Light and Motion Urban 800 Review
Cons: Expensive, difficult to quickly take on and off of the handlebars single-handed
Manufacturer: Light and Motion
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Light and Motion Urban 800 | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $149.99 at Amazon | $49.95 at Amazon | $70 List | $57 List | $40.08 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Fast to switch between bikes, excellent beam quality, 360 degree pivot, lightweight | Wide even beam pattern, bright, illuminated on/off button, swivel mount | Long battery life | Great value, bright beam | 360-degree swivel, amber side lights add to visibility, easy on and off at the bike rack, excellent beam quality |
| Cons | Expensive, difficult to quickly take on and off of the handlebars single-handed | Beam could be more even/less narrow, battery life on the short side | Very poor beam quality, tricky to remove from mount | Beam is more narrowly concentrated than other similarly powered lights | Not an especially bright or long beam, short battery life |
| Bottom Line | Fast to switch between bikes, excellent beam quality and 360 degree pivot | This light is bright, swivels nicely and even has an illuminated on/off switch | Has a very poor beam quality, hard to remove from mount but it does have a long battery life | Great value with bright, narrow beam | Although this light has a 360 degree swivel, its not very bright and has a short battery life |
| Rating Categories | Light and Motion Ur... | NiteRider Lumina 750 | Cateye Volt 300 | Cygolite Metro 400 | Light and Motion Ur... |
| Brightness (40%) | |||||
| Beam Quality (25%) | |||||
| Battery Life (20%) | |||||
| Portablity (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Light and Motion Ur... | NiteRider Lumina 750 | Cateye Volt 300 | Cygolite Metro 400 | Light and Motion Ur... |
| Max Beam Distance (m) | 136 m | 180 m | 130 m | 120 m | 110 m |
| Battery Life (hours) | 1.5 hrs | 1.7 hrs | 2.9 hrs | 1.7 hrs | 1.5 hrs |
| Battery Type | USB Recharge | USB Recharge | USB Recharge | USB Recharge | USB Recharge |
| Mount Options | Handlebar/Helmet | Handlebar/Helmet | Handlebar/Helmet | Handlebar | Handlebar |
| Installation | Attached | Tool-free | Tool-free | Tool-free | Attached |
| Swivel Mount | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 122 g, 4.3 oz | 182 g, 6.4 oz | 134 g, 4.7 oz | 142 g, 5 oz | 120 g, 4.2 oz |
Our Analysis and Test Results
If each of our 16 reviewed bike lights were to be put into "good, better, best" categories, we feel the Urban 800 would be the lowest performing of the 'best' - it does everything right, but with such stiff competition there are a handful of lights that do things better. That being said, this is an incredibly strong light for the compact size and can easily sneak away in a pocket or backpack.
Performance Comparison
Brightness
While the Urban 800 is pretty bright, it is not quite as bright as the competition and earns an 8 out of 10. It has a maximum measured beam distance of 136-meters, or about 445-feet, compared to the Lumina 750's 180 meters!
As you can see in the photos below, it has a very wide and even beam, but just does not illuminate as brightly down the bike path as the Lumina 750, pictured on the right.
Beam Quality
This light's beam quality is excellent and scored an 8 out of 10. It tied our Editors' Choice winner, the Lumina 750, and as you can see in the comparison below, it casts a very even and wide beam.
Battery Life
We took three factors into consideration when scoring battery life: beam power in correlation to longevity, type of battery (rechargeable versus non-rechargeable), and regulated versus non-regulated beams.
Battery life for this light is slightly below average in our overall comparison, and only fell short to the Lumina 750 by a very small margin. The Urban 800 lasted 1.5 hours in high beam mode during our coffin test, which is essentially the same as the much less expensive Light and Motion Urban 350. You can see in this chart that the main difference between the Urban 800 and 350 models is the 800's consistency in beam distance throughout its longevity.
Portability
The Urban 800 is relatively lightweight, quick to install, and easy to switch between bikes. However, the mounting system does not lend itself to easy one-handed on and off operation, and unlike its sister light, the Urban 350, we found the rubber mounting system to be much stiffer than the 350's. For example, if you make a quick stop at the store, you may need two hands to remove it and will almost certainly need two hands to put it back on. This is not a big deal, but we do prefer mounting systems that offer fast one-handed removal. We are also fans that this light comes with an optional helmet mount, adding to it's versatility.
Best Applications
This is a great light with a wide, evenly lit beam pattern. We used it commuting around town in well lit, as well as poorly lit streets, and during quick evening trail jaunts. Just as its name suggests, we found the Urban 800 to be the most at home in urban settings.
Value
This is a premium priced light and is about $50 more expensive than the higher scoring NiteRider Lumina 750.
Conclusion
This light scores well and has exceptional beam quality. All of the Light and Motion lights tested are fast to transfer between bikes, pivot 360 degrees, and offer side amber lights. If these features are important to you, this one is worth a hard look. However, competition in this category is stiff and other lights are brighter and easier on your wallet with similar beam quality.
— Gentrye Houghton