Article by Jeff Valliere
Knog Blinder Front and Rear Bike Safety Lights ($45)
100 Lumens
34 grams
$44.95
200 Lumens
34 grams
$44.95
Pros:
Bright!
Lightweight
Easy to Mount
Multiple flash patterns
USB rechargeable
IP67 Waterproof rating
Cons:
Would prefer a micro USB or USB charge port
I question the longevity of the rubber attachment band
“Blinder ”It’s in the product name! The Knog Blinder lights are ridiculously bright, which is exactly what makes them so amazing. The stats regarding the amount of lumens do not do these lights justice and one needs to see them in action to really understand. Of course when I got them and tried out all the different settings and flash patterns, I stupidly looked at them straight on and paid the price by seeing that flash pattern imprinted on my eyeballs for a good half an hour.
I do not do as much road riding as I used to, but still put in enough miles either on my gravel bike or electric town bike that I am sharing the road with cars often and want to be sure I am seen. The Knog Blinders do this job very well, as I have gotten compliments from motorists, as well as have had my kids ride up and down the neighborhood streets so I can get a good sampling. The majority of my riding is done during the day, so I just leave them on whenever I ride, be it on my gravel bike, eBike, on roads, bike paths, as they can easily be seen in the daylight. A few times this summer I have gotten caught out in the dark after the town street faire and these played an essential role in my getting home safely (though I had to toggle the front light to steady, as the flashing is so pronounced at night, it made me a bit dizzy).
IP67 waterproof rating, handy when caught out in those downpours or commuting.
Mounting is simple, as the Blinders come with 3 different sized rubber rings to accommodate various sizes of seatposts and bars. While I appreciate the ease of mounting and versatility, I worry about how the rubber rings will weather the elements (and a non climate controlled garage) over time. For this reason alone I would personally prefer a more secure bracket and a secure/positive quick release mechanism.
Charging is by USB-A, where you can plug straight into an Apple brick (the older style, not the new USB-C type) or into a USB port on your laptop for example. This works OK, but, but you have to remove the light from the bicycle and then plugging it in feels a little susceptible to getting bumped/broken. I would much prefer a micro USB or USB-C port on the side so that I could just leave an extra charge cable in the garage and plug in without having to take the light off the bike. Of course that could be a weakness for waterproofing though.
Battery life is about as advertised, flashing 2.5 hours at max brightness, then continuing on at an almost indiscernible lower level for many hours more.
I liked the Knog Blinders so much, I went out and purchased a 2nd pair! They are amazing for their brightness, light weight, USB charging and versatility. I also find them a bit more stylish than other bike lights to boot.
Knog Blinders available at our partner REI HERE
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased through affiliate links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'
EUROPE Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
Europe only: use RTR code RTR5ALL for 5% off all products, even sale products
AMAZON
1 comment:
Following
Post a Comment