Gloworm X1

The Gloworm X1 consists of a single 950 lumen LED headlamp that can attach either to the (optional) slim handlebar mount or to an equally skinny helmet mount. The neat, CNC bar clamp almost seems overkill when everyone else is happy with O-rings, though it does cost extra. Nevertheless, the headlamp and even the two-cell battery are small and light enough to happily both sit on bars or stem un-noticed. This is the Mk1, but by the time you read this there should be a Mk2 version out, with 100 more lumens and programmable modes too.

There’s a (hardwired) remote cable coming out of the head unit, which features a small button at the end of it, backed by a velcro pad to stick it onto your bars. You’ll need a matching bit of velcro on your bars to stick it to or the button just floats in mid-air. The velcro backing can also attach to random bits of clothing in transit, some of which pulled the backing off ours entirely, leaving a naked switch and wires.

In use, the light gives up to 2hrs on high and plenty more on low. With the bar mounted button, it’s easy to run the light lower or higher depending on the trail and the speed, so we rarely ran completely out of juice. The gas gauge on the battery indicates when 80% and 40% levels are reached, so it’s easy to adjust the beam to suit the ride.

Overall: It’s tiny and it’s light. We’d love a removable/replaceable switch though and we look forward to seeing the Mk2.

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Review Info

Brand:	CRG Moto
Product:	Gloworm X1
From:	CRG Moto, crgmoto.co.uk
Price:	£130 (plus £20 for the bar mount and another £20 for a four-cell system)
Tested:	by Chipps for One month

Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

Comments (0)

neninja November 26, 2013 at 3:22 pm

Since Chipps received his Gloworm X1 to review at the start of the year, the switch has been redesigned and an O-ring handlebar mount is included as standard.

rickon November 27, 2013 at 1:03 am

Those beamshots don’t do the X1 justice. I’ve had mine for 6 months now, I use it every day as a head torch for walking the dogs in the hills at night, and I swap it to my helmet as a head light for night rides.

Batteries are incredibly well built, sealed and proper quality Panasonic cells.

There are exchangeable lenses too – spot, superspot and wide.

Overall the light and the beam is actually very comparable to a Diablo.

Anyway, I liked it so much I bought the X2 too for my bars 🙂