I'm not too fond of the time change. With it comes plenty of opportunities to night ride in the cold. which can change your attitude about the average weekday evening ride. While I was prepping lights for a ride, I dropped my 750-lumen handlebar light, and it broke, so I was in the market for a new one. While looking at lights at The Hub, I saw Outbound Lighting’s line of handlebar lights & headlamps. The team at the hub took the time to show all the options for lights. After discussing and being told OL lights are flying off the shelf I purchased the Trail Evo, and the first time on the trail, I turned the light on Jim Branch at Dupont and said out loud, ‘Holy Shhhhhh’. The trail was as clear as day.
In Operation
The battery life is excellent. To offer more optimal operation OL suggests you put the light on low for the pedal up and then high/adaptive for the downhill. Adaptive lighting is impressive; it starts high and, after twenty minutes, tapers down to 70% as your eyes adjust to the light, extending battery life, which takes it from 1.7 hours on high to 2.6 hours on adaptive.
The Details
the light has 2200 lumens. Vehicle halogen headlights are 700-1200 lumens, and modern LED headlights are around 3000 lumens. So, it is like having a car headlight mounted to your bar, with the comfort and confidence of seeing more of the trail that comes with it. I could not believe the difference in being able to view further down the trail and into turns. With the mount and light, the total weight is 311 grams; you don’t even notice the weight. I will say, please make sure you mount it correctly. Outbound Lighting has very clear directions on where the plastic mount attaches to the bar on the left, and the light is centered. DO NOT overtighten the clamp; get it snug, but don’t Hulk it.
Closing thoughts
The light comes with an Allen wrench to assist in mounting, has a Pass-Thru USB-C Rapid Charging Ability, and can use external powerbanks for endurance rides. In addition to this light, OL also offers a headlamp called The Hangover (1000 Lumens), which can be purchased individually or as a combo with the Trail Evo. OL also offers the Detour bike light (1200 Lumens) for road bikers. They do a great job with the box's packaging, and the product is of excellent quality. For those who want a bike light that will light up the trails on their ride for years to come, this is the product for you. Click here to view the entire lineup. - Joe Maylish
