I was skeptical the moment I read the email subject line: “12,300 Lumens: A High-Output Light Worth Putting to the Test.” Over the years, I’ve come across countless unknown bike light brands claiming exceptionally bright lights, only to be disappointed when I hit the trail at night. Over 10,000 lumens from a brand I’ve never heard of? I figured readers would at least get a laugh out of my review.
But it turns out the Wuben X1Pro isn’t messing around. Admittedly, I don’t have a way to measure how many lumens the X1Pro actually pumps out, but here’s what I can say: it lights up the trail like nothing else I’ve ever tested. And yes, all that brightness comes at a cost in weight and portability, plus there’s an important asterisk on that 12,300-lumen spec. Here’s what I learned about this incredibly bright — if somewhat flawed — light for night riding.
Wuben X1Pro key specs
- Max output: 12,300 lumens (1 minute in Turbo)
- Batteries: USB-C rechargeable. Two replaceable 21700 cells, 4,800mAh each
- Weight: 391g (without mount)
- Price: $174.99 (currently $139.99)
- Buy from Amazon
It’s a flashlight first, and a bike light second
The first thing to know is that the X1Pro is essentially a flashlight. Wuben’s manual calls it the “X1PRO Flashlight,” and it doesn’t include a handlebar mount in the box, so you’ll need to buy one for biking (listed at $29.99, currently $19.99). That explains a lot about the design, which is more practical in hand than on a handlebar.
It’s also big. The X1Pro is about the size of a bar and a half of Irish Spring soap, and it feels like the thing is made of lead. My test light weighed 391g on my scale, not including the mount. For me, it’s far too heavy to use as a helmet light.
The combo beam is the one you’ll actually use on the trail
The X1Pro has LEDs grouped into two different optics — one wide angle (125°) and the other a spotlight (15°). A three-position slider on the body lets you choose between spot, wide, or a combo of both at the same time.
On singletrack, the combo setting is excellent. The wide beam floods the trail edges to light up the turns, while the spot reaches far enough down the trail that I never felt like I was outrunning the light.
Beyond the three beam patterns, there are four brightness levels plus Turbo. In combo mode, Wuben rates the four main levels at 20, 400, 1,000, and 3,000 lumens. The light remembers your last brightness setting when you turn it off and on again, though Turbo isn’t saved.
Brightness that burns without a touch
Wuben says the spotlight produces up to 3,650 lumens and the wide beam casts 8,650 lumens max. Combine the two in Turbo mode, and you get the headline 12,300-lumen number.
Does the X1Pro really deliver 12,300 lumens? I don’t know, but I can’t hold my hand in front of the light for more than a few seconds before my skin becomes uncomfortably hot. Being exposed to the beam feels like putting your hand under the burner on a toaster oven or like an instant sunburn. Hell, I have to squint my eyes to look at the light reflecting off my hand. Peering directly into the light at full power would almost certainly cause serious eye damage.
About that 12,300-lumen asterisk
So yeah, I believe the 12,300-lumen claim, but here’s the catch: Turbo mode only lasts for one minute. According to Wuben’s manual, the light runs at 12,300 lumens for a minute, steps down to 5,000 lumens for another minute, then settles at 3,000 lumens for a claimed 1.7 hours. A minute is enough time for a fast descent or a tricky section, or to peer across to a distant ridge, but don’t expect to ride a whole loop at full blast. You could turn the light off and pop it back into Turbo mode once it runs out, but there’s a good chance it will overheat. In my tests, the brightness drop actually wasn’t all that noticeable despite the steep lumen jumps.
The X1Pro in the 3,000-lumen high combo setting is listed at 1.8 hours of runtime. In my bench test, the light lasted about two hours on high, so the claim seems about right. In combo mode at 1,000 lumens, Wuben says the light should last an impressive 5.5 hours.
To keep all that power from cooking the light, there’s a small fan built into the body that kicks on automatically when things heat up. Wuben’s manual notes the fan is detachable and replaceable, but warns against using Turbo or High without it. The first time the fan turned on during a ride I was afraid the light was self immolating — it sounds like the sizzle of hot campfire coals on a crisp cold night.
The X1Pro runs on two 21700 batteries rated at 4,800 mAh each, and they’re replaceable, so you can carry a spare set for longer rides. The light charges via USB-C, and it can also act as a power bank to top off your phone or another USB device. Wuben’s manual says a full charge takes about two hours with a 30W charger, though the Wuben website claims a full charge in 75 minutes.
The mount and the button aren’t great for biking
My biggest gripe is the handlebar mount. I was able to make it work with one 35mm diameter handlebar, but not another. It does fit the 22.2mm end of the bar near the grip, but that leaves the light off-center and pointed at an odd angle. The mount has a way to adjust the angle, but the adjustment is wonky and not very strong. Since the light is so heavy, you really have to crank the mount down onto your bars to keep it from rotating over rough terrain.
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The power button is also hard to find by feel, which is a problem on a light where you’ll want to adjust the brightness throughout the ride. You need to press and hold the button to cycle through the brightness levels and double-click to jump into Turbo, so getting your thumb on the button quickly matters. Fumbling for it in the dark mid-ride isn’t ideal.
Pros and cons of Wuben X1Pro
Pros
- Incredibly bright
- Big battery
- Quality construction
- Good beam pattern for biking
Cons
- Very heavy
- Bike mount options are awkward
Bottom line
When it comes to the brightest bike lights, it’s hard to top the Wuben X1Pro. Do you need one for trail riding? Probably not. But for riding fast daytime speeds at night, it’s a great option. I just wish there were a less awkward mounting option and that the button was easier to find for quick brightness adjustments.
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