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February 4, 2008 LED's: Myths vs. Facts
There are a lot of misconceptions about LED bike lights, so we wanted to give you the skinny on some basic facts and terminologies that surround LED’s and whether they’re the right choice for you. Modern LED’s: Not your parent’s Christmas tree lights LED stands for Light Emitting Diode (it’s not really that important to know exactly what a diode is, but if you’re curious you can read more here). During the last few years, the bike industry has been witness to a huge number of low-power LED products used primarily as bike path safety lights and taillights. However, recent developments have pushed LED technology into the spotlight as a true player in the high-output lighting market. LED’s have the ability to produce a very bright white light similar to the sun. This generates an optimum color temperature and maximizes contrast—both very positive things whether you’re traveling down the bike path at 20mph or bombing a rocky single-track trail. LED’s also utilize solid state design—which at it’s simplest really means “no moving parts”. The primary advantage of solid-state systems is that they happen to be virtually indestructible. With a typical lifespan of 50,000 hours or more, LED’s almost never need to be replaced. LED Myths and Misconceptions Myth: LED Lights Aren’t that Bright Fact: Actually, currently high-powered LED’s are developing at a rapid rate. The amount of light that they put out per watt of energy consumed is considerably higher than some of the established technologies like HID and Halogen. No longer are LED’s just little ‘blinky’ lights on your keychain. They are a viable and surprisingly bright lighting solution. Myth: LED’s Don’t Really Light Up the Trail Fact: HID and Halogen systems are able to produce their light through a single bulb and need only one simple reflector to provide the proper beam pattern. Currently, no single LED is capable of doing that, meaning multiple LED’s are necessary to achieve the necessary amount of light for off-road riding. Multiple LED’s mean that more effort is needed to sculpt the reflector to ensure that the light gets where you need it. We like to talk about Light & Motion lights having a broad swath of light with a hot center and a good amount of fill light. This applies to LED’s just as it does with our HID and Halogen light systems. Myth: LED’s Don’t Produce Any Heat Fact: Not true. LED’s DO produce heat—just a different kind. HID and Halogen systems can withstand a lot of heat in the filament/bulb itself. You can feel this heat radiating out if you put your hand in front of the light when it’s powered on. LED’s produce and retain their heat inside the body down by the circuit board. Proper design is important to make sure that this heat is minimized wherever possible, and evacuated if necessary. We design thermal control circuitry into our LED systems to maximize the life of the light—making sure that your Light & Motion system will be there when you need it. Myth: Light is Light, How Different Could It Be from HID? Fact: While each technology has its strengths, it’s important to know what each is—and isn’t. An HID (High Intensity Discharge) bike light uses a quartz bulb filled with gas and metal. The bulb emits a very bright bluish white light. The strength of this light is its brightness. An HID bulb has an average life of 3 years, but because it uses a bulb, it can break if it experiences a hard impact. Conversely, LED systems utilize solid-state construction and can be produced to emit many different light colors (of which we choose the brightest and whitest). This solid-state construction also gives LED light systems their durability. No bulbs to break. HID remains a viable option for those seeking a high-output light solution, but given all of the development that is taking place in the LED industry, we’re betting that it won’t be long before LED’s take over a majority of the specialty lighting market. So, How do I choose the best light for me? Your main reference should be how you will be using the lighting system. Do you primarily use your lights for commuting where convenience is a factor? Are you riding complicated dirt trails where you’ll need a wide bright beam? Will you be out in a remote location where a broken bulb or drained battery could really put a damper on things? Or will you need to change to a head strap for another sport like kayaking, trail running or mountaineering where the size of the light head really matters. Think through how you will be using your system and what features you will need most. Make a list and take it to your local Light & Motion dealer or use the product page on our website to help you make your final choice. Did you know the Light & Motion website has additional information on our bike light systems? For in-depth technical information on each of the light systems that we offer, visit: http://www.bikelights.com/Products/Products.htm. Media Contact:
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