While there are a lot of headlights on the market, RAVEMEN’s FR lights have a unique design that sandwiches between computers and mounts. In this review we’ll be looking at the latest version, the RAVEMEN FR300 which offers brighter output and longer runtime compared to the FR160. The FR300 retails for $49.95 and features an impressive 300 lumen output from a small form factor. RAVEMEN has designed the light as a be-seen style light with a wide COB LED lens that ensures riders are visible from any angle. The FR300 utilizes a Garmin or Wahoo mount on the bottom and upper surface which lets you install the light under GPS computers or other devices. As with other RAVEMEN products, the FR300 has a modern USB-C charging interface that can even be used to charge other devices from the 1200 mAh internal battery.
The RAVEMEN FR300 combines a clever dual mounting design and wrap-around COB LED with bright 300 lumen output.
| Retail Price | $49.95 |
| Rating | 9.0 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 73 |
| Likes | + Bright and daytime visible 300 lumen output + Wide COB LED lens is visible from any angle + Can be combined with Garmin or Wahoo devices |
| Dislikes | – Has too many modes – Lacks creative illumination patterns |
| Where to Buy (US) | Amazon |
UNBOXING
The RAVEMEN FR300 comes in a bright orange and black cardboard box with a large cutout that shows off the light. Inside the box you’ll find:
- FR300 light
- Wahoo adapter for both sides w/ Allen key
- USB-C charging cable
- Tether
- Instruction and manual pamphlet
To use the light you’ll need to attach it to your own handlebar mount.
MOUNTING
What is unique about this style light is that you have a mount on the top and bottom surfaces. Out of the box, this is a quarter turn Garmin mount on both surfaces which lets you use it with nearly any third-party mount. RAVEMEN also includes a Wahoo adapter for both surfaces and offers an optional adapter for use on the bottom of a Bryton out-front mount. This simple design allows you to sandwich the light between a GPS computer or by itself. The mounts themselves are plastic but feel well made. However, we’d still recommend using a tether on heavier GPS computers as a fail safe for the mounts failing.
FIT & FINISH
The RAVEMEN FR300 has a unique combo light and mount design that has a Garmin or Wahoo attachment on both the bottom and top surface. This lets you place the FR300 between a mount and GPS computer for a sleek installation. The FR300 is a larger and brighter version of the RAVEMEN FR160 we previously reviewed and an evolution of the Fabric Lumaray light which has disappeared from the market. With the higher 300 lumen output of the FR300, RAVEMEN has used a larger 1200mAh battery which has caused the entire light to grow. Dimensionally, it’s now 82 x 60 x 25.5 mm which means you’ll need a larger GPS computer for the FR300 to be hidden. Branding on the light is limited to RAVEMEN and FR300 debossed onto the top surface with a semi-gloss black plastic finish.
For optimal visibility, the RAVEMEN FR300 uses a wide wrap-around COB LED lens. This creates a smooth and uniform glow that is visible from nearly any angle. Even with the 300 lumen output in the daytime flash mode, this is still a be-seen style light. Unlike combo mount lights like the Moon Sport MX which have a focused beam, the FR300 just creates a wide disbursed beam that only illuminates the road directly in front of the bike. This light is designed for urban riding in well illuminated areas or daytime visibility and should be augmented with a larger and brighter headlight for nighttime riding.
USER INTERFACE
The FR300 has a single button interface with a rubber button on the left side of the light which is an improvement over the FR160’s rear button. It’s a back lit button which means you can press it with the light off to check the battery status. Green indicates 40-100%, red indicates 5-40% while flashing red indicates under 5% battery remaining. A long press of the button turns the light on and off, while a short press cycle through 6 different modes. RAVEMEN has added a new feature with the FR300 which is an auto on and off feature that uses an internal vibration sensor. With the light off, you hold the power button for three seconds to enable or disable the feature. If the light doesn’t detect vibration for 2 minutes, it automatically goes into standby mode. It’s a convenient feature for commuters doing multiple short stops, but we’d still recommend powering the light completely off to avoid battery drain.
LIGHT OUTPUT
RAVEMEN has incorporated three constant modes and three flash modes which all illuminate the entire lens together. Unlike KNOG lights, the FR300 doesn’t have any creative illumination patterns like a Knight Rider side-to-side scanner pattern. Instead, there is high (200 lumen / 4 hour runtime), medium (100 lumen / 7.5 hr) and low (50 lumen / 14.5 hr) constant modes. The more interesting options are the flash modes which includes a daytime flash at the full 300 lumen output with a 9 hour runtime. There are also two additional flash modes: fast flash (100 lumen / 12.5 hr) and slow flash (100 lumen / 24 hr). The slow flash is quite slow which is why it has such a long runtime as it leaves the light off for a longer period of time.
With the wrap-around COB lens design, the FR300 creates a soft glow around the handlebars and immediately in front of the bike. This is not designed to be a primary light for night time riding as even the maximum high constant mode isn’t enough to do any riding with except for well-lit urban areas. Instead, the daytime flash mode is really the most useful mode and with 300 lumen is enough to be visible even on bright sunny days. The wide lens has great visibility from any angle and the 9 hour runtime is enough for doing all-day rides. Although the larger size is a bit harder to hide, it’s still a pretty compact light that lets you turn stay visible without taking up handlebar space or a mounting spot.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the RAVEMEN FR300 to be a bright and clever be-seen style bike light. The clever dual mounting design lets you hide the FR300 underneath GPS computers and out-front mounts for a stealthy installation. RAVEMEN has taken their FR160 and increased the battery size and output to create this slightly larger FR300 variation. We were happy to see the power button relocated to the side and the bright 300 lumen daytime visible flash mode. The light also has long runtimes in nearly all the modes which keeps you visible even for long rides. The only improvements we’d suggest would be to reduce the number of modes (i.e. the three constant modes aren’t helpful) and to incorporate more creative illumination patterns. That said, if you’re looking for a bright daytime visible bike light that won’t clutter your handlebars then the RAVEMEN FR300 is a great option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by RAVEMEN. 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.