Cycling Weekly rear light review - which one won?

rodgers73

Hello,

I've binned my copy of the last issue that had the rear light test in it. I meant to keep it so I could buy the one they voted the best. I know it was a Smart, but cant remember the model!

Can anyone remind me? And do you agree with their conclusion??

Thanks


Tom

ilm_zero7

rodgers73
and the winner is.....................
Smart Lunar R1 fisheroutdoor.co.uk for £17.49 apparently

giant_man

That's their RRP for the 1/2 watt, you can get the R1 1 Watt for cheaper than that.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart ... 360053638/

Either one are excellent choices.

Percy Vera

giant mancp wrote:

That's their RRP for the 1/2 watt, you can get the R1 1 Watt for cheaper than that.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart ... 360053638/

Either one are excellent choices.

It's Discontinued - no longer available at Wiggle

bompington

Just a thought on this - I was driving home the other day in twilight when I saw a bike ahead of me with an incredibly bright rear light - without any doubt much brighter than the brake lights of cars going past, and actually quite dazzling close up: in twilight remember, not full dark.
I'm all in favour of bright rear lights, I've got a couple of 1/2 watt ones, but is the rear light arms race getting out of hand?

rolf_f

Percy Vera wrote:

It's Discontinued - no longer available at Wiggle

It isn't discontinued - it hasn't come out yet (the 1 watt that is).

MattC59

bompington wrote:

Just a thought on this - I was driving home the other day in twilight when I saw a bike ahead of me with an incredibly bright rear light - without any doubt much brighter than the brake lights of cars going past, and actually quite dazzling close up: in twilight remember, not full dark.
I'm all in favour of bright rear lights, I've got a couple of 1/2 watt ones, but is the rear light arms race getting out of hand?

I've got a 1/2 Watt, Niterider Cherry Bomb, which is incredibly bright and has a claimed 1mile visibility. It actually hurts to look at, so god knows what (no pun intended ) the 1 Watt unit is like !!

Bring on the 5W and 10W units I say !!! :shock:

father_jack

Lupine Betty with a red filter?

Headhuunter

I've been looking at one of these. Seems to be the brightest rear light that doesn't need an external power pack. However it takes CR 123A li ion batts. Does anyone know the best chargers for these? I've got an "intelligent charger" for AAA and AA batts for my other bike lights but not for CR123As. This light is incredibly bright for a rear, you can't look directly at it without searing your retina!

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... Rear_Light

rodgers73

Cheers guys, I'll buy that and some decent duck tape to seal it up with!

nferrar

Not convinced dazzling drivers is the safest option either, happy with my fibre flare and small LED 'emergency' light combo

Headhuunter

nferrar wrote:

Not convinced dazzling drivers is the safest option either, happy with my fibre flare and small LED 'emergency' light combo

No but an ultra bright light on the front certainly makes them give you space! When my Fenix torch is on full power I notice how drivers pull over to let me through narrow gaps between double parked cars. They never did that when I used a poxy Cat Eye

Sgt_Pepper

was going to order the Lunar R1 from wiggle but they had none in stock, so i went with the 1w R2 instead, should be delivered tomorrow, hope its bright.
The Blackburn Flea i'm using at the mo is a little rubbish.

giant_man

Percy Vera wrote:

giant mancp wrote:

That's their RRP for the 1/2 watt, you can get the R1 1 Watt for cheaper than that.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart ... 360053638/

Either one are excellent choices.

It's Discontinued - no longer available at Wiggle

It's only been 'discontinued' at Wiggle. It's only just come out so you can get it elsewhere. That's just Wiggle's way of saying can't get it or out of stock.

Pross

I use 2 different types of Smart 1/2 watts on mine and one is much brighter than the other for some reason but they make a good pairing with the brighter on falsh and the slightly dimmer one on constant. Using my Fenix on flash on the front at the moment as it's not quite dark on my commute. I haven't used it in proper darkness yet but got waved down by a cyclist going the other way last week when I was using it in daylight and asked what it was as he was so impressed by it's brightness so that was reassuring

bendertherobot

I have the R2. On the fade in/out setting it's incredible!

singlespeedexplosif

I'm all in favour of bright rear lights, I've got a couple of 1/2 watt ones, but is the rear light arms race getting out of hand?

Not if you value reaching your destination alive, no.

bendertherobot

I'm running a Lunar R2 WITH a P15 Respro hump.

And Hope Vision 1 at the front.

If you can't see me you are officially blind.

ride_whenever

There is a respro one that is 2 1/2 watt leds... it's nuts!

bendertherobot

ride_whenever wrote:

There is a respro one that is 2 1/2 watt leds... it's nuts!

This is mine, more or less

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efNSBMZxkUM

singlespeedexplosif

that'd be SO much better if the light (bag/bike/both) was on constant...rider's pretty much invisible when it's not in 'on' mode.

bendertherobot

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

that'd be SO much better if the light (bag/bike/both) was on constant...rider's pretty much invisible when it's not in 'on' mode.

Has 3 modes. I leave mine on constant.

singlespeedexplosif

hurrah for a rider who rates visibility over battery life...

Pross

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

hurrah for a rider who rates visibility over battery life...

Not sure about that, IME flashing mode is more likely to catch a motorists attention tan constant. I don't think it's about battery life. I use one on constant to ensure constant visibility and give a good reference point (plus to stay legal) and one on flash to catch the attention of anyone in autopilot and do the same on the front.

nightoff

Pross wrote:

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

hurrah for a rider who rates visibility over battery life...

Not sure about that, IME flashing mode is more likely to catch a motorists attention tan constant. I don't think it's about battery life. I use one on constant to ensure constant visibility and give a good reference point (plus to stay legal) and one on flash to catch the attention of anyone in autopilot and do the same on the front.

+1 for flash and constant
On the front I am running a Magicshine 900 lumen on constant with a RSP 5LED unit on flash
On the back i have one Smart Superflash on constant, one on flash plus 2 more cheap units on flash. The cheapos are on the back of my helmet and saddle bag.
I also have LED reflective wrist and ankle bands.

I must look like a Christmas tree from behind.

antfly

I find the dirt cheap rear lights plenty bright enough, I can`t see the point in one that uses rechargeables, it's just another inconvenience and unnecessary.
I have a fenx but the flash is too fast, I think it would make me feel ill if I had it on for long and possibly induce a few epilectic fits in oncoming motorists.

alfablue

Pross wrote:

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

hurrah for a rider who rates visibility over battery life...

Not sure about that, IME flashing mode is more likely to catch a motorists attention tan constant. I don't think it's about battery life. I use one on constant to ensure constant visibility and give a good reference point (plus to stay legal) and one on flash to catch the attention of anyone in autopilot and do the same on the front.

I would agree with the one flashing one steady method, but just to point out this won't make you legal. It is permissable to have a flashing rear light (in itself, no problem), if that rear light is capable of emitting a steady light also, it must conform to BS 6102/3 or equivalent. The only light I know of that is readily available in the uk that is BS approved and has fkashing and steady lights is the Cateye TL-AU100 (and this isn't anything to write home about!).

Using non-approved lights, including flashers, are not illegal in themselves, but you only have legal lighting if you have BS Approved rear lights, or a flashing rear light without a steady mode that is of 4 candelas intensity and flashes between 60 and 250 times per minute.

Many lights are sold as conforming to BS 6102/3 (such as the Smart 1/2 watt) but note that their conformity is not the same as approval - to be approved they need to be tested by BS and marked as such on the lens.

Until bike light manufacturers and the regulations come closer together, I'll be using decent steady and flashing lights like Smart 1/2 watts, or rack mounted lights like Busch & Muller's with integrated reflectors.

Pross

Thanks for clarifying that - I was under the impression that my two Smart 1/2 watts were to BS and the same for my Smart on the front (which is useless in itself but I doubted my Fenix would be BS approved!). I do use the lights on constant flash though. Odd that so few lights on the British market and not 'grey' imports comply with the BS. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before some smart arse gets away with knocking down a well lit cyclist on this technicality.

Incidently, can anyone recommend so good side visibility equipment?

johnmiosh

Don't worry too much about the legal aspects of lighting, superbright LEDs remain within the spirit of the law. For years the requirement was a non flashing incandescent bulb,but the BS has recently been changed to include flashing LEDs. Most lights will conform to BS 6102, but may not have been tested.

The issue most sports orientated cyclists will encounter is whether you have a front and rear reflector, a legal requirement. I personally have a 1W front light plus a small flasher, but no reflector. On the rear I have a solid and a flasher, but only have a (very small) reflector if my race blades are fitted. I do not think the police would be unduly worried by my visibility in spite of this.

Details of the law with further links can be found at:
http://www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk/cycle-lighting

alfablue

Pross wrote:

Thanks for clarifying that - I was under the impression that my two Smart 1/2 watts were to BS and the same for my Smart on the front (which is useless in itself but I doubted my Fenix would be BS approved!). I do use the lights on constant flash though. Odd that so few lights on the British market and not 'grey' imports comply with the BS. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before some smart ars* gets away with knocking down a well lit cyclist on this technicality.

The Smarts are good, just they (like most other manufacturers) haven't bothered with the costs of getting BS approval, especially as British cyclists have such a tenuous grip on the whole issue of using lights at night! You could use lights approved to equivalent standards legally, such as German approved lights (only they won't flash as that's against the rules in Germany :? )

Incidently, can anyone recommend so good side visibility equipment?

I think the reflective sidewalls on my Schwalbe Marathon Supreme's are very effective from side view (several commuter/touring type tyres have these).

singlespeedexplosif

Not sure about that, IME flashing mode is more likely to catch a motorists attention tan constant. I
Good point. Must get all the lights on the car changed to flashers. Particularly the rear fogs.
;P