RRP: $429
Distributor: FE Sports
Review: Liam Friary
Nowadays, the term ‘built to last’ feels like a phrase from a bygone era. But there are still brands out there that want to ensure ‘built to last’ is a term we use well into the future. One of those brands is Exposure Lights. Each light is machined from aluminum and uses durable, high-quality materials for the lens. Each part of the build process is done in-house, in the UK, and all lights carry a two-year warranty. There are not many products in the bike world that are manufactured in the UK or Europe these days, so that’s saying something!
The Diablo is at the top end of the offering from Exposure, and I tested the ultra-snazzy Oil Slick colour option. However, if that’s not your flavour, there’s a black colour option too. Three XPL2 LEDs, behind slightly detracting lenses, emit a maximum of 1800 lumens. That offers a spread of beam out from the centre – which is great for when you’re roaming beyond the tarmac. The centre of the beam offers a ton of brightness and what’s more, the three overlapping light sources mean there no nasty edges or fluctuations to disturb detail perception. The Diablo is offered with Exposure’s robust and reliable helmet mount, which easily fits through the vent in your lid and has a tilt adjustment built in – plus, it even comes with a security leash. The light is durable and is constructed from 6063 aluminium alloy.
The 3,500mAh Lithium-Ion battery gives enough power to last a touch over an hour of maximum run time. The eight menu options only default to half-power at the second brightest setting. Battery feedback is given via a traffic light of colour change from the single LED on the back of the lamp – which is great if you have the light mounted on the handlebar, but not so great if it’s mounted on your helmet. Exposure solves this issue, however, with a TAP technology setting via an OMS (Optimum Mode Selector) button-hold menu. This basically lets you change the power setting by simply tapping anywhere on the light. I found this feature super useful; it allowed me to adjust the settings as the outdoor light got darker or brighter, depending on the time I was riding. On the rear, along with the LED, there’s a port for the fast charger (supplied) which will have you back to full strength in around four hours. Alternately, or you can use a USB, which takes a tad longer but is useful for top-ups when you’re not able to get to a power socket whilst on a multi-day riding trip, or when traveling.
The all-in-one, cable-free design looks slick. The light offers a brilliant beam pattern and does give you a ton of confidence when darting down tight sections of trail under the dark night skies. The only stickler is the run time, however, the overall quality, robustness, and simplicity of use with the TAP setting is something to be applauded. For me personally, the Oil Slick colorway is rad. The light can be used for a variety of riding styles and, with the mounting options available, it could replace your plethora of lights for one simple solution. With the darker months looming, the Diablo could be the ticket to keep up the riding throughout.