Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 front light review

As an StVZO light combined with a high-beam maximum setting, the Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 has been designed to offer versatility across a range of riding beyond use on the road.

It might not be a first choice for technical mountain biking, but it acquits itself well for gravel riding and light off-road tracks, as well as on the road.

However, a steep price tag will likely put many prospective buyers off.

Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 specifications and details

The Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 is a 1,600-lumen, (claimed) StVZO-compliant light that incorporates a high beam with a wide-angle spread.

This is designed to increase peripheral vision, plus makes the light more usable off-road.

Well-designed and made using high-quality alloy, it comes with a wired remote. This can switch the light on and off, change between high and low beams, plus access an eco setting.

All functionality is through the remote: there’s no power button on the light unit itself.

The separate battery comes with a fast charger, and connects via the same port as the remote.

The battery unit features a light sensor to automatically dip the beam, and a vibration sensor that will eventually switch the light off if you forget to do it yourself at the end of a ride.

Supernova also offers its own app, which can be used to control the light as well as customise the modes to a limited degree.

Run time on full beam is claimed to be two hours.

Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 performance

Setting up the Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 is easy, with a hinged bracket that opens right out and is secured with an integral screw.

The quality, including the knurled finish on the adjuster, is impeccable.

Once in place and fastened, the light is secure and doesn’t move, but the angle can be finessed easily.

The attention to the quality of the detail is evident in the remote too. The rubber band that fastens the button around your bars is attached more securely on one side, unlike many setups, where the band can be removed just as easily from both sides – and more easily lost.

The triangular battery fits both rounded and flat tubes, with a soft spongy pad that helps it mould and grip to the tube. It also has a very wide Velcro strap to help hold the battery pack solidly in place.

With some batteries, you risk brushing against them or the fastening with your legs at some point, but not this one.

The connection between the battery and light cable ends handily screws together to make a good watertight seal, underlining the robust nature of the design.

The remote is activated easily with a click to get you from the StZVO-compliant beam to the high beam and back again. Holding it down for two seconds takes you into ‘eco’ mode.

The app gives more power output options so you can fine-tune and extend the run time depending on your ride. I used the app to set up the functions for my riding needs and just toggled between the two modes.

The battery features a built-in LED charge indicator, which activates when the battery senses movement or you run your finger over the light sensor. It lights blue when there’s good charge, and red when charge is low.

The app gives more accurate detail on predicted time remaining. Plus, if you have a compatible Garmin Edge computer or smartwatch, you can see the remaining run time as a live read-out there.

To save pulling out your phone every time, or if you don’t have a compatible bike computer or watch, it’d be more useful to have a few LEDs on the battery to give a closer approximation of remaining battery life.

The low-beam setting has the classic StVZO-style strong cut-off across the top. However, the beam shape also leaves little-to-no light immediately in front of the bike.

This doesn’t affect depth perception, but was disconcerting when there were potholes about that I might want to keep an eye on as they got nearer.

There are clearly defined brighter spots in the beam pattern. This means that although the output is a strong 1,600 lumens in the high-beam setting, not all details are illuminated as equally as you might find with the best bike lights.

However, because it has a relatively wide fade to the side, it doesn’t give the sensation (as some StVZO-compliant lights do) of riding in a tunnel.I found my eyes adjusted quite well so that bright spots weren’t as obvious, but a more consistent beam would be an improvement.

The Lupine AF SL tested alongside the Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 is the slightly brighter and cleaner of the two when comparing their beams, but the difference is minimal.

Supernova claims the M99 offers enough “illumination for difficult terrain”, but if you’re expecting a similar reach and spread from the full-beam setting as you’ll get on specialist MTB lights, you’ll be disappointed.

The M99 simply doesn’t put out enough light in a comprehensive enough spread to be practical on technical off-road terrain.

That said, for gravel tracks and unlit bike paths, it fills in the front of the bike well enough when used in high-beam mode. Plus, because of the gradual fade of the beam, there’s just enough peripheral visibility for confidence on more twisty routes and when arriving at junctions.

The light sensor usefully switches on the unit when things get dark – but it’s worth noting that you need to download the app in order to activate it.

When it comes to the end of your ride, the vibration sensor on the battery pack enables automatic shut-off when the bike hasn’t been moved for a while.

With the evidence of riderless bikes with lights left on all over towns in the UK and beyond, this feature is useful as a safeguard against draining your battery by mistake after a long commute.

It’s very sensitive though, just a small knock to your bike will reactivate the light. Should you leave the light on your bike in a secure bike park, you might find it’s switched itself on and off as riders around you come and go, draining the battery.

Much like the Lupine AF SL, the M99 retails and ships from Germany, where the use of StVZO lights is mandated by law.

It also carries a similar price tag of €487, plus the taxes and import duties you might have to pay if you live outside the EU. This price, for many, will put the M99 out of reach.

Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 bottom line

The Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54 is a well-made light packed with practical features.

It manages to tread the line between consideration for other road or bike path users with the need for a more powerful beam when venturing onto gravel routes, even if the beam is prone to bright spots

However, despite what Supernova claims to the contrary, it’s not suitable for more technical MTB use. There’s also the very expensive price tag versus other lights to consider.

But, if StVZO compliance is a must for you, then it does a good job of lighting the way on the road without a strict and restrictive tunnel effect.