The 17th annual 24 Hours of Adrenalin is coming up this weekend. This event is one of the most popular mountain bike races in North America. The 2012 event sold out in less than a day a full year in advance, that’s 1,650 participants and 5,000 spectators.
Spark has been collaborating with specialists for the past year in the development of a bike light that is not as yet on the landscape. We have a team (‘The Mud Slingers’) in this race, so Spark, and the Canadian Spark Dealer, collaborated to sponsor the team and unveil this new light on the Team Captain’s bike (one also made it’s way to me to test as well). Note this prototype light was raced to Canada by Spark 4 days before the event, and is not yet available in the reseller channels, and the MSRP is unknown. Below is an advance preview exclusively for BLF readers.
This is a very preliminary preview, as Spark did not have time to get us any documentation, so we’re still trying to figure the switches out. This preview can be ongoing if there is any interest. As well, more specifications and beam shots can follow as we get them, plus a post race assessment, again if there is any interest in such follow up information.
For now all I can say is the light is a ‘dual beam’ system. The green button turns on the low beam, and ramps it through three intensity levels. The yellow button does the same with the high beam. Each on highest intensity can achieve 600lm for a total of 1200lm if both are on. The light does not auto dim so relies on active cooling. There is auto step down with an indicator light for low voltage. When it turns blue it will soon step down, red flashing means low battery.
Package contents, clamp uses a quick release lever and rubber shim:
Battery pack is the same as the Spark SX5 headlamp, uses 1-4 18650 in parallel:
Top view of reflector characteristics:
Closer look:
Looking at the top emitter:
Looking at the bottom emitter:
Switch layout (green for bottom emitter, yellow for top, then voltage indicator window):
Mounted on bike with battery pack: