radical-lights podda powerful led lights

1
lights feature mba 86 Tons of light and oh-so-smooth, offering great peripheral vision. L ast year we reviewed the first generation Podda 4 light from small Wagga based brand, Radical Lighting. Twelve months down the track and we are looking at the Podda 4 Mk2. While the new version follows a similar overall format, it has been refined and improved somewhat. Most of the change centres on the machined alloy head unit. The four CREE LEDs have been updated, as have the electronics. The result is a claimed 18% increase in efficiency (the run is supposed to be around 30 minutes longer), and the output has gone from 1,137 lumens up to 1,259. Improved temperature monitoring should extend the life of the LEDs and the alloy head unit features new machining for better heat dispersion. It also happens to be a few grams lighter—the 2009 model was 140g with the carbon helmet mount where this year’s sample was 119g. Handlebar mounting has been made more secure with a new thumbwheel bracket (it previously used an o-ring mounting system that was a little awkward to use and not as secure, so this is a marked improvement in my mind). Finally, the new kit is equipped with a more compact intelligent charger. This light has five different power levels. Most units with this many modes become confusing; the variations in output can be so subtle that you can’t tell what mode you are in. To some extent this still applies but the rather intuitive mode button makes all the difference. Rather than going through a standard sequence (high/medium/low/high for example), a quick push of the button takes you to a brighter beam and a one- second hold of the button drops the beam down. It means that you don’t need to cycle through unwanted dim modes if you all of a sudden need maximum light. Switching the light on requires three presses of the mode button in quick succession, which should make accidental start-ups very unlikely. While the new handlebar mount is great, the simplistic helmet mount may not be for everyone. It consists of a carbon fibre plate that mounts through the helmet vents with a Velcro strap. There is no tilt adjustment and you have to aim the beam by moving the entire light unit to a different location of the helmet. The advantages of this simplistic design include low weight, low mounting position that is less prone to tree snagging and general reliability—no moving parts makes it pretty bombproof. With a little trial and error, most will find a suitable position and then mount the light in the same spot every time. However, this design may be annoying if you like to fiddle with the aim of your helmet light when you are riding. In its defence, the beam is that broad and powerful that precise aiming of the light becomes far less important because the light just goes everywhere. This unit does appear more powerful than its already bright predecessor. We tested the ‘intermediate’ beam and it floods the trail with a very even and smooth beam pattern. There are no lines, hotspots or aberrations; nothing at all to compromise your perception of the trail. In most brands this would be called a wide beam, but with over a 1,000 lumens at its disposal, it still manages to provide a really good distance throw—you’d need to be going pretty damn fast on a fire road descent to outrun the beam on this light! The smooth, wide yet powerful beam makes it one of the nicest lights that I have tried. At $950 it is a big dollar piece of kit but the quality is obvious, and being locally made, it is also future upgradeable as LED technology marches on. radical lights PODDA 4 $ 949 Distributed by Radical Lights (02) 8006 2991 / www.radical-lights.com SPecificATionS Price $949 LEDs 4xCREE LEDs Claimed Hi-Beam Output 1,259 Lumens Battery Type 2,600mAh Li-ion Charge Time 4 hours Battery Weight 342g Light Unit Weight 135g (119g helmet mounted) Total System Weight 479g Hi-Beam Burntime (as tested) 3:20 Longest Burntime (claimed) 25 hours Mounting Types Helmet & handlebar MBA MJJ 2010 56-87.indd 86 15/3/10 6:09:49 PM

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Page 1: Radical-Lights Podda Powerful LED lights

lightsfeature

mba

86

Tons of light and oh-so-smooth, offering great peripheral vision.

Last year we reviewed the first generation Podda 4 light from small Wagga based brand, Radical Lighting. Twelve months down the track and we are looking at

the Podda 4 Mk2. While the new version follows a similar overall format, it has been refined and improved somewhat.

Most of the change centres on the machined alloy head unit. The four CREE LEDs have been updated, as have the electronics. The result is a claimed 18% increase in efficiency (the run is supposed to be around 30 minutes longer), and the output has gone from 1,137 lumens up to 1,259. Improved temperature monitoring should extend the life of the LEDs and the alloy head unit features new machining for better heat dispersion. It also happens to be a few grams lighter—the 2009 model was 140g with the carbon helmet mount where this year’s sample was 119g. Handlebar mounting has been made more secure with a new thumbwheel bracket (it previously used an o-ring mounting system that was a little awkward to use and not as secure, so this is a marked improvement in my mind). Finally, the new kit is equipped with a more compact intelligent charger.

This light has five different power levels. Most units with this many modes become confusing; the variations in output can be so subtle that you can’t tell what mode you are in. To some extent this still applies but the rather intuitive mode button makes all the difference. Rather than going through a standard sequence (high/medium/low/high for example), a quick push of the button takes you to a brighter beam and a one-second hold of the button drops the beam down. It means that you don’t need to cycle through unwanted dim modes if you all of a sudden need maximum light. Switching the light on requires three presses of the mode button in quick succession, which should make accidental start-ups very unlikely.

While the new handlebar mount is great, the simplistic helmet mount may not be for everyone. It consists of a carbon fibre plate that mounts through the helmet vents with a Velcro strap. There is no tilt adjustment and you have to aim the beam by moving the entire light unit to a different location of the helmet. The advantages of this simplistic design include low weight, low mounting position that is less prone to tree snagging and general reliability—no moving parts makes it pretty bombproof. With a little trial

and error, most will find a suitable position and then mount the light in the same spot every time. However, this design may be annoying if you like to fiddle with the aim of your helmet light when you are riding. In its defence, the beam is that broad and powerful that precise aiming of the light becomes far less important because the light just goes everywhere.

This unit does appear more powerful than its already bright predecessor. We tested the ‘intermediate’ beam and it floods the trail with a very even and smooth beam pattern. There are no lines, hotspots or aberrations; nothing at all to compromise your perception of the trail. In most brands this would be called a wide beam, but with over a 1,000 lumens at its disposal, it still manages to provide a really good distance throw—you’d need to be going pretty damn fast on a fire road descent to outrun the beam on this light! The smooth, wide yet powerful beam makes it one of the nicest lights that I have tried. At $950 it is a big dollar piece of kit but the quality is obvious, and being locally made, it is also future upgradeable as LED technology marches on.

radical lights PODDA 4 $949Distributed by Radical Lights (02) 8006 2991 / www.radical-lights.com

SPecificATionS

Price $949

LEDs 4xCREE LEDs

Claimed Hi-Beam Output 1,259 Lumens

Battery Type 2,600mAh Li-ion

Charge Time 4 hours

Battery Weight 342g

Light Unit Weight 135g (119g helmet mounted)

Total System Weight 479g

Hi-Beam Burntime (as tested) 3:20

Longest Burntime (claimed) 25 hours

Mounting Types Helmet & handlebar

MBA MJJ 2010 56-87.indd 86 15/3/10 6:09:49 PM