2014 Lights Shootout, Bike Light, Lights, Lights Shootout, Lumina 550, NiteRider - October 20, 2013

Review: NiteRider Lumina 550

First came the NiteRider Minewt 600 which was just ‘ok’ as it was rough and wasn’t close to its 600 Lumen claims. Then came the Lumina 650 and it was light years better as it was polished and honest at 647 measured Lumens.

So now comes the the Lumina 700 and the Lumina 550. This expands the Lumina 650 options, as the 550 offers an impressive light at $110. Measured output is at 558 Lumens and run time on high is at 1:30. They could have kept the battery the same as the next lines in the range to get a run time closer to 2 hours, but they opted to drive the price down to $110, which is a good choice in this very price sensitive market.

The Lumina 550 shares the chassis with the Lumina 700, so size and weights are identical. Claimed run times are the same at 1:30, but the weights leave us to believe the battery is the same and the 550 should run a little longer than the 700.

Mounting is improved with a clamp now that is tightened with a hand lever. This ensures a proper hold on the bar for those high-speed, rocky descents. The USB charging port is now moved to the bottom of the light with a better seal. This protects it from moisture and dirt much better.

The real story here is the Lumina family of lights has expanded for more options. And it’s not just a bunch of weaker versions of the light in the same case. They actually put some thought and engineering in the other versions. They are as follows:

NiteRider Lumina Micro 220 – $70 micro light with 240 measured Lumens

NiteRider Lumina 550 – $110 light with 558 Lumens

NiteRider Lumina Flare 650 – $170 light with integrated tail light making it ideal for helmet mounted commuting

NiteRider Lumina 700 – $140 with 692 measured Lumens

Specifications

Price: $110
Claimed Lumens: 550 Lumens
Measured Lumens: 558 Lumens
Measured MTBR Lux: 59 Lux
Lumens per $: 5.07 Lumens
Lumens per gram: 3.24 Lumens
Time on High: 1:30 Hours
Charge Time: 5:30 Hours
Mounted Weight: 172 grams
Category: Flashlight/Commuter

Strengths

Actual output of 558 is close to 550 claimed Lumens
Excellent design and clamp
Good value for the money
Mount is easily removed and can be used as a great flashlight
Great form factor and packaging
Beam pattern has been cleaned up with a nice trapezoidal shape that is flatter on top and shines more light at the bottom

Weaknesses

Run time could be better and should be at least 2 hours

Mounting

Instead of the snap on strap, the Lumina 550 now has a mount that is a c-clamp type and is tightened with a hand adjustable screw. This allows a secure connection to keep it from moving out of place during rocky descents. Standard helmet mount is included.

Mtbr Light Meter Measurements

This light measured 59 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 558 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 550 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.