

The braggarts might be delighted with how much they have saved now, but before long the lights will undoubtedly start to fail, and the cost of lighting up the trail will start to mount.

So this is where the Hope Vision R4 LED light comes in. It lights up to 150 metres ahead for 2.5 – 50 hours on only 3 hours charge.

Hope also guarantees one year’s warranty on the lights.

One large button on top of the light is all that’s needed to operate the six settings available, a variety of brightness levels to a flashing mode (for if you fancy a ‘techno’ night-ride maybe… I haven’t yet found a use for it yet, but I remain hopeful).

Mounting options all come with the light, unlike a lot of lights which require you to buy them separately. You get a helmet mount, handlebar mount and head mount.

I chose to mount the light on my helmet

I find the helmet mount provides all the light I could need around the trail, and the easy to fit velcro strap remains securely in place, and can be taken off in a flash to ride in the day without it stuck on top of your head like a teletubby.

An extra length of cable also comes in the box, and if you tuck your battery into a large backpack whilst the light is on your head, then this is a must-have item. Without it, head-movement is limited, which could cause you to ride in an unnatural position and ultimately have an off.

The light is mounted onto a pivot which can be adjusted without having to loosen off bolts. This is very handy if you change your riding position and realise the light isn’t quite in the right place; the angle can be corrected with one hand whilst you’re riding (as long as you’re not too clumsy!)

Admittedly, the set was a bit heavier than I had expected it to be, but within 10 minutes of riding with the light mounted and i’d practically forgotten it was there.

Perhaps the only gripe I have with the R4 is when the battery starts to dip. Every 15 seconds the light flickers in quite a distracting and annoying way. I had the misfortune to set off on a ride, and within five minutes the R4 had a tantrum, and I resigned to having miniature lightning-effect flashes all the way around the trail.

Having said that, the light did not give up on me, and I still got round with a little guiding light from my friends! In addition to this, I can’t really blame the light for my decision to leave the light uncharged after two rides, and still expect it to be great on the third – I have learnt my lesson!

Overall, I really cannot fault the lights. As long as you look after them, they will look after you.

My rating: 5/5