Blackburn DayBlazer 125 Rear

The Blackburn DayBlazer 125 is the big brother of the DayBlazer 65. It packs a bigger punch and longer burn times, with the same easy-fit mechanisms, at a small extra cost on the scales and a slightly bigger extra cost to your wallet.

• Pros: Very bright, easy-fitting
• Cons: Not as good value as the DayBlazer 65

In terms of how you fit and use the DayBlazer 125, I could simply refer you to my recent review of the smaller 65 lumen version. It features the same style rubberised mount that can mould to fit all kinds of seatposts and seatstays, which sits over a sprung clip for fitting to backpacks and the like.

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Secure and easy to use, it makes fast fitting and removal a doddle, while the single button you use to turn it on, off and cycle through modes is precisely the same too – a simple cycle-through system with no mode memory. Thanks to the added brightness, Blackburn has included a lower static light setting at 50 lumens (the equivalent of the only static setting in the 65 model), while topping out at an impressive 100 lumens in the high level.

The lithium-ion battery has near enough double capacity (3 hours versus 1:30 hours in the 50 lumen static settings), with a max output of 125 lumens in the 'high flash' mode. In this mode you also get 3 hours burn time, which I reckon is just enough for a decent-length winter ride in typical wintry gloom, while you can use the still-bright low setting for 6 hours if you're feeling particularly hardy.

Recharge times are up slightly too, but at just under three hours from empty to full, it's very convenient to just pop it into your powered USB bus while at work or at home and have a fully powered light the next time you use it.

The light is emitted from three LEDs in a longer array body, while the power button is positioned atop the unit rather than the middle. The extra size means weight has more than doubled, but at 87g it's still hardly an issue. The only potential thing to bear in mind (compared to the smaller unit, at least) is if you run your saddle height low and you want/need to mount it to the seatpost, you might not have enough exposed post to fit it on.

The 'TIR' lens over the LEDs points the light simultaneously backwards and downwards to compensate for the natural slant of mounting it on the seatstays, and there's improved side visibility too thanks simply to the greater brightness output.

Build quality is excellent, with a quality aluminium body this time out, a tidy-fitting USB cap and an IP67 waterproofing rating, which is more than enough to stand up to heavy rain or a five-minute deluge/half submersion in my shower without any concerns. Blackburn also backs it with its limited lifetime warranty too.

> Buyer's Guide: 15 of the best rear lights for cycling

Aside from the weight, the other downside is the added cost. At £44.99, it's a good £17 more than its smaller brother, which if I'm brutally honest does everything you really need from a bright rear light. That said, more power is always handy when you're on shorter urban journeys, while the extra battery life that the larger unit is capable of for longer rides is probably the most compelling reason to swallow the cost.

However, for just a fiver more you could have Lezyne's Strip Drive Pro 300, which can both out-power and out-last the DayBlazer 125 (in certain modes), while keeping much of the functionality.

Verdict

Simple functionality, great brightness, acceptable battery life and good build quality