Light & Motion: Is this the future of bike light design?

The innovative lights are button-free, turning themselves on and off automatically

Promotional feature with Light & Motion

With winter just now here, it’s light up time for many commuters. Light & Motion has made this a bit easier with its Vibe series lights, which turn on and off automatically.

A smart sensor in the lights identifies that you’ve started to move and turns the lights on. They then emit variable light pulses as you travel, called 'SafePulse'. It’s been shown that variable flash frequencies lead to quicker identification by other road users than continuous beams or flashes at a constant frequency and it’s a feature that is being increasingly included in cycle lighting. improving depth perception for avoidance.

Developed and made in California with waterproof bio-renewable materials, once you stop, the lights automatically turn themselves out, so there’s no chance of you coming out of work on a dark damp evening and discovering you’ve left your lights on and they’ve gone flat.

>>> Light and Motion Urban 850 Trail front light review

The Vibe Pro HL front light also includes a sensor for ambient light levels. This allows it to work in a pulsed mode during the day and a constant mode at night, when you will need to be able to see where you are going. It blasts out 250 lumens in pulsed mode and 200 lumens in constant mode, with a six hour and two hour run time respectively.

There’s also a Vibe Pro TL rear light. This emits 100 lumens with a six hour run-time and the same variable pulsed beam pattern. It includes a tail mount designed to take up little room on the seatpost, so that the light doesn’t get in the way of fitting a saddle pack or other accessories. There’s a mount available that lets you attach the light to the saddle’s rails too.

The third light in the series is the lower spec Vibe rear light. It puts out 50 lumens with a 12 hour battery life. You can also buy a Vibe Pro front and rear light as a set.

The Vibe lights’ mounts are designed to be compact and take up little room on bars or seatpost. Securing the light to them via a quarter turn also activates the sensors. Light and Motion says that you can recharge the lights fully via their cable free USB plug in 60 minutes.

All Vibe lights are IP67 dust and waterproof rated, so they will keep working even when submerged to 1m. Each weighs 30g and has been designed to give 180 degree visibility for added protection from vehicles approaching from the side.

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