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review

Xeccon Geinea III front & rear light set

6
£30.79

VERDICT:

6
10
By no means poor but expensive compared with brighter competition
Weight: 
87g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Xeccon Geinea III front and rear light set are a boxy yet pretty pairing. By my reckoning, they're firmly in contingency territory, the sort of lights you turn to when you've been out on the best bike, making the most of summer's fading glory.

Specification

The integrated lens and switch look very neat and are very convenient wearing full-finger gloves. There are four modes in total: low, high, flashing and SOS. A deliberate, two-second press of the lens engages high (steady). Peripheral bleed is created by cut outs in the fetching 6061 T6, anodised aluminium shells.

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Low and flashing follow with subsequent prods. Switching off is just a matter of pressing the lens for two seconds. There is also an SOS mode, reached by holding the lens for three seconds. The front produces a maximum of 15 lumens, the rear 10.

Xeccon Geinea 111 front - front.jpg

The 80mAh battery charges in the cited 2hr 30min when fully depleted and using the increasingly ubiquitous charger. Bank on another 10 minutes if it's guzzling from laptop or tablet but otherwise it's perfect for discrete deskside refuelling and/or you've left the OEM cable at home.

The charge port plug fits snugly, without faff and though Xeccon don't cite an IPX rating (preferring instead to describe it as water resistant) I've had no problems in moderate to heavy rain, or when leaving it in situ while giving bikes a sudsy bucket wash and garden hose rinse down.

Xeccon Geinea 111 rear - side.jpg

Mount

On the subject of fitting/removal, Xeccon have plumped for a big stretchy rubberised watch strap and clip arrangement. This is press-fitted onto a round peg on the 6061 casing's reverse side. This set up sits flush against bars, posts and indeed frame tubing.

Xeccon Geinea iii rear seatstay mount.jpg

There's sufficient stretch to accommodate oversized tubes without straining rider or strap. I've mounted ours to head tubes, helmets and at the other extreme, pencil thin seat stays. In a pinch, you could always tether to a clothing or luggage strap.

Output

This is a relative term, given the numbers but allowing for the contingency brief, I've been pleasantly surprised. Thanks to decent quality lens and reflectors, both produce a rich glow that compensates for the modest numbers.

Flashing is closer to pulsing and pretty much my default. With daylight fading fast and used as my sole form of rear light, other riders reckoned they could spot me at around 100m along the open road, nearer 60m following through town.

Xeccon Geinea iii front head tube mount.jpg

SOS mode seemed a bit more captivating on account of the pattern but there wasn't much in it. There's some peripheral light from the cut-outs mentioned above, but I didn't feel particularly comfortable when joining the flow of traffic.

The Geinea III front light has a bit more kick. Not that you'd be navigating with it but flashing seemed to register at 100 metres or so along the open road and the tempo was sufficient to alert vehicles approaching at junctions.

> Buyer's Guide: The best front lights for cycling

Given the purity of output, high steady mode was a pleasant surprise. Useful around dusk and good enough for well-lit town centres. Low is a bit impotent, though sufficient for dual use cycle paths.

Run times

These were accurate and pretty much what I'd expect given the output and battery spec. I've had 2hr 49min and 2hr 53min from a full charge, running them in their highest, steady modes. In SOS, I've managed 8 hr 54min, which is close enough.

Xeccon Geinea 111 front - top.jpg

Those are reasonable run times for tertiary/contingency lighting, where they could save your bacon in the event of a main system powering down, or losing track of time one autumn/winter afternoon. However, they're unexceptional compared with compact pairings, such as Moon Gemini.

Conclusion

The Geinea III lights aren't poor, just relatively expensive, compared with other, compact pairings packing a much bigger punch. Moon Gemini lights are one notable example. At the other end of the price scale, two B'Twin V100 320 USB dual bike lights pump out 22 and 7 lumens, occupy even less space and give change from £17.

Verdict

By no means poor but expensive compared with brighter competition

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Xeccon Geinea 111 Front and Rear light set

Size tested: 15 Lumens front , 10 Lumens rear

Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Xeccon consider these self-explanatory. This is a compact set of contingency lights offering user friendly charm and pleasing aesthetics. By no means poor. However, underpowered compared with others at this price

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?

Front LED: 1 High Power White LED

Max Output: 15 Lumens

Run Time: 2.5-9 hours

Mode: Steady - Strobe

Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy

Battery: 80mAh Internal Rechargeable Battery

Charging Time: 2.5 hours

Waterproof Level: Water Resistant

Rear LED: 1 High Power Red LED

Max Output: 10 Lumens

Run Time: 2.5-9 hours

Mode: Steady - Strobe

Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy

Battery: 80mAh Internal Rechargeable Battery

Charging Time: 2.5 hours

Waterproof Level: Water Resistant

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Feel very solid

Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
 
8/10

Click type lens cum switch-effortless even in winter weight gloves.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
6/10

Simple system offers various mounting options.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
6/10

No IPX rating but seem water-resistant in the everyday, rain and sudsy bucket sense.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
7/10

Run and charge times are faithful to those quoted.

Rate the light for performance:
 
6/10

Brighter than I was expecting and useful enough around town, or as contingencies. However, slightly impotent compared with other lights at this end of the market.

Rate the light for durability:
 
6/10

Aluminium casings look pretty and offer decent protection, lens cum switch seems dependable so far.

Rate the light for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the light for value:
 
5/10

By no means badly made, or poor value but faces stiff competition from Moon Gemini and other sets boasting much greater presence.

Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, the Geinea have been pleasant to use but feel underpowered alongside similarly priced competitors and I was quite conscious of this when tackling bigger roundabouts. Integrated lens and switch means they're easily commanded in gloved hands and 2.5 hour charge times are similarly convenient. However, for all their charms output is average compared with Moon Gemini and several other sets.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

Attractive, user-friendly design, reasonable run and charge times.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Output relative to their asking price puts a dent in their value for money rating.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes

Would you consider buying the light? On balance, no,

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Not at full rrp-competition is fierce at this price.

Use this box to explain your score

By no means poor contingency lights but there are considerably more powerful pairings for similar money.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 1m 81cm  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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