Facebook Twitter Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    Gear Reviews

    Knog POP Duo Bike Light Review

    Kevin GloverBy Kevin GloverMarch 28, 2016No Comments4 Mins Read

    Knog brings a certain southern charm to the world of bike lights. I’m not talking Georgia or Alabama, mind you – I’m thinking of Australia. Knog’s lights are refreshingly quirky and functional, not to mention durable and stylish. They sent over a suite of kit (bedecked with international postage) all the way from the land down under to the great Pacific Northwest. Like all bike lights, they come with pros and cons.

    Knog Duo Features:

    • Lumens: Front 35/Rear: 5
    • Weight: Front 56g/Rear 53g
    • PC-ABS plastic housing with polycarbonate lens
    • 1x AA battery for each
    • MSRP: $33

     

    Small lights can really pop

    First off, let’s begin by appreciating the price of these little guys. I get used to cringing when I add the ‘MSRP’ section to the list of features and specs, but that’s not necessary with the Knog Pop Duo. $33 for a high quality front/rear package is a stellar deal. You can find cheaper lights, you can pay more for lights, but it’s worth noting that the Knog Pop Duo sets a great bang-for-buck ratio. We’ll get into why that is soon.

    Knog Pop Duo

    Both lights have a simple rubber strap that’s mechanically anchored within the light. This means that the only way for it to break is for the rubber itself to rip; it can’t become unglued or otherwise degraded over time, which is important. The rubber straps mount easily onto posts as thick as 32mm; fun fact, it can rotate 90′ to either offer a vertical or horizontal profile. An obvious downside to a tool-less attachment is that it makes the lights easy to steal. True, but it also means that you can move them from bike-to-bike in a jiffy.

    The on/off switches are similarly durable – rubberized, press-and-hold buttons are, in terms of longevity, a better option than some of the clunky plastic switches I’ve seen on other lights. The downside is that they’re not easy to activate in heavy gloves, but my mid-weight Bontrager cycling gloves had no trouble finding the button and activating the light.

    Photo Mar 16, 11 30 00 PM
    Knog Duo Rear Light is very bright.

    Depress the button for 1 second to turn the lights on. After that, you can cycle between flashing options with a quick press. The flashing options are really quite dazzling. There are five sequences, and my favorite is the ‘organic,’ which is supposed to be so erratic and random that no distracted driver could ever miss it and no granny could tune it out. There are, of course, also the standard options including an ‘eco flash’ that is good for over 100 hours of run time. Speaking of runtime, it’s kind of a bummer that these lights aren’t USB-rechargeable, but they’re also $33. C’est la vie.

    I haven’t run through enough batteries with these guys to give objective evaluations yet, but I’d say the front light is pretty standard in terms of how quickly it dies, whereas the rear light seems to kick on for months and months with its 5 lumen output. Pretty rad.

    Photo Mar 16, 11 29 24 PM
    Knog Duo Front Light

    Durability is a big old concern with bike lights. I’ll be honest, these lights are good but Knog makes some better ones. I’m testing one of their Blinder Mob and it’s got an anodized metal casing that’s basically bombproof. The plastic on the Pop Duo is good and, what’s more, the kit is weatherproof. All good stuff, but there’s something to be said for metal parts. But, again, the set is $33.

    Visibility is always the biggest concern with bike lights. Remember that these lights are from Knog’s ‘Be Seen’ tier, but they have an upper level of higher-performing lights that cost twice as much. I was content with the visibility offered by these lights. The front light has a translucent slit to open up some side visibility, but channeling 35 lumens out the side of a light isn’t going to result in blinding white light. The rear light doesn’t offer any side visibility, so make sure to always use these lights together.

    Photo Mar 17, 4 44 57 PM
    Knog Duo Rear Light

    The Good

    • Excellent price point
    • Killer looks (if you get their snazzy color combos)
    • Variety of flash options
    • Has proven durable
    • Good battery life
    • Easy mounting

    The Bad

    • Mediocre side visibility
    • Having a USB recharge-capability would be a major boon
    • Some will find the buttons hard to depress with winter gloves

    The Bottom Line: Knog Pop Duo

    They’re fun. They’re safe. They’re functional. They’re an especially good option if you want to protect a younger loved one, whether they’re in college or 5th grade. Knog has done a great job at making bike lighting fun, and they’re doing a major service to cyclists of all levels of love for the hobby.

    Buy now: Available from CompetitiveCyclist

    ShareTweet
    bike lights Knog
    Previous ArticleReview: Altra Torin 2.0 Running Shoes
    Next Article Niner XC Carbon Wheelset Review
    Kevin Glover
    • Website

    Kevin Glover lives, climbs and backpacks out of Spokane, WA. Originally from the Nevada high desert, he moved to the PNW ten years ago and has worked as a glacier and rock guide in the Washington Cascades. When not testing gear, he is a medical student at the University of Washington and will gladly check that rash out for you.

    You Might Also Like

    Velocio Ultralight SL Base Layer Review

    June 9, 2023

    Schwalbe G-One Allround 650b Review

    June 7, 2023

    Patagonia Endless Run Shorts Review

    June 5, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular

    Schwalbe G-One Allround 650b Review

    June 7, 2023
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021
    8.5

    Canyon Lux Trail CF 7 Review

    November 28, 2022
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022

    Moosejaw Ice Fort 25 Quart Hard Cooler Review

    May 17, 2023

    Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch Review

    March 9, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021

    Review: SRAM Force XPLR eTap AXS for Road?

    October 5, 2022
    9.1

    Review: 2023 Trek Domane+ SLR 9 eBike

    December 5, 2022
    9.6

    Trek Domane SLR 9 AXS Gen 4 Review

    May 10, 2023
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Velocio Ultralight SL Base Layer Review
    • Schwalbe G-One Allround 650b Review
    • Patagonia Endless Run Shorts Review
    • Review: Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Hoodie
    • Fresh Wheels: Pivot Mach 4 SL Gets Both Racier & Rowdier
    • Shimano S-Phyre Magnetic GR Sunglasses Review
    • Moosejaw Ice Fort 25 Quart Hard Cooler Review
    • Join Zwift “Ride Like King 15” Rides May 19-21
    • Review: Hoka Challenger 7 Road/Trail Shoe
    • Fresh New Bikes from Cervelo, Pinarello and Vitus
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.