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360 Degree Visibility for your bike, plus Hydration!
Here at Kit Radar we love a new idea, it's kind of our thing.
So when we heard about the Orb LED bike bottle we were intrigued. It's a sturdy bike bottle with a twist - it doubles as a bike light for additional safety on the roads.
And because of it's position on the bike it (and therefore you) can be seen from all angles and recognised as a cyclist from much further away.
However, we wanted to give it a thorough trial so chose one of our ambassadors to give it an in depth test!
Over to Davy Stout for the review!
I was delighted to be selected to receive the Orb LED bike water bottle for review and it arrived a few days after being informed about being successfully selected.
I was a little disappointed to receive the Orb in a padded Jiffy bag. I had expected the Orb to come at least boxed and with a full set of instructions just to start me off.
It was clear after opening the packaging and checking the Orb all was good with it and it appeared undamaged and unmarked.
A cardboard instruction and information leaflet was displayed around the centre of the Orb and the instructions were clearly written in black, simple writing on the brown cardboard.
Additional instructions and information about washing the Orb, charging and running times, etc can be found on the inside of the cardboard band.
Within the bottle itself was the USB charging cable neatly secured and with what appeared to be an ample length of cable.
On first sight of the Orb it was clear that it wasn’t like any other water bottle I’d used over the years on the bike. The Orb doesn’t have a textured finish to it but does have a pattern to it with various shapes around the full circumference.
I’m unsure how the Orb's surface will fair in wet or damp weather when all you want is a good grip of the bottle without sacrificing safety putting the Orb in and out of the bikes water bottle holder whilst riding. A check of the underside of the Orb told me that the bottles volume was 700ml.
Slightly more than I’d usually ride with but the Orb isn’t like any other bottle ... is it ?
The other thing that I wasn’t too sure on was the surface around the mouth piece. I liked the fact that it was coloured but the textured area underneath the mouth piece could lead to cleaning issues and dirt being attracted to the various indentations that adorn the design. I see why it’s been done to fit in the Orbs unique style but I’m not too sure that’ll suit some people.
The mouth piece fitted to the bottle looks softer than some which is definitely a plus point over some bottles. The top section of the Orb is where the magic clearly happens and is clearly where the weight of the bottle comes from.
Unscrew the top from the bottle and you noticed that the bottle itself isn’t too weighty at all.
As I mentioned the lid of the bottle contains the magic element to this bottle. It has a clearly marked on/off switch on one side of the lid and a micro USB charging port on the opposite side. The USB charging port is covered with a flexible rubber cover and should keep out the water in even the worst weather.
The on/off button for the Orb is also soft and easy to use. Press it once to switch it on, twice dimmer, three times flash, four times brighter flash, five times dimmer flash and 6 times a strobe effect flash.
You can continue to scroll through the Orb light effects by continuing to press the on/off button.
I put the Orb on charge when I received it and it took several hours for it it to reach its full charge from being unpacked (charging times I’m sure will vary given there’s some charge in the Orb when it’s packed).
A check of the lid of the Orb reveals four orange LED type lamps positioned in each corner. I’m sure with them being LEDs they’ll have a long life and with them being rechargeable it allows the user to ensue that the lights never go out.
As with most peoples first use of a new ‘toy’ people are keen to get started using it. On this occasion I was interested to have a look at a couple of things before using it for the first time. Having used a number of different style water bottles over the years I decided to try and see if the top would fit any other of my bottles.
Despite exhausting my collection the Orb top appears only to be compatible with the Orb bottle. A good manufacturing idea but overall a bit of issue if you like to carry or only need to carry a smaller water bottle.
Maybe a range of different size bottles will be available for buying in the future.
So first time out was a quick run to work and the Orb fits nicely in my bikes bottle holder. There’s no rattle although even when empty I find it heavier than the average bike water bottle. The Orb is easily gripped and pulled from the holder although due to the weight being towards the top of the bottle it takes a bit of getting used to.
I’m not too sure how the Orb will feel in the wet as I’ve not had the opportunity to try it yet although it might be a bit cumbersome given the smooth surface and the Orbs overall weight.
Switching the light on the Orb on is no problem even with gloves and it immediately lights up and once placed within the bikes bottle holder it is certainly noticeable.
The photo below shows the Orb on the brightest static light setting, side on at about 15 feet away.
It clearly lights up the bike and with a pedalling motion added would add extra attention to anyone approaching the bike side on.
There are a few different static or flashing light modes on the Orb and these are easily accessed by continually pressing the on/off button until you find one that you think suits the weather/traffic conditions.
I personally like the mode that has two elements... one lighting the full bottle and then a brighter flash on top of that. I think having the bottle lit in the lowest setting detracts from what the Orb is designed to do and that is attract attention or should I say “get you noticed”.
On riding the bike the Orb does not distract you in any way, shape or form even on flash mode, in fact you don’t even notice that the water bottle is actually lit. I even had to check a couple of times to make sure the Orb was actually on it’s that unobtrusive.
I’m not too sure though that the amber light of the Orb draws enough attention to other road users but it’s certainly visible.
Whilst using the Orb for the first couple of days I had two comments regarding it. Both were very positive although the enquiries were more geared towards asking how it worked as opposed to complimenting on it for its use as a security or safety feature whilst using it on the bike.
I’m wondering if the changing the colour of the light from amber to white might make it even more visible and even more visible or a lid with two LEDS in one colour and two in another.
Drinking from the Orb you’re met with a soft rubber around the top of the lid and the fluids within can be easily obtained. Once you’ve got towards the bottom of the fluid levels it’s difficult to get the rest of the liquid out as the bottle is hard and you can’t squeeze it to generate pressure within the bottle to get the last drops of the fluid within the Orb out unlike most of the bottles that I use.
I’ve had no issues with the Orb to date.
I’ve used it a number of times for commuting only without any issues. I don’t think I would use it for anything other than commuting as I’d prefer to have the lighter and more squeezable water bottles when I’m out club riding.
The Orb washes well and has kept its shape and markings without any issues. I used the Orb for around 14 hours before having to recharge it.
My only gripe with recharging it was the length of time it seems to take to reach its full charge. I feel that you do have to be careful when washing the Orbs lid to protect the USB charging point.
I don’t think it’d be wise to leave the lid soaking in water although if you want to leave it soaking in a sterilised water then turn it upside down and leave the tip inside the top of the bottle.
All in all clearly the Orb water bottle will stand the test of time over a standard water bottle.
The Orb is a fantastic safety idea and fills the user with more confidence of being seen by other road users as the evenings draw in or for those that have an early start.
A great quality item that will definitely last the test of time.
I’m sure with the LEDS sealed within the Orbs lid there will be a shelf life for them but going by other LED items that I’ve used they usually are into the thousands of hours.
I personally think that should some small changes be made to the Orb it could become a big seller.
My score is based on the price, usability and overall quality. The price of £40 will put a lot of people off the Orb even for its unique security and safety features. A normal bike bottle will cost probably on average £5 making the Orb nearly 7-8 times more expensive for the bottle itself.
The Orb however, is no normal water bottle. The Orbs plastic is much stronger than the usual water bottle and will probably wear longer and outlast a usual water bottle but it’s weight and size may detract for those looking for something to use as their “go to” bottle.
Certainly the Orb is a great quality water bottle with added safety and security features. A lot of thought has been put into the Orb and you can certainly feel the quality. Definitely a simple but very effective idea which adds that element of safety.
The Orb is definitely not a gimmick and could well be your life saver.
Review written by Davy Stout
Another honest review from our brand ambassadors. If you would like to order the Orb, please feel free to click the button below:
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