With the NiteRider Lumina OLED 800, you can extend your riding times as the days get shorter. Whether you commute, ride for fun and fitness, or want to squeeze in some trail riding after work, this light has you covered. NiteRider was kind enough to hook me up with one so I could get more evening rides in on my winter fat bike.
As the name implies, the lightweight (172g) Lumina OLED 800 has a max output of 800 lumens, which is the high setting, and good for about 1.5 hours. Switch to medium, and you get 400 lumens for 3 hours. On the low setting, run time extends to 5.5 hours at 200 lumens. For daytime use, it can be set to flash, which will give you a long 18 hours. But what if you want to mix your output? Say you need the high setting for that downhill bombing run, low for climbs, and medium for light traffic? That’s where the OLED display comes in. Not only does the Organic Light Emitting Diode use the same tech as high-end phones for a battery sipping display, but it gives you a readout, in hours and minutes, of your run time for the mode the light is in. So as you switch between modes, it will tell you how much time you have left based on the output you’re using. This is much more accurate than a bar display showing relative battery charge, and a real game-changer for those of us who have ever been let down by a dead battery in the middle of a ride.
NiteRider Lumina OLED 800Can I reminisce for a moment here? My first LED bike light put out 180 lumens, was $300, and the battery alone weighed more than the entire Lumina OLED 800. With its MSRP of $159.99, more than four times the output of my old light, and about half the weight in a package the size of a Snickers bar, the Lumina OLED 800 is an absolute bargain to me. The included tool-free mount makes it easy to fit just about any bar, and it’s light enough to mount on a helmet too. Yes, I feel that putting it on your helmet defeats the purpose of the OLED display, but the fact that it does not use an external battery to give you 800 lumens for 90 minutes has a certain appeal. My old club in SoCal used to do evening rides, and all it took was one or two members to have a flat or other issue, and we’d be doing the last leg of our loop by moonlight. But if only 45-60 minutes of your two hour ride is in the dark, this gives you a huge margin for error.
NiteRider Lumina OLED 800I mounted the Lumina OLED 800 on my fat bike, and took it for a spin. In my neighborhood, the low setting was more than enough light to see road hazards. Out in traffic, the middle setting was a good balance as cars passed, or I rode under streetlights. Too much or too little will have your eyes trying to adjust all the time. And even the steepest hill would not let me go fast enough to outrun the high setting. The clean white light makes it easy to see where you are going, and helps you to be seen too. I use a separate flashing white light for visibility, but I can keep that as a backup now, as this light has 4 flash modes (flash, pulse, SOS, beacon) as well. Overall, I was more than happy with both the amount of light it puts out, and the quality of the beam pattern.
NiteRider Lumina OLED 800This light is made to last. There is a metal heat sink for the light, surrounded by plastic (reinforced nylon, by the look and feel), and a charging port hidden by a rubber cover on the underside. That heat sink helps to keep the light output stable, whether you are riding fast or slow, in the heat of summer or cold of winter. Use the included USB micro cable to charge the 2900mAh Li_Ion battery in three hours from a 1 amp source, or 6 hours from a 500mA source.
NiteRider has built a pretty solid light with the Lumina OLED 800. If you’re looking for a reliable, high quality light, this is a good option. For a fixed commute, training loop, or trail ride, you can now be sure you’ll have enough juice, or at least know when to turn it down a step. If uncertainty about lighting was a reason you don’t ride after dark, that’s one less hurdle in your way. Note that NiteRider designs, assembles, and tests their products in San Diego, California. Some components are sourced from overseas, but the bulk of the work, and therefore most of the profits (and corporate tax dollars) stay in the United States, benefiting our economy and local workers. When given the choice, I will always suggest going with the company that makes durable gear and employs local workers. There is extra value in that. If the Lumina OLED 800 is more light than you need, they have plenty of other options, and some great headlight/taillight bundles too. Check out NiteRider for more info, and see our Sentinel 40 taillight review coming soon.
Brian
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Here’s a shot with the beam set on a point about 10 feet in front of the bike.