Twowheelcool Pilot: Two become one

Test: After we had already looked at a lamp from the Australian lighting specialists Twowheelcool with the Omni last week (for Test), another interesting light source from Oceania is being tested today with the pilot. In any case, the innovative combination of front and rear lights was convincing in the test.

The Pilot consists of a red rear light and a white front light, both of which are housed in a common, robust-looking silicone cover. The workmanship is very good and the lamp feels high-quality. The Pilot is attached to the driver's helmet - the principle is simple: Two Velcro straps included in the scope of delivery are first threaded through the straps of the silicone light and then through the ventilation openings of the helmet. Then simply close the Velcro inside and the light is firmly in place.

The test showed that assembly requires a bit of finesse. Due to the fact that it is attached to the helmet, the position of the light also depends on the position of the head and the driver's seating position. It is important to pay attention to this during the initial installation. The Pilot can be attached to almost any helmet with ventilation openings on the top.

The luminosity of the LEDs is very good. The red rear light offers enough power that the driver can also be seen from a greater distance or in poorer weather. The front light even goes one better: In terms of their luminosity, the three white LEDs do not need to hide from cheaper headlamps. Although the brightness is hardly sufficient for trail tours at night, it is more than sufficient for the wearer to be visible in an urban environment.

In addition to the two lamps themselves, a rechargeable battery is also integrated in the compact housing of the Pilot. Unfortunately, the compact design and the concentrated luminosity are somewhat reflected in the runtime. The Pilot manages to run for around 2,5 hours in continuous mode, and almost 10 hours in flashing mode. The battery can be charged using the supplied mini-USB cable. The connection to the light is protected from any weather influences by a silicone strap.

And finally ...

The bold and innovative concept of the Twowheelcool Pilot is a real hit. The lamp is bright, well made and flexibly mountable. A small but bearable downer is the somewhat short battery life. Overall, however, the Australians offer an excellent lighting kit for urban use. The Pilot is available in black, turquoise, transparent and neon yellow from www.starboox.com