This used to be the Seca 400 and last year it grew up to be the Seca 1400 with 1400 Lumens. It was plenty bright but the price was too much at $700. This year, they increased the brightness and efficiency to put out 1700 Lumens in a beam pattern that puts the light where you need it. They dropped the price to $469 so the Lumens per dollar now tells a very compelling story.

But the real story is still the beam pattern as much of the light is pointed to the ground and the sides. Very little of the light is wasted into empty space. So hats off to Light & Motion for reviving one the best designed light heads ever made in the bike market.

Specifications:
  • Price: $469
  • Claimed Lumens: 1700 Lumens
  • Measured Lumens: 1815 Lumens
  • Measured MTBR Lux: 180 Lux
  • Light Head Weight: 131 grams
  • Installed Weight: 326 grams
  • Run Time: 1.5 Hours for the 'Race' model tested here. 'Enduro' model runs for 2.5 hours
  • Category: High End

2013 Lights from Light and Motion


Strengths:
  • Beam pattern, beam pattern. It's very wide and the 1700 lumen model is finally enough light for this beam.
  • Light is not wasted on the top where it usually doesn't reflect off anything
  • Excellent battery and charger
  • Mount is desceptively simple yet effective. It is very easy to adjust or transfer to another bike.
  • Excellent packaging as they're using older, unused boxes to save resources
Weaknesses:
  • Extra long cable and huge connector is not ideal
  • No ideal helmet light in the Light and Motion line to complement it
Mounting:

Handlebar mounting is done with very slick strap that can be tightened based on the rider's preference. The same strap is used for standard and oversized handlebars. At first we found the strap too long and found the excess bothersome but we realized we can loop the strap back in the pin and tuck it neatly. It can be aimed left to right.

MTBR Light Meter Measurements: Compare all lights here.

This light measured 180 Lux on our ambient light measurement facility.

Integrating Sphere Measured Lumens: Compare all lights here.

1815 measured Lumens. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 1700 Lumens. The Lumen-hour graph below shows how the light performs over the first three minutes of its battery cycle.



Backyard Beam Pattern Photo: Compare all lights here.



We photographed the lights in the same location setting with the same camera settings. The photos were taken in the back yard that is approximately 25 yards long. These photos feature many objects and a distinct background to analyze detail and beam pattern.

Tunnel Beam Pattern Photo: Compare all lights here.



The location is useful since it has walls and a ceiling that can display a bike light beam pattern. The walls have a lot of graffiti on them and actually show detail when they are lit up by a light with a wide angle. Cones and targets are set up with the far target set up at 80 yards.


Related Links
All Mtbr Lights Shootout Articles »
2013 Bike Lights Shootout »
2013 Backyard Beam Pattern Comparisons »
2013 Tunnel Beam Pattern Comparisons »
2013 Mtbr Lux measurements »
2013 Mtbr Lumen Tests »
2012 Bike Lights Shootout »
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