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At a Glance
- Lighting Settings:
- Burst Brake Sensing: 90 lumens for 3 seconds when quick deceleration is sensed
- Solid Inner w/Spinner Outer: 10 lumens/22 hours
- Solid: 10 lumens/12hr 30min and 30 lumens/5hr 30min
- Slow Flash: 10 lumens/14hr 30min and 30 lumens/5hr 30min
- Fast Flash: 10 lumens/24hr 30min and 30 lumens/8hr
- LED Low Battery Indicator
- Weight:
- Light: 44 grams
- Seatpost Mount: 17.5 grams
- Battery: Internal 560mAh, included USB-C to USB-A cable
- IP66 Water Resistance Rating: dustproof, protected against torrential rain, but not water immersion
- MSRP: $46.00
- Purchase at: fenixlighting.com
What is the Fenix BC06R Rechargeable Bike Tail Light?
The Fenix BC06R Rechargeable Bike Tail Light is a premium, compact, and lightweight rear red bike light. This handsome light sports a variety of lighting patterns at both a low and high intensity, plus an automatic burst mode when braking is sensed. The BC06R has a 560mAh non-removable internal lithium battery and can be charged via its USB-C port to full capacity in only a few hours (USB-C to USB-A cable included). The BC06R comes with two mounting options that’ll easily allow you to attach it to your seatpost or saddle rails, along with a simple quick release system so that you can take the light with you when you lock up. Its IP66 rating means it’ll survive whatever weather you ride through – just don’t take it scuba diving.
Light Beam, Patterns, Intensity
For how small it is, the Fenix BC06R is surprisingly bright, which floods your backside with a deep red light. There are a few different lighting patterns: a solid inner with a spinning outer ring at 10 lumens, as well as solid, slow flash and fast flash modes at 10 and 30 lumens.
When you brake, the light will switch to a super bright, solid, 90 lumen burst mode for a few seconds, then revert to the pattern and intensity it was on previously.
I ran a run time test to for the the solid, high setting which resulted in a run time of approx. 4 and a half hours, advertised at 5 and a half hours. Specs are a little optimistic, but not too bad and certainly a great run time for such a lightweight and compact light.
The spectrum of run times will vary from the ~4 and a half hours when set to a solid light on “high” to over 24 hours on the low intensity, fast flash mode. I wager to guess that braking a lot in stop and go traffic, the run time will be affected marginally.
The actual interface is very simple: just one button controls everything, and has at battery indicator embedded. Press it quickly and it’ll either glow green when there’s charge, or will blink red when it’s in need of a recharge.
When off, press and hold the power button for a second to turn it on. When on, press and hold the button again to turn it off. Once on, you can switch lighting modes by again pressing the button. The last chosen run mode will be remembered from the last time you ran the light. Simple!
I loved the brake sensing of this light – it’s way more than a gimmick, proving to me that it’s actually a great indicator to other cyclists you’re riding with, as well as vehicles you’re sharing the road with that your speed has changed with a cue that closely mimics what happens when a motor vehicle applies their own brakes.
The BC06R is certainly bright enough for daytime use, including brake sensing.
Mounting
Two mounting options are bundled with the Fenix BC06R: a silicone band system that works well to mount the light to your seatpost,
and a mount for your saddle rails, using some zip ties (four are included) to secure the mount on.
I regularly run a saddle bag, so my seatpost or saddle aren’t always free to hang a light on, but I also found the seatpost mounting option works pretty well on one of my seat stays, but I do swap out using a NiteIze Gear Tie — a tougher rubber and metal band — for this job.
The seatpost mount is rubberized so you don’t have to resort to weird hacks – like old rubber inner tubes – to keep the light from rattling around. It’s also angled to compensate for the angle that your seatpost is most likely at, to allow the beam to be directed correctly.
Whichever you choose, you can then attach the light itself to the mounting point with a simple twist. Removable is just a simple, with a quarter turn twist out. The attachment point looks similar to a Garmin unit quick release system, but they’re not compatible.
Charging
Charging this light is also pretty straightforward. You’ll find a USB-C charging port opposite of the red LEDs underneath a rubber door. This port is somewhat protected from the elements when mounted, as it is found between the back of light and the mounting point, which I thought was a clever design decision. Fenix says that it takes only 2 hours to charge the light to full capacity which is quite fast indeed, especially given the light has over a day of runtime in some settings. The internal lithium battery has 560 mAh of capacity, or a little less than 2, rechargeable lithium AAA’s.
Who is the Fenix BC06R Best For?
The Fenix BC06R makes an excellent road and commuter rear light. It’s bright enough for day use, and the run times have options that should last for all-day rides. The brake-sensing feature makes it particularly suited for trafficked roads where the feature is put to the test. The quick release mounting system makes it easy to remove the light for recharge or while you’ve locked up your bike in risky areas. The small size makes it easy to slip into your pocket or in a frame bag while not in use. Quick charging, internal battery and USB-C port makes keeping the battery topped up between longer trips easy and the runtime options should give options to still be illuminated even when you’re running low on power. The seatpost mounting system makes this light painless to swap between different bikes in your stable while the saddle mounting option is better for a more permanent option.
Thanks to Fenix Lighting for providing the BC06R Rechargeable Bike Tail Light for evaluation. If you would like to see your product showcased on this site and on my Youtube channel, please contact me.
