Blackburn Quadrant Front Bike Light

...exploited to remarkable effect. The Blackburn have shown the benefits of that evolution to the full with their Quadrant front light.

As it suggests the name Quadrant means there are four LEDs mounted in this space-age looking contraption. If I'm looking to be picky I'll list this here and now as the only drawback to the light - it's ugly, really ugly. And it's pretty big as well (it has to be, it's powered by four AA batteries), though ...
...if all that wasn't enough, Blackburn offer a lifetime guarantee on the light. Now THAT is confidence in the ability of this light to last.

I can't talk up this light enough, but if you really want to see how bright it is in motion visit www.citycycling.co.uk and look at the ccMovies page - until 7th December there will be a video on there of the light in action (and the accompanying rear light which will be reviewed shortly), and after ... more

Bike lights have been coming on in leaps and bounds recently, with LEDs starting to be exploited to remarkable effect. The Blackburn have shown the benefits of that evolution to the full with their Quadrant front light.

As it suggests the name Quadrant means there are four LEDs mounted in this space-age looking contraption. If I'm looking to be picky I'll list this here and now as the only drawback to the light - it's ugly, really ugly. And it's pretty big as well (it has to be, it's powered by four AA batteries), though it managed to fit in between some gear levers and a bell on the bars it was mounted on).

But with that out of the way I have to move on to the extensive positives with this light.

I bought it because I'd recently convinced my girlfriend to start commuting to work by bike, but the impending dark nights were shaking her confidence again. So I went for the brightest standard light I could find, and for £20 this has to be an absolute bargain.

The four LEDs pump out a huge amount of light, and are arranged in such a way that this isn't focussed into a single narrow beam straight ahead. Instead they light up a swathe with reflectors inside making sure the light is brighter.

The clear unit to the front is also swept back with some of the light thrown out sideways so you're noticeable for a 180 degree angle, after which your back light should take over duties.

The button on top towards the front cycles between the settings of all four on permanently; two centre LEDs on permanently with the side LEDs flashing; and all four LEDs flashing. With all four flashing the strobe effect is so strong as to be distracting to rider and those around, so I'd suggest going with one of the first two options.

With all of the LEDs on permanently this light is so bright that it's not just a light to be seen by, but also to see by if you have to venture outwith streetlit areas. And even in this setting the four AA batteries will give you 110 hours of runtime (apparently 300 hours in flashing mode).

And as if all that wasn't enough, Blackburn offer a lifetime guarantee on the light. Now THAT is confidence in the ability of this light to last.

I can't talk up this light enough, but if you really want to see how bright it is in motion visit www.citycycling.co.uk and look at the ccMovies page - until 7th December there will be a video on there of the light in action (and the accompanying rear light which will be reviewed shortly), and after this date it will always be available on the citycycling YouTube pages (words can be good, but some things you just have to see in operation). 

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