How do bike light lumens look in real life? // Lezyne range 2022
How do bike light lumens look in real life? // Lezyne range 2022
Bike lights are important when riding in the dark and It’s a hard task imagining how bright a light is from the Lumen rating on the box. Today we test how they actually look out on the road to give you a good idea of what you need.
We’ve used a range from Lezyne as they maintain an accurate Lumen output to keep the the test realistic.
Any questions drop them in the comments below and we’ll be sure to answer them!
Lezyne range at Wiggle https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne?sr=lezyne
0:00 Intro
0:38 The test
1:51 1600 Lumens
3:41 1300 Lumens
4:41 1000 Lumens
5:30 800 Lumens
6:38 600 Lumens
7:50 500 Lumens
8:07 400 Lumens
8:27 200 Lumens
8:43 100 Lumens
8:52 70 Lumens
9:18 15 Lumens
9:31 Light ranges
1600lm on the handlebars, 800 on my helmet. Great for off road, mtb. Too many settings on lights though. I’ve no use for all the flashes etc. Halfords Bikehut.
This was helpful. Originally decided on ordering the 1300 because the output to battery life output looked decent but got sent a replacement set with the 800 and 150 strip lights because of no stock. Returning it soon because I’m more focused on battery life to lumen output. I have an opportunity to get a second hand 1600 for a similar price but overall unsure. Decisions decisions.
‘You young ‘uns today, ah sure, ye don’t know ye’r born. Spoilt ye are!’
Seriously though, I remember in the ’70’s and _well_ in to the ’80’s, your typical bike light looking like something that hadn’t changed since WWII; almost like old – time miners’ lamps in fact! They weighed getting on for 2lbs (a little under a kilo) _before_ you put the batteries in: a couple of ‘C’, or more likely, ‘D’~cells. For your troubles, going by this guide, I reckon they put out maybe 150 lumens – setting out! Of course, alkaline batteries that were anything like affordable didn’t really come along until the end of the ’70’s (leastways in Ireland) so after a little more than an hour that 150 lumens would be down to more like 50 and at this stage you were getting into death spiral territory, no pun intended! One often felt like Cinderella, literally trying to beat the clock as they struggled home on their rattletrap bike with it’s maximum of 3 gears! Given the ‘lameness’ cyclists were having to contend with for their front light, most people found that a pedal powered dynamo was a brighter, more reliable option for rear illumination. I’m sure it’ll come as a surprise to nobody that there was *carnage* on the roads! Not helped, it has to be said, by the state of Irish roads, which themselves looked like veterans of WWII! Not to mention the dreary natural lighting conditions that typically prevail in the British Isles (let me say, I am using that term purely in the ‘geographical’ sense, *not* in the political sense.)
To tell the truth I was never an avid cyclist, but it seems to me that the technology didn’t really move on until the late ’90’s, and that probably what was _the one_ biggest innovation in saving cyclists from death and injury since the cycle helmet _had to_ have been decent lights equipped with a ‘flasher’ option – ironically illegal in Ireland, probably even now, Irish law stipulating a continuously ‘on’ beam. I’m guessing the proscription against ‘blinkers’ is a fear of confusion with indicators; however, especially in traffic or in an urban or suburban area, a bright, regularly flashing light grabs attention much more readily than a steadily lit beam.
Which lights for daytime to be seen? Both for front and rear and for bike mounted and helmet mounted? Thanks
Brilliant video
I am self service not ( salafi)
Bicycle lights have different restrictions in different places. For example, some countries do not allow the use of bicycle lights that are too dazzling, so it is best to have a bicycle light that can adjust the brightness, like a bicycle with low beam and high beam. Headlights, I personally think that might solve a lot of problems.🙂
Best video ever. Thanks for going through the range.
Nice controlled test showing the difference in beam pattern and power output.
Would it be possible to get one of these done with some different stvzo lights? So people can see how effective the cutoff is and what the spread of light is like compared to a traditional light.
Standard link from Wiggle… Never any stock. 🤦🏼
For road use you should have included designed for road use controlled light pattern lights.
Those also make more effective use of Lumens by focusing them mostly on road instead of fifty-fifty between road and sky+eyes of other road users.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I HOPE THAT YOUR FEELING THERE
I have used the 1500xxl for my 5am work commute for the last 3 years and have never had any issues. I tend to use the race mode most as the brighest setting has plenty of light to brighten up the pitch black country roads that I travel on and I use the second reduced qbeam as a "dipped" light for oncoming g traffic. Battery life is as described and you just have to plan usage around charges. The green, Amber and red light on the control button warns you to change to a lower lumen setting to preserve battery life. Would definitely recommend Lezyne.
I’m using Ravemen PR900. Being able to switch between MTB and road mode is equivalent to dipping your car headlights. Road mode is fine where there are decent streetlights, MTB is ideal for country lanes and other unlit areas. And you can always dip if necessary to avoid blinding oncoming cars.
What bike lights are you running and what Lumen output do you ride with?
I still have my XXL 1500, i bought it with the intention to use the 1000 setting for longer battery life. the only down side is the bulk and weight and i always keep an extra light on my bars as a back up when riding in the dark. i may get this 1600, it looks fantastic.
I had a question about what type of LED does Lezyne 1600 use?
At maximum power will it last as long as it says or will it degrade after a certain time?
Nice one.
Oura rings on show lol