TESTED: NiteRider Saber 35 USB Tail Light

As the bikes we ride continue to evolve beneath us each year, so too do all of those other necessary bits and pieces that we sometimes take for granted. Things like helmets, shoes, GPS computers, and USB tail lights. Things that can genuinely make our riding experience more comfortable, safer, and more enjoyable, but often get overlooked when it comes time to upgrade. Of course lights are important for most cyclists, but when it comes to lighting technology, most of us (including the crew at AMB) are typically focussed on high-powered helmet and handlebar lights that help us to see our way along the trail on a night ride. Big burners like the 1800-Lumen Trail LED XXX Light and the Seca 2000 from Light & Motion are the sorts of things that get our pulse racing. But as LED and Lithium Ion technology has continued to accelerate forward, those advancements in power and run time  have also made their way into lower-powered urban bike lights and tail lights too.

Typically, tail lights take a bit of a back seat (huh) compared to more exciting high-powered front lights, but in many situations they’re arguably more important. That aside, how many times have you been on the way to the trail head at night and have seen passing cyclists with underwhelming tail lights that leave you wondering how any other road user can actually see them? Or what about when you’re on a group ride, and someone’s flashing tail light is so blindingly obnoxious that it almost sends you into a tree every time you look up? Well the good news is that tail lights have become very, very good over the past few years, and no one should really have to put up with those issues at all. Highlighting this significant evolution, the new Saber 35 light from NiteRider should prove to be a popular option for mountain bikers who need to take to the bitumen to get to the trails.

“The Sabre 35 is a super bright, light weight USB rechargeable LED tail light. It utilizes a multi LED array designed for eye catching visibility in both day and night. With the addition of amber colored side lights, the Sabre 35 provides 180 degrees of protection.” – NiteRider

• Power: 35 lumens
• Multi-LED Array
• Amber side lights for 180 degrees of visibility
• USB rechargeable
• Run Time: 1.5 – 12 hours
• Charge Time: 1.5 hours
• Claimed Weight: 73 grams
• RRP: $44.95

I’ve been riding with the Saber 35 light all winter long, and it’s a very impressive little light. The first thing I noticed when I took it out of the packaging was just how compact and lightweight it is. Coming in under 100 grams and using a new slimline design, the Saber 35 is a drastic improvement over NiteRider’s existing tail light options, with its slick reflective silver finish and skinny profile. The Saber 35 uses a multi-LED strip that runs vertically down the light body, which offers a distinctive beam pattern.

The Saber 35 is designed to easily mount to any seatpost (with the exception of huge aero seatposts you’ll find on some road bikes), with the use of a thick rubber strap that mounts snugly. You can remove the light from the mount via a small tab underneath the light body that allows you to slide the light in and out of the bracket. You can fit the Saber 35 to the strap on the back of your saddle bag or on your backpack, but in my experience, a solid bump off road will likely cause the light to self-eject unbeknown to you. When on the seatpost however, the Saber 35 is rock solid, and it’s adjustable tilt angle means you can set it up correctly regardless of your bikes seat tube angle.

Contained inside the plastic light housing is a Lithium Ion battery that you can recharge via a micro-USB cable. This is ideal for commuters and after-work night riding, as you can easily top up the juice while you’re at work. From full depletion, the Saber 35 only takes 90 minutes to charge. One problem I discovered with the rubber cover for the USB port was that after a couple of rides, it wouldn’t stay in place anymore. As you can see in the above photo, the rubber cover would sit open, leaving the USB port exposed to the dust and mud being flicked up by the rear wheel. Admittedly I haven’t experienced any issues with the light despite a full winters riding like this, but it’s still not ideal.

The single opaque button up the top turns the light on and off, and it also allows you to access to separate modes; steady and flashing. Within each mode, there are 3 different levels that you can scroll through depending on the riding situation. I found that during a group ride, I could leave the Saber 35 on the Low Steady mode, which made me visible enough without blinding the rider behind me. After finishing the ride and heading back home on the road, I could then change the light into the Flashing mode for a high-burst strobe pattern to make cars aware of my presence. And then the next morning on my way into work, I could use a more random flash pattern to keep other road users alert. That said, I think 6 settings is a little overkill, and NiteRider could easily trim those back to 4 (High Steady, Low Steady, Daytime Flash, Nighttime Flash). The only issue I found with using the Saber 35 is that the button is a little vague, which is made worse when wearing thick winter-weight gloves. It’s still usable, but a more pronounced button and a more definitive “click” would be nice.

Our Take

While the Saber only has 35 Lumens (compared to say the Light & Motion Vis 180 with 70 Lumens), it’s distinctive beam pattern works well at keeping you visible. Since using the Saber 35, I’ve become a big advocate for running a tail light during the day. Given the generous run times and the fact that you can top up the light at work during the day, I find that there’s just no reason why I wouldn’t use the Saber 35 on a flashing mode during my morning commute – anything to make me more visible to inattentive car drivers is a good thing in my opinion. And so along with its easy to remove and mount rubber strap, that makes this little light damn versatile in my opinion. It isn’t quite perfect, but for less than $50, this light is excellent value for money. Should be cheap enough for you to gift one of these to that annoying Fred who always rides in front of you with that obnoxious flashing tail light.

Hits: Excellent value for money. Distinct beam pattern. Good battery efficiency.

Misses: Button can be a little vague – especially with gloves. USB cover doesn’t stay put. 

From: Jet Black Products