Gloworm Lights X2 Review Part II: Getting Pissed Off!

gloworm x2 lights with dead LED

My approach to this blog (and life) is as an enthusiast. I try not to know too much about anything (something that seems to come natural to me), find the best in products, promote local brands, and encourage cycling and the industry as much as possible. I rarely use this platform as a soap box to complain about things. Except today. Because Gloworm Lights are pissing me off.

The Previous Gloworm X2 Review

My previous review on the Gloworm X2 lights was called The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, because I experienced a bit of everything. The good was the general performance of the lights. I was more than happy there. The bad was the failure of components that attach the light. The ugly was the ugly customer service I got from Pushys.

Since that review several other elements of the lights have failed. I’ve covered for them by buying parts online from US reseller Action Lights. They have things like metal mounts (to replace the ridiculously fragile plastic mount that comes standard) that have meant I’ve got a well mounted light at last.

But Now I Can’t Even Use My Gloworm Lights

Between not being able to charge my battery and failing parts I haven’t had much use out of my lights. While sorting through the issues summer came back around and I didn’t have much use for the Gloworm lights. Now the days are getting shorter and I’d really like to get a little value out of the Gloworm X2 lights I bought.

Except they’re broken. One of the LEDs has burned out. (See left hand LED in the photo.) You could ride cycle path with one LED but you certainly can’t ride off-road with any confidence. The fun is missing from my night riding and I’m only there for fun. So the lights are effectively useless. I’ve got more convenient ways of lighting bike paths so the Gloworms really need to be trail ready.

An Appeal To Gloworm

I really didn’t want to have to go back to Pushys. I’d rather not have to deal with them at all. They were shitheads to deal with and advised me to do things that had been expressly warned against in the user manual. Then they stopped responding to me at all. Fuck them.

So I appealed directly to Gloworm. I laid out my case and told them everything that had happened. I told them I’d used an aftermarket charger (in case that has a bearing on my LED dying). I told them I felt like I’d been on a bad trot with the X2 lights and appealed to them for help.

I waited two weeks. Then I sent them another inquiry. A shorter one this time. Still pleasant. Advised them I’d already emailed them and could they please respond advising me what kind of service and support I could expect. Still nothing.

I know they’ve read my email because I use Mail Track. Read it. Just didn’t care enough to respond. Twice now.

Where To With My Useless Gloworm X2 Lights

Really not sure where I go from here. It’s not I don’t have better things to do. I could be completing my thesis on the great oratory works of Donald J Trump (“I know words, I have the best words…”). Or writing long impassioned blog pieces on the virtues of the 17 tooth rear cog. If it wasn’t for such pressing concerns I’d probably take my case to the relevant consumer body and get something done. I know I probably won’t though. I’m actually pretty busy during the day. Work is all consuming. And then I like to knock off on time to ride my fucking bike. Sometimes on trails. Sometimes at night. Or I would if my lights worked.

At nearly $300 the Gloworm X2 lights aren’t a trivial purchase. Many of the local riders are riding around with direct import lights on sale at the local store about about $100. At that price they buy two sets, one for the bars and one for helmet. I didn’t want to go that route because I wanted the genuine article, solid lights with solid mounts, backed by locals who have a passion for their product. What I got instead were the Gloworm X2s.

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