Lumicycle Apex Extender Pro Pack front light set review

The trend in light units is for greater light output from smaller packages, with many quite powerful lights coming in single packages with an integrated battery. Lumicycle eschews this approach, producing a range of light units with separate battery packs which either use Velcro to strap to the frame or live in a bottle cage and use cables to connect to the light’s head unit.

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This approach has advantages to counterbalance the disadvantage of the having to fix the battery securely to the bike and run wires to the lights. First, the lights’ head units are much smaller than an all-in-one design and so take up less bar room. Second, it’s easier to produce a head which is well-balanced and less prone to jiggling around over bumps. Third, the battery has a lot greater capacity for longer run times and/or greater output. Fourth, it can be swapped out for a spare. And last, the head units can be swapped out for a more powerful variant as technology improves or if they get damaged. Lumicycle (opens in new tab) sells its head units as separate items as well as packaged with a battery.

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The Apex Extender Pro is near the top of Lumicycle’s range and had a price to reflect its status. It is seriously bright, kicking out 3300 lumens on boost setting. Even on low setting, with a claimed 320 lumens output, it gives out a prodigious amount of light from its twin heads: plenty to ride on road and on non-technical off-road too. Select boost and you can take on descents at full speed.

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Because of the huge battery capacity, even on boost it is claimed to last three hours on a full charge and 52 hours with both head units at low power. Switching between output modes is just a question of flicking the switch on the back of each head up or down and there’s a flashing indicator to show how much output you have selected.

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The two head units have the additional benefit that they allow you to direct them independently to place light where you need it, which may differ with riding conditions. The only issue is that with the beam following your bars, it can be difficult to judge your line through S-bends, where a lower powered bar-mounted light and a helmet spot might be a better option. Oh, and with a similar output to a car’s full beam you can seriously dazzle on-coming vehicles.