Knog is well known for its lights and the brand has slowly been building its Blinder range. The new Blinder MOB comprises five distinct models — Eyeballer, Four Eyes, The Face, Kid Grid, and Mr Chips — that have been designed to meet different lighting needs for urban cyclists.
The key distinction lies with the number of LEDs in each model and the beam angle they produce. The Eyeballer utilises a single LED with a 15° beam angle to light up dark paths and roads. In contrast, Mr Chips has 36 (front) or 64 (rear) COB LEDs arranged into a panel with a 120° beam angle that is designed to attract attention rather than light the way.
Four Eyes and The Face have four LEDs each with a 35° beam angle and Kid Grid uses 16 LEDs to create a 90° beam angle that works well for city streets that have overhead lighting.
All of the Blinder MOB lights feature Knog’s new strap design, which comprises a loop of compressed silicone that mates with hooks at the rear of each light. Just choose a loop size to suit your handlebars or seatpost. A built-in lithium polymer battery provides each light with two or more hours of power (depending on the emission mode) that is rechargeable via an integrated USB plug.
All of the Blinder MOB lights are waterproof and available in a choice of up to three colours (red, black and silver). For more information, visit Knog or [shop for Knog lights here]/s/-/knog)
RRP: AU$60
Our take
I have long been a fan of Knog’s lights for their clean integrated design. They’ve also managed to stay at the front of the market with some of the brightest LEDs. The run time may seem short but I think it helps to get into the habit of charging the lights after every ride. That way, there is much less chance of the battery running dry on the way home from work.
The new strap design addresses the primary weakness of Knog’s previous one-piece mounting system: when the band broke, the light was rendered useless. Unfortunately, owners will be forced to keep track of the separate pieces, but at least there is a convenient supply of replacement parts.
The only obstacle I can see for the Blinder MOB is deciding on which one to use. I found Mr Chips was a good choice for the rear while the Eyeballer (or Knog’s other high-powered front lights) was a better choice for lighting up the road or bike paths.
This article was originally published on cyclingtips.com
