Australian bike light experts Knog dropped the Cobber Reflex into the Cyclry lab a few days ago. We’re not quite prepared to review–it’s taking us a while to run these batteries down–but we’re ready to share our first first look at why the Cobber Reflex is aiming to be the ultimate technical flex for your daily commute.
330 Degree Visibility and the COB Advantage
First things first. That barrel shape isn’t just about looking like an awesome and possibly illegal relic of the nuclear era, even with that cool isotope-looking sticker over its front.
Knog’s Chip on Board (COB) LED technology allows for a curved face that provides side-on visibility. That’s long been an issue with bike lights, which primarily serve to highlight where you are rather than illuminate your path, but nevertheless focus their brightness mostly straight ahead (or behind).
Now the drivers coming out of side streets have no excuse. The Cobber Reflex provides a forward beam combined with a 330-degree uniform glowing arc of light. The output is far more effective at catching the eye of a motorist at an intersection.
The Reflex Sensor Tech Thinks So You Don’t Have To
But these barrels don’t just light up. The ‘Reflex’ part of their name refers to useful smart functions that automatically respond to your conditions.
- Tilt Reflex Mode: Adjusts to the angle of your bike. When you lean into a corner, your light adjust to help ensure you remain optimally visible.
- Brake Mode (Rear Only): The light increases brightness as you slow, like the brake lights on a car. Great for group rides.
- Auto On/Off: Not that exciting really, but turns off when you’re not using it. More excitingly, it turns on automatically, like the headlights on a Polestar (or premium Aussie alternative), so you can just ride and be seen.
These are functions we haven’t fully tested. So, uh, don’t believe our hype. Yet. Back in 2020, we liked the See.Sense Icon 2’s automatic features but weren’t fully convinced by their execution. (Although for what it’s worth, we already think the Cobber Reflex clears the Icon 2.)
Total Control Through the Modemaker App
The standout feature, and the primary reason we wanted to dive into the Cobber Reflex in the first place, is the Modemaker 2.0 compatibility.
Most bike lights force you to cycle through five different flash patterns just to find the “steady” mode that won’t get you yelled at in a group ride. But with the Modemaker app, you plug the light into your laptop and design your own light signatures.
You can choose the intensity, the pulse frequency, and the specific LEDs that fire. Use what you need and ditch the rest.
And, uh, it looks so fucking cool. No other bike light company lets you cosplay as the Lawnmower Man.
You might have noticed that we love retro. So, it’s obvious that we love Modemaker. Look at that. Just look at it.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the full technical verdict. (Spoiler: it’s mostly us drooling about ModeMaker.)
