rear lights

iampaulb

As the nights are drawing in, i think its time to invest in some lights. I am looking for a rear light mainly...Just wondering if anyone has any good recommendations. I have a aero-ish (giant brand) seat post so need one to fit that.

i have come across this one which has taken my fancy.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld610-led-rear-light/

petemadoc

These are generally considered some of the best rear lights available from the limited research I have done

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... marligh244

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=29543

This is a set but worth a few quid extra for the front light too

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/niterider-mako- ... light-set/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld110 ... ear-light/

The waterproofness of all of these is questionable so a bit of grease of vaseline is always a good idea. All these will make sure you are seen from a good distance away.

cougie

Whatever you get - I'd use two on the back - just in case one fails.

ThatBikeGuy

Try the fibre flares on the seat stays, they work a treat for me, very visible and so long as you get some rechargeable AAA's you wont need to worry about buying batteries all the time.

Eyorerox

http://www.ridepdw.com/goods/lights/rad ... 84%A2-1000
Postage is a lot from
http://www.westernbikeworks.com/product ... rear-light

Velonutter

£19 from here and free post, just ordered 4 for the family as they look the digs danglies.

gabriel959

Velonutter wrote:

£19 from here and free post, just ordered 4 for the family as they look the digs danglies.

where is "here"?

Sammyw23

Just in terms of the OP's suggestion of the Cateye T610 - I have this and whilst its a good light I find the clamp rubs the legs when its on the seatpost even with the surplus plastic trimmed down.

I am going to replace it with a Smart R1/2 as their clamp has a screwfix so should have more clearance.

Cheers

vorsprung

Cateye don't make a rear light that is "state of the art" at the moment, so avoid them

The Smart Superflash or it's equivalent has 1/2 W high powered LED in it. There are 1W versions too. These are daylight visible and a lot brighter than any Cateye rear light

Sentral

LASERS!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350595347118? ... 97.c0.m619

pinno

Nah, none of that - Smart Lunar, 35 lux doubled up on your handlebars, looks like ET coming back. They are the mutts nuts.

Hoopdriver

vorsprung wrote:

Cateye don't make a rear light that is "state of the art" at the moment, so avoid them

The Smart Superflash or it's equivalent has 1/2 W high powered LED in it. There are 1W versions too. These are daylight visible and a lot brighter than any Cateye rear light

Huh?

Perhaps Cateye's latest offerings are not au courant but the Cateye 1100 is a mighty bright, tough and relible rear light that flashes to the side as well as the rear. I've got a couple of Mars lights and a Smart light, both of which are excellent, but the Cateye 1100 still takes some beating.

vorsprung

Hoopdriver wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

Cateye don't make a rear light that is "state of the art" at the moment, so avoid them

The Smart Superflash or it's equivalent has 1/2 W high powered LED in it. There are 1W versions too. These are daylight visible and a lot brighter than any Cateye rear light

Huh?

Perhaps Cateye's latest offerings are not au courant but the Cateye 1100 is a mighty bright, tough and relible rear light that flashes to the side as well as the rear. I've got a couple of Mars lights and a Smart light, both of which are excellent, but the Cateye 1100 still takes some beating.

I've used several Cateye 1100 for several years and I agree that a few years ago they were pretty good

Reliabilty wise, the Cateye 1100 is also better than average. And the side visiblity is nice.

But in terms of raw power, the 1100 is yesterdays light. If you see a light like a Smart Superflash, in daylight, half a mile away in light drizzle- it is quite noticeable. Even with new batteries the 1100 would be almost invisible under similar circumstances. The Cateye 1100 is also more expensive.

cougie

That Cateye is years old - i think technology has moved on.

I've been very happy with mine - it lasted well - but the Smart 1/2 watt style lights kick its ass for brightness at least.

I'd never rely on just one light though - always go for two in case one fails.

navrig

I bought the Smart light after getting dropped from a small group last winter. In the group was a few different lights inlcuding a Smart. Even in morning light (about 1000am, January) it stood out against the others from about half a mile away . :oops:

keef66

I too have the Cateye TL1100; been using it for night rides for the past 5 years. I like the side illumination and the fact it has 2 banks of LED's so you can have one on flashing and the other on constant. It is very directional though; I clipped it to my new Carradice saddlebag but found it pointed downwards too much. I thought it would be pretty much invisible to a following car.

I bought one of the Smart 1W lights for my son's bike; that's too bright to cycle behind, so I'm thinking of nicking it and having that as my backup.

Sentral

Just been having a look for some more powerful lights

Planet-X have the Smart lights half price at the moment, bargain! http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/smart-l ... t-planet-x

Also, came across the CREE XM-L based lights on eBay, seems really good value, and I like the fact that it's easily removed http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300749534006? ... 499wt_1008

giant_man

PeteMadoc wrote:

These are generally considered some of the best rear lights available from the limited research I have done

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... marligh244

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=29543

This is a set but worth a few quid extra for the front light too

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/niterider-mako-1-watt-and-cherrybomb-1-watt-light-set/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld110 ... ear-light/

The waterproofness of all of these is questionable so a bit of grease of vaseline is always a good idea. All these will make sure you are seen from a good distance away.

Is that front light, the Mako, any good, Pete?

andyoh

Both my son and I use the Smart Lunar R1 and they are very bright

gabriel959

Sentral wrote:

Just been having a look for some more powerful lights

Planet-X have the Smart lights half price at the moment, bargain! http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/smart-l ... t-planet-x

Also, came across the CREE XM-L based lights on eBay, seems really good value, and I like the fact that it's easily removed http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300749534006? ... 499wt_1008

Look at that battery though for the Cree XM-L. No protection whatsoever for wet weather!

goonz

+++ on the Cherrybomb. I use that and have done for the last 2 years, its a great light. Very visible, not the normal flash but a more funky flash and excellent waterproofing.

Sentral

gabriel959 wrote:

Sentral wrote:

Just been having a look for some more powerful lights

Planet-X have the Smart lights half price at the moment, bargain! http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/smart-l ... t-planet-x

Also, came across the CREE XM-L based lights on eBay, seems really good value, and I like the fact that it's easily removed http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300749534006? ... 499wt_1008

Look at that battery though for the Cree XM-L. No protection whatsoever for wet weather!

Great point! Shouldn't be too difficult to get a waterproof case for it, although the cable looks really short

dgstewart

I've just bought a Moon Shield - 60 lumens and USB rechargeable, so great if you work at (or have access to) a PC. Claims good for a couple of hours on full power, and up to 5 or 6 hours at lower (still very bright) settings. It has a sligthly stretchy watch strap style rubber clamping mechanism that will suit differetn shapes.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/l ... light.html (out of stock just now but probably back in soon - must have bought the last one!)

Went for the Shield as I've seen another guy with it and I have very good experience with the Moon front lights. I was commuting all through last winter on dark country roads using the Moon X-Power 300 and 500 (number is the lumens rating). Very bright, one piece lights with no cables, separate power packs etc. Again, USB rechargeable so perfect for commutes of 1 hr or so, maybe up to 2 hours. Battery power does drain quicker in very cold weather (as with any rechargeable batteries, I think).

Velonutter

gabriel959 wrote:

Velonutter wrote:

£19 from here and free post, just ordered 4 for the family as they look the digs danglies.

where is "here"?

Sorry Gabriel, here's the link, I used them last night and they are truly blinding, I also like the built in reflector: -

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Portland-Design ... _41309.htm

Focus-rider

+1 for the fibre flares. Trust me I have not seen a brighter or clearer rear light yet. Come in two sizes and are so clear even in te day light. Best light by far that I have tried anyway.

chrisaonabike

Just wondering if the OP managed to get a rear light that fits well on his Giant aero(-ish) seat post?

I've been looking at some of the Cateye and Smart ones, but my seat post (Giant Defy 3 composite 2012) is very tapered, so I'm quite concerned about the mount security, if they even fit at all.

The other thing I'm wondering about is whether it's practical to have a seat-post mounted light at all, if there's also a saddle-bag slung under the saddle.

Be gratedul for any suggestions of a good bright light, and bag combinations that work well on the post (of which there's a shade over 5 inches available below the saddle.

pkripper

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Just wondering if the OP managed to get a rear light that fits well on his Giant aero(-ish) seat post?

I've been looking at some of the Cateye and Smart ones, but my seat post (Giant Defy 3 composite 2012) is very tapered, so I'm quite concerned about the mount security, if they even fit at all.

The other thing I'm wondering about is whether it's practical to have a seat-post mounted light at all, if there's also a saddle-bag slung under the saddle.

Be gratedul for any suggestions of a good bright light, and bag combinations that work well on the post (of which there's a shade over 5 inches available below the saddle.

I have a felt AR5 and commute on that, and have a Moon Shield and an Exposure Flare combo on the back - they mount ok on the very aero post and the combo of the brightness and different modes in each makes it super visible. Cherrybombs are also good, but not as bright.

I've got a couple of smart lights, but the ones i've had have been very bright but not reliable