Product Overview

Product:

Hope Vision HID lightest £299

Weight 527g / 10w HID Bulb (40w equivalent) /
2.2Ah Li-Ion Battery / Endurance model available with two batts for £340
Contact: Hope 01282 851200

Hope has decided that a low overall weight is more important than battery life when it comes to light design, so it’s adapted its stem, hanging a 2.2 Ah Li-Ion battery below, and mounting a lamp above. With stems over 80mm the impeccably CNC’ed aluminium battery box is mounted inline, shorter stems mount the box perpendicular. Faceplates are available for Thompson, FSA and Truvativ stems, with more coming online as we write.
The lamp unit mounts with one Allen bolt to a pair of tabs on the faceplate, which allows for some angle adjustment. As well as the bulb, the electronics and ballast are cosseted within the lamp body and sealed to IP67 levels — basically it’s as tight as a duck’s arse. Connecting the battery and lamp is a cable with three pin connectors, and a screw-fit body and a sprung stainless steel clip allows easy battery removal.
Having over a pound of weight up front caused fewer handling problems than anticipated, and the central mount is a godsend, negating riser bar mounting problems. We got 2hrs 50mins from our light, which is plenty for our night rides, and perfect for at least two laps at summer events. Ten watts of halide light is great, with a tight, bright centre to the beam and a good spread for peripherals. The only downside is vulnerability in crashes. Not only the light, but the top-tube is susceptible should the bars get twisted, and that’s the only reason it doesn’t score top marks.

MBR RATING: 9/10