M-Wave Helios K 1.1: If you're just looking for a small, inexpensive battery-powered rear light with an LED, you'll quickly find what you're looking for at Messingschlager with the M-Wave Helios K 1.1. We'll show you here how the simple battery-powered rear light fared in extensive testing.
The StVZO-compliant rear light from M-Wave will definitely find many buyers with its simplicity and very affordable price of 10,90 euros. The rear light can also be removed from the holder using a click system and weighs less than 12 grams on its own - a real lightweight! Since there is only one mode, the lamp can be easily switched on and off again by pressing the button directly under the LED. What is striking is that you can see the inner workings of the lamp through the housing, which is compared to the other taillights in the test makes a rather cheaper impression. Additional features such as a brake light are not available here.
Facts & figures
| weight with bracket | 25,35 grams |
| Lighting time max. | 4h |
| Lighting time min. | 4h |
| Page visibility | 240 degree |
| StVZO approved | Ja |
| Stoplight | No |
| Charging time | 2 - 3h |
| Price RRP | 10,90 Euros |
Our test impression of the M-Wave Helios K 1.1
packaging and assembly
The packaging, which was completely made of plastic, actually frustrated us a bit when we unpacked it, as you couldn't open the lamp by hand alone. With the help of scissors and additionally tearing open the back, we were able to remove the tail light. We see room for improvement here.
Installing the M-Wave Helios K 1.1 is very simple and intuitive. The four-hole rubber mount holds securely to the seat post and can be adjusted to fit many sizes. Unfortunately, there is no rubber spacer on the front of the seat post, as with other lamps in our test. The positive thing is that you can adjust the angle of the lamp up and down and thus adapt the beam angle to different saddle heights so as not to blind following road users.
Operation and battery life
Operating the M-Wave Helios K 1.1 is very easy with just one button; The lamp can be switched on and off with a short press. The integrated battery has a burning time of around four hours. When the green battery level indicator lights up, the battery must be charged; there are no different levels for 20% or 10% of the battery level. During charging, the small LED lights up red and goes out when the battery is fully charged. The charging time with the included micro-USB cable is around two to three hours. When charging, it is practical that the lamp can be removed from the holder so that the holder can always remain mounted on the seat post.
One of the existing LEDs lights up very brightly, which can be blinding when you look directly at it. Visibility in road traffic is also guaranteed with a side visibility of 240 degrees. With a total weight of 25,4 grams, the lamp is very light and also very small in terms of dimensions. For the price of 10,90 euros it is M-Wave Helios K 1.1 but definitely recommended.
What is allowed, what matters?: Battery taillights
Battery-powered rear lights: When it comes to lighting, cyclists today benefit from uncomplicated rules and high-quality technology. However, it can't hurt to know what the StVZO requires - here's a brief overview. Cyclists in particular have benefited from the new version of the legal regulations on bicycle lighting in June 2017: the requirement to carry battery-powered lights has been lifted; Today, bicycles only have to be used “during […]
