You probably remember Blaze, the company that brought us the Laserlight – a front light that doubles up as a safety device by projecting a laser image of a bicycle onto the ground in front of a cyclist. Well, Blaze is back, and this time it has turned its attention to things at the rear with a new design pitched on Kickstarter.
Those looking for lasers will be disappointed. There’s also no HD camera to record the antics of naughty drivers and there’s absolutely zero chance of it calling a loved one if it senses you’ve crashed. Nope, what Blaze has done is stuck with a fairly conventional rear light – and given the result, we think that’s a good thing.
With an expected retail price of £49 (about $75 / AU$105 at time of writing) the 100g Burner gets 24 LEDs that together pump out up to 100 lumens. The part Blaze is particularly proud of is the Burner’s bracket, and in fairness it does appear to be a trick bit of design. A two-piece magnetic design makes for quick detach and reattachment of the unit, while a spherical interface makes for easy angle adjustment – it can be run vertically or horizontally.
Related: Blaze Laserlight review
Blaze claims the 24 LED, 100 lumen output of the Burner is visible from more than 180 degrees of view
Despite its snap off/on nature the mount is also claimed to offer total security – something that’s demonstrated nicely by Blaze’s promotional video, where a Burner equipped 'cross bike is bunnyhopped. Nope, it doesn’t fall off.
Battery life is a critical part of such a product and here Blaze’s claims are vague at best – the company quotes a month (presumably off of a single charge) for ‘standard urban usage’, which in the real world could mean just about anything.
A nice touch to the Burner is its magnetic recharging – it’s a feature proven by and pinched from Blaze’s first light. No little rubber flaps nor micro USB ports to mangle, just a self-locating magnetic interface similar to that you’d find on a MacBook.
The Burner's magnetic charger interface could save a lot of swearing
Actually, talking of MacBooks, maybe we’ve just spent too many hours in front of of them, but that feature plus the finish of the alloy body of this light definitely brings to mind pricey laptops.
A light sensor is used to simplify operation and also to maximise battery life, so by default the Blaze will switch on just as it gets to dusk or as you ride under tunnels or bridges, and turn off again when you’re back in daylight. This function can be overridden for those who prefer extra visibility in the daytime. An IP7 waterproof rating means bad weather shouldn’t be a concern for anyone bearing a Burner.
Should the Burner meet its £35,000 funding target on Kickstarter then Blaze expects to have the Burner finished and arriving to backers for July next year. A limited number of earlybird backers will be able to purchase the Blaze at £30, so if you’re keen then it’ll pay to put the money down quickly. Blaze also has plans to produce a white LED version of the unit so there’s opportunity for those who are after a matching set, too.
