Questions about the Down Low Glow

    What powers the Down Low Glow?

    The Down Low Glow comes with a lightweight NiMh rechargeable battery. It weighs 10.5 oz and is the heaviest component of the DLG system. It is weatherproof and has a high quality coaxial power connector that mates with our DLG chargers, and with the DLG light tubes. It also has a foam strip underneath the outer rubber layer, to prevent road vibrations from dislodging it.

    • 12V nominal
    • 2200 mAh

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    Will it fit on my ride?

    The Down Low Glow fits a wide variety of vehicles. Most bicycles, including kids bikes, recumbents, tricycles, fixed gear racing bikes with tight front-wheel clearances, and full-suspension mountain bikes can be fitted up with no problem.

    The Down Low Glow light tubes are 12.75″ long and have approximately 10″ of wire connecting them to our power driver box. Between the battery and the power driver box is another 12″ of cable.

    The simplest way to mount the DLG on an unusual bike is to purchase our single tube system. The single tube has the most trouble-free mount, and really throws a lot light, too! But if you’re set on going with the dual-tube system, just give us a call or email us a photo of your bike / vehicle, so that we can tell you what (if any) special order parts you’ll need.

    For other types of vehicles, such as electric wheelchairs, longboards, and golf carts, the fit will depend on what your vehicle offers for mounting points. Check the underside of the vehicle and look for the structural frame tubes. If you can spot frame tubes with a diameter in the 1-3″ range, with enough room to fit our light tubes (12.75″ long) that’s good news. You’ll be able to use our standard large-diameter mounting pieces. We also carry adhesive-backed mounting pieces that work well on flat surfaces. These cost $5 a piece, and you can use either one or two of them to get a secure mount on your vehicle. You can order these by phone.

    If you want to go with a dual tube system on an unusual vehicle with frame tubes of larger than 1″ in diameter, please special order your DLG so that we can send you only the large diameter mounts.

    If you have questions or aren’t sure, please call us at 888-354-BIKE or email us your question.

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    Can I ride in the rain with the Down Low Glow?

    It’s late, it’s rainy, and you really just want to get home. But don’t forget about safety, because rainy nights are when you most need good lighting. Fortunately, the Down Low Glow is suitable for use in the rain. There have been issues with the Down Low Glow’s wet weather performance in the past. Read on to learn the most common issues with rain.

    We’ve been selling the Down Low Glow since 2003, and waterproofing has been our number one durability challenge since day one. Each winter we learn a little bit more about what it takes to sell a product that’s ready for bike commuters to use rain or (moon)shine.

    Here’s the latest information, as of January 2008. The seals on the lights tubes are doing very well. We are now getting very few reports of condensation inside the light tubes. The batteries are water-resistant and no longer have a power switch that is vulnerable to water damage. (A waterproof power switch is now optionally available.) We are now using a flexible waterproof adhesive to seal the connections between the light tubes and the power driver box, which have been the source of many water-penetration failures in the past.

    Unfortunately even now that we know how to sell systems with perfect seals, we’ve discovered that the Down Low Glow’s performance/brightness is affected by water on the wires between the light tube and the power driver box. This problem is worse when it is cold. Keeping your lights dry between uses, and using a fully charged battery are good ways to combat this phenomenon. Using an all-nighter battery (especially if you plan to use a dual-tube system) is another way to keep the system voltage high when riding in the rain with the DLG.  What follows is information about our waterproofing efforts from 2007 and before.

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    Down Low Glow water torture 

    Originally uploaded by Rock The Bike.

    Starting in 2005, we turned some serious energy towards waterproofing the DLG. We dunked and thrashed a dozen of our light tubes in a trash can to test how well the epoxy seals are doing at keeping moisture out. The initial results weren’t perfect; 10 out of 12 tubes were hermetically sealed. The failures showed condensation inside the light tube that evaporated after the tubes were kept in a warm dry room for a few days. Keep in mind that the abuse these tubes saw is far worse than what yours will see on a rainy commute.

    We kept working on the waterproofing epoxy seals and did another test in the summer of 2007. This time 10 out of 10 light tubes passed the test in hermetically sealed fashion. We also recently redesigned our battery packs so that customers wouldn’t have to plastic bag them in the rain. The previous version had a power switch that made it easier to turn the DLG on and off. But the power switch wasn’t waterproof. It also made it harder for people to recharge the battery, because they had to remember to keep the switch in the ON position.

    Our own friends were showing up to social rides with batteries that would last 10-15 minutes. And when we’d ask them about it, they’d say ‘I thought I charged it…’ So we figured, let’s do away with the switch until we can figure out a way to make it both waterproof and user-friendly.

    Our current waterproofing isn’t perfect, but we are now seeing far fewer water-related failures than even 6-12 months ago. Go Ahead! Ride in the rain, while we continue to develop even better waterproofing techniques. If you’re one of the few customers with a DLG system that has been damaged by water, we’ll replace it, as long as it’s within the 1-year warranty.

    Can I mix two colors within a Dual-tube Down Low Glow system?

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    Can I ride offroad with the Down Low Glow?

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    Can the Down Low Glow be stolen? How can I prevent this?

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    Do cold temperatures affect the Down Low Glow?

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    How does the Down Low Glow compare to traditional front and rear bike lights?

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    I'm having trouble choosing between the dual and single tube Down Low Glow. Can you help me choose?

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    What color should I get to maximize my safety?

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