2015 Lights Shootout

Light is omnidirectional with just a little side visibility.

Light is omnidirectional with just a little side visibility (click to enlarge).​

The Central 100 Front light from Blackburn is an interesting and compact little light. Shaped like a matchbox and weighing in at 51 grams, it features three forward facing LEDs and an internal lithium battery charged by a USB port. Runtime is 3 hours with a claimed 100 Lumens of output. The interesting observation with this light is we measured it at 148 Lumens in a laboratory integrating sphere. That means it is brighter than claimed and it's incredibly bright for a $35 light.

So this is indeed one of the pleasant surprises of our light testing. The light it emits is forward-facing, very similar to a phone but about ten times more powerful. It's not only useful on the bike, but handy in one's pocket or around the house as well.

It doesn't have a distinct forward facing beam pattern, so it's more of a 'to be seen' light, but it is so bright that a bike commuter can actually see with it in a pinch.

This light measured 148 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 100 Lumens. Compare all Lumen Tests here »

Weight is a light 51 grams but it packs a 148 Lumen punch.

Weight is a light 51 grams but it packs a 148 Lumen punch (click to enlarge).​

Strengths

  • Extremely bright at 148 Lumens and brighter than claimed
  • Good runtime at three hours
  • Great value for a $35 light
  • Has a lot of utility beyond the bike

Weaknesses

  • Light output can be better utilized with a focused directed pattern and side visibility.

Specifications

  • Price: $35
  • Claimed Lumens: 100 Lumens
  • Measured Lumens: 148 Lumens
  • Lumens per $: 4.23 Lumens
  • Lumens per gram: 2.90 Lumens
  • Time on High: 3:10 Hours
  • Charge Time: n/a Hours
  • Mounted Weight: 51 grams
  • Category: Flashlight/Commuter

Overall Rating

5 out of 5 Stars

For an affordable commuter light with lots of utility, this one is a winner.

For more information visit www.blackburndesign.com.

This article is part of Mtbr and RoadBikeReview's 2015 Lights Shootout. To see all the bike lights tested CLICK HERE.