Blackburn Super Flea rear flasher

The Blackburn Super Flea rear flasher stretches a good design to its true potential with excellent optics, weathertight casings and decent mounting hardware whether affixed to seatposts, clothing or accessories.

Measuring 33x23x46cm it's about as genuinely bijoux as you get while still doing the job on dark nights. Blackburn doesn't quote figures but it seems broadly in thirty-odd lumen territory. Run times are quoted as fifteen hours steady, twenty-eight in flash/strobing.

Before I cast shadows on some of these claims, let's concentrate on some of the uniquely superior engineering. Lifetime no quibble warranties are given but highly unlikely to be required. The Super Flea is genuinely waterproof as confirmed by warm water kitchen sink immersion and five minutes' high pressure hosing, primarily because this current is passed magnetically - ergo it can remain sealed.

Sounds ingenious on paper but in practice, the charge stick needs stronger magnets for more reliable connectivity with computers, and it's proved pretty hopeless from a mains converter.

Universal fit around most seatposts and luggage is assured by sprung clip or rubberised loop n' clasp that's just supple enough to achieve helmet mounting without escaping, although fiddly in gloved fingers. Not fiddly is the top mounted triangular switch cum battery indicator, which needs a definite prod but won't go off in your pocket.

Once for steady, twice flashing and third brings on a funky strobe. In common with Moon's shield reviewed last year, it's a painful light when followed at close quarters - say through slow moving traffic. Peripherally it's pretty virile too, although I've felt more comfortably conspicuous combined with a bigger unit or retro reflective accessories.

Verdict

Great power to size ratio - the charger design needs revising though.