2014 Lights Shootout, Bike Light, Light & Motion, Lights, Lights Shootout, Taz 1000 - November 2, 2013

Review: Light & Motion Taz 1000

The Taz 1000 is our favorite light in the Light & Motion line up. It delivers 1000 honest Lumens and it seems like a brighter light since the beam pattern is very efficient. The light is directed to the ground so there is very little light wasted into empty air. Furthermore, it is $50 cheaper than the Taz 1200 and is thus competitive with its $250 price. And finally, it gets 1:40 of run time at full power.

The Taz is the crowning achievement for Light & Motion in 2013. They created a light with the beam pattern of a Seca but with the form factor of an Urban self-contained light. They used their knowledge with multiple beam patterns to make a light that has both spread and throw. To top it off, they gave it side lighting that can be switched on/off separately to make this an ideal commuter light as well.

To old school folks, the easiest way to describe this light is it’s like the Light & Motion Seca but in a flashlight configuration. The beam pattern is big, even and pointed mostly to the ground with a very wide angle. It is a minor miracle how they were able to put this lens in a flashlight configuration.

At a measured 1030 Lumens, this is an extremely bright light weighing in at only 217 grams. It is ideal for bar mount use but is light enough (albeit a little bulky) to be used for the helmet.

Specifications

Price: $250
Claimed Lumens: 1000 Lumens
Measured Lumens: 1030 Lumens
Measured MTBR Lux: 101 Lux
Lumens per $: 3.43 Lumens
Lumens per gram: 4.77 Lumens
Time on High: 1:40 Hours
Charge Time: 4:00/8:00 Hours (Can sense high powered usb charger)
Mounted Weight: 216 grams
Category: Flashlight/Commuter

Strengths

Beam pattern, beam pattern. Just like the Seca, the peam is wide and far since it has a dual beam
Light is not wasted on the top where it usually doesn’t reflect off anything
Excellent form factor at only 217 grams
Mount is desceptively simple yet effective. It is very easy to adjust or transfer to another bike.
Side lighting that can be switched off is very versatile
Honest with 1000 Lumen claims
800 Lumen version is available for lower price point and longer run time
Excellent cooling abilities allows it to stay at full power in difficult conditions
Light output is constant throughout battery cycle because power is regulated
Charging port is smart so it can charge fast when connecting to a powerful USB charger like an iPad charger

Weaknesses

Light head is a little big for a self-contained light
Charging on a USB port can take up to 14 hours
1.5 hour run-time on high is quite short

Mounting

Handlebar mounting is done with very slick strap that can be tightened based on the rider’s preference. The same strap is used for standard and oversized handlebars. At first we found the strap too long and found the excess bothersome but we realized we can loop the strap back in the pin and tuck it in neatly. It can be aimed left to right.

Mtbr Light Meter Measurements

This light measured 101 Lux on our ambient light measurement facility. The light output measurement is performed by placing a Lux light meter beside the light. Both are pointed at the ceiling (five feet above) of a dark room. This measurement uses the ambient light produced by the bike light.

Integrating Sphere Measured Lumens

This light measured 1030 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 1000 Lumens. The Lumen-hour graph below shows how the light performs over the first three minutes of its battery cycle.

Compare all Lumen Tests here »

Tunnel Beam Pattern Photo

The location is useful since it has walls and a ceiling that can display a bike light beam pattern. The walls have a lot of graffiti on them and actually show detail when they are lit up by a light with a wide angle. Cones and targets are set up with the far target set up at 120 feet.