Recommendations for new Rear Light

[CathH]

A joystick with a red LED would certainly be an interesting idea though!

Wouldn't it though?  *wistful sigh*  This is what I mean by the bling factor.

[Jurek]

I doubt you'll be disappointed with the Superflash.
I don't own one but ride with several who do - and recently had to ask one of them   to extinguish the one which was mounted on a seat stay, and burning my retinas.
I've a couple of Cat eye TLD 600's which I prefer aesthetically, and a Dinotte - which unless mounted carefully, can be a thoroughly anti-social light for group night riding - but unbeatable on spring / autumnal rides when dusk falls - clearly visible more than a mile away, blah, blah.

In terms of value for money the Superflash surpasses all of the above IMHO

[De Sisti]

-4 on shelves now

I just bought two for my spares box. 

[Sergeant Pluck]

I just bought two for my spares box.

And me.

[ABlipInContinuity]

If I wasn't so strapped i would buy a couple more.

People are astonished at how bright the Superflashes are and often ask about them, expecting me to say they are expensive.

One of the co-op members in a bicycle co-operative was so impressed when i showed him one that he tried to get them stocked in the shop.

[alexb]

I have two, based again on audax experience. They are about as bright as you could possibly need. Cars can see you from miles off. There's no need for a brighter light.
I tend to angle mine down from horizontal so that it does not blind following cyclists.

[αdαmsκι]

I have a small but growing collection of Superflashes ... Good job and unbeatable for £8. 2 rechargeable AAAs last ages.

I got one of the £8 ones.  Running it around London a couple of times and about 5 hours on solid one night and the batteries are dead - there was hardly any light coming out of it rather than slightly dim. I would expect the batteries to last longer than that.  Does running the light on solid eat batteries? Or maybe the batteries were just crap?

[PaulF]

I have a small but growing collection of Superflashes ... Good job and unbeatable for £8. 2 rechargeable AAAs last ages.

I got one of the £8 ones.  Running it around London a couple of times and about 5 hours on solid one night and the batteries are dead - there was hardly any light coming out of it rather than slightly dim. I would expect the batteries to last longer than that.  Does running the light on solid eat batteries? Or maybe the batteries were just crap?

What batteries are you using? The ones that were supplied seemed to be an odd brand that I wouldn't expect to have a long life

[tiermat]

From experience I have found that most lights are supplied with either Panasonic or "Black Cat" batteries, i.e. the sort you can buy by the dozen at the local poundland.  I always ditch them in favour of Duracell or Every Ready and only tend to change batteries every 18 months - 2 years (admittedly low volume of dark/misty rides, but enough to leave the lights in situ permanently)

[αdαmsκι]

I was using the batteries that were supplied with the light.  I didn't recongnise the brand, which is why I pondered if it was a battery issue rather than the light being dodgey.  However, if there is something wrong with the light then I'd like to complain to Mr Wiggle sooner rather than later.  I'll be doing the FNRttC in ten days, so I can see how it holds up on that trip.

[Sergeant Pluck]

There is nowt wrong with the light!

Yes it uses lots more juice when in continuous mode. I'd say I'd get (guessing) the equivalent of 2 all night rides plus some time in flash mode, on solid, out of a set of decent rechargeables.

[Biggsy]

It's not so much the brand of battery that's important, but the type.

If batteries are marked "zinc-carbon", or if the chemistry isn't described at all, don't bother using them at all.  They are vastly inferior to alkaline batteries in every way except for price and weight.  "High Power", "Extra Power" or "Super Mega Duper Power" means nothing.

Lithium batteries are even better, though they cost even more.

Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries can be used as well.  Ordinary high-capacity 1.2V NiMH cells work well with the various LED lights I've used, and don't need topping-up too often.

For a rear light, I'm happy with a Cateye TL610.  I would only want something brighter if I rode a lot in the fog or more on dual-carriageways at night.

[tonycollinet]

What is the beam like on the superflash? I am looking for something I can direct at the rhs hedgerow 45 degrees behind the bike on country lanes. The intention is to give following drivers around a bend advance warning of a cyclist. Especially on left hand bends.

I'm hoping that a red flashing hedgerow will create a "wtf" effect.

[αdαmsκι]

Cheers for the replies.  I'll bung some decent alkaline batteries into the light and hopefully that will sort it out.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I am looking for something I can direct at the rhs hedgerow 45 degrees behind the bike on country lanes.

The only thing that will do that is the Dinotte. However, angling it that way could cause more problems than it solves, as the driver will drive around the bend and be dazzled by your light which is now shining at him rather than the hedge.

A Dinotte angled well down would do your job though.

[andygates]

The Smart isn't bad, but the Dinotte is the kind of bonkers beam-o-deth you're after.  Though I have to ask why you think you need it...

[CathH]

I've had no answer from Exposure on the question of a rear light - oddly they did not even acknowledge my email.    I think I'll stick with the two Cateyes on the back and the Enduro Maxx on the front.  My Recyko rechargables seem to be holding up well powering the Cateyes and the GPS.


I still lust after a Dinotte, though.....

[tonycollinet]

The Smart isn't bad, but the Dinotte is the kind of bonkers beam-o-deth you're after.  Though I have to ask why you think you need it...

I probably don't in reality. In my own paranoia filled mind however....


I have once heard the pant browning sound of skidding wheels from behind when a landrover came round a LH bend, and locked up when he saw me. He recovered and passed OK, but it made me wonder if there was any way of giving a driver advance warning of a cyclist round the corner.

Also wondered about a laser pointer device as well - but the spot would probably be too small to notice.

[andygates]

I think a driver's headlights would wash out any red glow.

[MikeFromLFE]

The Smart isn't bad, but the Dinotte is the kind of bonkers beam-o-deth you're after.  Though I have to ask why you think you need it...

I probably don't in reality. In my own paranoia filled mind however....


I have once heard the pant browning sound of skidding wheels from behind when a landrover came round a LH bend, and locked up when he saw me. He recovered and passed OK, but it made me wonder if there was any way of giving a driver advance warning of a cyclist round the corner.

Also wondered about a laser pointer device as well - but the spot would probably be too small to notice.

My thought too - an upward pointing laser that would be visible from around the bend (and perhaps around the block!). Now that would be one mother of a battery pack!

[pumpkin]

-4 on shelves now

parkers are currently doing this for £8.50 (don't forget to get the free postage). For that money it's imo the best rear light available. I've got 4 now to save swapping between bikes and just to act as spares altho' the light does seem robust

[rogerzilla]

The new Blackburn Mars 4.0 (available on fleaBay) has a 1W rear LED  and tool-free battery installation.

I imagine 1W of red LED is pretty bright, seeing as red ones are the most efficient and easiest to make.

[Hot Flatus]

It's got to be a Dinotte 400.  Although with the current crap exchange rate and getting caught by customs, mine came in at about £136   

It is ridiculously bright and comes with 6 mounts.  I'm thinking of putting it on backwards so it lights up my back   

[Sergeant Pluck]

I see there is a new version of the Smart 0.5 W out:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=9818&f_SortOrderID=1

[LEE]

There is nothing quite as bright as Scotchlite reflective panels, at night, in car headlights.

Forget any Red LEDs, they are insignificant and get washed out by car headlights at any significant distance.

Scotchlite (the more, the better) can be seen for, literally, miles in car headlights.

I bought a Cateye TL LD 600 based me being blinded by one on a ride once.

It's a superb light for being seen in total darkness but (and I'm a car driver) Scotchlite shows up miles before any bike LED does when car headlights are involved.

If your objective is to be seen by car drivers at night  then buy a Cateye 600 (it doesn't really matter) but wear as much Scotchlite as you can.