Knog Plug StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations): Affordable price, attractive design – but can they also be bright? Absolutely! Knog's "Plug" and "Plus" branded lights ensure safety and visibility, and even law enforcement officers look favorably on them.
More and more bicycles without permanently installed lights are on the roads – be it the versatile gravel bike used for commuting or the retro racer for trips to the ice cream parlor or the beer garden. Mountain bikes and children's and youth bikes without lights are also available.
That's okay and even permitted; however, as soon as it gets dark, lights must be on your bike. And not just out of fear of the police officer – anyone who is poorly visible and has poor visibility risks being overlooked in traffic, as well as overlooking obstacles and hazards themselves.
Knog Plug StVZO: See and be seen
Knog is one of the numerous suppliers that have something to offer. The Australian lighting specialist, which launched almost 20 years ago with small position lights in cute silicone housings and now boasts a broad portfolio, has remained true to the organic design and feel of its early years in many of its products. This also applies to the front and rear lights of the Knog Plug StVZO series, which boast rounded shapes and a non-slip, TPU-coated surface. The stylish aspect of the light set includes the housings available in black, red, and light gray.
Most importantly, the compact lights are available in a StVZO-compliant version, recognizable by the K number and wavy line. Only these lights are permitted to be sold and used as bicycle lights in Germany; they can be identified in operation by the lack of a flashing mode and the special design of the headlight's light cone. Whereas non-approved Knog lights simply radiate in all directions, the StVZO-compliant version has a clear cut-off line, intended to prevent oncoming traffic from being blinded. This, of course, only works if the light is aligned correctly.
Adapted to modern standard handlebars
The headlight housing features a round cutout designed for handlebars with a 31,8 mm diameter; the plug can also be securely attached to narrower handlebars. On the rear light, two lips on the soft cover of the charging socket ensure a secure hold on handlebars of different diameters. Velcro straps with square rings are responsible for the actual attachment. Please be careful with these: The Velcro straps for the front and rear lights are the same length, but the square rings are different sizes, and only the larger ones can be hooked into the headlight housing.
The strong rubber coating of the Velcro straps ensures that the lights can be mounted easily and securely. Charging is via micro-USB, and once that's done, it's time for a test ride into the balmy late summer evening. At 140 lumens, the small Knog Plug is quite bright and offers good long-range visibility; however, it lacks clear close-range illumination. However, scattered light ensures that the area directly in front of the bike is sufficiently well illuminated.
The manufacturer doesn't offer different light modes, which naturally means you can't save power by using a lower setting. Knog specifies a burn time of two and a half hours for the headlight and three and a half hours for the rear light with 10 lumens, which is certainly sufficient for many shorter everyday rides. And since you don't leave the lights on your bike anyway, charging them in time shouldn't be a problem.
Knog Plus: Versatile clip-on additional light
Want even more visibility? As an additional light source for the rear, Knog stocks the Plus Rear StVZO Bike Light – also certified, but with a second light level that doubles the output to 20 lumens, but reduces the burn time from 3,5 to two hours. To charge, you simply plug the light into a USB port on your computer. The Plus can be attached to the seat post using Velcro or a silicone ring, although the small button can be a bit difficult to operate. Its actual purpose, however, is to detach the rod-shaped light from its mount and attach it to clothing, a bag, or similar using its luminous "clip." This isn't just for cycling, of course – anyone who goes jogging or is outside with the dog can also improve their visibility this way. On a bike, for example, you can attach it to the folded leg of your trousers – then the circular motion of the light source increases visibility even further.
Quite small and not very expensive
The Knog lights are quite compact: The headlight is 7,5 cm long and, like the rear light, has a diameter of 3,3 cm. At 65 and 30 grams, respectively, the battery-powered lights are so light that they don't even bother your jacket pocket—so riding with lights on doesn't have any unwanted side effects. The prices are also moderate: The Plug StVZO Front Bike Light costs €28,95, the Plug StVZO Rear Bike Light €23,95, and the Plus Rear StVZO Bike Light €20,95.