[Review] AceBeam Rider RX (EDC, Fidget, USB-C 14500, 219F 5000K Hicri)

LED Flashlights – General Info 1 x AA / 1 x 14500 Flashlights
1

I received the Rider RX from AceBeam for the review.

The Rider RX is a EDC flashlight, with a Nichia 219F neutral white (5000K) emitter, powered by an included 14500 USB-C rechargeable battery. The Rider RX also works with regular AA batteries. The most distincrive feature of the Rider RX is the mechanical slide mechanism that is used to take the light apart, or to play with it as a fidget.
The Rider RX is available in 2 finishes, a brushed one, and a blackened one. I got the first one.

The Rider RX comes in this carboard box, with instructions.




The Rider Rx measures 96mm in length, is 18 mm wide at the body, 26 mm with the clip.

The forward mechanical switch at the tailcap

The Light comes with a nice protective film on the glass with anti reflection coating.

Once removed the 219F emitter shows itself at the bottom of the optic lens.


The Rider RX uses the nested construction that we saw from other AceBeam models, a stainless steel brushed outer cylinder, with a blue anodized aluminum one inside. The clip is made out of stainless steel and can be used tip up or down.

The inner cylinder can be rotated and pushed outward, using the mechanical mechanism activated by acting on the clip.
First, the clip can be rotated slightly to the right,

And then pushed down, making the head of the flashlight protrude from the body.

During the travel of the clip from left to right and viceversa, the part of the clip that rests on the body travels on a milled portion, without making any extra marks.

Now the head can be untwisted from the body, showing the included 14500 USB-C rechargeable battery from Acebeam. Note that the inside of the head is made out of copper for increasing heatsinking.

The UI is pretty simple. The light has 4 modes: ultralow, low, medium, high. The light has memory mode and you need to use the forward mechanical switch to advance through the modes, in loop. After 2 cycles, you will have an hidden SOS mode.

The included 14500 Battery is rechargeable both via a standard 14500 battery charger, or with the USB-C port on its end. I tested it both for charge with a SKYRC MC3000 charger and then discharged with the same charger.

Output and runtime



The variation during the runtime test are not visible at all by eye, and are likely caused by my luxmeter acting up.

Beamshots
The beam has a good mixture of flood and throw, thanks to the small 219F emitter and the optic.

On my sample the temperature of the beam is actually closer to 4000K, a great thing cause I prefer warmer tints. Look how the green sprouts pop up from the brown wintery background, it’s the magic of warm, HICRI tints.


My thoughts
The light is well built and finished.
The UI is fine for an EDC, with 4 levels that are well spaced enough for the output.
The regulation is fine, I like that AceBeam did not over drive the emitter, but kept it at an acceptable output where the 2 stepdown are reasonable for the user.
The Beam is well suited for an EDC, and the light has some throw for its size. The tint, as mentioned above, is really nice for me.
After many years in the flashlight industry as a customer, is nice to see a light with a different construction from the standard ones. The Rider RX combines the design appeal of the double nested construction with the novelty of the fidget feature.
The included good quality 14500 battery is nice, especially with the updated USB-C port charging capability. Remind to not use a super fast USB charger to charge it, best use a usb port of a computer or a slow charger to not cook the battery.
I wish the groove on the outer cylinder was also dug vertically, to prevent scratches when the clip moves vertically.

Thanks to: AntoLed, Ledo, Won.

2

This blue make ma puke. Same as Olight crap.
Down the drain…

3

Nice review thanks! Nice looking light but a little big for a 14500

4

When these first appeared I really wanted to pick one up just because they look so cool with the cutaway steampunk light saber thing going on. But y’know, as an actually-used-and-carried “EDC” light…no way. This thing will fill up with schmoo in no time and it has So Many crevices to collect gunk. Pocket dust but also that grimey gunky stuff that appears on most well used pocket lights. The tailcap area, the body, even the bezel area…and none look particularly easy to clean. So a big fail in EDC functionality, imho, but it does look pretty cool. I think the copper here may be an unnecessary expense, all things considered, but that looks cool too. :slight_smile:

5

Wow, that blue looks great!

Now all they need is an 18650/21700 version.

6

I thought the same thing about my Acebeam E70-AL, but after EDC'ing it for over four months, only some dust has accumulated.

7

Thanks for reading my review… to each its own!

Thanks for reading my review. There are more compact AA powered lights, but this one doesn’t look massive to me; furthermore it’s increased size is compensated, for me at least, by the fidget feature.

Thanks for reading my review.
I did not find this to be a problem with other Acebeam with similar construction. A bit of compressed air or some tap water running on it for a few seconds and it was fine.
Given the price to be in line with other models of the same line, I will always take the copper.

8

Too small and it’ll reflect on the handling of heat, then you’ll complain about that lol

9

Exactly!
Too small but it becomes too hot!
And if it is small but not so driven to get so hot, no one will buy it because there are more bright lights.

10

I now have a silver Rider RX and a Rider RX Ti.

I quite like them, especially the Titanium one.

These are fairly simple lights. Basically just a small aluminum flashlight with a clicky interface and 4 brightness modes.

The only thing unusual about them is the surrounding steel or titanium sleeve. Ball bearings fit into detentes in the sleeve giving a click when locked or unlocked. The clip housing slides in a track on this sleeve and keeps it from falling off the light.

In its ready position the button protrudes out the back. To remove the battery, the sleeve must be cycled to the other position, which retracts the button and extends the aluminum bezel past the sleeve. That allows you to remove the head which contains the driver and LED. The head is quite small, but appears to have a full copper pill.

The light tailstands well by extending the sleeve past the button.

I prefer the Titanium to Steel for a couple reasons: It weighs less, and the textured titanium feels better on the hand than the slippery steel. However, the sandblasted titanium finish isn’t as durable. The pocket clip will rapidly polish a line into the finish.

11

Isn’t that the E70?

Nice review.

12

Well, there are differences between this and the E70 other than size.

13

You’re right. I missed the point that the E70 is not just a toy despite having similar silly openings.