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

We've been selling the Down Low Glow since 2003, and waterproofing has been the number one challenge, since day one. Each winter we learn a little bit more about what it takes to sell a product ready for bike commuters who will depend on it 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.)

The connection between the light tube and the power driver box has been the source of most of the water-related failures this year. We are working on improving this connection and are using a flexible waterproof adhesive to seal it.

Beyond that, we've discovered that even on systems with perfect seals, the Down Low Glow's performance/brightness is affected by water on the wires between the light tube and the power driver box. We're also working on simple solutions for this problem.

What follows is information about our waterproofing efforts from 2007 and before.

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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.

Enjoy and ride safe!

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.