The Cateye Nano60 taillight is a smaller and more compact tail light with a cube-like design that is a departure from their popular Viz lineup of rectangular taillights. With the Nano60, Cateye has optimized size and visibility by utilizing a single LED and their OptiCube lens design. The Nano60 retails for an affordable $32.95 and has a 60 lumen output to match the product name. Cateye has designed the light to use their Snap System which is a multi-directional tab mount system. The taillight features a modern USB-C charging interface along with eye-catching HyperFlash output modes.
The CatEye NANO60 is a compact square shaped taillight with bright 60 lumen output for daytime or nighttime riding.
| Retail Price | $32.95 |
| Rating | 8.4/ 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 20 (taillight) / 8 (seatpost mount) |
| Likes | + Affordable price for the 60 lumen output + Focused beam with eye catching light modes like HyperFlash + Multi-direction mount design for more flexibility |
| Dislikes | – Lacks a multi-level battery status indicator |
| Where to Buy (US) | CatEye |
UNBOXING
The Cateye Nano60 comes in a cardboard box with a cutout that exposed the taillight. There is an eye-catching red graphic print around the taillight along with all the specs printed on the back of the box. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Nano60 taillight
- Seatpost mount
- Short, medium and long rubber straps
- Instruction manual
MOUNTING
One of the features of the CatEye Nano60 is the mounting design that CatEye calls the Snap System. It’s a simple slot design that has a square base with a matching square slot on the plastic seat post mount. The mount has a two piece design with a raised square peg on the rear of the taillight housing and a separate plastic piece with tabs and hooks. A rubber strap secures the mount to a seatpost with an angled rubber piece to help hold it in place. CatEye includes multiple rubber straps to accommodate different seatpost shapes while the rubber backing has cutouts to help it bend around the seatpost. Note, there is also an optional seat rail attachment for riders looking for a more integrated mount setup.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the CatEye Nano60 looks like a cube with a symmetrical design that has beveled corners and a single LED. The design looks similar to the Trek Flare lights with a semi-transparent plastic body and narrow beam shape. Inside the small body is a 320 mAh battery that can be charged in 3 hours using a USB-C charging cable. There is a single transparent plastic power button on one side, and Nano60 written on the sides of the light. CatEye has designed the taillight to be non-directional so you can mount the taillight in any orientation you prefer to make it easier to access the button.
The taillight has a single rear LED with CatEye’s OptiCube lens design. It’s a simple focused lens that creates a narrow beam that is claimed to be visible for up to 1 km away. With the light off, the taillight body looks all black but when you turn the light on you can see some of the red light through the transparent side panels. As far as the user interface, the light is operating with a single button that you hold to toggle it on and off and press to cycle through the six modes. There is no battery status indicator with the light, only a flashing low battery indicator when the light reaches a critical battery level and reverts to an eco mode for up to another 1 hour of emergency runtime. There are no additional smart features or options integrated into the the light which keeps the user interface simple.
LIGHT OUTPUT
CatEye has programmed the Nano60 with six modes: two constant modes and four flash modes. The constant modes are low (3 lm / 20 hr runtime) and a high mode (20 lm / 3.5 hr). For daytime riding, there are four flash modes: fast flash (6 lm / 60 hr), pulse (10 lm / 25 hr), Hyper Flash a (60 lm / 15 hr) and a Hyper Flash b (20 lm / 20 hr). The most unique feature of the light are the two Hyper Flash modes which are erratic flash modes that are perfect for daytime riding. Both of the modes have plenty of runtime for full-day rides as well as enough runtime to make recharging infrequent.
The output of the Nano60 is bright and visible from long distances thanks to the narrow focused beam. However, the downside of the focused lens design is that it can be blinding for riders directly behind you. The light is good overall and visible during day or night, but it lacks features some of its more expensive competitors such as Magicshine Seemee tailights have such as multi-level battery status indicator or side markers for enhanced side visibility. There is also no brake sensor or connectivity, which we’re actually okay with as those types of features don’t add a lot of functionality for most riders.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the CatEye Nano60 to be a compact and simple bike taillight. CatEye has taken their signature OptiCube lens design and highly visible HyperFlash modes and combined them into a small square design to create the Nano60. While it is far from the smartest or brightest taillight on the market, it’s easy to use and visible in the daytime or nighttime. We liked the small shape and simple mount that allows the taillight to hide behind standard or aero seatposts. The erratic flash pattern of the HyperFlash modes is also perfect for daytime riding and ensures you are always visible. Our main complaint would be that the Nano60 does not have a multi-level battery status indicator, only a low battery indicator once the battery hits a critical level. That said, the CatEye Nano60 is a well priced and compact bike taillight for cyclists looking for a minimalist bike taillight.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by CatEye. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.