Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Princeton Tec Swerve Tail Light

I saw reference to this tail light (the Princeton Tec Swerve) on the CandlePower Forums and was wondering if there had been any discussion of it here. I didn't see anything after doing a brief forums search...(?).

http://www.swerveyourbike.com/

http://www.cyclelicio.us/2008/04/princeton-tec-swerve-bicycle-tail-light.html

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=196084

They seem to be priced fairly consistently around $30 US, but BrightGuy.com has them for around $24 (but with shipping charges). Also available through Amazon.com and a few other places.

http://www.brightguy.com/products/Princeton_Tec_Swerve.php

This is the first that I have heard or seen of it. I could not find a night picture. Is there one?

The toggle switch would be an excellent feature. I like to be reach back and turn mine on without stopping. The buttons on the Blackburn MARS models switches are small and flush with the case. Even though I know where they are it is difficult to activate by feel. The Cateye TL-LD600 is better since it is a bigger button.

Also, they are all too directional. If Princeton Tec has improved on that then it would be an outstanding choice assuming that it is really, really bright as they advertise.

I dunno about night shots. Haven't seen any yet.

Here's a bit more showing some attachment options, I think:

http://www.livingonthedash.com/?p=614

And this, where it at least shows one turned on:

http://www.thesoiledchamois.com/2008/05/bike-gods-giveth-i-get-my-swerve-on.html

Descriptions, from what I've read, make it sound like a very bright light.

Video found! I'm not blown away by the flash pattern though...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j4N3-th5t8A

Edit: I got a problem loading page error when posting up, guess it worked!

From the YouTube video, I don't think the flash pattern is too bad. Somewhat like a SuperFlash, but with the diffused-beam 0.5W emitter taking the place of the SF's two small 5mm emitters?

I like the idea of the diffused emitter on there. It should make the light fairly effective even with imprecise aim (I'm thinking to use mine as a helmet blinkie).

Ok, my Swerve arrived. Bottom line: I'm disappointed with the Swerve in several areas, and if anyone wants my recommendation, I think the SuperFlash is a better choice than the Swerve.

As I mentioned above, I had high hopes for the wide-angle beam from the Swerve's LED that has the diffuser optic. Well, if you cover up the focused LED, so you can examine the beam pattern of the supposedly wide-angle LED, the beam pattern is not an even flood beam, not even close. It resembles a projection of a flower, and it doesn't cover a wide angle at all. Ironically, I think the focused LED covers a wider viewing arc than the diffused LED, and with much better intensity too.

The Swerve is also quite heavy compared to the SuperFlash, and I have doubts about the reliability of the Swerve's switch... that white rocker simply has two metal fingers that make an electrical connection on the printed circuit board when the switch is swung. Add some water, a little surface corrosion on the contact pads, and will it stay lit? Granted, the switch is easy to actuate without looking.

Based on the weight of the light, I'm also not sure the mount would hold its angle setting in the long run (this makes more sense once you've seen how the mount goes together).



So that's the first-impressions report. If I could've seen it in person before buying it, I wouldn't have bought it. Without a good wide-angle beam, it really doesn't have much to offer that the SuperFlash doesn't, except an easy-to-operate switch, and the SuperFlash costs less and is much more widely available. Props to BrightGuy for getting it across the country in three days for $4.80, however :)

Disappointing sounding, mechBgon. :(

And of course we should probably take that with a grain of salt as being first impressions only. Hopefully, the light will do better as a real-world performer . . . but I'm sure we'll see. Eventually, I hope we'll hear some other reports here. The real test will be the longer-term performance and reliability of the unit...so that's obviously a "time will tell" thing.

Interesting observations on the the switch as maybe being a weak link in the chain in the unit's water resistance. Princeton Tec labels it as "resistant to heavy rain, large splashes, and the occasional dunking," but your comments on the switch make you wonder if longer-term corrosion might be a real issue (then again, it might not -- another "time will tell" aspect, I'd think).

Thanks for the initial impressions. Wish they had been a little stronger in the positive direction, though.

mechBgon, out of curiosity...have you ridden with the light yet and put it to actual use? Checked it out from a distance at night, etc.?

PT produces high quality products and one of their product lines is scuba. I would hope that expertise would translate into a unit highly resistant to the elements, especially moisture. IMHO the chances of the switch failing or corroding are remote. If they are problems I am sure PT will stand behind their product. This is based upon them sending me a new complete package when ironically, I believe that it was the switch that failed.:eek:

Disappointing sounding, mechBgon. :(

And of course we should probably take that with a grain of salt as being first impressions only. Hopefully, the light will do better as a real-world performer . . . but I'm sure we'll see. Eventually, I hope we'll hear some other reports here. The real test will be the longer-term performance and reliability of the unit...so that's obviously a "time will tell" thing.

Interesting observations on the the switch as maybe being a weak link in the chain in the unit's water resistance. Princeton Tec labels it as "resistant to heavy rain, large splashes, and the occasional dunking," but your comments on the switch make you wonder if longer-term corrosion might be a real issue (then again, it might not -- another "time will tell" aspect, I'd think).

Thanks for the initial impressions. Wish they had been a little stronger in the positive direction, though.

mechBgon, out of curiosity...have you ridden with the light yet and put it to actual use? Checked it out from a distance at night, etc.?

The light comes with a three year guarantee, so Princeton Tec must have some confidence in it.

PT produces high quality products and one of their product lines is scuba. I would hope that expertise would translate into a unit highly resistant to the elements, especially moisture.

To quote from the Swerve's instruction sheet:


If the Swerve™ fails to light:


Check the batteries for proper installation
Replace the batteries if proper installation is confirmed
Check the light for water contamination on the circuit board. The light will resume normal operation once the water is shaken or blown out and the light is left open until completely dry.




mechBgon, out of curiosity...have you ridden with the light yet and put it to actual use? Checked it out from a distance at night, etc.?

Not yet. I need to kidnap my digital camera back from my sister, and then I can do some comparison photos too. Perhaps tonight :)


The real test will be the longer-term performance and reliability of the unit

In my opinion, the real test would be if the "flood-beam" LED actually produced a flood beam, instead of failing miserably at producing a flood beam. There's no need to road-test it to confirm that they completely blew it in that respect. But that may not be the important feature to everyone... if you've always wanted a light with similar power to a SuperFlash, but an easy-to-use switch, and don't mind that it's relatively heavy, then the Swerve may be your light, despite the crippled flood-beam LED.

Update: since the BikeForums database seems to be struggling at the moment, see my post at CandlePowerForums for photos and commentary: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2553280#post2553280

PT produces high quality products and one of their product lines is scuba. I would hope that expertise would translate into a unit highly resistant to the elements, especially moisture. IMHO the chances of the switch failing or corroding are remote. If they are problems I am sure PT will stand behind their product. This is based upon them sending me a new complete package when ironically, I believe that it was the switch that failed.:eek:

I think they got a big contract with Luxeon some years ago because they're still using them when Cree and Seoul have much better LEDs.

Interestingly, Princeton Tec seems to have taken a bit of an interest in the discussions about the Swerve at the CandlePower Forums, too. They've responded to the posts there, I think in part to mechBgon's initial review. For those interested, the Princeton Tec response might be worth a read (reply number 47).

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=196084&page=2

Here's what Princeton Tec had to say about the light.


mechBgon,

Thanks for your images and thorough input on the new Swerve taillight. There are a few areas where I would just like to clarify –

Mounting – The first thing is to always ensure you mounting with the proper size elastomer (small and large included). Once the light is mounted on the post and you choose to redirect the path of the light you should re-adjust the band tension (simply loosen, direct the light as desired, and then re-secure band), as this will eliminate the band being rotated laterally and will ensure a more secure mounting. You should also note that the mounting system is designed to take a set over time - the teeth on the seat post mount will begin to groove into the rubber mount creating a more secure attachment.
I can tell you that I mountain bike regularly with a Swerve mounted to my bike and it has endured regular trail riding without tilting.

Switch – A toggle switch may be new to the taillight category, but it a system we have been using for years, including on our dive products. It was just a matter of applying the technology, previously proven in underwater lighting application, to the cycling market. The toggle switch is particularly useful for the taillight application as it makes operating the light while riding extremely intuitive.

Diffused LED/ Beam Pattern – It is difficult to tell what distance you are photographing your beam shots at, but I think when you view the Swerve in its intended environment you will be much more impressed. The optics in the Swerve are designed for maximum distance visibility, allowing drivers to notice the rider further in advance and thus giving them more time to react to the approaching cyclist. The diffused LED and flash rate are also a large part of this equation. Up close the rapid flash of the SF appears quite bright, but such a rapid flash rate is less visible the farther you are away as it actually becomes almost steady to the eye. The Swerve is setup with a moderate flash speed between the two .5w LEDs when viewed up close, but the further the driver is from the light the faster the flash rate appears, as the eye juggles the spot and diffused LED. As you noted the diffused LED does not create a smooth red beam pattern when shined on a surface up close, but at a greater distance (as when a driver would initially notice the cyclist) the diffused LED creates a wide burst to complement the collimated spot beam. The assistance of the diffuser helps create the pop that attracts the eye when flashing.

In the end we just took a different approach. Our intentions with the Swerve were to protect the cyclist by alerting the driver as far in advance as possible, all while allowing the rider to interact with the light as simply as possible.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2553280#post2553280

Interestingly, Princeton Tec seems to have taken a bit of an interest in the discussions about the Swerve at the CandlePower Forums, too. They've responded to the posts there, I think in part to mechBgon's initial review. For those interested, the Princeton Tec response might be worth a read (reply number 47).

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=196084&page=2


Predictable :)

Predictable :)

Huh?

Predictable :)

Well...yes and no...but not necessarily a predictable thing. ;)

On the CandlePower Forums, there seems to be a respectable amount of vendor/dealer participation, but I think that in most cases across the board, the majority of manufacturers tend to ignore forums in terms of their own participation. I think it's a real minority of vendors who'll actually post to a forum or respond to users publicly. It's great when they'll join in the mix and actually respond to user postings and allow a public interaction (rather than limited response to individual e-mail inquiries and the like).

But we'll see whether Princeton Tec continues to take part in the discussions. I'd be all for it, if they do. :)