With night riding season approaching, Niterider is ready to shine. The company continues to innovate with lighting solutions that cover riders from front to rear.
At the top end, Niterider is releasing the Pro 3600 LED which blasts out (you guessed it) 3600 lumens of white hot light. That’s 600 lumens more than last year’s Pro 3000 LED and at the same price and roughly the same run time. The Pro 3600 LED is fully programmable so you can tweak the brightness of each lamp to match your needs.
Below the Pro series, Niterider offers the Lumina line with lights ranging from 350 to 650 lumens which is typically enough for most recreational riders, particularly in the helmet mount position. The great thing about these lights (and also the Mako commuter line) is they’re all USB rechargeable. It seems like I always have a hard time finding the right charger for my gadgets so having a standard plug is a great feature. Plus USB makes it easy to charge your lights on your laptop at work before you head out for a night ride!
Niterider also offers several tail light solutions from the retina-searing Cherry Bomb to the Stinger Taillight (pictured). The Cherry Bomb isn’t just bright and waterproof; it also features a reflector that provides visibility even when it’s out of juice. The Stinger Taillight has a stretchy band that makes it a cinch to attach to a seatpost but my favorite feature has to be the on/off switch. Just tap the bulb–it’s easy to operate with gloves or without. Even if you never ride on the road at night, many 24-hour races require a functioning taillight so be sure to get one before your next race.
I asked one of the Niterider reps what effect the low priced-lights being sold directly from China were having at the company. His response: Bring it on. Niterider designs all their reflectors and enclosures in house for maximum efficiency and durability. High-power LED lights need efficient heat sinks to ensure longevity and Niterider has been honing their designs for years. And for certain products–particularly high end light systems like the 3600–the direct sellers don’t have anything close to comparable.
We also got a chance to check out the Niterider mobile charging station the company brings out to big races to support their customers. The van can charge 300+ batteries at once, giving weekend warriors pro-level race support. Get stoked for riding in the dark this fall!
