Hope’s intro unit is a punchy and focused light at a good price. The single LED sits behind a focusing lens to create a tightly defined and surprisingly powerful beam that accounts for a very high lux rating for its price.
On the trail that means it throws a useful amount of illumination far enough down straight trails for reasonably fast riding off-roading and it’s a good unlit road light too. It has very limited peripheral spread for twisty stuff though, and the small light pool means you haven’t got long to work out exactly what’s happening on technical trails.
The two lowest settings are useful for extended commuter run times, and there’s a flashing setting for 24-hour visibility. The second lowest setting is still bright enough for less lairy surfaces or steadier pace on straight bits, and it picks up potholes far enough in advance on country roads.
The nylon bar mount uses push-in rubber plugs to adjust between 31.8 and 25.4mm handlebars, and a quick-release latch for simple and secure, angle adjustable fitting. The Vision 1 also comes with a basic but useable helmet mount, but the light is a bit heavy for lid-mounted use. An ‘Adventure’ version with head harness and separate battery pack is available.
The knurled back of the Vision 1's scalloped barrel body unscrews to take a clip-in carrier for four conventional or rechargeable AA batteries. Rechargeable cells are better value in the long run, but run times here are with a fresh set of high-power conventional batteries. There’s no battery indicator, so it makes sense to carry a spare set of cells just in case. The big button is easy to use with fat winter gloves.
For more information on how we tested this year's crop of lights, see our latest buyer's guide to mountain bike lights and Tested: 30 high-power mountain bike lights.
