Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ evaluation: Fantastically brilliant mild that holds securely and lasts effectively.

Released as a part of Lezyne’s massive overhaul of its mild vary in 2023, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ builds on the extremely widespread Strip hind lights by the model. The new Strip Drive Pro 400+, because the title says, has a most lumen brightness of 400. It sits in the direction of the higher finish of Lezyne’s vary of lights, solely surpassed by the Laser Drive, and two Ai-braking outfitted Alert 250 and Strip Drive Pro fashions.

The massive promoting factors of the Strip Drive Pro are the 270˚ visibility, 80 hour battery life, and 7 totally different modes for working in a various vary of climate and lightweight circumstances. With that battery life and brightness, the Lezyne is a step forward of many different hind lights which have featured in our patrons information to one of the best bike lights with out being exceptionally dearer.

In truth, the worth of £55 places Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ on the identical worth as our Best all-round Budget rear mild, the Bontrager Flare RT, whereas that includes considerably extra highly effective specs. The ladder strap additionally permits for becoming to conventional spherical seat posts or aero ones.

Design and specs

As the title suggests, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ delivers a most lumen output of 400 lumens through its 10 LED lights. This is simply throughout its excessive powered Day Flash 2 mode, one of many seven modes obtainable, however nonetheless boasting an 18 hour runtime. Additionally, there may be Economy mode with 15 lumens and 26 hour runtime, two 80 lumen strong beam and pulse choices, a 50 lumen flash, the aforementioned Day Flash modes 1 and a couple of (200 and 400 lumen), and at last the 80 hour 5 lumen Femto mode.

The Femto mode is way decrease powered however makes use of a spread of various flashes, durations, and brightnesses to ship a moderately uneven and due to this fact noticeable flash sequence. All these modes kind a part of the 270˚ visibility with an open facet design of the sunshine to accommodate this vary.

The 1900 mAh battery helps help this spectacular most battery life, however even the shorter lasting modes supply first rate durations. Recharging is carried out through USB-C, with quick charging 2.0 and three.0 supported, though no cable is provided. The battery port itself is discovered on the backside of the sunshine, however Lezyne says that is waterproof. An IPX7 waterproof ranking ought to preserve it working successfully in any climate circumstances in a position to be ridden in. IPX7 means it’s waterproof even when submerged as much as 1m deep for as much as half-hour, so that you needn’t fear about tyre spray in the event you aren’t working fenders. 

With dimensions of 70mm, 37mm, 47mm, and a weight of 70g with out the strap and 80g with, it’s a compact mild. A ladder strap is used to connect the Lezyne Trip Drive Pro 400+ to an array of seatposts, be that spherical or deeper formed aero seatposts. The fundamental physique of the sunshine is an impression resistant rubber, which ought to assist shield it within the unlucky occasion of it falling from the bike. 

All of the sunshine options are managed by a single button on the high of the sunshine. A brief press offers a battery indication (inexperienced for 75-100%, pink/inexperienced for 25-75%, and pink for 0-25%), whereas an extended press turns the sunshine on or off. Single press adjustments the sunshine mode in a sequential order. Given there are seven modes it does imply you could have to cycle by a good bit to seek out the one you are after.

Performance

From the second I turned the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ on inside after unpacking it, I used to be immediately met with a room bathed in a brilliant pink mild. When it involves shear energy from the lumens, the 400 lumen Day Flash 2 mode is extremely brilliant to the purpose that it may possibly illuminate the highway behind you fairly effectively. Yes, you don’t want that many lumens when using to be seen to different highway customers, however that stage of brightness does make you extremely seen from a good way away, and is very helpful for daylight visibility when the distinction is decrease. It additionally boosts the facet visibility, which though doesn’t fairly have the identical brightness because the rear dealing with view, continues to be excellent for being extremely seen facet on.

Generally when using out on the highway, I’ve been protecting it in Day Flash 2 mode. I don’t assume a rear mild ought to be wanted as an excuse for individuals driving automobiles to truly see individuals using bikes, however I’d nonetheless moderately take the measure. Even with the battery life being decrease on this setting than the extra eco modes, I’ve solely charged the sunshine twice over a 3 month interval of use. This leads me to take Lezyne’s battery life claims at face worth based mostly on testing and modes used.

Using it for nighttime rides, the Pulse has been my go-to. The 80 lumen efficiency on the height of the heart beat is brilliantly brilliant, whereas the dearth of flash shouldn’t dazzle different highway customers, with the marginally downwards angle of the sunshine when fitted to a seatpost additionally help on this. With a 14 hour battery life, this mode nonetheless has a powerful lifespan. As for the opposite modes, though they don’t characteristic the identical punch with the brightness, they nonetheless supply a mode that’s extra highly effective than quite a lot of the rivals to this mild, all whereas offering an extended runtime very often.

Other parts of this mild that I actually like are the warmth dissipation. Leyzne has used its personal Advanced warmth sink know-how to cut back thermal buildup. Most outstanding on its aluminium entrance lights with fins to extend floor space, at 400 lumens this rear mild ought to get a bit heat when left working. However even left on my desk at full energy, there have been no heating points. I additionally love the simplicity of the on/off button and it’s design. It is considerably raised from the physique of the sunshine, so switching on or altering modes when using is an absolute breeze even with thick gloves on. There have additionally been no points with water ingress even when testing by some pretty horrific wet circumstances just lately.

It’s not all rosy nonetheless with the sunshine, as there are a few issues that will current a problem to some customers. Firstly, the ladder seatpost strap is improbable, and retains the sunshine very safe on spherical and aero tubed seatposts. However, it’s on the brief facet, so on notably deep tubes like critically aero focussed highway and time trial bikes, it’s not fairly lengthy sufficient to wrap round totally. 

The different difficulty is the exclusion of a charging cable. This might be seen although as a product of the EU rules and the standardisation of USB-C charging. This complete initiative has been designed partially to cut back cable waste, the place half a dozen gadgets could require a separate cost cable every. I do have a number of USB-C cables mendacity round for different merchandise, so the dearth of cost cable is of no difficulty to me. However for some it could be, so it’s price highlighting.

Value

As talked about earlier than, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ really is available in on the identical worth as our greatest worth finances rear bike mild, whereas packing greater than double the lumens of any of the lights examined in that group take a look at. Add to {that a} longer runtime and coming in at an analogous or solely marginally dearer worth and the worth of this mild is outstanding.

This is why it wins our strongest rear bike mild class. Some parts such because the angling of the sunshine could also be questionable, however I feel this helps cut back dazzling with out impacting visibility. While the quantity of modes could also be superfluous to some, it manages to supply a distinct choice for just about any state of affairs.

There are cheaper lights obtainable, however there isn’t something fairly as excessive powered obtainable presently, not to mention at this worth and with this battery life.

The solely factor that attracts me away barely from this mild is the presence of the Strip Drive Pro 400+ with Ai Alert. I’m but to check this, however for £5 extra you get Lezyne’s Ai brake mild which adjustments the lighting based mostly on if you find yourself braking. Useful for signalling intent to different highway customers, particularly in excessive site visitors areas.

Verdict

With exceptionally excessive energy and brightness, with copious straightforward to make use of modes to accommodate most using and lightweight circumstances, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ is a powerhouse of a rear mild. With 400 lumens on the Day Flash 2 mode, it is among the brightest hind lights obtainable. Meanwhile decrease energy, but nonetheless highly effective, choices give an awesome vary of potential battery life choices with 80 hours being the utmost.

The ladder match system means it matches most seatpost with ease, however the size of the ladder does restrict it on deeper aero tubing. The lack of USB-C could also be a unfavorable to some as effectively, though personally I see it as a step in the direction of reduces electrical waste.

All this efficiency and practicality comes at a really affordable worth, with the lumens/£ being exceptionally good. It’s a improbable rear mild that I personally discover nearly unattainable to seek out fault with.