Bike Lights
I now have two headlights and two rear lights.
Instruction Manuals:
Ion Elite
R & Flare R City
Commuter
Pro RT & Flare RT
Bontrager Ion Elite R
This is the light I have had the longest, and it has served me well. The day flash and night flash modes make me the most visible, and they have the longest run time. However, if I need the light to see where I'm going, then I need one of the steady modes.
| Mode | Lumens | Run Time |
|---|---|---|
| High | 1000 | 1.5 hrs |
| Medium | 650 | 3 hrs |
| Low | 350 | 6 hrs |
| Night Flash | 200 | 26 hrs |
| Day Flash | 300 | 22 hrs |
The power button has a status LED to indicate battery level ...
Green Steady: 25% - 100%
Red Steady: 5% - 25%
Red Flashing: Less than 5%
A full charge takes 12 hours.
Low battery feature: below 5%, the light automatically adjusts to 50 lumens, extending the light output for an additional 30 minutes.
"Trail Configuration" (no flash): The flash modes can be disabled/enabled. Press and hold the power button for 8 seconds.
Trek Commuter Pro RT
This light has the so-called Kindbeam feature (but only on low beam mode) that cuts the light off at a sharp horizontal line.
It also has wireless functions, allowing the front light to control the rear light and display battery status. I may also be able to control them from my Garmin computer.
| Mode | Lumens | Run Time |
|---|---|---|
| High Beam | 1000 | 1.5 hrs |
| Low Beam | 500 | 3 hrs |
| Day Flash | 300 | 12 hrs |
This light has a "Fuel Gauge" battery indicator. Each of the five lights indicate 20% increments. When the last light is flashing red, the charge is below 5%. A full charge takes 5 hours.
Flash Bypass mode: The flash modes can be disabled/enabled. With the light on, press and hold the power button for 8 seconds.
Bontrager Ion 100 R Front
I picked up one of thse to mount on my helmet. Just like the Flare R City rear light, it automatically selects Day or Night mode.
| Mode | Lumens | Run Time |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100 | 1.5 hrs |
| Medium | 50 | 3 hrs |
| Low | 5 | 16 |
| Day Flash | 100 | 8 hrs |
| Night Flash | 100 | 7 hrs |
Flare R City
This is the second one of these I've owned, having lost the first one, and it is a little different (better) than the first one. It's better because it automatically selects Day or Night mode
| Mode | Day Lumens | Day Run Time | Night Lumens | Night Run Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash | 35 | 8 hrs | 35 | 16 hrs |
| Steady | 20 | 3 hrs | 2 | 20 hrs |
The status LED indicates battery level ...
Off: 25% - 100%
Red Steady: 5% - 25%
Red Flashing: Less than 5%
A full charge takes 4 hours.
Low battery feature: below 5%, the light automatically changes to low battery flash mode, extending the light output for an additional hour.
Flare RT
I bought this with the Commuter light, which can control this light.
| Mode | Lumens | Run Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day Flash | 90 | 6 hrs |
| All Day Flash | 45 | 12 hrs |
| Night Flash | 5 | 15 hrs |
| Day Steady | 25 | 4.5 hrs |
| Night Steady | 5 | 13.5 hrs |
There's a note: "With auto brightness enabled." Can I turn that on and have it behave more like my Flare City R? I think this is a mistake in the instructions.
The status LED indicates battery level ...
Green Steady: 25% - 100%
Red Steady: 5% - 25%
Red Flashing: Less than 5%
A full charge takes 1.5 hours.
Garmin Varia RTL515
This device has rear-facing radar combined with a tail light. It will become my default tail light.
| Mode | Lumens | Run Time |
|---|---|---|
| Solid | 20 | 6 hrs |
| Peloton | 8 | 8 hrs |
| Night Flash | 29 | 6 hrs |
| Day Flash | 65 | 16 hrs |