Knog's USB chargeable Blinder 4s come in a choice of six cheerful shades and use a silicone rubber strap in place of a conventional mount, with a metal flip clasp to fasten them shut.
They wrap neatly around seatposts and naked handlebars like those found on a commuter or mountain bike, but where we wanted to put the front light on a taped section of a road bar, it had a tendency to come undone unless attached with exaggerated care – which is annoying as the light needs to be removed for every charge.
A hidden plug flips out of the back of the lights and inserts straight into any USB port. Not needing a cable is nice, but the size and shape of the lights mean that they’re awkward to charge if you’re using your laptop, and on most PCs they render adjacent USB ports inaccessible. An extension cable would prevent this of course, but you’ll have to supply your own.
Both front and rear lights run for around three hours at full power, and considerably longer in their four flashing modes. The spacing of the LEDs makes for an eye-catching rear light, and the beam spread of both is nicely even. In a pinch, you can just about see by the front light on an unlit road, although it’s not the purpose for which it's intended. Weatherproofing seems good, with the lights unfazed by some distinctly moist commutes.
