![]() Now that we’ve got that background out of the way we can focus on helping you get the best light for the buck and open up your dark winter evenings to a whole new world of shred. a light with a poor heat sink that fades minutes into your ride. It’s something to bear in mind as a light with a good heat sink will give you a longer lasting and consistent light vs. This is typically hard to notice because at the same time that your light is dimming, your eyes are adjusting and compensating to the reduced light available. This generates heat, and heat robs LEDs of performance, making your light output fade as they get hotter. LEDs create light by resisting electricity. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) with shaped reflectors are now the norm for night riding lights. Lamp technology: Okay, the last bit of tech has to do with light sources. In an ideal world this would provide a wide, flat, powerful beam, with an even fade to the sides for unhampered peripheral vision, that illuminates from just in front of your wheel to a distance ahead where you'd naturally be focused at speed. A properly designed reflector and lens will let you see better because the light is being focused where it does the most good. If a light emits 2000 lumens, but has a lousy reflector - measured in lux, your beam pattern will be less than ideal. Lumens aside, lux describes how many of those bright little photons fall on a surface and are being reflected back to your eyes. "Flood" type reflectors broadcast a wider, softer-edged beam that provides more information. A reflector and lens combination that offers a smoother light to dark drop off allows your eyes to see and analyze that data more accurately. Why? It’s because that hard edge from light to dark makes it more difficult to pick up clues with your peripheral vision. A sudden drop-off from light to dark can strain your eyes and hide crucial information regarding line choice. On the other hand, a very wide beam means that your precious lumens have to be shared across a large area, resulting in a dimmer view with reduced contrast, that doesn't project as far.įocus: Another aspect to consider in the beam pattern is the transition from light to dark. Not good when you’re adrift in a sea of roots and rocks with multiple line choices on a technical trail. A narrow beam only shows you a small soda straw view of the world and will bounce around with the slightest movement of the handlebar. ![]() The lamp's reflector and lense determine how that beam is being broadcast to the landscape in front of you. Reflectors: Your system may be cranking out 2000 lumens, but pointing them in the right direction is the key to performance.
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