Cycle Torch Shark 55R Bike Light: Bright Enough for Safe Night Rides

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If you like to ride your bike early in the morning or right before the sun goes down, then you know that there’s a fine line between decent riding vision and “too dark to see”. You need a good light to get you safely home, and the Cycle Torch Shark 55R Bike Light will give you just that.

Inside the box, you’ll find the front bike light, a rubber attachment strap, a rear MicroBot bike light, a shorter attachment strap for that, a plastic clip for the rear light, a 6″ microUSB to USB cable, and a 22″ long microUSB to USB cable.

The Shark 55R measures about 4″ long by 1.5″ across; its body is composed of black ABS plastic and grey ABS plastic, and it weighs just 100 grams. The bike light feels solid; in a pinch, it could be also be used as a handheld torch. The bike light slides onto the fastened strap until it clicks; you can remove the light from your bike later for recharging (without removing the strap) by pressing the release button on the holder.

The included rear MicroBot bike light measures approximately 1.5″ tall by 1.25″ wide; it is composed of black ABS plastic on the back and red translucent plastic on the front. The rear light has a clip on it, so it can serve double duty if you ever need it for night-time visibility while doing other activities like jogging.

To charge the Shark 55R, you remove the rubber cover on the microUSB port and plug in the charging cable; the light will glow red until it’s fully charged and glows blue.

To charge the rear MicroBot bike light, you remove the rubber cover on the USB port and plug in the charging cable. Be sure to replace the rubber plugs on both before you go riding; they help keep moisture and mud out of the charging ports. Again, the light will glow red while charging and then glow blue once charging is complete.

Here’s the Shark 55R installed on my Sondors E-Bike. The rubberized button on the top controls the different light phases which include high, medium, low, and flash. Flash is perfect for daytime use — I saw a guy riding on the side of the busy highway yesterday in full sunlight (we have lots of century riders out here), yet the flashing headlight on his bike was still very eye-catching.

This is a breakdown of how long you can expect the fully charged light to last as well as the Shark 55R’s brightness in each mode. To turn the light on, you give the button an initial short press; each short press after that will cycle through the other modes. To turn the light off, you press and hold the button for about three seconds.

You can check remaining battery left on the Shark 55R  by turning the light off, and then pressing the button for 3 seconds and then releasing it.

The light will flash from 1 to 10 times indicating the remaining battery level (10 flashes indicate – 100% charge, 9 flashes – 90%, 8 flashes – 80% …).

When your battery level is low, the power button light will glow red, and then the light will eventually automatically turn off when the battery level is too low.

This system protects the battery from damage, but since it draws a small amount of current, and can drain the battery beyond the minimum voltage for the battery, so the light must be turned off when the button glows red or within 5 minutes of it glowing red.

It’s advised that you try not to allow the battery to run completely out, as it will ultimately reduce the battery’s life.

Shark 55R Specifications:
• Brightness: 550 LM
• Waterproof Grade: IP65
• Light Source: CREE XML T6 ultra bright LED
• LED lifespan: 50,000 hours
• Low power consumption
• Battery: 1 x SAMSUNG 18650, 3.7V, 2400 mAh Li-ion (replaceable)
• Charge time: 4 ~ 10 hours
• Low Power warning: red light warning (power button changes from blue to red)
• Waterproof lit up power button for greater night visibility

Here’s the rear MicroBot light installed on my bike; I probably ought to remove the reflector, since it’s a bit redundant now, right? Anyway! A short press on the rubber button turns the MicroBot on, and pressing it again will cycle the light through its various modes which include quick flash, slow flash, circular flash, circular flash show, and steady. To turn it off, you press and hold the power button for about 3 seconds.

The rear MicroBot bike light is also rated IP65.

Here’s the battery life that you can expect from the MicroBot light.

It’s a good idea to use the rear light during the day, too; anything that will catch the eyes of others on the road is a good thing!

The Shark 55R Bike Light and the rear MicroBot light are easy to install, easy to operate, and they each have multiple modes for safe riding during the day or night.

The Shark 55R Bike Light retails for $39.95 (it’s on sale now for $29.95), and it is available from Cycle Torch and from Amazon [affiliate link].

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Rechargeable; Included rear MicroBot light; Long battery life; Multiple modes available on each light; Fits my bike’s handlebars and seat post perfectly; Waterproof

What Needs Improvement: Nothing

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.