January 15th, 2008 by

thien

RoadBikeReview LED Lights Shootout Main Page

Lupine Betty 12 $1,185.00

Light	Price	Claimed Lumens	Runtime	Battery Type	Light head weight	Battery Weight	Installed Weight	Lumens per gram	Lumens per dollar
Lupine Betty 12	$1,185	1400	6hrs	Lithium Ion	156g	668g	825g	1.69	1.18

Description:

The Lupine Betty 12 features 7 leds in a relatively compact light head that weighs in at only 156 grams. It is very well built and it integrates cooling fins towards the rear of the light head. Mounting is done with a beefy rubber band.

The switch is external and is designed to be mounted close to the grips. The Betty 12 has a waterbottle style battery and the Betty 6 has a smaller battery in a soft case.

Light Head and Switch Close ups:

Mounting:

The Betty 12 can be mounted on the bar or on the helmet.

Light Meter Measurements:

On our ambient light meter tests, the Betty 12 measured a best-of-class 68 Lux. For comparison, the Light On Expedition measured 41 Lux and the Dinotte 600L measured 33 Lux.

Strengths:

Ultra bright and clean beam pattern that throws a long way
Great run time
Configurable light levels
Extremely high quality

Weaknesses:

Cannot be aimed left to right easily
External switch is not ideal as it takes up handlebar space and complicates mounting
For the amount of light, the beam pattern could be wider. There is minimal halo that aids peripheral vision.

Bottom Line:

When it comes to Lupine, the only real issue is the price. It’s a great light and it demonstrates the top-level performance available in bike lighting today. The light is bright with good light color. The beam pattern has no hotspots and the throw of the light reaches very far.

We found some weaknesses mentioned above but the biggest issue is price and value. At $1200, one can get multiple lights from other vendors to get both bar and helmet lights that are very bright.

But if you want the single most powerful light out there that is compact and showcases what good engineering and good manufacturing can produce, the Betty 12 is a great option.

Beam Pattern Photos:

Betty, Betty