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IB14: PDW Blasts Off with Lars Rover Headlights, BARkeep Inflator, and LTD Edition Takeout Adventure Kit

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Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (4)

Like it or not, for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting short which means it’s time to break out the lights. To go along with their already incredibly powerful tail lights, PDW is lighting the way to other planets with the Lars Rover 650 and 450 head lights. Certified at 650 and 450 lumens respectively with a Labsphere Illumia Light Measurement System, the lights stay true to PDW style by sourcing the best electronic internals you can reasonably get with a genuine Panasonic Li-Ion rechargeable battery and CREE LEDs.

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (3)

Both models are rechargeable with a micro-USB port and will provide 2-8 hours of run time depending on the setting. Equipped with 5 modes including low, medium, high, flash, and pulse, the lights include 3 different mounts so they can be installed almost anywhere. The Lars Rover 650 will sell for $110, and the smaller 450 at $85.

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (6)

There are plenty of c02 inflators out there, but inflators equipped with a dial pressure gauge? Not many (any?).

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (5)

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (8) Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (7)

That’s where the PDW BARkeep steps in with its integrated pressure gauge and head that will accept presta or schrader by extending or collapsing the head and threading onto the valve. The Tap Handle at the bottom allows easy control of the flow of beer c02, and also protects your hand from frozen cartridges. Weighing in at 94 grams, the BARkeep uses 16g cartridges and retails for $35. As a bonus, the pressure gauge can be used to just check your tire pressure without having to use the c02.

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (9)

Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (11) Portland Design Works lars rover 650 450 barkeep blaq (1)

Looking for the perfect bicycle tailgate package? PDW’s new LTD Edition Takeout kit may be the winner. Available all together for the first time, the kit includes their Takeout basket that mounts to the front of your handlebars which fits their new Adventure bag perfectly. Made in Oregon by Blaq Design, the bag features a clear map/phone pocket, expandable interior (that just so happens to fit a 6 pack), a bright interior to easily find your gear, and a waterproof design that clips into the Takeout basket.

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Even better, the kit includes a custom Dank Bags Can Cooler that fits 16oz cans and is built in Seattle to match. The whole set will cost you $150, but that’s a small price to pay such awesomeness.

ridepdw.com

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groghunter
groghunter
10 years ago

Sigh. light companies: like it or not, gopro style mounts are now an industry standard. If you don’t include one, I won’t buy your product. I don’t want to use your rubber band mount if I’ve already got a $50 k-edge on my bars, I don’t want to use a mount that goes through my helmet vents if my helmet includes a mount already.

Bob
Bob
10 years ago

I like bright lights, but my fyxo king bright 1000 lumen light has a very wide light angle making using it on a quiet rode blinding for any car heading toward me. Do any lights have a narrow beam of light so I won’t blind oncoming cars?

Throck
Throck
10 years ago

@Bob. Specialized recently made a light with a vertical cutoff similar to a headlight. I havent used one yet but I was messing with my reps and it seemed pretty solid.

mrazekan
mrazekan
10 years ago

@Bob

Check out the Busch and Muller lights. Unlike most bike lights, the majority of their lights bounce the light of the LED off of a well engineered reflector. This allows for a much more even spread of light, i.e. no hot spot, and a strong cutoff of light to keep from blinding oncoming cars or riders.

Most lights essentially have a conical pattern to the light that is emitted with a hot spot in the center. For commuters, this in effect wastes 50% of the light output as it goes up into the trees, buildings, and empty sky. For moutainbikers, this is necessary as you otherwise would not see that low hanging branch.

The reason why more light companies don’t use reflectors is that they are really expensive to design and manufacture. Optic design is afield unto itself which most companies cannot afford to invest in. It is much less expensive to get a Cree LED and Ledil reflector and wrap a housing over it.

Drew Diller
10 years ago

Dang, @mrazekan you get +2 internet points for a well informed post. <3 my B&M head light.

Dave B
Dave B
10 years ago

IIRC, B&M lights are made in Germany, which has strict specifications for headlight beam cut-off, and those specs include bicycle lights. Their beam pattern is made to meet the local laws.

Whyat
Whyat
10 years ago

Are PDW and Planet Bike lights the same? They seem to be the same lights will subtle design differences. Are they the same internals?

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