I tend to do all my road rides with a blinky tail light, hoping it makes me a bit more conspicuous in this world of distracted drivers. Apparently the fine folks at Bontrager were thinking the same thing when developing their new Flare R.
Their stats showed that 80% of car-on-bike accidents occurred during the day, and that 40% of those were cars striking the cyclist from behind. To remedy that, the new light features a powerful 65 lumen CREE LED, which they say is brighter than automotive tail lights. They also built in two distinct “daytime” modes – a random flash pattern meant to capture drivers’ attention at the full 65 lumens, and a 25 lumen constant on for riding in groups.
“We’re cyclists and we share the same concerns and experiences as all riders,” said Bontrager’s Brand Manager & Marketing Director Michael Browne. “We’re in a unique position to create something that can benefit all cyclists, and that’s why we’ve spent such considerable R&D resources on Flare R. This is a light that should be on every bike, every ride. A helmet is a great thing, but not getting hit by a car is even better.”
For night time use, there’s a separate random blink pattern with intermittent pops at full intensity, plus a low level 5 lumen constant on. Run times range from 4.25 to 23 hours depending on mode.
It’s USB rechargeable, weight is 36g, and retail is $59.99. Available now in Trek bike shops.
