Lupine has been producing lights for over 25 years in the heart of Germany (their website heralds “Deutsche Qualitat“). Lupine produces lights for both daytime and night use for a variety of sports.
William Gentile of Lupine North America says that what sets Lupine apart from the pack is its commitment to producing personal lighting systems as opposed to bicycle lights. What’s the difference? Well, for nighttime use specifically, the need for lighting doesn’t stop when your bike does or your helmet comes off. Lupine produces lights that can move from your bike to your helmet to your hat in mere seconds.
Gentile also highlights three main virtues of Lupine lighting systems: innovation, compatibility and longevity. Let’s begin with innovation.
“Lupine prides itself on innovation,” says Gentile, and small details can make big differences, as shown by Lupine’s use of copper in their PC boards, which makes them extra conductive and efficient. Lupine has also embraced the new XML-3 LED technology, which produces brighter light with greater efficiency.
Another small technical detail with big performance dividends is Lupine’s use of a spherical lens, which for headlights produces a specific zone of illumination similar to a car’s headlight. Gentile said that these headlights were good for drop bar use, in particular.
Daytime running lights have long been standard on cars, and many people are outfitting their bicycles with lights front and rear for daytime use, for their safety advantages. Lupine has produced lights for daytime use that can run all day with very little power, and tail lights that have a built-in accelerator that slows down and eventually stays solidly lit when the rider comes to a stop. It’s the closest thing to a bicycle brake light out there.
With many cyclists adopting daytime light use and running GPS or Google Maps on their cell phones (or simply needing it to call your spouse to tell them you’ll be another 30 minutes late!), power needs have gone up significantly. While Lupine’s technical advances have reduced the power needs for their lights, they’ve made it possible to share the wealth of their battery systems through USB1 ports that can charge any USB device, and splitters that allow you to power lights and charge your cell phone simultaneously. No need to hang out at the coffee shop while your phone powers back up (unless you want to).
All of this innovation comes with compatibility and interchangeability. With small investments in compatible mounts, Lupine lights can move from your bike to your helmet, to your hat or headlamp mount in seconds. And while Gentile, who runs a podcast called “The Gretna Bill Show,” said that Lupine lights may cost a bit more than their competitors, their longevity and performance more than make up for it. A final consideration not to be overlooked is that Lupine North America services and repairs any lights that may have been damaged in a crash (for one example) right in their Pennsylvania facility.
See all the ways that Lupine sheds light on innovation and quality at www. lupinenorthamerica.com.