The Revo Dynamo is no entry level bike light. At £239.95 it's certainly an investment yet it is one that will appeal to informed and committed endurance cyclists who understand the concept of the long game. It's also ideal for anyone who has ever experienced the joy of running out of batteries on a night ride and wants to avoid a similar situation in the future. Take it from us - not fun!
If you're looking for a light to take out of the box, whack on your bike and immediately head out the door, then this is not the product for you as it requires a considerable set up process.
The clue is in the name - this is a Dynamo system which by its very nature means there is a hub that will need to be built into a wheel of your choice. If you're not into doing this yourself, then your local bike shop will get it set up for you for around £30.
And then you'll need to connect the hub to the light itself which is actually quite straightforward but again, does take some time. Connectors, cables, clamps etc all offer a particular kind of challenge but if you're looking to 'earn your turns' then the Revo Dynamo will be right up your street/trail - delete as appropriate.
A little bit of short term pain does thankfully directly equate into long term gain. There's a reason why the Revo Dynamo is one of UK-based Exposure Light's most popular products and that's because it's bloody good. As soon as it's set up, you can quickly get on with the business of forgetting all about it. Pair it with the Exposure Red Eye rear light and you've got a complete battery free lighting solution. Genius.
When you start pedaling, the light powers up and gets brighter as you speed up. The reverse is also obviously true and when you slow down, the light dims. If you're looking for the max 800 lumens potential of the Revo Dynamo we reckon you'll need to be travelling somewhere in the region of 12-15 mph.
The problem with this is that when you're riding in technical and/or wooded terrain, you're often travelling slowly but in need of the most light. If you want to avoid frustrations or an unplanned head-on meeting with a tree then we suggest pairing the Revo Dynamo with a helmet light.
A neat feature of the Revo Dynamo is that it gives back a little of the power that you're putting in to making it work. The 6v output can be used to 'trickle charge' smaller items like GPS units and whilst you'd want to clearly want a more substantial solution for actual charging of greedy tech units, if you're just looking to extend battery life, it will more than suffice.
Where the Revo Dynamo truly excels however is at the end of a long day's riding in the wilderness when dusk is falling and it's time to set up camp. The Revo's Stand Light remains lit for up to an hour after you've come to a stop, giving you enough time to put up your tent and dig out your hipflask. Winner.
