HOT!
- 50 lumen white light is daytime visible
- 120° viewing angle delivers good front and side coverage
- Lightweight and compact size
- Integrated USB connector for easy charging without a cable
- Good battery life given the small size
- Affordable price
NOT!
- No charge remaining indicator
- Handlebar mount is tight fit on larger diameter bars
Cost: $14.99
Colors: Black/Gray, Black/Magenta, Lime/Gray
How Obtained: Review sample from company
Availability: Online and retail stores
RBR Sponsor: No
Website: www.thebkin.com, deltacycle.com/Bkin
Tested: 40+ hours
A Versatile Safety Beacon
For more than 30 years, Delta Cycle has been making bike accessories ranging from phone mounts and rear racks to cup holders and stem adapters. With a stated mission to provide useful, innovative, and affordable bike gear Delta recently released a safety light, the Bkin, that falls right in line with their product philosophy. At $14.99 it certainly meets the affordable criteria and after many hours of testing it is clear that the Bkin performs above its price point.
The Bkin consists of a single white LED that sits behind a curved lens, all packaged in a small disk shaped housing. Protruding out the side of the disk is a standard USB connector for charging with no cable needed. The USB connector rotates into a protective housing when not in use. The back side of the Bkin has a metal spring clip that allows the Bkin to be clipped to clothing or snapped into the included handlebar mount. The handlebar mount attaches with a single stretchy band (a third hand is helpful during install), though larger diameter road bike handlebars do seem to stretch the band close to its limit. The Bkin is claimed to be water resistant and I had no problems in the rain, but there is no specific water rating standard claimed.
Bright and Good Battery Life
The single LED is rated for 50 lumens and I can attest that it is quite bright, though intended only as a ‘be seen’ light and not a ‘to see’ headlight. The on/off button is located on the front next to the lens so be careful when turning it on that it is not pointed at your face. Pushing the button cycles through four modes: Full Power Flash, Full Power Solid, Half Power Flash, and Half Power Solid. The lens throws the light out in a 120° cone for great forward and decent side coverage. This does mean that some light is directed upwards so when used as a front light leaning forward or standing on a hill can give you a face full of light.
For such a small light and therefore small battery the flash mode run times are pretty impressive. For best daytime visibility the full power modes are recommended and run 10 hours for flash and 2.5 hours for solid. During dark rides the half power modes can be used for longer run times of 20 hours and 3.5 hours. Delta claims 300 meter (330 yard) daytime and 1000 meter (1100 yard) nighttime visibility. One reason for the long battery life in flash mode is a roughly 0.5 second delay between flashes. The flash pattern is alternating single and double flashes (no delay between double flashes).
Charging is as simple as rotating out the USB connector, plugging into the nearest USB outlet, and waiting about an hour (blinks when charging, solid when fully charged). Unfortunately the Bkin does not have a dedicated battery life remaining indicator of any sort. The Bkin will lose some brightness as the battery gets low so it’s best to either track hours used or just charge after every ride.
Final Thoughts
Overall this is a great little light. The lack of battery life remaining indicator is definitely disappointing, especially in a safety oriented product where a dead battery in the middle of a ride can be dangerous and even illegal in the case of night riding. That said, making this safety light at a very accessible price point meant some features weren’t going to make the cut and it’s cheap enough you could buy and carry a spare. I’d love to see a red taillight version of this light become available as at nighttime in most places by law your rear light must be red.
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