First Look: Blaze Burner 100-Lumen LED Taillight
After the successful launch of the Laserlight—a headlight that uses a frickin’ laser to project a bicycle icon onto the road ahead of the rider—British company Blaze has unveiled its next product: the Burner taillight. Currently seeking backers on Kickstarter, the Blaze met its funding goal in less than a day.
The Burner is a rear light with 24 red LEDs (a white version will also be offered) that put out 100 lumens (in “bright” mode) and has a more-than 180-degree viewing angle. Notably, it has an ambient light sensor, so it turns on and off and adjusts output automatically. It is possible to override the automatic mode and manually control the light’s settings.
One hundred lumens is a lot for a taillight, and should make a rider very visable at night. Not many are as powerful: Other taillights with a claimed 100-lumen output include the Cateye Rapid X3 ($60) and the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro ($50). Lupine’s Rotlicht ($125) is claimed to put out 160 lumens, and has an accelerometer which senses braking and increases brightness, as well as an ambient light sensor.
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Blaze representative Kevin Rouse says the 24-LED design is superior to those of lights that claim similar brightness but use only one or two diodes. Fewer, higher-intensity LEDs “can have the unwanted effect of blinding drivers [or] other riders behind you," he says. "By spreading the output over 24 LEDs, the Burner is able to achieve the same level of brightness, affording optimal visibility, while minimizing damage to other road-users' night vision.”
Blaze claims an impressive 30-day battery life on a single charge “in standard urban usage.” Right now, the light has one level for constant-on, and a “variety” of flash modes, but Blaze has not locked down the final spec. Feedback from backers will help the company determine the final settings.
The light features an aluminum housing and a magnetic charging port, which is claimed to improve the waterproofness of the light (IP7 rating). The light attaches magnetically to its bracket–quick and tool free–in horizontal or vertical orientation.
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The bracket has some adjustability to align the light, however the bracket is only compatible with round tubes. When I asked Rouse about that, he told me, “Blaze is working on alternate mounting options as a stretch goal, and will be targeting to include the alternate brackets when the lights ship in April.”
The Burner will be backed by a one-year warranty. It begins shipping to backers in April, and will be publicly available soon after. Retail price is $75.
I don’t love covering crowdfunding campaigns. I like to wait until the product is real, shipping, and proven not to be vaporware or a scam. But Blaze did crowdfund the Laserlight and follow through, so it seems a safe bet that they’ll follow through with the Burner, too—especially since they exceeded the funding goal on the first day.
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