Allen ASL5X-R Review
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Allen ASL5X-R Bike Light
I have a job that doesn’t always afford me the luxury of riding during the daylight hours, so a descent headlight is a must for me. The Allen ASL5X-R is a sturdy aluminum bike light with a strong 5w Cree LED bulb. It offers great illumination for those early morning or night rides. It’s also a great option for when your coming home late from a night out on the town!
The Allen ASL5X-R comes safe and neatly packaged.
The Headlight of the Allen ASL5X-R
The first thing that stood out about the Allen ASL5X-R was the great silver aluminum finish. This finish provides greater protection for the light compared to most lights in the same category which are mostly made of plastic. The headlight has a 5w Cree LED bulb that puts off 280 lumens. I have used the headlight now on about a dozen rides with a mixture of road and off road. I was surprised at the illumination of the light and the beam at its largest setting because it offered great coverage.
One feature the Allen ASL5X-R has that is not an option with all headlights is an adjustable beam. To adjust the diameter of the beam all you have to do is slide the zoom at the end of the headlight. The headlight has a zoom up to 2000x and offers three different light settings. There is a full setting for when you need maximum illumination, half setting for dusk or to conserve the battery, and lastly a blinking safety mode for when you’re cruising around town. The headlight is also waterproof to IPX5 Rating. I wasn’t able to ride in the rain and test it, but with the quality seals the headlight has I’m sure it would hold up just fine if you ran into rain while out on a ride.
The light beam is easy to adjust with a simple slide of the lenses
A photo from the trail in the flood mode
A view in zoom mode
The headlight comes with a rechargeable 3.7v battery. I charged the battery when I first got it and haven’t had to recharge it to this point. The light comes with a USB charger that can either be plugged into your computer or any USB phone charger. Recharge time takes a little time and if you’re worried about being out on a ride and running out of power you can get another 3.7v battery on the internet pretty cheap. It might not be a bad idea to rotate two batteries always keeping one fresh.
USB Charger included to always keep your battery fresh
Mounting System
The Allen ASL5X-R headlight can be mounted to your handlebars in a matter of seconds. Included with the light is two rubber wraps making the mount compatible with both standard and oversized handlebars. The rubber wraps adds extra security and keeps the light from bumping around on rough roads or trails. I rode with the light on a couple mountain bike rides and the light stayed in place and never moved. Another feature the mount has is that it can be rotated left or right on the fly if you wish to angle the light in a different direction than straight forward.
One screw holds the mount secure. This is on an oversized handlebar
The Rear Light
The Allen ASL5X-R has a rear light that comes with the same aluminum finish as the headlight. The rear light is equipped with a 5 lumen 6 LED bulb and offers two modes. The rear light can either be run as a solid red light or a blinking red light. The 5 lumen bulb will give other drivers plenty of room to see you at night. I do a lot of riding home late at night (I live in Fort Collins, CO) and a nice rear blinking light can be a life saver on the busy old town streets. The rear light does not offer a rechargeable battery but does come with two CR2032. Being powered by two batteries you shouldn’t have to worry about them running out of juice too often. The rear light can either be mounted on the seat post or the seat stays. The only thing I didn’t like about the rear mount and this is being picky is that you needed a screwdriver to tighten the wrap strap. This isn’t the end of the world but does make it a little annoying if you want to switch the rear light quick to another bike.
Rear Light mounted on the seat post
The rear light will keep you safe and seen at night
Final Thoughts
The Allen ASL5X-R is a fantastic bike light that offers great illumination and a slew of features. This light can be used for all types of riding. It’s probably most suited for the road, but it can handle the rigors of an off-road ride. If you’re looking for a solid bike light and an even better price I say take a look at the Allen ASL5X-R bike light and you won’t be disappointed. Allen Sports USA also offers a variety of other bike accessories so head over to www.amazon.com/allen and have a look.
MSRP: $54.99
