Comments ... Knog lights

Specialized Needs

My wife is considering getting some Knog lights as they come in pretty colours to match her new bike :roll:

Can someone who has experience of Knog lights tell me what is the smallest diameter with which the rear lights will cope?

Also, can they cope with being attached at an angle and still point backwards (such as on a seat stay)?

I've also read about concerns over water ingress (obviously this would be more of an issue if the light is not positioned under the saddle)?

She has a top bag for her pannier which she uses most of the time and that would obscure anything on the seat post, so I was thinking, if practical, either of attaching one to the seat stay or to the down tubes of the pannier (it is a Tortec Expedition, with beefy tubes, but still nowhere as thick as a bike stay - can the Knogs 'double wrap' around an object?). Am I wrong also to assume that a Knog light would not suit the little tab in her top bag into which more rigid rear lights slip?

Thanks for any feedback or advice.

Edit: get my 'stays' right!

lost_in_thought

I've attached one to a pannier rack successfully before by stretching it around the back plate that's there to have lights bolted to it.

I think they're fantastic to be honest, my two on the commuting hack have run out of battery, though, or both had a simultaneous hissy fit!

davis

Doubl- sided velcro and zip-lock cable ties are helpful for securing things to racks etc.

I've managed to mount a Knog Frog on the rear face plate of a rack using velcro or zip-locks before, but I didn't have any success on the seat stays because they're too skinny.

Can you not thicken the bars of the rack by wrapping them with something like inner tube, hosepipe, and self-amalgamating tape? It's perhaps a little Heath Robinson, but I've done exactly that to stop my panniers rattling. Worked a treat.

Oh, and LiT: my Frog has a replaceable battery. You simply turn the rubbery case of the light inside-out. Don't know what lights you've got, though.

Specialized Needs

Ta both

davis wrote:

Can you not thicken the bars of the rack by wrapping them with something like inner tube, hosepipe, and self-amalgamating tape? It's perhaps a little Heath Robinson, but I've done exactly that to stop my panniers rattling. Worked a treat.

:shock: New bike :shock: And she's turning into a bike tart (wants matching light colours) :shock:

I don't think I'd be allowed some bodging like that ...




... unless I can find some silver or white hosepipe ... hmmm

davis

Specialized Needs wrote:

Ta both

davis wrote:

Can you not thicken the bars of the rack by wrapping them with something like inner tube, hosepipe, and self-amalgamating tape? It's perhaps a little Heath Robinson, but I've done exactly that to stop my panniers rattling. Worked a treat.

:shock: New bike :shock: And she's turning into a bike tart (wants matching light colours) :shock:

I don't think I'd be allowed some bodging like that ...




... unless I can find some silver or white hosepipe ... hmmm

Ah, I missed that requirement. Bother. What colour do you need? (I cannot quite believe I've just asked that).

lost_in_thought

davis wrote:

Oh, and LiT: my Frog has a replaceable battery. You simply turn the rubbery case of the light inside-out. Don't know what lights you've got, though.

Thanks, I know! Just haven't got round to doing anything about it yet!

I'd advise you to get the knogs and go from there - they're really immensely versatile. You can also double wrap them around smaller things, twist the rubber bit to make them smaller etc etc.

andy83

knog lights are great, and drop proof for clumsy people :roll:

I was messing with mine and it fell off my bars, bounced on the road a few times, and still works fine

Wallace1492

+1 for the Knog's. Love them, look good, good battery life. Great back up lights. Have 2 Knog Toad's on the front, and a Knog Skink rear for the seatpost. Might need to get more for winter!!

prj45

These things aren't actually road legal are they, I mean they can't be used on their own right?

gaz545

I've had a few knog lights, and tbh i found them a bit on the rubbish side.
They should not be used as main lights as they are simply not bright enough.

I found that the plastic material used was pretty weak, and when i tried to replace the batteries i just ended up breaking it.

Thats my personal experience, and i haven't heard anyone else singing the from the same hymn book as me.

UndercoverElephant

gaz545 wrote:

I've had a few knog lights, and tbh i found them a bit on the rubbish side.
They should not be used as main lights as they are simply not bright enough.

I found that the plastic material used was pretty weak, and when i tried to replace the batteries i just ended up breaking it.

Thats my personal experience, and i haven't heard anyone else singing the from the same hymn book as me.

La la la laaaaa!!!!

Weak as pish, perhaps OK for a built up area, but I wouldn't trust it. I like *bright* lights.

Mark Elvin

I have a Knog rear light & Knog computer. I think they are great.

jonnyboy77

I managed to snap the rubber band on my front knog without trying too hard ... its now zip tied and knotted to the brake lever in a very ghetto fashion!

The rear is wrapped round the seatpost without any issues.

They seem fine for additional visibility, but I tend to couple them with other lights/flashers

- Jon

CrackFox

I have a couple of Knog geckos on my commuter - on the seat post and the bars. No trouble with water ingress, and they've been through plenty of rain. The geckos have 3 leds as opposed to 1 on the frogs, but they're still only good as supplementary lights. Battery life is good, but I put mine in my pack when I lock the bike up and often find that they've been accidentally switched on during the day as the power buttons are rather sensitive.

biondino

Wallace1492 wrote:

+1 for the Knog's. Love them, look good, good battery life. Great back up lights. Have 2 Knog Toad's on the front, and a Knog Skink rear for the seatpost. Might need to get more for winter!!

I also have a skink and a toad. Both very bright, with decent flashing options (the Frog, which I also have, is fine as a supporting light but not enough on its own). The fact they can happily bounce down the road without breaking is a plus for sure!

I have had issues with water ingress, but in that the light has stayed *on* when I don't want it to rather than the more dangerous reverse.

The fact you can so easily put them on and off your bike is the biggest selling point, along with the choice of colours.

Specialized Needs

Well, I suppose it is her money in the end.

She is thinking of getting the knog boomers (front and back) as they claim to be quite powerful (relatively) and use AAAs, of which we have loads of rechargeables. I suppose we can get them and then I can inherit them if there is a problem, as my seatpost is clearly in view :twisted:

@B: I can appreciate that 'always on' would be a preferable problem to 'always off' paticularly when speaking of a rear light. :shock:

Time to try out the Evans' price match tomorrow ...

Christophe3967

They're good if you have a peculiar shaped seatpost, but I wouldn't use them as my main lights unless you know you'll only be riding in brightly lit urban areas.

redvee

Specialized Needs wrote:

Time to try out the Evans' price match tomorrow ...

When I've done this inshop, all I've had to do was mention the shops' website and they've pulled the details up at the till. Only once did the salesgirl have to go to the PC outback to get a price check. In 5 transactions I'd say I'm close to £100 discount now on pricematch

Caligari_uk

*bump*

I've just realised that I've lost the little black clip that allows me to attach the Knog Frog to the front of my bike.

Does anyone know if these can be ordered separately, or if there is anything similar (possibly in a DIY store) that would do the job?

il_principe

Specialized Needs wrote:

Well, I suppose it is her money in the end.

She is thinking of getting the knog boomers (front and back) as they claim to be quite powerful (relatively) and use AAAs, of which we have loads of rechargeables. I suppose we can get them and then I can inherit them if there is a problem, as my seatpost is clearly in view :twisted:

@B: I can appreciate that 'always on' would be a preferable problem to 'always off' paticularly when speaking of a rear light. :shock:

Time to try out the Evans' price match tomorrow ...

Yes to Knog, but an emphatic 'no' to the Knog Boomers. I've used Knog's for a few years and always been delighted with them. But, bought a pair of Boomers in Nov and both lights are f*cked already. One just died totally, the other flashes for a bit, then goes into a weak strobe like beam and can only be turned off by removing the batteries. Not impressed at all.

gtvlusso

Use a Boomer and a Gecko up front and a Skink on the back - 2 seasons in now, still work fine, water resistant and butter finger resistant. I don't have mudguards and the skink has stood up to the drenching!

I usually have only one front light *flashing* in urban areas and both lights on solid beam on the cyclepath where there is no street lighting - no problems as yet!

DonDaddyD

Genius design.

I've got two frog lights attached to my helmet, one front the other rear. Brilliant back up lights, brilliant at being seen at head height. Brilliant for making drivers aware at the lights. Brilliant cheap solution to the guys who ride with Exposure/Joystick lights on their heads.

The rubber attachment of knoglights means they are carbon frame friendly as well.

leedsmjh

Il Principe wrote:

Yes to Knog, but an emphatic 'no' to the Knog Boomers. I've used Knog's for a few years and always been delighted with them. But, bought a pair of Boomers in Nov and both lights are f*cked already. One just died totally, the other flashes for a bit, then goes into a weak strobe like beam and can only be turned off by removing the batteries. Not impressed at all.

+1
I've found my front Boomer pretty poor - very bright but, the design means that the contections to the battery are displaced very easily and it changes mode or cuts out completey going over a small bump. I've tried taping down the battery cover but to no avail. Not very useful.
I like my Knog skink and beetle though. The beetle is really only a back-up light.

MrChuck

I've got a Skink and it's alright. Doesn't seem that bright compared to some of the competition and I don't really understand why the button is on the bottom rather than the top. That said it hasn't stopped working yet, but I got a Blackburn Mars Click to replace it anyway- seems brighter, more, robust, and with the same rubber wrapper-style mount for quick swapping.

Hats off to Knog for a great idea but I think there are better implementations of it around now.

gaz545

DonDaddyD wrote:

Genius design.

I've got two frog lights attached to my helmet, one front the other rear. Brilliant back up lights, brilliant at being seen at head height. Brilliant for making drivers aware at the lights. Brilliant cheap solution to the guys who ride with Exposure/Joystick lights on their heads.

The rubber attachment of knoglights means they are carbon frame friendly as well.

It does provide some of the advantages that an exposure/joystick will provide on the helmet. But in no way will the crappy small led light up anything in front of you that is useful!

Being able to point your head at something in front of you and have it light up is useful. probably not in the urban/city scene.

Gazzaputt

Il Principe wrote:

Specialized Needs wrote:

Well, I suppose it is her money in the end.

She is thinking of getting the knog boomers (front and back) as they claim to be quite powerful (relatively) and use AAAs, of which we have loads of rechargeables. I suppose we can get them and then I can inherit them if there is a problem, as my seatpost is clearly in view :twisted:

@B: I can appreciate that 'always on' would be a preferable problem to 'always off' paticularly when speaking of a rear light. :shock:

Time to try out the Evans' price match tomorrow ...

Yes to Knog, but an emphatic 'no' to the Knog Boomers. I've used Knog's for a few years and always been delighted with them. But, bought a pair of Boomers in Nov and both lights are f*cked already. One just died totally, the other flashes for a bit, then goes into a weak strobe like beam and can only be turned off by removing the batteries. Not impressed at all.

Known fault with them. Speak to Knog and they should send replacements.

Libraio

No to Knog Bull Frogs, the switch is very poor and turns the light on inside a bag thus leaving you with a very weak light at the end of a working day. Keep mine on the bike now and every day I pray some twat doesn't steal them.

jeremyrundle

Not proper lights are they, fine for childrens bikes.....

notsoblue

I have a Knog Skink and for some time it was working perfectly. Fits snugly to the bike, no rattling, nice and bright. But...not entirely waterproof. After all the wet weather we had recently some water got in and has apparently shortcircuited it. Batteries burst/corroded, with some weird brown dust in the (supposedly sealed) LED casing. Will try some new batteries in there, but not expecting it to work.

Rooner

definite no to Knog Frogs. They look cool but are rubbish, not very bright and the rear one I had ate batteries like you wouldn't believe (we talking maybe lasting a couple of HOURS before killing the battery!).

Also whilst on the subject, had a Blackburn Flea as well, and despite being very bright at first, it would not re-charge (they are only usb rechargeable). Apparently this is a know fault.....so why sell them then :evil:

Mars Blackburn for the rear, Electron Nano 9 for the front - job done. The Nano 9 is great, makes road signs flash about quarter of a mile away or more, ideal for the commute but not bright enough for unlit roads I would suspect

Initialised

I left my Knog Frog on 'Disco' a fellow rider said it was broken! How's that forr a Knog comment?