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Knog launch new Blinder lights630_17-05-2012_5901

Knog launch new Blinder lights

Two budget options for the winter
by Mat Brett
Thu, Oct 11, 2012 17:22
6

A couple of new Knog lights are now available in the UK for the winter: the Blinder 4V and the Blinder 1.

The Blinder 4V (above) is waterproof and USB rechargeable, and it comes with four bright LEDs. The front version gives out a claimed 80 lumens while the rear one is 44 lumens.

They each come with an anodised aluminum face over a lens that is sonically welded to a polycarbonate housing. The over-molded silicone strap has a stainless steel clip with a tool-less camber attachment that’ll fit handlebars or seatposts measuring anywhere from 22mm to 35mm in diameter. Knog say the light weighs just 35g.

You can choose between five different modes (constant and four different types of flash) and Knog reckon the optic directs the light so that it’s visible over 800m. They say that the runtime is 3hrs on constant and up to 50hrs in the eco flash mode. A battery warning indicator tells you when the juice is running low while the charge time is 5hrs.

There are five models to choose from and they retail at £34.99.

The Blinder 1  (below) is a single LED that gives a claimed 20 lumens of front white light or 11 lumens if you go for the rear-mounted option. Like the Blinder 4V, it’s said to be waterproof and it’s even lighter at just 15g.

Knog say that you get a burn time of over 2hrs if you whack it on the steady beam or up to 11hrs if you go for the eco flash mode. Again, you get a low battery indicator and it’s USB rechargeable. It’ll go from flat to fully charged in under 2.5hrs, according to Knog.

The Blinder 1 straps to your bike with a tool-less attachment that’ll handle a frame or component diameter of 22-32mm, just like the Blinder 4V.

You can choose from six different face plates including a skull and crossbones and a heart. The Blinder 1 retails at £22.99.

For more details go to the Knog website or visit the UK distributor Todays Cyclist. 

knog Blinder 4V
knog blinder
Knog
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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6 comments

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Farky | 12 years ago
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Their site shows a 4V Pulse....is this the only one that offers the pulse light mode?

Hard to tell as their description/specs dont mention the pulse mode even on the pulse model, have they just called it that for the craic of it?

Side ilumination isnt designed into these in fairness, but at the minimal cost of the wee silicone models im happier to add then in addition than share the power output of these, theyve got a great direction output for their one designed job, better than a jack of all trades model.

When is someone going to design a front model with pulse mode, that sits ontop/front of the grips? Could use the grips rubber as a securing point/top of the levers.

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philallan | 12 years ago
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hope they're better than previous models - Knog's are great until it rains - then it's game over. Went through 3 rear lights last winter.

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John_the_Monkey replied to philallan | 12 years ago
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philallan wrote:

hope they're better than previous models - Knog's are great until it rains - then it's game over. Went through 3 rear lights last winter.

FWIW, I've had one of the large 5 led lights for about four years - ridden in all weathers for about 3 winters, and still going strong.

Main irritation with these things is the inability to fit them to seat stays, for me, although I suppose most folk don't use a Carradice & will bung them on the seat post.

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Tony Farrelly | 12 years ago
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Yes, good point about the apparent lack of side visibility joemmo - be interested too to see how waterproofing holds out in some of the really horrendous weather we've been having lately.

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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knog make some appealing looking stuff but they seem to favour the form over the function a bit too much IMHO. For example, neither of the designs pictured look like have much in the way of side visibility.

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pedalpowerDC replied to joemmo | 12 years ago
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Very much agree. I reckon that a Knog Frog has never saved anyone's life. I had to borrow one the other day and was scared silly because I knew it was as good as having nothing on the front of my bike. I guess it may have kept me from getting a ticket, though.

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