NiteRider Evolution Smart User manual

Halogen
NiMH
USER GUIDE
Evolution Smart

NiteRider and Evolution Smart are trademarks of NiteRider, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2005 NiteRider, Inc. All rights reserved.
DISCOVER THE NIGHT!
Thank you for choosing the Evolution Smart™ system from
NiteRider, the innovator in technical lighting systems. The
Evolution Smart incorporates fast charging and NiteRider’s
patented “smart” battery and lamp technologies that extend
system life. The Evolution Smart system includes:
• Halogen lamp with four brightness levels and three flash
modes for safety
• Compact, lightweight nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery
• 2.5-hour fast charger
• Fuel (battery) gauge
• Frame and helmet mounting
To get the most from your NiteRider light, we urge you to
familiarize yourself with the following safety and operation
instructions.

1
PROTECTING
YOUR INVESTMENT
When not in use, always disconnect the headlamp from the
battery. To unplug, grasp the connector, not the cable.
Properly charge your battery to maximize its lifespan
(see “Battery Charging and Care” on page 12). To avoid
damaging your system, only charge your NiteRider battery
with the appropriate NiteRider charger.
While Evolution Smart will perform in wet weather conditions,
submerging it in water will damage the system. If you need a
submersible light, NiteRider manufactures industrial-grade
dive light systems. For information, contact NiteRider Dive
Lights at 858.268.3850 or visit www.niteriderdive.com.
RIDING AT NIGHT
While the Evolution Smart will improve your control and
enjoyment of night riding, please remember that cycling at
night is an inherently dangerous activity. In addition to using
your lighting system properly and riding with extreme caution,
NiteRider urges you to:
• never ride alone
• always let someone know where you are going
• wear a helmet and reflective clothing
• carry an auxiliary light and emergency supplies.

NiteRider, Inc.
8205 Ronson Road, Suite E
San Diego, CA 92111 USA
800.466.8366
www.niterider.com
SUPPORT
If you experience difficulties during product installation or
operation, NiteRider provides free telephone support on
weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Pacific Time) at
800.466.8366, ext. 4. You may also e-mail us at
[e-mail].
WARRANTY
NiteRider stands behind its products with the following
warranties:
• Lifetime warranty on all mechanical components
• 1 year on cables and connectors, electronic components,
and printed circuit boards
• 180 days on rechargeable batteries and fast chargers
• 60 days on halogen bulbs
To repair or replace your product while under warranty, return
it (postage prepaid and insured with original sales receipt) to
the address below. Out-of-warranty repair service is also
available. For complete warranty information, please visit our
website.
2

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Parts List and Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mounting the Headlamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Universal Handlebar Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Helmet Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Inserting the Headlamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Mounting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Frame Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Pocket or Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Flash and Walking Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fuel Gauge and Automatic Shut Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Battery Charging and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Using the 2.5-hour Fast Charger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Battery Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Smart Battery Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover
Run Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

4
PARTS LIST
AND IDENTIFICATION
Please verify the contents of your Evolution Smart system:
A. 15 Watt-6 Volt halogen headlamp
B. 4.5 Ah-6 Volt NiMH battery (pocket/frame mount)
C. Charger power cord
D. Universal handlebar mount
E. 2.5-hour fast charger
F. Helmet mount
G. 36” helmet cord
H. Velcro cable tie
A
E
B
C
F
D
G
H

5
QUICK START
1. Fully charge the battery before the first use. See “Using the
2.5-hour Fast Charger” on page 12.
2. To mount the headlamp and battery, see “Mounting the
Headlamp” on page 6 and “Mounting the Battery” on
page 8.
3. Connect the battery to the headlamp.
4. To turn the light on for normal operation, press and hold the
headlamp power button for one second. Cycle through the
three brightness levels by pressing and releasing the
power button.
5. To access the flash and walking modes, see “Flash and
Walking Modes” on page 9.
6. To turn the system off, press and hold the power button for
one second.

6
MOUNTING THE HEADLAMP
The Evolution Smart headlamp can be mounted to the
handlebar or a helmet.
Universal Handlebar Mount
The Universal Handlebar Mount (UHM) is designed to fit on
virtually any handlebar. Included with the mount is a 2.5-mm
Allen wrench, a pair of black rubber bumpers already in
place, and a thin rubber shim to customize the fit on large
handlebars up to 32 mm in diameter.
Turn the knob counter-clockwise, allowing the hinge to swing
open. Place the mount on the handlebar on the left side the
stem, orienting the rectangular notch in the slider clip to the
rear. Swing the hinge down to make contact with the
handlebar. Swing the hex bolt up, seating the knob into its
recess. Turn the knob clockwise to tighten and secure the
mount to the handlebar.
The UHM can be adjusted to accommodate any handlebar
angle. By loosening the 2.5 x 30 mm Allen screw, you can
move the swing arm back and forth to straighten the
headlamp. Tighten the 2.5 x 30 mm screw after the
adjustment.
NOTCH
SWING ARM
2.5 x 30 MM
SCREW
HINGE
KNOB
HEX BOLT
SLIDER CLIP
2.5 x 12 MM
SCREW

7
To pivot the headlamp, loosen the 2.5 x 12 mm screw located
under the slider clip and swing arm and rotate the headlamp
to the desired position. Make this adjustment before
tightening the 2.5 x 30 mm screw.
Helmet Mount
1. Unclamp the straps on each
side of the helmet mount and
pull them free.
2. Position the plastic mounting
plate as close to the centerline
of the helmet as possible,
orienting the parallel grooves on
the slider clip to the rear.
3. Feed each strap into and out of
two helmet vents, circling each
strap back to the upper edge of
the corresponding clamp.
4. Fasten the straps by inserting
them into the clamps.
Inserting the Headlamp into
the Handlebar or Helmet Mount
Insert the headlamp mount into the handlebar or helmet
mount slider clip from the rear of the slider clip forward.
Gently rocking the lamp as you slide it may help. Do not push
the release lever when inserting the headlamp into the slider
clip; let the lamp snap into place by itself.
To remove the headlamp, push the release lever and slide the
lamp backward.
Note : After mounting the headlamp, adjust the headlamp so
it illuminates the road properly without distracting oncoming
riders.

8
MOUNTING THE BATTERY
The battery can be mounted to the bike frame or placed in a
jersey pocket, hydration pack, or fanny pack.
Warning : For safety reasons, a cyclist should never be
tethered to the bike. If the headlamp is mounted to the
helmet, do not mount the battery to the frame. Conversely, if
the headlamp is mounted to the handlebar, do not place the
battery in a pocket or pack.
Frame Mount
1. Thread the wide Velcro tie
through the slots on the top of
the battery clip.
2. Attach the concave surface of
the battery to a safe,
convenient location on the
frame (typically under the top
or down tube), placing the
Velcro strap over the tube but
under any shift or brake cables.
3. Secure the handlebar cord to
the frame using the thin Velcro
tie. Make sure the cord does
not interfere with any moving
parts.

9
Pocket or Pack
1. Route the helmet cord through a
helmet vent or along the outside of
the helmet using the thin Velcro tie
to secure the cord.
2. Connect the helmet cord to the
battery, making sure the cord does
not interfere with any moving parts.
3. Simply place the battery in a
pocket or pack.

10
OPERATION
1. Connect the battery cord to the headlamp or helmet cord.
The halogen light and fuel gauge will flash briefly while the
system diagnoses itself.
2. To turn the halogen light on for normal night operation,
press and hold the headlamp power button for
approximately one second.
3. There are three brightness levels in normal night operation:
15, 10, and 6 watts. Cycle through the brightness levels by
pressing and releasing the power button.
4. To turn the system off, press and hold the power button for
one second. (If you hold the button down too long, the
lamp will enter flash mode.)
Flash and Walking Modes
To increase your visibility in different situations, Evolution
Smart provides four flash and walking modes: daylight,
walking, S.O.S., and strobe. To enter flash/walking mode,
press and hold the power button for approximately four
seconds. Cycle through the modes by pressing and releasing
the power button. To return to normal night operation, press
and hold the power button for one second.
• Daylight mode pulses the beam at a rate that is highly
visible to motorists during daylight hours. For maximum
visibility, aim the light at eye or rear-view mirror level.
•
Walking mode is a steady, 3-watt light that will greatly
extend your run time, allowing for a much slower pace such
as walking. This mode is not intended for riding.
• S.O.S. , the universal distress signal in Morse code, can be
used during the day or night.
• Strobe is a single-pulse beam that can be used as a
location marker or to warn cyclists or motorists of a hazard.

11
Fuel Gauge and Automatic Shut Off
The fuel (battery) gauge is a series of five indicator LEDs
within the headlamp power button, four of which are green
and one of which is red. When all green LEDs are brightly lit,
the battery is fully charged. As the battery discharges one-
fourth increments of its capacity, the green LEDs will go out
one by one. When the battery is near depletion, the red LED
will illuminate. At this time, the headlamp should be turned off
and the battery recharged.
If use continues, the halogen headlamp will automatically shut
off to avoid overly discharging the battery.

12
BATTERY CHARGING
AND CARE
Note: The charger will charge a fully depleted battery in
approximately 2.5 hours.
1. Plug the power cord into the charger and then the wall
socket. The charger will conduct a self-diagnosis and the
charging indicator light (located on the back, upper-left
corner of the charger) will illuminate green, then amber,
and then back to green.
2. Connect the charger cable to the battery. If the battery is
not fully charged, the indicator light will turn amber,
signifying fast-charge mode. If the light flashes when you
first plug in the battery, the charger is preparing an overly
discharged battery for fast charging.
3. When the battery is fully charged, the indicator light will
turn green and charging will shut off automatically.
4. Unplug the charger from the battery and wall socket,
grasping the connectors rather than the cables. (Leaving
the battery and charger connected indefinitely will not
harm the cells.)
Battery Initialization
Until the battery has been charged and discharged up to ten
times, you may experience shorter than expected run times
as well as higher than normal charger and battery
temperatures.
Warning : NiteRider discourages battery initialization through
“bench testing” (operating the light in stationary conditions)
because the excessive heat generated can damage the
headlamp.
The Evolution Smart’s “smart” battery incorporates thermal
protection circuitry that turns the battery off when it overheats
from charging, external heat, or a short circuit. When the

thermal protection circuit is activated, the system will lock
and the fuel gauge will become dark. To clear the system and
return it to normal operation, unplug the light from the battery
and allow the battery to cool.
Similarly, intelligent lamp technology protects the battery from
overly discharging by turning the lamp off at the appropriate
time.
Storage
Rechargeable batteries perform better and last longer if they
are brought to a complete charge before storing and every
45 to 60 days when not in use.
Disconnect the battery from the headlamp, and store the
system in a cool dry place.
RUN TIMES
Setting Run Time (hours)
Normal night operation
15 watts 1:45
10 watts 2:25
6 watts 3:00
Walking mode 5:00
The above run times are based on a fully
charged battery.
Run times are approximations and will vary.

NiteRider, Inc.
8205 Ronson Road, Suite E
San Diego, CA 92111 USA
800.466.8366
www.niterider.com
150-21214