Fenix BC30R 2018
Reviews / Lights
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At A Glance
The BC30R is a new bike light from the illumination brand Fenix, they have been making torches for years and have recently been creating some decent bike lights too. This model is their first to offer a digital display which can tell you the mode and also the runtime as well as the battery status.
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The light features five modes, Eco, Low, Medium, High and Turbo. In High, it pumps out 1000 lumens while Turbo throws 1800. Fenix uses a dual beam technology to throw light out in front of you but also further down the trail. The light is charged via a Micro USB connection which is very handy, no need for specific charging plugs here.
It’s a bar mounted light and comes with a bracket to fix on the handlebars; the light can then slide on and off this mount. It’s worth noting that you can only just get it to fit around a 35mm handlebar set up. There is also a remote switch in the box. However, this hasn’t been designed with modern mountain biking in mind as the cable is so short you can’t get it anywhere near your hands on a wide bar set up.
On The Trail
Charging the light is quick and easy, the Micro USB is a great touch and very handy. Operating the light is pretty simple too, an on/off switch and a simple up and down switch to toggle through the modes. The display is clear and bight, being backlit helps too, it’s easy to glance down and see the run times.
In terms of the light, it chucks out it’s impressive for such a small piece of kit. On Turbo we got about 1hr out of the light, so on a usual ride where we turn it down on the roads and up on the trails we got a very usable couple of hours toggling between High and Turbo.
The beam pattern is great, and a highlight, the dual beams create a good spread of light in front of you and also further down the trail. We’d love to see a helmet mounting system as it’s small enough and light enough to be mounted there. A longer cable on the remote would also be good.
A clever function is the warning you get when the light has 30 minutes of power left; it flashes red letting you know you should switch down a mode. If you ignore that and just leave it on permanently, it will intelligently downshift through the modes to extend the run time, a neat feature for the forgetful rider out there who might forget to toggle the modes on a long ride…
Overall
Well built with a professional finish the Fenix BC30R offers some solid features at a reasonable price. If you’ve got 35mm bars, you might find it a struggle to mount, and modern mountain bikers with wide bars shouldn’t let the “remote” influence their buying decision as it is pretty useless with the short cable. However, the buttons are big enough and easy enough to use that you shouldn’t need the remote. The light beam is very usable, and we liked the feedback we got from the display about the run times that were left.
This review was in Issue 51 of IMB.
For more information visit FenixRelated
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
