NiteRider Lumina Max 2500 with NiteLink

The NiteRider Lumina Max 2500 is a more than capable front light – it's powerful, easy to use, and has a variety of beam settings that mean it can be used in a variety of situations. However, it is not the lightest and it comes with a fairly steep price tag. You might want to compare it with others in our buyer's guide to the best bike lights before buying.

First and foremost, the Lumina Max 2500 has been designed to be bright. With a maximum output of 2,500 lumens, it's one of the brighter lights we have reviewed recently, and is more than capable of illuminating the darkest roads and trails.

I've used this on a variety of surfaces and found it perfectly good enough for lighting country lanes or gravel trails.

It's simple to use, operated by two buttons on the top that turn it on and off, and change the brightness and beam pattern.

The buttons are backlit with coloured LEDs that change based on the selection you have (flashing for a flashing option, solid and bright for a high/solid combo and so on), and above them are four additional LEDs that indicate battery life; these change to predict the time remaining based on the setting you're using, which is a nice touch.

Nitelink

Another neat feature is that if you have a Nitelink compatible rear light then you can turn that on or off from the front light too. You can also buy a wireless remote that allows you to control both the front and rear lights (and even have turn signals if that's your thing).

Modes & output

The light has five constant modes, from 80 lumens to 2,500. Press the top button to go brighter, and the lower button to go lower.

You can also hold down the lower button to switch from a constant beam to flashing: one slow, another intermittent, and the other a strobing flash. If you're looking to be seen on the roads rather than to see what's in front of you, these offer a good variety of options.

In total it has eight modes, with the following claimed run-times and outputs:

• Walk Mode - 18:00h at 80 lumens
• Low - 7:00h at 200 lumens
• Med - 3:00h at 900 lumens
• High - 1:30h at 1,800 lumens
• Boost - Up to 0:45m at 2,500 lumens
• Super Flash - 9:15h
• Pulse Flash - 12:45h
• Fast Flash - 7:45h

The High and Boost modes are certainly more focused on off-road usage (unless you really want to blind someone on the road heading toward you); in fact the light itself is designed predominantly for use on tracks. That said, the range of modes on offer mean it can be used in a number of environments.

For example, I generally used Pulse Flash as a daytime running light on the road, as it offers good battery life combined with effective lighting for being seen. At night I'd use the 900-lumen Med for road riding, and switch between High and Boost for anything off-road.

As the Lumina Max 2500 is predominantly for use off-road, it has a focused beam pattern. It's good for showing what's in front of you – I could quite easily identify any imperfections in the road, or roots on a trail, or something to avoid – but it's more limited than road-specific lights in terms of its peripheral spread, and what you can see around you.

Run-times & charging

The Lumina Max 2500 is claimed to provide up to 18 hours of run-time on its lowest setting, the 80-lumen 'Walk' mode, and up to 45 minutes on the full 2,500-lumen Boost.

The claims seem pretty accurate – the 2,500-lumen Boost lasted around 45 minutes inside during a power cut... And after using the 80-lumen Walk option for a few rides (don't tell!) in a row it had only dropped to 75% power after round 5 hours of use.

Because the light has a good variety of modes, you should be able to find something that works for you, whether you want to maximise power over a short distance or maximise time between charging.

Recharging is done through a USB port on the bottom of the light, and takes a couple of hours (more if you're charging from a laptop or third device), so it's not the kind of light you can just chuck on charge a few minutes before setting off.

Weight, build, heat

As with most lights over 2,000 lumens, there is a sacrifice to make in terms of size, weight, and heat.

As with most lights over 2,000 lumens, there is a sacrifice to be made in terms of size and weight. While it's certainly compact and portable, it's also a bit bulkier and heavier than others we have tested, coming in at 226g. This wasn't an issue for me, with the kind of winter riding (and winter or gravel bike) I use, but if you're a weight-weenie then this probably isn't the light for you.

It also heats up very quickly on the brighter settings. Niterider includes a warning on the front of the light, which is handy, because if you're not expecting it, it can be a bit of a shock.

Mount

The light is simple to mount and adjust on your bike, and comes with a variety of different shims to ensure a secure and stable fit regardless of bar size.

Fitting it is simply a case of wrapping the bracket around the bar and tightening the nut. Removing it is equally easy, or you can just slide the light unit off by itself and leave the bracket in place.

Mat tested the Niterider Max 2000 and found there was a lot of movement when riding off road, but I didn't notice anything excessive. This could be because I used it on a Specialized Diverge, with the Future Shock 2 system reducing vibrations.

Value

At £220, it's fairly steep compared with others we have tested with a similarly powerful beam. For instance, the Magicshine Ray 2600 Smart Remote Bike Light that Shaun tested in 2021 provides an extra 100 lumens and cost £113 (and can be picked up for less than £100).

Ravemen's PR2400, which Stu tested in 2021, is a slightly different beast, but it's £20 less at £199.99 and comes with a remote.

However, there are more expensive options – the well-liked Light & Motion Seca Comp 2000 has an rrp of £243, and the Lumina Max starts to look cheap compared with Exposure's two Strada offerings.

It's also worth noting that if you shop around you can pick up the Lumina Max for significantly less than rrp in several places.

Conclusion

Overall, the Lumina Max 2500 is an excellent choice if you are looking for a powerful and versatile light, especially if you like to head off road. It is exceptionally bright, the various modes mean it can be used in a variety of situations, and it's easy to fit and remove. However, it is a little pricey and bulky compared with some, and might be more light than you need. For the mixed kind of riding I've been doing, it's ideal.

Verdict

Bright and practical, it lights trails and dark lanes well, although it is pretty imposing on the bike