The Knog Blinder taillights have been a popular series thanks to their creative illumination pattern and sleek form factor. With the new Knog Blinder R-150, Knog has taken the Blinder series to a new level by incorporating a dedicated focused LED on top of the COB LEDs to improve long-distance visibility. The Blinder R-150 retails for $64.95 and offers an impressive 150 lumen output. Knob has combined a multi-channel COB LED along with a single focused LED to ensure the taillight is visible from close and far distances equally well. There are nine creative output modes to choose from which offer runtimes from 2.5 (burn mode) to 50 hours (eco mode). Knog has also incorporated some clever features such as a cable-free design with a built-in USB-A connector on the mount.
The Knog Blinder R-150 adds long-distance visibility to the Blinder taillights by incorporating a focused LED into the lens.
| Retail Price | $64.95 |
| Rating | 9.3 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 43 |
| Likes | + Cable free design + Dual lighting elements and creative modes + Long distance visibility with focused LED |
| Dislikes | – Too many modes modes to select from – Power button is difficult to reach with gloves – Lacks a multi-level battery status indicator |
| Where to Buy (US) | Knog |
UNBOXING
The Knog Blinder R-150 taillight comes in a simple cardboard helmet box with branding and specs printed onto it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Blinder R-150 taillight + strap
- Two extra straps
Unlike the Knog Blinder Road 400 which has a QR code augmented reality visualization of the light, the Blinder R-150 just has a simple graphic of the light printed on it.
MOUNTING
The Knog Blinder R-150 utilizes their familiar flexible hinge with rubber strap design that is integrated into the base of the taillight. There are three rubber strap options from small to large which cover seatpost diameters from 22-32+ mm and even aero seatposts. Attached to the rubber strap is a plastic clip with a metal rod that hooks onto a corresponding notch on the other side of the mount. Surprisingly, there is no angled rubber pad on the rear of the taillight which means the R-150 sits flat against the seatpost and not parallel to the road like most taillights. As a clever detail, Knog has incorporated a USB-A connector into one side of the mount. It’s connected to an articulating arm which allows it to easily be plugged into a USB port, a much more accessible location than the Knog Blinder Road headlights, for charging or flexing around a seatpost.
FIT & FINISH
The Knog Blinder R-150 is a purpose-built light that is specifically designed for road cyclists. With its dual-lighting element design Knog has added this bottom focused LED to ensure the taillight is visible even from long distances. Otherwise the Blinder R-150 has a familiar slim rectangular profile with an extended lens for side visibility as the Knog Blinder Traffic and other variations. This is a one-piece design with the mount directly molded into the rear of the taillight. The rear of the taillight has a rubber coating which prevents the R-150 from scratching seatposts and makes it easier to handle. As with other Knog products, the rubber coating is a dust magnet which makes it difficult to keep the rubber looking clean.
There is a single button located at the top of the Blinder R-150 which provides a simple one-button interface for using the taillight. The button is well sized but can be hard to access when the taillight is installed on a seatpost as there is little offset between it and the seatpost. In terms of user interface, it’s straightforward with a standard hold to turn the light on or off and a short press to cycle through modes. There are 9 different modes to choose from which is honestly a few too many. However, Knog has added a lot of creative modes using a multi-channel design that allows them to customize which sections of COB are lit up rather than illuminating all of them in sync. There are also two indicator lights next to the button, a red light and a green light which are illuminated when charging or if the low-battery status is active. We would have preferred a more detailed battery status indicator like the Knog Frog lights as the low battery status indicator is easy to miss.
LIGHT OUTPUT
Knog has incorporated nine different output modes into the Blinder R-150 with two constant modes and seven flash modes. The two constant modes are called High (35 lumen / 3.5 hr runtime) and Peloton (2 lumen / 30 hr). As the name implies, the Peleton mode is meant for group rides where you want to be visible without blinding other riders around you. The other seven flash modes can be difficult to visually tell apart. Strobe (150 lumen / 7.5 hr) is the brightest option that flashes the LEDs in unison. Impact (110 lumen / 25 hr) looks similar but isn’t quite as bright. There is also Beacon (85 lumen / 6.5 hr), Wave (90 lumen / 4.5 hr), Bounce (100 lumen / 6.5 hr) and Burn (130 lumen / 2.5 hr) which do inward / outward patterns with four round patterns (3 are portions of the COB LED while the fourth is the focused LED). Finally there is Eco (8 lumen / 50 hr) which sweeps the four round patterns upward and downward.
While we appreciate the creativity in the illumination patterns, we think Knog could have easily cut the number of modes in half. We liked the Strobe and Beacon modes for daytime riding as they offer enough runtime for long rides. The Peleton, Impact and Eco modes have impressive runtimes which is a great option for commuters or urban riding. With the addition of the focused LED, the Blinder R-150 is visible from long distances. It’s a big improvement of the Knog Blinder Traffic which has an identical design but no focused LED and makes the R-150 a better light for daytime riding. While the lens design isn’t as focused as the Bontrager Flare RT or Light & Motion Vya taillights, we think the Knog is more than daytime bright and has an stylish design that’s hard to match.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Knog Blinder R-150 to be an attractive and well-engineered taillight. The addition of a focused LED ensures the Blinder R-150 is equally visible from close and far distances. We were impressed with the creative illumination patterns and cable-free design of the taillight. Knog has kept the taillight simple with a one level interface and avoided the temptation of adding sensors or the need for separate apps to customize the taillight. The main downsides of the taillight is that we think there are too many modes to choose from and the power button can be difficult to operate with gloves on. That aside, if you’re looking for an attractive taillight that keeps you visible from close or far away the Knog Blinder R-150 is a great option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Knog. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.