Review: Syntace's Smart-Map Gripper & Lupine's Piko Lighting Combo

Feb 8, 2019
by Richard Cunningham  
Syntace Lupine Collaboration



Tech geeks gather 'round. I take on the role of art critic here, because "product review" seems too vulgar. If you thought stem clamps, smart-phone accessories and LED lights were cycling's most ubiquitous products, you haven't seen this over-the-top collab' from two influential German design studios. What we're looking at here is a way to hold your smartphone in front of your bicycle's stem, so you can keep an eye on your moving map display. Oh, and it also doubles as a light mount. Simple concept, right? But these guys took it to eleven. When I unpacked this thing, I debated whether I should thrash it on my bike, or display it behind glass


Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Syntace's contributions are the TwinFix stem caps, which have threaded "wings" and the CNC-machined Smart-Map Gripper, which clamps your moving map device where you can keep an eye on it.

Syntace is well known for its meticulously thought-out and manufactured cockpit items, and they also own Liteville - one of the world's preeminent aluminum frame makers. Lupine has carved a niche for its high-end LED lighting systems - some of the most powerful and intelligent kits on the market. Last year, the two brands joined together to produce a modular docking system that screws directly to threaded "wings" that are machined into a Syntace stem clamp. Lupine produced adapters for its lamp heads, while Syntace developed the tray to hold a GPS or a smartphone. Lupine's lighting system also integrates to the tray. Almost every component is CNC-machined aluminum and the hardware is titanium. The fit and finish of each component is instrument quality, and the attention to detail is the stuff that one would expect to see under the bonnet of a vintage Bugatti.



Syntace Lupine Collaboration

Syntace TwinFix

Beginning with the mounts, Syntace offers their CNC-machined MegaForce stem pre-configured with TwinFix threaded bosses for €118.00, or if you own a Syntace MegaForce or FlatForce stem, a pair of TwinFix clamps will only set you back €19.80. Like the stem, TwinFix clamps are shot peened to equalize stress across the surface of the part and anodized black. The bosses are threaded 5 x 0.8mm and spaced to direct-mount to Lupine's Piko head-mount lighting systems, or Syntace's Smart-Map Gripper.

MegaForce TwinFix Stem

• Use: All disciplines
• CNC-machined aluminum, black anodized
• 6-degree x 30mm (lengths up to 90mm)
• Titanium clamp hardware
• 31.8mm handlebar only
• Weight: 121 grams
• MSRP: €118.00 (€19.80 TwinFix clamps only)
Syntace accessories


Buy the TwinFix mounts separately. It's only a guess, but if you're going to dive this deep into next level product, you'll want to reinstall Syntace's sleeker looking standard stem clamps for rides or races where moving map displays and high-output lighting are unnecessary. The weight penalty is slightly more than two grams, but you'll know it's there.
adapter stem caps



Syntace Lupine Collaboration

Syntace Smart-Map Gripper

GPS apps with moving map displays are widely available for smartphones. Syntace's Smart-Map Gripper positions your smartphone ahead of the stem, accessible and in plain sight. Syntace says the machined-aluminum mounting tray can support loads up to 25 kg - strong enough carry your kid sister. You can adapt almost any smartphone to the tray, which requires no tools to mount to the TwinFix stem bosses. Ports are machined in the usual places to access key side-buttons. It's lightweight too. Beautifully CNC-machined from aluminum with titanium hardware, it tips the scale at only 89 grams.
Smart-Map Gripper

• Fits smartphones and devices up to 90mm wide and 12mm thick at edges
• CNC-machined aluminum construction
• No tools required to mount or install
• Titanium hardware
• Docks with Syntace TwinFix compatible stems
• Direct-mounts to Lupine head-lamp systems
• Weight: 89 grams
• MSRP: €108.00

Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Align the dot with the laser-etched numbers to raise or lower the snap-in gripper strips to fit your device. Viton O-rings trap the mounting screws.
Syntace Lupine Collaboration
A large machined aluminum dial secures the sliding clamp. Trays machined on either side stow the gripper strips when not in use.

Anyone who has had to pay full pop for an iPhone lately would be justifiably concerned that their last look at its moving map would be watching it eject, spinning through space, and landing in the middle of a boulder field. Syntace's assurance comes in the form of a wide, sliding clamp that is fixed by an aluminum thumb wheel below the tray. A pair of smaller thumb wheels screw the tray to the stem. Viton O-rings are threaded onto the screws to prevent them from dropping out and becoming lost, and also to resist vibration to lock the screws in place. The device is clamped rattle free and (unless you take a big digger) safe from harm.

Smartphones vary in thickness, so Syntace designed snap-in gripper strips that can be reversed to alter the deck height by two millimeters, or stowed under the tray to make room for the fattest phones. Slotted ports are machined into the sides of the tray clamps that match up perfectly with iPhones, and I found they will line up with the side controls on most smartphones. In practice, however, you'd have to be off the bike to accurately access most of the buttons, so you'll be relying on touch-screen controls the lion's share of the time.
Lupine mount
Lupine's direct-mount adapts its lighting units to Syntace's Smart-Map Gripper. MSRP: €17.00.

Mounting and removing your device only takes a few seconds, so you can keep it on your person for that quick dash into a cafe - and the entire system can be popped off the stem just as quickly for transport.



Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Lupine's under-tray mount is vented to help cool the Piko lamp head. Its built-in heat sensor automatically reduces current to the lamp when safe temperatures are exceeded.


Lupine Lighting Option

Take a close look at Lupine's products and it is easy to see why Syntace would reach out to the German lighting system maker for a collaboration. Lupine's manufacturing quality and design features are second to none. Syntace's TwinFix stems will directly mount to a number of Lupine's helmet-mount lamp-heads using their adapters. One fits the TwinFix stem, another mounts to the underside of the Smart-Map Gripper.

All of Lupine's helmet-mount lamp-heads share the same pivot dimensions and hardware so, theoretically, you could choose light outputs ranging from their unholy 7200 lumen Alpha system, which costs over a thousand Euros, down to their "entry-level" 900-lumen Neo 4 which sells for 180 Euros. That said, Lupine suggests that you stick to their mid-power Piko, SL, and Blika systems.
Piko R4 SC System

• Use: Trail riding, adventure
• Features: Twin LED, aluminum lamp, polycarbonate armored battery case.
• Mounting: Helmet, (handlebar or TwinFix options)
• Battery: Li-Ion 7.4V, 3.5 A-Hr
• Max power: 1800 lumens / 1.25 hours (22° x 250M illumination cone)
• Max burn time: 40 lumens / 80 hours
• Bluetooth wireless and direct controls (4 power options)
• Waterproof to IP 68 standards
• Accurate, one-touch audio and LED battery level checks
• Weight: System 195g, lamp 55g.
• MSRP: €354 (TwinFix mount + €18.)
Lupine lighting systems

Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Lupine's Piko R4 SC light, set up with optional TwinFix stem-mount. The row of LED lights on the Smart Core power pack indicate battery life with one touch of the button. The Bluetooth remote control (left) includes a handlebar mount. Yes, the screws are titanium.


I was furnished with the 1800-lumen, dual-LED Piko R4 SC system. Priced at 354 Euros, the Piko is one of Lupine's most compact and versatile lights. The lamp head only weighs 50 grams, and the 3.5 amp-hour Smart Core battery, 120 grams. A handlebar-mounted Bluetooth wireless button toggles between three burn times ranging from 1.25 hours at full power, to 80 hours in survival mode. Burn times and lumen outputs are programmable via the lamp-head button.

Most riders, however, will be switching between the top two: the maximum, 1800-lumen option's wide cone of illumination fosters aggressive trail speeds, while the 950-lumen second-tier setting is optimal for climbing and fast-paced riding on moderately technical terrain. The 950-lumen option extends the battery burn to 2.5 hours. Need more? Lupine offers a 240 gram battery upgrade that doubles the R4's run times.

Lupine's lighting systems are pricey, but they remove all of the hassles that come with most high powered battery devices. Heat sensors in the lamp automatically reduce illumination levels. Battery saver circuits guard against over-drawing the cells, and battery life can be assessed with 10% accurately with either an audio or an LED signal.
Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Directly mounted to the Syntace TwinFix stem, Lupine's Piko lamp appears to be an integral part of the bike.
Recharge times are 2.5 hours, and all of the connectors are watertight and stupid proof. The user-friendliness of Lupine's products strongly suggests that they regularly ride what they make. Everything works the first time. Lupine's well-thought-out technology removes the guesswork and sets you up for a successful experience.



Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Smart-Map Gripper fits modern thin-body phones perfectly, but it held my off-width armored case through the review without a worry.


How Much Does All this Add Up to?

Quality like this never comes cheap. It's a safe bet that most penny pinchers have fled to the comment section by now, but if you've hung this far and haven't done the math yet, the sum of this complete kit: the Syntace Megaforce TwinFix stem, Smart-Map Gripper, mounting hardware, and Lupine Piko R4 SC lighting system, would be around 615 Euros - plus shipping charges. That's a hell of a lot of money to spend for a clean looking light setup and the pleasure of never having to stop and pull your smartphone out of your pocket to consult your trail app. But there's another way to look at it.

Apple charger harness for Lupine battery systems
Wait! there's more. Running your smartphone display for hours at a time will decimate its battery life. Lupine offers a wire harness with a pigtail that connects your lighting system battery to your smartphone. Micro USB and iPhone jacks are supported. MSRP: €28.00


A lot of us regularly use a smartphone trail app, a GPS, and a lighting system, and somewhere in the shed, we have a hodgepodge of handlebar mounts that would make those items more convenient to use - provided they didn't make our bikes look so bad. When the time comes to re-up on those electronic devices, here's a comprehensive system you'd be proud to own. It looks great, functions equally well, and should last a lifetime. Plus, it can be mounted or removed without tools in less time than it would take most of us to read this paragraph.




Syntace Lupine Collaboration


Trail Report

Armed with Trailforks and my new stem-mounted kit, my bike looked like it was ready to rally. My first trailside stop was necessary to switch my phone from eco mode, so the display would remain illuminated. Duuh. I'll be honest. I am not a statistics type who dines over Strava and logs mileage before bedtime. My first concern about my new navigation accessory was not having to climb back up a downhill to retrieve my phone - which never happened.

After the novelty of watching my position change on the map display wore off, the one benefit that I reaped from using Trailforks in real time was being encouraged to select an action for the next intersection well before I arrived. The first surprise was not discovering a new route, as I anticipated I would, but noticing a few familiar trails that were either not on the map, or (I assumed) had been "delisted" by the local managers.

Just for science, I veered off on an unlisted horse trail and was pleased to discover (after I had committed) that I'd be connecting with a known fire road in a little more than a mile. It was a steep descent, so there was a real potential that I'd have
Syntace Lupine Collaboration
to retrace my route. Not a huge deal if I had to push back up, but it illustrated that having my map function in sight would pay dividends on a longer journey in less forgiving, unfamiliar territory. At the least, it promised to eliminate a number of time-consuming stops to verify information that I would have had ready access to. Don't expect to read names or numbers, though. I was happy if I could see the cursor and pick out intersections while in motion.

Syntace Lupine Collaboration
The battery is very compact. A contoured grip strip anchors it in place.
Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Lupine's charging pigtail for iPhones normally sits below the display. My case didn't allow it..

Technically, I have no sour points to relay. The tiny ears that stick out from the minimalist Syntace stem don't bother me when I'm not using the Lupine Piko for Winter night rides. I've never lost a phone, nor heard a rattle from the Smart-Map Gripper. I removed the unit each time I stashed my bike in my car because the tray makes it an awkward fit. So far, no issues.

This is my second time using Lupine's lighting systems and I'm a fan. This is my first time, however, with the Bluetooth remote, and it was a seamless transition. I prefer smaller, longer lasting systems because I can stash them in a pack for those rides when I may not make it back before dark. I often ride late in the summer months, so I think the Piko's compact size and powerful beam is going to make it a new favorite. The small amount of real estate that the Piko takes up under the stem is also a plus. I never thought about it until I needed it.
Syntace Lupine Collaboration
Lupine's Bluetooth wireless remote.

As for pairing up the light and smartphone tray together, I'll have to be on a much bigger ride to realize the benefits. Most of the time, I found that a second glow above the lighting system was more of a distraction while night riding than a help. That said, I've done some big rides at night in the past, and it's so easy to blow by an intersection when you're staring down a cone of wiggly light. Knowledge is power when you face uncertainty. I'm thinking a top to bottom run down Arizona's Black Canyon may be in order this fall. That should be a decent test for both elements.


Pinkbike's Take:
bigquotesThis over the top combination of accessories is not for everyone, but that's the point, isn't it? Syntace and Lupine collaborated together because the Smart-Map Gripper and Piko R4 SC lighting combination is what they ride with. I'm confident that there are others out there who would be equally stoked to ride with such quality gear. Explorers, big ride specialists, the ones who never miss a Wednesday ride - those are the riders who will appreciate the effort that went into these pro-quality tools. You know who you are. Check this stuff out.RC


Author Info:
RichardCunningham avatar

Member since Mar 23, 2011
974 articles

108 Comments
  • 108 0
 I just mounted my desktop to my handlebars, and I can tell you it is a game changer.
  • 19 2
 I bet there's a German guy out there who's done exactly that. Rides a 160mm cube or liteville (budget dependent) with 2x in the front and eagle in the back, suspension lockout remotes front and rear, electric motor rear hub, dynamo front hub, and a desktop computer.

The Germans may be into some weird shit but I'll be damned if the Syntace Megaforce isn't the best stem I've owned.
  • 17 2
 @AgrAde: "I'll be damned if the Syntace Megaforce isn't the best stem I've owned"

I'm going throw my cheapy Raceface stem in the ring as a contender for best stem ever, as my handlebars haven't fallen off either.
  • 3 0
 I just mounted handle bars on my TV, I can finally watch Redbull replays!
  • 50 1
 Not into the phone part but having a nice light mount integrated into front of stem is pretty cool to me. Bar mounting my light is OK but the cables always are in front of the beam leaving shadows ahead of me.
  • 11 3
 The only shadow to me is the PRICE!!!!
  • 32 3
 I was just thinking, how can i attach my new $1,000 phone to my bike to be sure it gets crushed when I crash.
  • 7 0
 You should take a look at the Bontrager Blendr system. You have to use their lights too, but the mounts are really clean
  • 30 2
 @Telemahn: You spent $1,000 on a phone?
  • 4 0
 K Edge makes an out front go pro mount and just about every light company out there makes a go pro adapter. With that you should be able to find an orientation that doesn't put the light behind any cables. That said this is super cool integration. It could hold a lot of stuff or than a phone too and could be a slick solution for rando, bike packing, or orienteering type events. Not for everyone but nothing is. Plus, if the tabs can hold all this, they could hold all kinds of stuff. You could probably even fabricate your own whatever to attach to the stem. Very cool.
  • 7 2
 @Telemahn: And to anyone saying just don't crash... It means you don't ride hard enough!!! ......
  • 2 1
 @wako29: have you tried using them on the trail? I have a blender light and stem mount on my CX bike, and I’ve hit potholes hard enough that it tossed the light off.
  • 2 0
 I do use Lighting systems from Lupine and their lights are just awesome; their battery are known for lasting. So when I can use them now to charge my smartphone on my travel bike is just Best solution ever for me.
  • 1 0
 Burgtec do a front plate with GoPro mount that you'd be able to use with most lights.
  • 1 0
 @billreilly: he must have meant he bought 10 and that was the total price
  • 1 0
 Not wireless not interested.
  • 7 0
 the only reason why I carry my phone is in case of emergency and take a quick look at trail forks when I am visiting a new place... other than that, can we dtay away from this modern life BS for a few hours in the woods?!
  • 2 0
 Yeah, I'd like to mount my light to the stem instead of the bar too. I think Hope used to have an integrated stem cap and head light. I'm not interested in the phone bit indeed. I'm using a Nokia 108. No point mounting it clear sight.
  • 1 0
 @wako29: Clean and good price, but don't you have to use their proprietary stems?
  • 1 1
 @Telemahn: Liteville riders typically don't do rough stuff. Most of them who I know could easily go on with a lame ass bike for their touring. 2 out 10 would ride it proper but the rest is not really trying anything. Thats why someone decided at Liteville it would be a good idea to make a mount like that.
Those AL frames are thin like a beer can.

But syrsly why the heck do you need a 1000$ failfone?
  • 1 0
 @rizz121: agreed. I work in tech, so I'm no luddite. However, I dont get peoples obsession in having electronics in their face when engaging in leisure activities. Same goes for motorcycling. Phone mounts, headphones, whatever. Isn't the point to remove yourself from the norms of daily stress and enjoy the moment without distractions? Ill take the crunch of tires over dirt and the mechanical sound of my drivetrain over music any day.

All that aside, it sure is nice kit and really not horribly priced. I can totally see having the phone/GPS mount for bikepacking.
  • 1 0
 @audric: indeed
  • 1 0
 @motard5: you do have to use a Bontrager stem, but also new ones start at $30 - so not really that bad
  • 2 0
 @Poulsbojohnny: Motorcycles (and road bicycles) are completely different than MTB. I'm constantly navigating around cities, back roads, into mountains and valleys. Navigation is essential, especially for looking up nearby places to eat or just wondering what the bloody hell is around me at the moment.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: Liteville riders don't do rough stuff?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGxe2oAupw4

Also, heard of Thomas Ohler? Sure, the word "typically" covers you for most generalizing nonsense people can generate, but then again you could say this for pretty much any brand out there. Never done the research like you probably have done, but I'm pretty curious how many Santa Cruz owners out of ten would ride their bike "proper".
  • 1 0
 @vinay: "2 out 10 would ride it proper"
You could say that but other brands are not that hyped and are not that thin like beer cans.
I see a lot of Liteville riders around here and only one of them is smashing it. I see far more people on other brands who doing it better.
I saw liteville shops acting like you only could do it with a machine from them and when I saw what they did with it I just .... can't describe it even. They acting arrogant like nothing can touch them and nothing is better. Nah for that kind of money and stupid rear mech dropout they got no respect from me.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: Never realized Liteville was hyped. Maybe only in the German media. I just like that they don't do model years and color upgrades every year but instead update their models whenever they see fit yet still make their updates backwards compatible whenever possible. So to me these bikes come across as sensible bikes for people who don't need to show off with the latest and flashiest. Not saying I would buy any of their bikes but I do like their thinking. As for the cellphone mount on the bike. There are loads of phone mounts for bikes these days. Why someone would expose a fragile and expensive cellphone to mountainbiking conditions is beyond me. If you crash and the fork spins around, the phone hits the top tube and everyone loses. Then again it appears like Liteville is going to release a gravel bike so I can see this work on one of these. Can you slap it on a mountainbike and review it on Pinkbike? Sure, but it is only going to trigger negative comments.

I just realized that the article does mention that the light can be mounted to the stem directly, which is nice. I suppose you can flip the faceplate and mount the light more towards the top of the stem so that it won't hit the top tube anymore when you crash. Not saying I'm willing to buy a new stem for this but for those in the market, Lupine doesn't change their standards/interfaces so once you've got that stem you can mount any of their (future) lights to that same stem.
  • 2 0
 a budget android phone used as a dedicated bike "computer" is a cheaper and far more feature rich solution than those overpriced Garmin toys...
  • 1 0
 @vinay: well yes I like that also but they still have one of the worst mech hangers. They did not change this system. Try to set up a eagle with a hanger who is not straight. Hangers who are not clampett by the hub itself just make any good frame awful. So no they are just over engineered but not practical.

My light if I have on on the bars are far better with a simpler mount, Gopro on the bars. Again over engineering, they don't think about real life.
The goPro mount moves/tilt by impact or will rip off and the light will be okay. Syntace mount not so much eh?
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: Alright, you've got more experience with this than I do. I never liked replaceable mech hangers because I spent a fortune on them on my first frame. I realized the hard way that you can bend them straight once and if you do it another time at some point it is going to snap, drag your rear mech along with the chain past your right hand spokes until it comes to a stop against the front mech completely destroying all components mentioned. My next two steel hardtail frames had a fixed hanger but you were supposed to be able to bend them straight as often as you needed (which wasn't often). My current steel hardtail has a steel replaceable steel hanger, so that's the best of both worlds. On my fully I'm still running a 2007 Saint mech so that's not rapid rise but it still mounts to the axle directly. I have no experience with that Syntace hanger (also used by Cotic and Alutech, if I'm correct) but indeed I don't quite like the idea of the bolt snapping if that implies that once again I risk that the mech gets dragged along with the chain again.

I currently have no light on the bars. I used to have C and B Seen but I janked the cable in a crash where the bars spun around. I still need to have that fixed somewhere but the manufacturer wouldn't do it because it wouldn't be economical. But these lights were mounted with a simple O-ring. I still think that's still one of the toughest solutions. I am using a (first generation) Piko light on the helmet and it feels pretty tough. I think you'll destroy your bars before you destroy this one. I've looked at the GoPro mount for on the bars but I I don't like that it bolts to only one side of the light. It just doesn't look that reliable in case of a crash. Not compared to the two sided mount featured here and not even as reliable as the O-ring. As you say the GoPro mount will probably give way in case of impact but really I don't think you can smash the Piko light. The most vulnerable part would again be the cable but that one is actually more likely to damage when the mount is broken.
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: what are you talking?
  • 34 2
 They need to make it much bigger and bulkier, so I can mount my iPad. Maybe a drink holder and a side pouch for snacks.
  • 10 0
 And if they make it so the iPad camera faces forward, you don’t even need to look at the trail! You can ride outdoors but pretend you’re indoors.
  • 9 0
 if they could also add a weatherproof enclosure surrounding the bike, a comfy seat, replace the handlebars with some sort of a circular control apparatus, maybe some climate control, and maybe add a small internal combustion engine for a bit of boost when you're tired? now that'd be something that would get me out riding.
  • 21 0
 Nice thumb modeling!
  • 7 1
 Yeah. Smacked it really hard riding and it's going to be a long heal.
  • 1 0
 @RichardCunningham: oh it's already healed. Your body is just pushing the dried blood along your nailbed to get rid if it. Smile always fun. When the nail makes it to the end of your finger...
  • 17 3
 Great way to save money not buying a $300 bike computer which does less than your phone. Throw money where it matters.
  • 28 4
 Also looks like a great way to destroy your $1000 phone when you crash.
  • 17 2
 @SlodownU: If you believe that $900CAD is a fair price for a phone mount you can obviously afford to repair a broken phone.
  • 4 24
flag nismo325 (Feb 8, 2019 at 14:07) (Below Threshold)
 @Bflutz625: So i can come to your place and destroy your vehicle? you obviously thought whatever you paid for it was fair so you should have no issue paying for any damage i do to it.
  • 4 20
flag nismo325 (Feb 8, 2019 at 14:12) (Below Threshold)
 @Bflutz625: oh wait your 15 and can't even drive lol guess its easyier to fix things when you just ask mommy or daddy to pay for it
  • 12 0
 @Bflutz625: @Bflutz625: Let me be clear, I think that mounting your phone like this is straight up dumb. A phone has no place on a mountain bike that will be ridden aggressively. That $300 garmin, that was designed to be waterproof, shock proof, and mount cleanly on your bars has has survived way more than any phone ever will.
  • 23 0
 @nismo325: it's sad that today it is assumed that as a teen everything is paid for by mommy and daddy. Everything I own I paid for; bike, clothes and phone. It's also sad when a 40 year old feels high and mighty over a 15 year old and can't even write correctly.
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: never said it's for everyone but for some people something like this is justified. I won't be getting it because for $50 I can get an x-lock phone case and top cap mount.
  • 1 3
 @Bflutz625: It is $160CAD just for the phone mount. The light extra are another $530CAD.
  • 2 1
 @tacklingdummy: for the whole set it is €600. 600x1.51≈$900 CAD. W/o the light it is still like $300 for a f*cking stem and a plate of aluminum.
  • 2 0
 @nismo325: Yo, someones salty...geez chill out.
  • 1 1
 @Bflutz625: It is pricey, but to be fair you don't have the right numbers. The whole set is $108 euro + $354 euro = $462 euros. $462 euros = $694 CAD.
  • 1 1
 @tacklingdummy: says right in the review that all in it is around €615
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: that's why you use a budget $200 android phone instead
  • 2 0
 @SlodownU: The phone in the photos looks like a Kyocera Brigadier, which I believe is rated to be waterproof, shockproof, and can cleanly mounted to the bars with a product like the one above. Plus it’s also only a couple hundred bucks. Kyocera makes bulletproof phones that stand up to everything a Garmin can and then some.
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: have to agree. This is something that would go on my road bike, but definitely not my mountain bike.
  • 7 2
 Excellent, so you can see your Strava segment times just as you're about to veer off the trail into a tree?
  • 5 0
 I'm thinking this might be more for the adventure trekking bike packing guy, than the Strava segment smashing kinda rider...
  • 4 0
 I think it's sweet. If I went to Moab or Sedona etc I would buy one in a heartbeat. Who wants to stop and get their phone out every 2 mins. I love Syntace stuff.
  • 1 0
 Trailforks app on a Garmin 520+ gives you turn by turn directions and allows you to use your phone to take pics of the scenery. Nice light mount, but phone on the bars? Does it power your external speaker setup too???? cause then I am all in
  • 4 3
 That light is a total rebranding of the the Xeccon Zeta 1600R (Z11)! No wonder it's impossible to get this tiny lightset. These are pretty good set of lights that was around $60! But now it can be yours for 5 - 10X's more and with a proprietary battery and a proprietary connector jack!
  • 3 0
 The xeccon is a decent light but it is shocking that you think a Chinese brand that has existed a little over ten years is the one being copied. I have seen both lights together....like usual products from asia the xeccon Is the obvious knock off. While it's a nice light, the lupine is still nicer.
  • 3 0
 BTW....lupine lights are made in Germany...so how can they be rebranding a Chinese made light
  • 2 3
 @lukeproofman: Do some research. I'm sure Lupine is a German company that supplies "good quality" products to the consumers. What I'm saying is that Lupine has probably bought the rights to re-brand the Xeccon Zeta 1600R. No one is doing any knockoffs here, but the original product branding, as it stands, is Xeccon Zeta 1600R. This originates from a company in China. There's a lot of good quality stuff made in China (or as Trump pronounces, Gina) and sold through the biggest name brands around the world. Yeah, there are Chinese companies will copy stuff and sell the products as knockoffs. But in reality, a lot of startups and high end companies go to China to create high quality products as well to leverage the high returns from the first world markets. A company will specify a manufacturer in China to make it in a certain quality and specification to meet different standards (such as electrical certification, safety standards, water resistance, etc...). The Xeccon Zeta 1600R existed in the markets only maybe 3 years ago. It's definitely picked up and rebranded by Lupine.

Do a Google search on the Xeccon Zeta 1600R or Xeccon Z11. There's a whole post thread that delves into what's inside the the little LED light (talks about the quality, the circuitry, the LED emitters) - all this before Lupine called it the Piko.
  • 3 0
 @CSharp: listen I understand that decent stuff comes out of China not disagreeing there. I call Bs on your comments that lupine rebranded their light. The first piko came out it 2012 and looked similar, as time has gone on lupine has upgraded internals. In 2015 the piko went 1500 lumen with the new internals and wireless remote with an iPhone app. I know for a fact xeccoon was later because 1/08/2016 was when the mtbr thread about the PROTOTYPE xeccoon 1600 started and that's where I learned about them.

Lupine is an impressive company, the lights are expensive and amazing build/design. I saved my cash for a year to buy a Wilma, still my favorite light and I am a light whore (I even have a volt 6000) my annoyance is that like hundreds of others on pinkbike, to you everything is just a overpriced POS that I can get cheaper on Alibaba.

It's a d**k move to s**t on lupine because it's expensive. Don't like it....don't buy it and don't throw shade that a made in Germany light by a small manufacturer is ripping off some Chinese corporations design (next thing you will say is that xeccoon is located in a mythic tiny workshop owned a couple of Craftsmen in the middle of urban China).

Have you even used a lupine, I have both and I am not on pinkbike talking bs
  • 1 1
 @lukeproofman: Jesus - calm down dude! It is what it is - if you don't like the word rebranding - so be it. I didn't say anyone was ripping off anything from another company - you did that. Hey, if you want to pay for the same light for 5 - 10 times the price to justify that what you're getting is the best quality, go for it. All I know is that you can get a similar light under it's original name elsewhere for a decent price.Not sure why you have to be so upset about it.

I don't just buy a product based on the company name associated with a country, which some people relate to as quality. I do my research on what the product does, what the reviews are and finally the cost justification. I really don't care if something is marketed as German-made or US-made - all I want to know is product does it's job, how well is it compared to a similar products, and what's the lowest price I can get it at - and I'm not talking about getting any knockoffs either.

I don't have a Lupine, but I do have a NiteRider Enduro Pro 2800, which kicks ass and expensive as hell! I also have a Revtronic BT40S (made in China and also rebranded from NiteFighter) and I can tell you that a few thousand Americans and some Canadians who bought these lights will say that the quality is extremely good and the price is unbeatable. And to add to that, it has no proprietary batteries that you have to buy from one vendor, like the Lupine or NiteRider. And yeah, I doubt Lupine manufactures the Piko in Germany. Like I said, it's likely manufactured in China with a requirement for high quality and high quality control, just like a lot of other products that are made these days.
  • 1 1
 This system seems interesting but I dislike the phone position (they probably put it there so you can put your bike upside down without laying it on the phone?). I used the Cobi Bike system as a phone (iphone 6s 800€) mount for Enduro / Downhill. You can see it in action here youtu.be/z1znkr0tSo0?t=8m37s . It's much more expensive (250€) then this Syntace system but it includes exchangable battery packs. The system + phone survived multiple/all crashes and I never lost the phone (big drops / stone fields etc.). I'm currently not using the Cobi mount because I hate changing my smartphone case (I have a thick battery case) every time I want to use it... . I personally mount my Lupine Piko (best lamp ever) on the helmet like you could see here youtu.be/hHiIeyHvC_o?t=2m14s.
  • 1 1
 penny pinchers you say... even though it was meant to be a joke, probably not far the times when Pinkbike will be calling losers those who are not happily getting in line for the newest useless overpriced bullshit. OK, maybe not always useless, but the far we go - definitely the more overpriced.
I know there are people who don't have problem with buying bike light and a phone holder for just ~650 eur, it's just not nice to call others names, if they can't or don't want to. Maybe you segregate PB for loyal cool-guys-top-of-the-MTB-community, mid-class and those lowlifes who are only buying cheaper stuff and who's existence doesn't make much sense for parts manufacturers.
  • 1 0
 These products are clearly described as over the top. The joke, was aimed squarely at the PB commenter who is equally so - touting his pool noodle tire inserts and 20 dollar Chinese lighting system as quality kit. It's safe to assume that most PB members have broken enough toys to understand where the bottom drops out of the quality vs value equation. Most of us live in a world of "good enough." Over-the-top products are entertainment - and for some, a source of inspiration to take something in their lives to eleven. There's good in that.
  • 3 0
 Cool little gadget, but I'll keep my phone in my pocket, thank you very much. Too much dough to spend on a light mount.
  • 1 0
 I don't know I really like my top cap mount for my garmin. Pretty convenient. Plus I don't do much night riding on my MTB. For sure over kill for me. Cool I guess for people who are into that.
  • 1 0
 I'll just stick with my "Paul's Stem Mount". Works great and is very cheap. www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/stem-cap-light-mount
  • 1 0
 The most stupid place to fix it, you crush it and you brake it and the biggest waist of money, ther's enginer must be on some mushrooms...
  • 4 1
 For when you reallllly want to extra smash your phone into pieces. . . .
  • 1 0
 I like the idea however I would rather prefer to have it on top of the stem. This position seems extremely exposed and it's going to break off in your first crash.
  • 4 1
 April 1 is over a month away.
  • 4 5
 I used to be very interested in German cycling stuff, until i went to live in germany and realized everything is done from a travel/touring bike prospective... or the lightweight stuff is just a souless copy of italian stuff...

This mount is wrong in so many ways... i guess it is fine for bike paths
  • 3 0
 Next up: Trailforks turn-by-turn voice activated navigation
  • 3 1
 missing a b-t speaker mount, beer holder and ash tray,
  • 2 0
 Liteville - recommended by german dentists since 2002
  • 1 0
 Unless it's summer and I'm riding a paved trail, that phone would be toast mounted there.
  • 5 2
 Jesus H Christ.
  • 79 0
 You rang?
  • 16 0
 @JesusHChrist: well played
  • 2 0
 @JesusHChrist: What does the H stand for?
  • 1 0
 @Otago:Yea, what does the H stand for?
  • 3 0
 @jetterd7j: "Jesus Harold Christ" (i.e. - "Our Father, who art in Heaven, Harold be thy name...")
  • 3 0
 The Joey-5000
  • 1 0
 i've used a quadlock on gnarly trails, it just doesnt come with a light mount too. quadlock is a lot cheaper, ha
  • 2 0
 What!!! No cup holder ???
  • 1 0
 I’ll recommend this to the elderly couple that rides after dinner around the Neighbourhood.
  • 1 0
 I'm waiting on the Xbox mount so I can play Downhill Supreme while riding downhill!
  • 4 3
 RC reviews are such quality. Love it!
  • 5 4
 Every day on the February calendar says April 1.
  • 1 0
 Groundhog saw it's own shadow again!
  • 1 0
 Dakar version of mountain bike?
  • 1 0
 Gloworm light with a PNW stem and Gopro mount...Kaboom!
  • 2 1
 All that effort and they forgot the bottle mount, epic fail
  • 1 0
 That guy sucks at using a hammer, did you check out his thumb job
  • 1 0
 "Stem cap" ha, I give you credit for later saying stem clamp.
  • 1 0
 Speechless at the amount of Germanness in one product - a German.
  • 1 2
 Laughing my wallet off - this has certainly been an entertaining few weeks here, keep it up boys
  • 1 0
 distracted ridding?
  • 1 0
 maybe enduro specific
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