off-road.cc

The Canopus from Moon is a super-functional light that’s well built and comes with a host of features – it's all the front light you’ll ever need. However, it is a little too heavy for helmet mounting, regardless of the included mount.

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The Canopus gives eight different output modes and two colour temperatures – one warmer for fog, and then a cool white beam similar to most other lights – which can also be combined to create a third, intermediate colour.

Its 4000 lumens are blasted out by two Cree XM-L (U2) LEDs paired with a set of Luminus SST-40s, and can either flood the trails at 17 degrees or work as a spotlight at 105 degrees.

The whole thing’s cooled with a CNC heatsink casing, but there’s also overheat protection built in should things get too toasty. Once installed with the bar mount, it weighs in at 650g.

Besides the light itself you get a Moon BS-S4 external battery pack and a really neat handlebar remote, so you can cycle through modes without taking your hand off the bar. You also get handlebar and helmet mounts, an extension cable, and Velcro bands to strap the battery to your frame. All of that comes in a neat, zip-up storage box.

There’s also a pair of charging cables, one USB to USBC and one double USBC.

Speaking of charge, the Canopus offers up to 90 hours in its dimmest setting, or around 1.5hrs at its brightest. I've used this light for more than three hours while flicking through output modes, and got home with some power to spare.

Everything is worked via two buttons that found either on the light itself, or on the little remote. Simply click the power button to boot the light up and cycle through the beam modes.

With single clicks of the second button, you can scroll through either all LEDs on for a mixed flood or just the Cool White or Warm White beams that act more like a spotlight. These settings are independent of the beam power settings adjusted by the power button.

To turn the light off, just hold the power button down for a second or two.

One very thoughtful touch is the power indicator light on top of the light unit, so you don’t have to get off to check the indicator on the battery.

I find the handlebar mount a little fiddly, though – it involves two hex bolts, rather than just one and a hinge. It can be a bit of a faff trying to twist an Allen key that’s threaded through your gear cables to nip up the mount.

This isn’t much of a problem if you’re the kind of rider to fit and forget but if you’re installing and removing the mount from ride to ride this can get a little annoying.

While you do get a helmet mount, I found the light a little weighty at 200g to be comfortable, and it tends to drag your hat around. It’s definitely best mounted to your bar.

In terms of value, at £295 it's middle of the road. The Knog PWR Mountain Kit light is cheaper at £200, for instance, though while very versatile it's less powerful. It's modular and can happily be used on top of a helmet or on your bar, but doesn't get as many beam options or that remote control. 

Meanwhile the USE Exposure MaXx-D MK11 sits a fair bit higher at £385, though it gets self-dimming Reflex+ tech and a built-in battery.

If you’re looking for a well-built front light to sit (ideally semi-permanently) on your handlebar, the Moon Canopus is an impressive unit. It’s simple to use, the neat little remote means you don't have to take your hands off the grips and kicks out plenty of light – it's ideal for the darkest of nights.

• www.moonsportusa.com

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