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Knog Blinder Mob Kid Grid Front Light

8
£37.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Powerful and well-designed commuter light that does the job you need it to very well
Weight: 
37g

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The Knog Blinder Mob Kid Grid Front Light is a strong example of a simple-to-use and high quality commuting light. It also has impressive battery life and a decent light output, which is always appreciated.

I have been using Knog's Blinder Mob Mr Chips for around a year and I was excited to try out the Blinder Mob Kid Grid, which offers roughly the same performance but with a 90-degree beam rather than 120.

> Find your nearest dealer here

So first off, attachment to the bike is taken care of with a rubber strap and aluminium buckle. It remove the need for an additional mount, which in my opinion is often just one more thing to break on a light. The rubber used is of a high quality and keeps everything in place well even on particularly rough terrain. The aluminium buckle is also well made and holds everything securely. The light comes with three different sizes of strap so is suitable for all handlebar sizes. I even managed to use it on aero bars without an issue.

Knog Blinder Mob Kid Grid Front Light - side.jpg

It pumps out 80 lumens, which is more than enough for visibility, although I would use something a bit more powerful if I needed to light my way rather than just be seen. It has five different sequences – steady high, steady low, strobe, fancy flash, and eco flash. I tended to use it on eco flash, which was still good enough lighting for what I needed commuting in London.

Lighting comes from 16 embedded LEDs on a reflective background, which seems to be a well-thought-out design. As mentioned earlier, it only has a 90-degree spread compared to the 120 of the Mr Chips, but still seemed effective enough to make me visible.

> Read our guide to the best reflective clothing and accessories

The light is operated with a single button on top of the unit; hold it for 0.75 seconds to turn it on/off by, and change the sequences with a shorter press. Next to this button is a small LED that signifies whether the light needs charging or how charged it is through the charging cycle.

Battery life is very much dependent on the sequencing being used, with Knog's claimed battery lives being roughly accurate: steady high 3.2 hours, steady low 6.6 hours, strobe 5.6 hours, fancy flash 8.2 hours, eco flash 59 hours. I tested on all, but my preference was eco flash, which saw me charging about once every two weeks.

Charging is done through the USB attached to the light itself, meaning there is no need for additional leads. You need to make sure you wipe it down before charging as it can get wet and dirty, but this is a minor inconvenience considering the hassle is prevents. It is also worth noting that the light is fully waterproof and dustproof (I used it in some atrocious weather with no issues at all) so this wipe down is purely to avoid getting water/dirt in a USB port.

The RPP of £37.99 is about the price I would expect to pay for a high quality and innovative light like this. It is also only 37g, so it doesn't add much to the weight of any bike.

Overall, I was really impressed with this light. It may not have the 180-degree beam angle of the Mr Chips, but it is still a strong performer that does everything I needed. It is also well made and survived some truly biblical weather, so it can just be left on until it needs charging – which isn't that often.

Verdict

Powerful and well-designed commuter light that does the job you need it to very well

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Knog Blinder Mob Kid Grid Front Light

Size tested: 42x42x62mm

Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

A high quality commuter light to help keeo you visible on dark roads.

Knog says: 'An attention seeking, limelight snatching party animal, perfect for those darkened inner city streets and urban commutes.'

It did just this, perhaps not strong enough as a light source for trails or unlit roads, but certainly good enough for visibility in urban environments.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?

LIGHT OUTPUT : FRONT 80 lumens

DIMENSIONS : 42 x 42 x 62mm

WEIGHT : 35g

RUN TIMES : Front - Steady high 3.2 hrs, Steady low 6.6 hrs, Strobe 5.6 hrs, Fancy flash 8.2 hrs, Eco flash 59 hrs

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Really well made, solid and helped by a great level of weather- and dust-proofing.

Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
 
8/10

Very easy to use and designed well enough to fit on almost any bar.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
8/10

Simplicity; no tools required and simple to install/remove and switch between bikes.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
9/10

No issues with it at all, even in terrible weather.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
9/10

Eco flash meant I could just leave it for a couple of weeks without needing to charge between.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10

Did exactly what I needed.

Rate the light for durability:
 
8/10

Water- and dust-proofing combined with a solid design and build means it is likely to last a long time.

Rate the light for weight:
 
8/10

Hardly likely to weigh you down.

Rate the light for value:
 
5/10

About what I'd expect for this quality of light.

Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It performed well, doing everything I needed it to and kept me visible throughout.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

The simplicity of installation is great, and meant it was a two-second job to remove when locking up.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

Perhaps the beam could be wider, but not a major complaint.

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes

Would you consider buying the light? Yes

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

A strong performing commuter light that does everything you need in a dark urban environment. It also has strong battery life and a good variety of light sequencing.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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5 comments

Avatar
Phil H | 7 years ago
1 like

Would be great if someone could come up with similar which could attach to the stem front plate: decluttering bar space

Avatar
nortonpdj | 7 years ago
0 likes

From experience with other knog front lights, the rubber fixing straps break too easily. I've had 2 but won't be buying knog again.

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 7 years ago
0 likes

I just got one of these on the strength of having owned a blinder R70 rear for about a year and the recent review of the kid grid rear in these hallowed pages.

I ride every day in all weathers. Although my commute is only a few minutes. USB connectors have not corroded and I have no issues with the band / strap though others have suffered breaks. Not had to charge the front light yet but no complaints on battery life for the R70.

The light is bright enough as a daylight /twilight flasher with a good arc of visibility. Not so good as a main solid light on dark roads at night.

Avatar
Jez Ash | 7 years ago
0 likes

Di2 junction box

Avatar
A2thaJ | 7 years ago
0 likes

I've got a similar knog on the back... sceptical about how its battery life is stacking up over time and you've got to take care to clean the usb connector if used in wet etc to stop corrosion.

 

But overall i really like it and the apparently flimsy band hasnt broken yet in a year.

 

What is attached on the underside of the bike stem in the second photo?

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