Smart R1 or R2 rear light?

avoidingmyphd
avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
edited October 2011 in Commuting general
How do I choose between the Smart R1 and R2 rear lights?

R11 (1x1W LED + 2 smaller LEDs) is cheaper than R2, with (2x0.5W LEDs).

Is the R2 better? Or are the prices tricking me? I'd have thought the R1 would win!

Comments

  • Avezius
    Avezius Posts: 132
    I went for R1, because:

    The 1watt light can flash while the two smaller LEDs can be always lit, plus the 1watt led is brighter than either of the 0.5watt bulbs in the R2.

    A few other comments here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12804462

    I think the R2 looks cooler tho.
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    Bought the R2 and was very impressed with how bright it is but it's so susceptible to getting water in where the batteries are and turning off - after a few rainy evenings of getting home and finding that it had turned itself off I just stopped using it, not worth the gamble.

    I've been using a smart 1/2W Super Flash for 2 years and it's worked perfectly through a couple of harsh winters. Easily worth £8.75 from PX... http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LIS ... rear-light
    FCN 2 to 8
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    R2 for me , i find it more waterproof than the r1 and i am hoping it is better in the winter as the r1 used to stop working every time it got around freezing .

    I run my r2 in combination with a standard smart flasher on each pannier bag.
    FCN 3/5/9
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    if you have to ride in anything more than drizzle then neither!!
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Chris Bass wrote:
    if you have to ride in anything more than drizzle then neither!!

    I've used several smart lights on my road bike in the wet, and in copious amounts of mud on the mtb and they've all been fine. A bit of vaseline/grease on the seal seems to do the trick.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    bails87 wrote:
    Chris Bass wrote:
    if you have to ride in anything more than drizzle then neither!!

    I've used several smart lights on my road bike in the wet, and in copious amounts of mud on the mtb and they've all been fine. A bit of vaseline/grease on the seal seems to do the trick.

    That's true for me as well, apart from the R2. Whatever I tried with that light I couldn't get it to be reliable in all weather conditions.
    FCN 2 to 8
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    My r2 was still going strong after i got completely drenched the other night, nowt wrong with them.
    FCN 3/5/9

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