Water proof !!! Bright rear light..advice please

funk-meister

Hi, loking to get rear lights sorted for my commute road bike. I don't fit mudguards..please don't go there, but I need as water resistant, bright rear light. Advice would appreciated. Thank you

foggybike

http://road.cc/content/review/49061-moo ... tail-light

rolf_f

Or two Smart R2s for less than half the price - http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LIS ... _red_black

One is plenty good enough - two will be visible from space!

t4tomo

yes Smart R2 is excellent.

iPete

mudguards are the danglies in this weather but if you want bombproof, bright and capable of dealing with the amount of water & shit heading for your ass and back, Hope District 3.

Initial cost eye watering but after 3 years of all year round use, I couldn't give a hoot. Must have lost £100 of cheap lights to water damage and escapes.

Colinthecop

Rolf F wrote:

Or two Smart R2s for less than half the price - http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LIS ... _red_black

Thanks for the half price heads-up Rolf, Just ordered one.

slowbike

Colinthecop wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Or two Smart R2s for less than half the price - http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LIS ... _red_black

Thanks for the half price heads-up Rolf, Just ordered one.

Good light for brightness but don't expect it to be waterproof.

I've used the small clamp and mounted it on the seat stay - so it's not in direct line of spray, but even then I don't trust the seal. I did put some electrical tape around it, but I may just change that to some self amalgamating tape - batteries last long enough on flash mode ...

my advice for night riding is to have at least 2 rear lights - in case one fails ...

rolf_f

Slowbike wrote:

I've used the small clamp and mounted it on the seat stay - so it's not in direct line of spray, but even then I don't trust the seal. I did put some electrical tape around it, but I may just change that to some self amalgamating tape - batteries last long enough on flash mode ...

my advice for night riding is to have at least 2 rear lights - in case one fails ...

I haven't yet got any of the current ones but I have both the 1/2 and 1 watt versions of the kidney shaped ones. They couldn't stand up to seat post mounting or seatstay without some sort of protection but, since mounting the cruds, I've never had any bother with them on the seatpost. No idea if the new ones are better or the same but the insulation tape is a good backup as is Vaseline to seal the join.

The advice to carry a spare is sensible - but that of course applies to any rear light - even the £300 ones. Any light can fail and you are the last person to find out when it has......... I used two on the seatpost, one above the other. Now I am using a Carradice saddle pack the seatpost no longer works so I have made up a quick release mount for one onto my Fizik saddle - that's actually really quite neat!

And please, put mudguards on - at least Crud Roadracers. It's not about keeping your backside dry - more about protecting the bike. It really does make a huge difference and they don't take long to remove for the summer if you believe it doesn't rain in the summer!

t4tomo

if you mount any light in a stream of spray heading off your back wheel then you are asking for trouble.

A crud catcher or strategically mounted cut away piece of drinks bottle is a cheap and easy fix for the winter commute.

slowbike

Rolf F wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

I've used the small clamp and mounted it on the seat stay - so it's not in direct line of spray, but even then I don't trust the seal. I did put some electrical tape around it, but I may just change that to some self amalgamating tape - batteries last long enough on flash mode ...

my advice for night riding is to have at least 2 rear lights - in case one fails ...

I haven't yet got any of the current ones but I have both the 1/2 and 1 watt versions of the kidney shaped ones. They couldn't stand up to seat post mounting or seatstay without some sort of protection but, since mounting the cruds, I've never had any bother with them on the seatpost. No idea if the new ones are better or the same but the insulation tape is a good backup as is Vaseline to seal the join.

Ah - hadn't thought of vaseline - but as it's on my commuter I'll just go for the complete seal with some better tape.

Rolf F wrote:

The advice to carry a spare is sensible - but that of course applies to any rear light - even the £300 ones. Any light can fail and you are the last person to find out when it has.........

Can I just clarify - it's not a spare as such - I turn BOTH lights on ... or all 3 once we get into the winter. As you say - you're the last person to find out - especially now I've got them mounted on the back of the rack - I can't even see them! One evening last year I lost one light on a bumpy descent (clipmount - just fell off the saddlebag loop!) and then after stopping at the docs one of the other lights failed to turn on again - it was the Cateye Rapid 3 - I'm assuming it was to do with moisture in the contacts as it was a dank evening - so ended up the last 2 miles home on just the 1 backlight. The cateye fired up once I got home!

rubertoe

I'll have 4/5 Lights dotted about me and the bike at the rear come wintertime....

one/two are never enough

cougie

I always have at least two rear lights at night.

The Smart 0.5W sealed with vaseline has been very good through wet rides for me anyway.

And get some tyreflys to mount on the valves - cost about a fiver and give great side visibility for junctions.

shamrock134

I run 2 x Knog Blinder 4 LED rear.

USB rechargeable and fully waterproof.

cougie

The bracket looks a bit cumbersome though.

;-)