Two Things

 Local Sale/Swap

 On September 11th, 2025, from 4:00pm - 7:00pm, N.Y. Roll and I will be holding a bike swap in his yard. I realize many of you are not local to us, but if you are, we will be selling some stuff for pretty sweet deals. 

N.Y. Roll says he's got some crank sets to unload, and I do also. But I also have this Origin 8 Scout fat bike, (in the image), and several wheel sets which will be there.  More surprises if you come. 

Cash or trades only. No holds. No early sales. No shipping. Must be present to purchase/trade. All sales final. No Support After Sales*. N.Y. Roll and I will be at his place located at 237 Arden Street, Waterloo, IA. We will be there from 4:00pm till 7:00pm Thursday, September 11th, 2025. 

Thanks for considering this.  

The Bookman Volume  Light

Nights Are Longer - Here's A Great Light For Night Rides:

With nights getting longer and night riding becoming more likely, I have a recommendation for a light which I think is not well known but is a fantastic option for night riding. 

It is the Bookman Volume. This light has a couple standout features which I think separate it from almost every other light choice you can make. If you are wanting to know all the things about this light I reviewed two years ago, check out this post HERE. 

The main feature is the knob which allows you to instantly and easily flick to any desired power level on the light without going through multiple pushes of a button. Tired of touch screens and wimpy buttons? This light is for you. 

It also mounts to Garmin mounts, and it comes with a nice mount, by the way, but this opens up the options which you may already have for mounting. The 1500 model, linked above, can run up to 5 hours at 750 Lumens, which is half power for the light and likely bright enough for almost any gravel road. 

Anyway, I LOVE the one sent to me to review two years ago and it is one of the best lights I have ever used. Check it out. 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

* I've sold things in the past  and had people come back afterward expecting me to do basic maintenance on their purchase, or for other reasons. My point in selling anything is to be rid of it. So, I'm trying to set the expectation that I won't be answering questions, or doing any kind of work on a purchase after the fact from this bike swap. 

Bookman Volume Light Review: Part 2

 Note: Bookman sent over the Volume light, (as well as some previously reviewed products) for test and review to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed for this review, and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Well, now that I've used this light several times I have some impressions to share. All the technical data and specs are found in Part 1 of this review HERE. Click that before you fire off any questions about run times, batteries, etc. This post will mainly deal with how this light is to use and any high or low points I have found in its design and function. 

Many of you will be looking for some light beam shots, and I actually have some okay ones to share here. It is difficult to find places in the vicinty of Waterloo that are not really light-polluted at night, but a "tree-tunnel" over one of our cycling paths did prove to be pretty good for what I needed to show here. Especially so since the foilage is still mostly on the branches. So, from "low" to "high", here are four of the five levels of light that the Bookman Volume light has on tap.(The lowest setting is basically a flashlight level) I'm going to show these from dimmest to brightest and the level will be numerically indicated from low to high (2,3,4, and 5)

Setting "2"

Setting "3"

Setting "4"

Setting "5"

In these images I see why my preference was to run only the two brightest settings. I also noted that there is barely any difference between "3" and "4", but to my eyes "4" was significantly easier to ride with. While it is nearly impossible for you, the reader, to see, I did place an object at 25 paces away which I cannot see at level "3" but I can discern it at "4", so there is that. But be that as it may, level "5", the 800 Lumen level, is what I would want for faster riding. The next level "4" is 400 Lumens, so that is a significant drop in "punch" level, but this is something I found to be a curiosity with the Volume light.

Bookman Volume at level "4" on a gravel pathway.

The Volume doesn't have that "throw" that some lights do, and that's going to adversely affect my comfort levels on fast downhill gravel sections. Think something at 25+ miles per hour here. There just is not enough bright light far enough ahead of you to make corrections, or brake, to avoid bad lines, potholes, etc. The front "fill" light is tremendous here. The width of the beam pattern is excellent as well. The color is okay with my eyes. it's just that this light doesn't punch a beam way down the road as I would need it to for faster descending or just plain very fast riding on technical roads. 

2016-ish era Lezyne 1100i on high.

The good news? I can find a helmet mounted torch that will have a long-throw spot beam for that higher speed stuff and that would be a great compliment to this more washed out beam pattern of the Bookman light. 

Run times are something to consider as well. The Volume is rated at 3 hours on the highest setting. That's actually pretty impressive. Consider that my late twenty-teens era Lezyne 1100i runs for 1.5 hours on the "high" setting. You might be thinking, "Hey Ted! isn't that Lezyne supposed to be 1100 Lumens on "high"?" You would be correct. But there are "lumens" and then there are Lumens. How these companies measure their light output is not regulated and varies from one tester to another. See my comparison of "high" on the Lezyne to the half power setting on the Volume. Not much difference, eh? 

Of course, it could come down to the old battery, or different optics. But it is clear that the Volume is a better light. Better than the Lezyne anyway. Plus, when you factor in that brilliant knob design that the Volume has, which eliminates guesswork and tabbing through a "menu" to get where you want to be in terms of light level, this light begins to look like a much better design. 

That button is hard to find in the dark with a gloved hand.

There were a couple of things that bugged me about the Volume light though. One was the On-Off power button. It is oh-so "Apple-like" sleek and it works, but try to find that little depression in the dark with gloves on. Yeah..... Frustrating. Maybe there should be a little ring of LED light there or a raised button. I vote for the raised button myself. 

Then there is the mount's band attachment. It is clever, but that one bolt attachment is fiddly and hard to get to. Fahgeddaboudit if you are in the dark and need to tighten it up. I know.....tighten it up enough before you leave. I get it, but a tool-less attachment might be nicer. 

I had one curious hiccup with the Volume where I had turned it off and was running the Lezyne light as a comparison. When I went to turn on the Volume light, after I found that durned button, it would not turn on. It would show me the battery status, but that was it. I tried it a few blocks down the trail later and hey! On it came. What? 

I couldn't replicate the issue, yet..... But I'm watching for this and I will report back if that becomes an issue again. 

So Far... Okay, so this thing will run three hours on high, and the light pattern is pretty okay. The knob thing is really nice. I love that and the Garmin mount. I had a middling experience with the Lezyne 1100i this past Summer on gravel. We will have to get this Volume light out on the gravel next to see how it stacks up. But first, I need it to not be "dead of Winter cold" before I will consider that. Fortunately temperatures are supposed to moderate a bit going into November. 

Stay tuned...

Bookman Volume Light: Review Part 1

The Bookman Volume light, foreground, and other Bookman products.

 Note: Bookman sent over the Volume light, (as well as some previously reviewed products) for test and review to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed for this review, and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Going back to last February I reviewed some Bookman light products. You can click that link to see what the deal was with those lights. They were pretty much a type of light you'd use as an accessory to your main light set up. A "safety light" for daytime riding, ,maybe, or as a fill light for close up sight in the dark. But there was no mistaking those for a "to see by" head lamp that you could rely on for city or gravel riding. They just did not pack enough punch, nor do they have long enough run times. 

So, back in June I got a little more excited about Bookman when word came down from their hired marketing firm that a "serious" torch was on the way with a very unique take on design. I actually put in a request for the light to review but after a couple of months I wrote it off as something that may not happen. Then a box showed up on Monday and what do you know? It was the Volume light along with another set of the lights I had reviewed previously. 

What comes in the box.

The Volume light is a unique take on a bicycle light to "see by" with its unusual knob sticking out of the side of it. Typically an LED, self-contained torch will utilize a button that forces you to scroll through all the light modes to get to where you want the light. This is somewhat annoying if, say, you are on the second from the highest setting but you want to toggle to "High". The light may force you to scroll through the lower settings before it will come back around to the highest one. This happens a lot with typical LED based bicycle torches. 

The Volume dispenses with that allowing you to simply twist the knob, (like a stereo volume knob, thus the name), to go directly to the setting you want. One motion. Boom. Done. 

You also will find that the Bookman Volume dispenses with silly, proprietary mounts and instead utilizes a Garmin mount. This is a great idea. I've seen a few lights that utilize the Go Pro mount, and that is nice too, but the amount of cyclists that have Garmin mounts probably outweighs those who might have a Go Pro mount by what I would wager is a fair amount. So, kudos to Bookman for that smart idea. 

What It Is: Besides those two innovative features, the Volume light comes in two versions and three colors. The maximum power varies from the range-topping 1500 Lumen model to the (tested) 800 Lumen model. Colors are Orange, Black, or White (tested). 

The Volume 800 has five levels of steady light output and five levels of flashing light. The flashing light levels are reached by a short push on the power button on the top/front of the Volume and another short push of that same button takes you back to steady light modes. In either mode, different power levels are adjusted by the knob. A long push of the power button turns the light on or off. 

Other features include a replaceable LI-ION 18650 power cell, (UPDATE 12/04/23: NOTE: It is not the standard 18650 battery as this Bookman variant has both the negative and positive ends on one end of the battery. Bookman says it will offer replacements/extra batteries in the near future.), side indicator lights, a series of 4 small LED's to indicate power level in reserve, and a USB C charging port on the left side of the light. The Volume comes with handlebar compatible Garmin style mount, a Go Pro Garmin style mount, and two different length straps to cover most handle bar situations. A USB-C charging cord rounds out the contents of the box. 

The use of a Garmin style mount is a really smart choice.

Run Times: 

Flashing Modes	Runtime  (hours)**
1	6
2	11
3	12
4	35
5	120

 

Steady Modes	Runtime  (hours)**
100%	3
50%	5
25%	11
10%	17
5%	35

 *True Lumens: measured according to the ANSI / NEMA FL1 standard

** Modes are subject to change

Price: $107.00USD

The Volume has a replaceable Li-Ion battery cell.

Impressions: I received the white model and out of the box it reminded me a whole lot of an Apple product. I imagine had I received the orange one it may not have been quite so "Apple-like" but it was with the white light body. The design is smaller than I was thinking from promotional materials I had seen. It is well done and feels like a quality product in the hand. 

The Garmin type handlebar mount looks smartly done. You have a pretty sturdy plastic strap with an attached rubber strip to help it grip slippery metal or carbon handle bars. This has one end anchored into the base of the mount with an Allen bolt. The other end has a loop with a barrel that has a threaded hole in it which accepts a single 3mm Allen head bolt that runs through the base and attaches the mount to the bar. 

I mounted the light on my Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross rig for now and the mounting went smoothly. The Garmin type mount is simple to use and quite secure. 

A long push and the light comes alive. The Volume's knob has a satisfying detent at each level of light. There is no doubt about where you are at in regards to the knob's positioning. Bookman could easily have flubbed this point up. However; I feel the detents are spot on and reassuring. 

That said, it is easy to twist the knob quickly right where you want it. That's a great thing, but on my initial test ride, I also noted that you can get your hand to the knob and back without even thinking about it. A button to scroll takes longer, and so in trickier situations, the Volume is going to be so much easier to use without worrying about having your hand off the bar too long. 

That mount is also a thing of beauty. Rock solid. And you can tweak the position of the light off-axis slightly to accommodate a swept bar or a off-centerline mounting position. The side light indicators are cool, and the power level LED's glow a nice green color on top to let you know where you are at with reserve power. 

I have to do more night rides and grab some good images of the beam pattern, etc, before I can really say much more. That said, so far this light is impressive. The mount, the knob, and the entire design overall is really well done and looks killer. Time will tell how things wear and how things will do after I have this for a bit. Stay tuned for an update to come.

Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Review: Bookman Lights

The Bookman Curve model.

 I mentioned that I had received a set of Bookman lights to review recently  and so here is my thoughts on these new-to-me lights. Keep in mind the Standard Disclaimer applies here. 

Up front, when I heard about these lights, I wasn't all that interested. In fact, I ignored the first request I received on these because these were lights for "urban areas" and I try to stay in my lane, so to speak. But the offer was made again, and in an almost insistent way, so I acquiesced to the request to have me review these lights. 

Of course, just getting the Monocle in was worth the trouble as it is such a useful light for anyone that commutes, of course, or is a runner, or even for bikepacking, setting up camp, or reading cues at night while riding. And I already gave a pretty detailed look at that light. So, what about the other two?

The "Curve" model is available as a front or rear light with four modes for the front light, three for the rear light. The lights have a cam lock/rubber strap attachment system which will work with most handlebar sizes. The clasp doubles as a switch activation to toggle you through the modes and turn the light on or off with a long press. 

Both lights charge via an included USB cable.

The unique shape of the 220 Lumen (on highest setting) Curve allows for the light to be seen better from more angles. The light housing is all plastic, but it seems well built and I could not see any ill-fitting parts or misalignment issues in either example of the Curve light I had. 

Charging duties are accomplished via the ubiquitous USB cable method and charging time from dead flat to full charge is a claimed two hours. Run time on high for the front light is one hour, or it can go to 70 hours in flashing mode. The rear light is rated at 37 Lumen and on steady lasts for two and a half hours or up to 32 hours in flashing mode. 

The lights both were easy to attach to my handle bar and seat post. It seems a bit unfortunate that the front light can only be attached in a vertical orientation, since a side spill of light would seem to be advantageous for commuting. In the vertical position, you are losing a lot of that light as it is aimed up into the air. Fortunately, it seems to "throw" the light frontwards, for the most part, but not being able to orient the light horizontally seems like a miss to me. 

The rear light attachment also does not account for seat post angling which points the rear light slightly downward. However; this may or may not be an issue depending upon the bike used. Another nit I had was that clasping the cam lock over can easily turn the light on, which resulted in one occurrence of myself receiving the full 220 lumen blast to the face. Random? Not really, I had the light come on in both rear and front applications while attaching them several times. 

The Bookman Curve on the front to the Left of my Schmidt Edulux II light.

The Curve on steady at 220 Lumen is bright enough to see by all by itself, but it could not compete with my Schmidt Edulux II with its wider, longer throw of light. Would the Curve get you by in a pinch as a light for maybe an hour? Let's say that your main light runs out just short of your destination, or before Sunrise. I'd say that this would be an okay "bail-out" light, and it would pack small and it is lightweight. 

But in my estimation, where this light really works best is in its flashing mode which I would run alongside a steady torch at night. That flashing light doesn't seem to compete with my main light, and it isn't distracting to ride with it. 

The Curve on the seat post here. The Schmidt tail light is on the rack.

Out on the back end, I felt that the Curve light worked really well. In one of the flashing modes, it almost reminds me of a police/emergency vehicle flashing light. The rear Curve throws light well, has side visibility due to its shape, and despite it being tucked under my Topeak rear seat bag, it shined forth with more authority than the rack mounted Schmidt light. 

Conclusions: I've already spoken to the Monocle, it's a winner in case you didn't check the link, and I won't go back over that one. How about the Curve lights? They retail at $45.00 a piece and come in several colors for the cases. Fashionable. I suppose that is somewhat important. The overall design is pretty clever and has that certain "European" feel and look to it. On these merits the Bookman lights are very much winners.

But in terms of how they work? I like them, but that clasp/power switch combination is somewhat annoying and I wish I could orient the front light horizontally. The rear light would be better if there were an accommodation for seat post angle, and try attaching this light to anything with a light-loop. Like on my Topeak bag, for instance, this light won't work. 

The lights by themselves are great for their intended purposes. I have no beef at all and I especially really like the rear light. The front would be my "bail-out" for long night rides and will be my flasher for commutes. So, in terms of the lights themselves, they are great, it's just the lack of attention to attachment scenarios that brings this light back to being "just okay". 

Get these if you swoon at the sight of them because the design just gets you. Otherwise there are a lot of very good, very well priced alternatives that have a bit better attention to details than the Bookman lights do.

NOTE: As A reminder: Standard Disclaimer

Review: Bookman Lights

The Bookman Curve model.

 I mentioned that I had received a set of Bookman lights to review recently  and so here is my thoughts on these new-to-me lights. Keep in mind the Standard Disclaimer applies here. 

Up front, when I heard about these lights, I wasn't all that interested. In fact, I ignored the first request I received on these because these were lights for "urban areas" and I try to stay in my lane, so to speak. But the offer was made again, and in an almost insistent way, so I acquiesced to the request to have me review these lights. 

Of course, just getting the Monocle in was worth the trouble as it is such a useful light for anyone that commutes, of course, or is a runner, or even for bikepacking, setting up camp, or reading cues at night while riding. And I already gave a pretty detailed look at that light. So, what about the other two?

The "Curve" model is available as a front or rear light with four modes for the front light, three for the rear light. The lights have a cam lock/rubber strap attachment system which will work with most handlebar sizes. The clasp doubles as a switch activation to toggle you through the modes and turn the light on or off with a long press. 

Both lights charge via an included USB cable.

The unique shape of the 220 Lumen (on highest setting) Curve allows for the light to be seen better from more angles. The light housing is all plastic, but it seems well built and I could not see any ill-fitting parts or misalignment issues in either example of the Curve light I had. 

Charging duties are accomplished via the ubiquitous USB cable method and charging time from dead flat to full charge is a claimed two hours. Run time on high for the front light is one hour, or it can go to 70 hours in flashing mode. The rear light is rated at 37 Lumen and on steady lasts for two and a half hours or up to 32 hours in flashing mode. 

The lights both were easy to attach to my handle bar and seat post. It seems a bit unfortunate that the front light can only be attached in a vertical orientation, since a side spill of light would seem to be advantageous for commuting. In the vertical position, you are losing a lot of that light as it is aimed up into the air. Fortunately, it seems to "throw" the light frontwards, for the most part, but not being able to orient the light horizontally seems like a miss to me. 

The rear light attachment also does not account for seat post angling which points the rear light slightly downward. However; this may or may not be an issue depending upon the bike used. Another nit I had was that clasping the cam lock over can easily turn the light on, which resulted in one occurrence of myself receiving the full 220 lumen blast to the face. Random? Not really, I had the light come on in both rear and front applications while attaching them several times. 

The Bookman Curve on the front to the Left of my Schmidt Edulux II light.

The Curve on steady at 220 Lumen is bright enough to see by all by itself, but it could not compete with my Schmidt Edulux II with its wider, longer throw of light. Would the Curve get you by in a pinch as a light for maybe an hour? Let's say that your main light runs out just short of your destination, or before Sunrise. I'd say that this would be an okay "bail-out" light, and it would pack small and it is lightweight. 

But in my estimation, where this light really works best is in its flashing mode which I would run alongside a steady torch at night. That flashing light doesn't seem to compete with my main light, and it isn't distracting to ride with it. 

The Curve on the seat post here. The Schmidt tail light is on the rack.

Out on the back end, I felt that the Curve light worked really well. In one of the flashing modes, it almost reminds me of a police/emergency vehicle flashing light. The rear Curve throws light well, has side visibility due to its shape, and despite it being tucked under my Topeak rear seat bag, it shined forth with more authority than the rack mounted Schmidt light. 

Conclusions: I've already spoken to the Monocle, it's a winner in case you didn't check the link, and I won't go back over that one. How about the Curve lights? They retail at $45.00 a piece and come in several colors for the cases. Fashionable. I suppose that is somewhat important. The overall design is pretty clever and has that certain "European" feel and look to it. On these merits the Bookman lights are very much winners.

But in terms of how they work? I like them, but that clasp/power switch combination is somewhat annoying and I wish I could orient the front light horizontally. The rear light would be better if there were an accommodation for seat post angle, and try attaching this light to anything with a light-loop. Like on my Topeak bag, for instance, this light won't work. 

The lights by themselves are great for their intended purposes. I have no beef at all and I especially really like the rear light. The front would be my "bail-out" for long night rides and will be my flasher for commutes. So, in terms of the lights themselves, they are great, it's just the lack of attention to attachment scenarios that brings this light back to being "just okay". 

Get these if you swoon at the sight of them because the design just gets you. Otherwise there are a lot of very good, very well priced alternatives that have a bit better attention to details than the Bookman lights do.

NOTE: As A reminder: Standard Disclaimer