Brightness, compact unit, simplicity of use, battery life, lightweight, clamp 
Bracket offers no easy angle adjustment, beam could have more reach
Sussex-based USE launched its Exposure Lights range in 2005. They were early adopters of LED technology, and they’ve come a long way since, partly as LED technology has developed at a rapid rate but also because the company has pushed what is possible with its unique approach to lights.
The range now covers a broad spectrum of price points. Sitting at the top of the tree is the mighty MaXx-D, a light which pumps out an impressive 960 lumens via four LED’s. Now, Exposure’s USP has always been cable free designs with no external batteries, and the MaXx-D is a fine example of this design philosophy; it’s small, compact and takes up little space on the handlebar.
Inside the CNC machined aluminium case is a lithium-ion battery which is good for 3-hours, and we easily got this during testing. For rides longer than that or if you’re doing a couple of laps of a 24-hour racing, the medium setting is still useably light enough for speedy riding and extends the life to 10-hours.
An on/off button on the rear of the unit is easy to operate with gloves on. The first time it’s pressed puts it straight onto the brightest setting, and there are four available modes; medium, low and flashing.
Securing the light to the handlebars is the work of a nifty machined QR aluminium bracket.We found the light remained perfectly steady even through the roughest trails, and can be easily whipped off in a second. There’s no easy angle adjustment but we found leaving the clamp a smidgen loose gave some freedom to adjust the angle of the beam while riding without the light wobbling about.
Despite the large size of the light we didn’t notice it adversely affecting our handling, indeed the only reminder it was there was the huge beam of light being chucked out across the trail ahead of us. The whole unit weighs just 320g (including the bracket).
The 960 lumen beam gives good depth and spread across the trail, and the reach is fine for all but the fastest riding. There were a few times when we found ourselves wanting a little more reach, but that’s what a helmet light, such as the Diablo, is for.
The all-in-one design is a winner and the brightness and available settings makes it usable in a wide range of riding situations, from trail to enduro racing. And with no cables to faff about with, it’s simply a matter of attaching to the bars and you’re ready to ride.
Read more: Bike Magic