Bicycle lighting & electric air pump: With light & air - Osram enters the bike business

Since 1919, the German manufacturer Osram has been producing light sources - incandescent bulbs, later neon tubes and then LED technology. "Bright as daylight" has been emblazoned on Munich's "Stachus" for decades. It is all the more surprising that the former Munich-based company is only now launching a set of bicycle lights on the market. And together with an electric air pump for bicycles.

We will not explain here which luminaires from other manufacturers may contain Osram LEDs. But the market launch with 3 different sets around the Eurobike 2024 was completely unspectacular, because the bicycle lights for handlebars and seatposts are less high-end than something for the price-conscious person.

The three lamp sets differ in the light output of the front lamp. The rear light supplied is always the same. It has a brake light function, which means that instead of one LED, two more light up when the bike brakes. The sets are called Osram LEDsBIKE RACE. This is followed by a number - 100, 80 and 50 - which indicates the light range. Technically correct: light range in metres at which one lux can be measured. We put the top model 100 on the bike. The price is an attractive 50 euros (RRP).

The compressor is suitable for bicycles, but should also be suitable for cars or motorbikes. The small device can also be used as a power bank and even has a small LED light for use at night... or in the dark bike cellar. The price: 70 euros.

The Osram LEDsBIKE RACE 100 bicycle lamp set in a practical test

When unpacking, there are very few things rolling out of the box: 2 lamps, 2 holders and a USB-C cable. The lamps make a stable impression and the workmanship is conventional for this price range. Plastic housing, plastic holder and an aluminium cooling fin on the 100 front light, which has been replaced with plastic on the smaller bike lights. The small rear light has an easy-to-operate switch, which you have to press firmly, but which gives clear feedback about ON or OFF. The brake light function reacts sensitively and even with a very short braking distance: Here is a video from the Eurobike.

However, when you get to the mount, you realise that the rubber ring is far too tight for a 34.9 mm thick seatpost (as fitted to the Liteville 4-One, for example), and even at 31.6 mm it has to be stretched considerably. The haptic impression is twofold: The rubber and the rasterised tilt function concealed in it are good. the plastic part into which the light is inserted seems significantly inferior. This also applies to the holder for the front light.

This sits extremely "wobbly" on the holder. The rubber can also be stretched very tightly around a 31.8 mm thick handlebar (additional handlebar tape would be difficult here too, 35 mm enduro handlebars are impossible). However, as the Race 100 bicycle light weighs 127 g and is also quite large, the holder is overstretched when riding over cobblestones, for example, and the light bobbles, which also makes the light image tremble, which is very strenuous. Osram should definitely improve this.

There is a display on the top of the front light that looks a little dim during the day, but is easy to read in the dark. It shows the light mode (4) and the battery status. Both lights are charged with USB-C, the connection is easily accessible behind a rubber flap. The rear light is a little more fiddly than the main light.

The light image is very bright thanks to the large lens and the 100 lux produced according to the manufacturer, more than enough to be seen by others. Two bright areas are emitted: a wide upper area and a much narrower lower area. On a dark dirt track or forest path, the light therefore does not appear to be evenly distributed over the illuminated area, but rather focussed like a "spotlight". However, as most people will probably want to use this bike light on an MTB or gravel bike as emergency lighting, the light output is very good considering the price and weight.

Data on the Osram LEDsBIKE RACE 100 set

• Luminous flux: 115 lm
• Colour temperature 5400 K
• Lux value: 100 lx
• Lighting range at 1 lx: 100 m
• Light colour: LED cold white
• Battery type: Lithium Ion
• Charging type: USB-C
• Setting 4 modes: eco (25%), low (50%), max (100%), auto
• Usage time: Up to 13 hours (front light): eco (25 %): 13 hours; low (50 %): 9 hours; max (100 %): 4 hours // Up to 13 hours (rear light)
• Protection class: IP44
• Rear light: Brake light function (2 additional LEDs switch on when braking)
• Weight: Front: 127 g / 111 g (without mount) // Rear: 34 g / 21 g (without mount)
• Set price: 49.99 euros (RRP)

Also available are the sets LEDsBIKE RACE 80 and 50. They have a corresponding luminosity of 80 and 50 lux. They cost 34.99 and 24.99 euros respectively (RRP). The rear light is the same for all three Osram sets.

>> We have tested more bike lights that are even suitable for other purposes here.

>> And we have discussed even more bicycle lights here.

Practical test of the Osram TYREinflate 2000 electric air pump

The packaging of the Osram TYREinflate 2000 contains a bottle cage for the bike into which you can (theoretically) insert the electric air pump, the two screws for it, a USB-C cable and a cloth bag for the compressor. So far so clear. However, the Osram compressor itself has more to offer than just air. It can also light up thanks to a small, oval LED on the top.

And it is supposed to serve as a 5200 mAh power bank - but this did not work with our test product - neither on the mobile phone nor on the tested bike lights. It is unclear whether this was due to the USB plug sitting at an angle in the housing and possibly being defective. However, the TYREinflate 2000 should be able to charge things like smartphones or sat navs with its battery.

The Osram bicycle pump is suitable for all common valve types using an adapter. According to the packaging, it can deliver pressures of up to 6.9 bar for Presta/Sclaverand valves and up to 3.5 bar with a Dunlop/Auto valve. The display can be switched between psi, kPa and bar. Perhaps too little for old-school racing bikes - but more than enough "puff" for gravel and MTB. The 14 cm long hose is long enough to easily work on the valves. The attachments for SV and ball valves can be screwed on very easily and securely.

We used a stopwatch and a gravel bike to determine an exemplary pumping time. For 2 bar in a 29 x 1.5 inch tubular tyre, the electric pump needed just 1:07 minutes - depending on the floor pump or even mini pump, that's quite a sporty time if you want to do it by hand.

Where is the Osram TYREinflate 2000 mini-compressor used?

At a good 500 grams, the TYREinflate 2000 mini-compressor is certainly not an option for an after-work ride or a long gravel tour at the weekend. Mini pumps or CO2 cartridges are lighter - even if the environmental aspect of the latter is debatable. But the Osram compressor's hour has come as a silent companion in the car or if you're travelling with an e-bike and a lot of luggage anyway.

But the small device is even better at home: just inflate the bikes in the garage before the tour, or after the check-up in the cellar - the tyres are quickly inflated with a digital display. And at 70 euros, the electric pressuriser is not that much more expensive than a good floor pump. According to the manufacturer, the accuracy of 1.5 psi/0.1 bar should be sufficient for most of us.

Data on the Osram TYREinflate 2000

• Pumping time: 1:07 min for 2 bar in a 29 x 1.5 inch tubular tyre (own measurement)
• Maximum pressure: 120 psi / 8.3 bar
• Hose length: 14.5 cm
• Charging time: approx. 3 h (manufacturer's specification)
• Battery capacity: 5200 mAh
• Display size: 30 x 155 mm
• Units of measurement: psi, kPa, bar
• Accuracy: 0-1.5 psi/0-0.1 bar (manufacturer's specification)
• Dimensions: Length 70.0 mm // Width 70.0 mm // Height 170 mm
• Weight: 506 g (own measurement)
• Price: 69.99 euros (RRP)

>> We have collected really large cordless compressors in this article.

>> If you prefer to stick with the good mini pump for your hand, you will find a test with 11 models here.