Illuminating what's new with the Trek Commuter Pro RT

A light beam with a sharp cutoff benefits you even more than it benefits other road users

Trek Commuter Pro RT review
(Image: © Josh Ross)

Cyclingnews Verdict

The Trek Commuter Pro RT is a perfect solution for getting around the city everyday. USB-C charging makes charging fast and easy as well as making to possible to use the light as an emergency phone charger. When it's time to ride there's plenty of power to see where you are going and with a 4800mAh battery you won't have to charge every night. The price is a bit higher than some options but the high-quality reflector keeps the light from blinding other road users.

Pros

  • +

    Sharp upper beam cutoff

  • +

    The mounting system will work over the top of bar tape

  • +

    Blendr mounting is available

  • +

    USB-C charge port will charge a phone if needed

  • +

    Large ports for side visibility

  • +

    Disruptive daylight flash pattern

Cons

  • -

    Lacks pass-through charging

  • -

    No way to mount below the bars

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Back in 2018 Trek, under the Bontrager name, went all in on the idea of daytime visibility and lighting in general. The Bontrager Ion Pro RT light was the premium offering that came out as part of the push and it's a great light. I included it in our list of the best bike lights because it's easy to use and has lots of power. It's a no-brainer all-around choice that you can use for commuting but also works for the fun rides that happen after work. Four years later, there's a new light that might be replacing it. Actually, Trek says it's not a replacement but it sure seems like one. 

The new light is the Trek Commuter Pro RT. Instead of the Bontrager name, this time the light is coming to market with the more widely recognized Trek branding. It also brings a lot of focus both literally with a new reflector as well as figuratively with a more specific use case. Given how often I recommend Bontrager I wanted to spend some time with the latest offering and see if the rebranded light was still worth recommending. If you have been looking for something to get you to and from work this winter, keep reading to see if Trek Commuter Pro RT is the right choice. 

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Testing scorecard and notes
Design and mountingThe included mount is still good, it’s just less flexible than before. The overall design is even better than before but it’s also less flexible than before. 8/10
Light qualityThe whole ecosystem of needs has been considered and you get both far out light and visibility close to the wheel. This is an ideal light pattern.10/10
Control SchemeIt’s good but does cycle through daytime flash and it wouldn’t hurt to give it a medium setting.8/10
Battery life and chargingBetter than much of the competition but why is there no pass-through charging?6/10
ValueStick to what’s on offer for 1000 lumen commuter lights and it’s more expensive but has better battery life, more features, and a better reflector design. It’s not a bargain but it’s not overpriced either.8/10
OverallRow 5 - Cell 1 80%
Josh Ross

Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes. Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 lb. Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx