Niterider TL5.0
Costing a mere tenner, Niterider’s little safety scarab is a decent if delicate basic unit. We say delicate because it exploded first drop during our simulated, off-bike fall phase of testing. The good news is that once we’d found and re-assembled all the bits and batteries, it still worked fine and didn’t spill its guts again.
The bit of water that seeped in round the switch during the drowning test didn’t do any damage, either. It’s worth being aware, though, that it’s not fully sealed, so you know to open it up and dry it after particularly wet rides.
While not the brightest, the three main rear LEDs can be set in constant, bar flash and sequential modes to eke out life and gain attention. They’re also backed up by two smaller side LEDs, which give some direct driver illumination as you scoot across T-junctions. The rounded reflector is also more visible from more angles than most budget rear lights, which is a definite bonus in heavy traffic.
At a tenner it’s certainly a good option as a back-up, even if you want something more powerful as your primary light.
Contact : 2Pure 0131 448 2884 www.2pure.co.uk
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
