Gloworm Lights has long been the go-to light system for mountain biking and road cycling communities around the world.
Now, the team has levelled up its original offerings, reimagined the product almost entirely, and presents the Gloworm G2.0 range.
Gloworm founder Bruce Davey says the New Zealand-designed Gloworm G2.0 range offers a smarter set-up, fast charging, and the ability to pair with a customisable app, all while keeping the Gloworm look and feel that has made them one of the most popular mountain biking lights in the world.
“We knew a lot of people loved the aesthetic of the original Alpha 1.0 lights,” Bruce says. “So we kept the physical design of the light heads and then looked to see where we could make improvements.”
“We really took our time to listen to customer needs and we totally reimagined our product, resulting in the Gloworm G2.0 range. It’s been so exciting to really push the boundaries in terms of what Gloworm Lights can offer riders.”
Make Gloworm G2.0 your own
Boasting USB connectivity for a faster charge, a highly-customisable app and wireless remote, the Gloworm G2.0 range ticks a lot of boxes.
It’s this ability to customise the whole system, and its ease of use, that makes the Gloworm G2.0 range a stand-out for Bruce.
“Riders can use the app to determine the number and brightness of light levels, and replace the optics to make the beat pattern exactly the way they want it to be.”
“The length of the cable can be easily changed without attaching a cumbersome extension cable, and the light system can be used on a helmet, on the bar, on any bike and for any type of terrain whether that’s road riding or mountain biking.”
“By completely reimagining our G1.0 range, we’ve been able to make Gloworm Lights compatible with any bike for use on any trail, anywhere.”
The Gloworm G2.0 range journey
The desire to modernise the Gloworm offering began in 2018.
“Obviously technology had changed a lot since we launched G1.0 in 2010,” Bruce says. “One of the main driving factors for us was the introduction of the 21700 battery, which are very common in electric vehicles. They allow you to carry more battery power by volume, without taking up a lot of space.”
“So this enabled us to create a bigger battery without increasing our battery size too much, but we then needed to redesign the plastic housing of the battery pack. While we were doing that we decided to change to USB-C.”
“Talking to our electronics guys we realised we could do fast charging, then we stumbled across USB-PD, which allows the light and battery to talk to each other, essentially determining how much power the light needs from the battery at any one time.
“It all spiralled from there – starting with what we thought we needed from a new battery cell, all the way to redesigning all the electronics in the light, the battery and the power systems – the whole lot essentially.”
Thinking locally, acting globally
Gloworm partnered with electronic engineering firm Beta Solutions in Palmerston North and Triotech, another Palmerston North company, designed the app.
“The G2.0 range has been 100% designed in New Zealand by New Zealand companies and we’re really proud of that,” Bruce says.
But it’s not just Kiwi ingenuity getting Gloworm off the ground.
Bruce works closely with Greek-born, Chinse-based Vaggelis Monogyios, who is now the co-owner of Gloworm Lights.
“Vag runs the manufacturing in China together with a team of French, Ghanaian and Chinese staff. We have a fully integrated manufacturing approach – we design, manufacture, quality control, sell and distribute all through the same company. This gives us control over the entire process.”
Packed with features
While the lighthead had a few tweaks in terms of how the cable connects to the battery and the USB port on the side, it remained largely unchanged. Everything else though? Completely new. Here’s the lowdown on why a Gloworm G2.0 LED light should definitely be part of your bike headlight kit.
Three-part system
What sets the Gloworm G2.0 range apart is its craftily-designed three-part system, which sees the cable sit separately from the battery and the light.
This means that if you get caught in a crash, the EasyRelease cable simply pops out, minimising damage to you and your bike.
And once cable fatigue (or some unexpected damage) sets in, you only need to replace the cable, not the whole light system.
Plus, the G2.0 cable system means you no longer need an extension cable – definitely a bonus.
USB connectivity for a faster charge
New USB connectivity offers up fast charging – three times faster than other light batteries, in fact.
Explains Bruce, “Our Gloworm G2.0 power packs feature a single USB-C port to link to a light via the Gloworm Power Cable.”
“The lights will still operate off any power block but if it is not a USB power delivery (PD) plug then you won’t achieve the same amount of fast charging. We introduced this because of how well the light and the battery can ‘talk’ to each other regarding power control, firmware updates and all those other advantages that USB-C and USB-PD offer.”
“We’re pretty sure this is the first time it has been used to control a light system.”
Up-to-date battery info
The Gloworm G2.0 power pack features an OLED display system giving you up-to-date info on runtime, battery charge status, and current light level.
Say goodbye to the days of wishing and hoping your battery will last the distance – your power pack will keep you updated with everything you need to know.
LINK – mobile app
The Gloworm G2.0 range offers true customisation for riders via the LINK app. LINK is Gloworm’s Light Customisation Platform and puts you in charge of the number of light levels, flash patterns, and whether you’re fixed or flashing as you’re hurtling through the darkness.
You can even see how long a full battery would last if you change the light level intensity.
Bluetooth remote
What better way to control the setup you’ve created in the app than via the G2.0’s TX remote?
Unique to Gloworm, the Bluetooth remote gives you the power to control one light or two and set it up so you have a button each for your helmet light and a button for your bar light if you so desire. The choice really is yours!
Future focus on an all-in-one
The next step for the Gloworm team is to develop an all-in-one light, and work is underway to determine customer demand for that type of design.
“We’re really pleased with how well the Gloworm G2.0 range has been received by our customers, and we can’t wait to develop this product even further,” Bruce says.
Watch this space!
For full Gloworm G.20 range product info, head to https://www.glowormlites.co.nz/products/