The Review Smiths Issue 12

CatEye SYNC Core and SYNC Kinetic At this time of year it is dark when you go to work, dark when you come home, even when it’s daylight it’s still gloomy so a decent set of bike lights are an absolute must to keep you safe and visible on the road.

The SYNC Core and SYNC Kinetic twin pack covers you from front to back, starting with the Core, this light sits at the front of the bike, featuring the ONE touch control but more on that later.

This light can kick out 500 lumens and provides excellent side visibility, this helps you see the road in front of you as well as being seen by other road users.

The Core is constructed with a compact and lightweight body at just 41.5 x 33.5 x 93.5mm and 94 grams, that has a built-in fast recharging battery, the FlexTight bracket makes for quick and secure attachment.

The HyperConstant mode delivers powerful visibility in the daytime, the OptiCube lens technology produces a round beam pattern, there are 5 light modes to choose from, High, 500 lumens for 2 hrs, Middle, 150 lumens for up to 9 hrs, Low, 100 lumens for 15 hrs, Daytime HyperConstant, 500/100 lumens last for 18 hours whilst the Flashing mode uses 100 lumens for up to 130 hrs. The battery takes between 3-6hours to recharge. The SYNC Kinetic is more than just a flashing red light, it features a built- in accelerometer that detects when you slow down and automatically switches to 50 lumen burst mode, alerting those behind you that you are about to stop or turn off the road, even when the light is off beforehand. It also features the Daytime HyperFlash mode, enhanced side visibility, OptiCube, and a built-in rechargeable battery.

There are 6 modes High, 40 lumens for 1.5 hrs, Low, uses 5 lumens for 15 hrs, Flashing, 30 lumens for 50 hrs, Rapid, 50 lumens for up to 20 hrs, Daytime HyperFlash, 50 lumens for 30 hrs and the Group Ride mode, which is more gentle on fellow riders eyes, uses 40 lumens and lasts 15 hrs. All these modes can be uses in Kinetic mode too, only lighting up when you slow down, however this mode reduces the battery life faster. Both lights are part of the SYNC collection which can be linked up to the app which then allows you to turn on both lights with the touch of one button. The app is also where you can view the battery life of both lights, turn them on and off, sync with other lights (up to 7 including wearables), customise the light modes and use the ‘find me function’ which gets the light flashing by tapping the button on app. The memory function means the lights will go back to the last setting you used saving you time from scrolling through settings every time you sit in the saddle. These lights are a sensible choice for regular commuting, user friendly with functions that react to your ride, keeping you safer on the road all year round.

For more information on the CatEye SYNC Core and SYNC Kinetic click here