Ravemen’s FR series of lights started with the FR160 as a compact sandwich style light for daytime visibility that could sit between an out-front mount and a computer. With the FR500 version, Ravemen has added more output and two focused LEDs to provide daytime and nighttime visibility. The FR500 has a bright 500 lumen output and a higher $64.95 retail price than the lower output FR models. Ravemen has incorporated the same dual mounts with a male Garmin on the bottom and a female Garmin / Wahoo mount above it for attaching computers above it. The runtime for the light ranges from 2.5 to 24.5 hr depending on the output mode with a USB-C port that charges the 2000mAh battery.
The Ravemen FR500 combines a sandwich style form factor for mounting computers above it with bright 500 lumen output.
| Retail Price | $64.95 |
| Rating | 8.8 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 101 |
| Likes | + Dual-sided mounting with included Wahoo adapter + Wraparound lens has great side visibility + Bright 500 lumen output with two focused LEDs |
| Dislikes | – Bulky form factor does not hide under computers like thinner FR160 version – Fixed LEDs requires moving mount to adjust beam angle |
| Where to Buy (US) | Ravemen |
UNBOXING
The Ravemen FR500 comes in an orange and black cardboard box with a front cutout that shows the light. Inside the box you’ll find:
- FR500 light
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB-C to micro USB cable
- Wahoo mount adapters
- Safety tether
- Instruction manual
To use the light you’ll need to attach it to your own handlebar mount.
MOUNTING
One of the unique features of the FR series is the dual sided mounting which mounts the light under or above an out-front mount. You can even add a computer on top of the light which was one of the big selling points of the original Fabric Lumaray light that the FR series was based on. Ravemen offers a few variations of the FR500 with Garmin / Wahoo adapters like we have here as well as Bryton and GoPro versions. With this version you have female Garmin on top, and male Garmin on the bottom. Ravemen includes the Wahoo versions of both mounts which can easily be swapped in by removing the screws that hold it in place. This light is a bit heavier than the lower output versions but still feels solid and easy to install and remove thanks to the quarter turn mounts.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Ravemen FR500 retains the same distinctive shield like shape of the FR series with a wrap around front lens and sided dual-mounting. To achieve the 500 lumen output, the FR500 has grown in size to accommodate a larger battery and two focused LEDs. The higher output means the light is no longer easy to hide as it’s 29 mm or 1.1 inches in height compared to the slimmer FR160 and FR300. Otherwise it still has the same plastic body with beveled edges and black appearance. On the top you’ll find a Garmin mount that bolts onto the body with Ravemen and FR500 debossed into the plastic. The left side has a single power button with a backlight while the right side has nothing on it.
A rubber cover on the rear conceals the USB-C cable which can be used to charge the light and a safety tether pre-attached to the light. On the bottom you’ll find the other Garmin mount and metal heat diffusers to help with thermal management given the higher output of the light. There are some exposed screws on the base that presumably hold the entire light together. The most obvious difference between the FR500 and lower models is the lens design which replaces the wrap-around COB LED for two focused LEDs. While the lens still wraps around, it is only illuminated with the reflections of the main LEDs. instead of COB LEDs.
To achieve daytime and nighttime visibility, the FR500 uses a dual LED design with two focused LEDs. Unlike the KOM Cycling Quick Release lights or the Moon Sports MX, the angle of the light is not adjustable. Ravemen has angled the LEDs downward as they only have simple horizontal diffusers to spread the beam which still creates glare for oncoming riders. This design has the obvious downside of requiring you to adjust your entire mount to adjust the beam angle. From a side angle it’s easy to see that the beam is tilted down by around 25 degrees with a wide beam pattern that helps blend the two LED outputs together. While the 500 lumen isn’t the brightest light on the market, for urban commuters or slower speeds it would be sufficient.
USER INTERFACE
Ravemen has utilized a simple one-level user interface with a single side power button. A quick press of the button with the light off shows a colored backlight: green (40-100%), red (5-40%) or flashing (<5%) red backlight that mirrors the battery status. Holding the button turns the light on while a short press cycles through the modes. There are six different modes to choose from with three constant modes and three flash modes that can be used in the daytime or nighttime. It is a single level menu which means you have to cycle through flash modes if you want to go back to a higher constant mode setting which can be distracting at night. Otherwise, the FR500 has mode memory which means it always turns on in the same mode it was shut off in.
LIGHT OUTPUT
The Ravemen FR500 is pre programmed with six output modes, three constant modes and three flash modes. All the modes activate the two LEDs in unison but with different intensities or patterns. The constant modes are low (150 lumen / 6.5 hr), medium (300 lumen / 3.2 hr) and high (500 lumen / 2.5 hr). There is a daytime flash option with the full 500 lumen output and the highest 36 hr runtime. Additionally there is a fast flash (300 lumen / 13 hr) and a slow flash (150 lumen / 24.5 hr). Surprisingly, you can achieve the full 500 lumen output in both the constant mode and the daytime flash mode which gives you either the most or the least runtime.
With the dual focused LED lens design of the light creates a wide beam that illuminates the road. While LEDs are tilted inside the light itself which helps reduce glare and focus the light downward, the light does not have a sharp beam cutoff like more advanced lights such as the Magicshine HORI 900. It’s a big improvement over the COB LED glow of the FR160 or FR300 which are be-seen style lights and can actually be used for night time riding. At the full 500 lumen output it is bright enough to be used for dark trails but we don’t recommend it for faster speeds as the beam distance is limited. The FR500 is a nice balance between a daytime and nighttime visible light with enough output for both situations.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Ravemen FR500 to be a compact and bright combination bike mount and headlight. Ravemen has taken their sleek FR style dual-mount light design and added two focused LEDs and 500 lumen output to make the light bright enough for night time visibility. The brighter output results in a thicker light which does not hide quite as well under GPS computers like the thinner FR160 or FR300 models. That aside, the focused LEDs create a wide beam that is bright enough for night time riding and provides daytime visibility with an irregular flash pattern. We liked the dual sided mounting and wrap-around lens that provides great side visibility. The only downside of the light is the thicker size and the fixed LED angle which requires rotating the mount to adjust the beam angle. That said, the Ravemen FR500 is a bright combination mount and light for daytime or nighttime riding.
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.