REAR bike light suggestions

Anyone have any suggestions for a rear bike light that does NOT attach to the seatpost? I'm short and my saddle bag is attached under my saddle, so there is not enough room for a rear light to attach to the seatpost.

I think a light that clips to my saddle bag (clip-on) or seat stays are my best options for visibility.

Obviously the light should have a long-lasting battery, be waterproof and look sleek.

Comments

  • joe2019
    joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    If you want to 'look sleek' lose the saddle bag, and replace with a storage bottle.

    I've always used Lezyne lights with USB charging.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Seat stays would mean the wheel blocks the light at some angles.

    Seesense Icon or Ace come with clips for bags and are very very bright and great customer service.

    My lezyne just died on me so can't recommend them.
  • spatt77
    spatt77 Posts: 324
    Leyzne zecto max drive! 250 lumens, great battery life and has a clip that fits onto a saddle bag!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,591
    edited June 2020
    fenix said:

    Seat stays would mean the wheel blocks the light at some angles.

    Seesense Icon or Ace come with clips for bags and are very very bright and great customer service.

    My lezyne just died on me so can't recommend them.

    I went through 3 rear Seesense Aces before I gave up. I now use Moon Orion. They are not Smart but they simply work and don't fall off.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,410
    I spend as little as possible on rear lights but replace them when needed. I find rear lights fail more often than front ones. They also fall off and you don't notice till the end of the ride. If riding at night I use two rear lights always. I bought a few £2.99 ones from Planet X that take rechargeable AAA batteries. Also if you are hooking onto the loop of a saddle bag then use a small elastic band/cut a ring from old inner tube around the light and the hook to stop them from bouncing off - they will eventually if you don't.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    edited June 2020
    I have one of these, not smart it bounces well an charges off USB. Clip seems pretty decent too. Works as a front or back light used it on saddlebags and VDO clips on jackets without issue. Centre of the clip has a cut out and a matching protrusion on the body of the light which keeps it more secure.

    https://www.decathlon.co.uk/vioo-clip-900-front-rear-usb-led-bike-light-id_8487105.html

    Just noticed they do them in pairs for a bit less, a back up front light never hurts

    https://www.decathlon.co.uk/kit-st-500-usb-black-id_8584245.html
  • danx
    danx Posts: 27
    edited June 2020
    The problem with saddlebag clips is the lights tend to flop a bit and point downwards. Also you need a tight clip to stop it bouncing out.

    I'd go for a combination of saddleback clip and seatstay for better coverage and redundancy.

    I have a Moon Ring that comes with different size fitting for seatstay or seatpost. It lasts long enough on flashing mode. For saddlepack I'd go for something using AA batteries for long lasting and cheap replacements if lost/damaged. £10 will get a AA powered light thats plenty bright enough.
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,510
    Helmet.
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    How big is your saddle bag? ...I wouldn't loose my rear light for the sake of a saddle bag! And mine hasn't fallen off once in the last tens of thousands of miles (Exposure TraceR).

    I wouldnt ride without it now, even in the daytime.... being a driver i know how hard it can be to see cyclists - even when it's sunny when transitions from shadowed roads to full sun, or when driving into the sun (especially earlier mornings/late afternoons).

    Seatstay light mounts are rubbish because the tubes are too thin and generally too steep to allow you to position the light in a good position.
  • spatt77
    spatt77 Posts: 324

    Helmet.

    I have used a helmet light for commuting and think they are excellent!
  • spatt77
    spatt77 Posts: 324
    Why dont you use a cannister that fits in your bottle cage for your tools/ inner tube which will leave plenty of your seat post free?
  • spatt77
    spatt77 Posts: 324

    How big is your saddle bag? ...I wouldn't loose my rear light for the sake of a saddle bag! And mine hasn't fallen off once in the last tens of thousands of miles (Exposure TraceR).

    I wouldnt ride without it now, even in the daytime.... being a driver i know how hard it can be to see cyclists - even when it's sunny when transitions from shadowed roads to full sun, or when driving into the sun (especially earlier mornings/late afternoons).

    Seatstay light mounts are rubbish because the tubes are too thin and generally too steep to allow you to position the light in a good position.

    excellent advice!
  • spatt77 said:

    How big is your saddle bag? ...I wouldn't loose my rear light for the sake of a saddle bag! And mine hasn't fallen off once in the last tens of thousands of miles (Exposure TraceR).

    I wouldnt ride without it now, even in the daytime.... being a driver i know how hard it can be to see cyclists - even when it's sunny when transitions from shadowed roads to full sun, or when driving into the sun (especially earlier mornings/late afternoons).

    Seatstay light mounts are rubbish because the tubes are too thin and generally too steep to allow you to position the light in a good position.

    excellent advice!
    I would never ride without my light either! However, I need two water bottles for 100k+ rides so I can't store my patch kit in a my water bottle cage (I do this on short rides! LOVE it!)

    Also I should clarify, there is room on the seatpost but the back tire is in the way of visibility. Small frame, short guy here.
  • spatt77 said:

    Why dont you use a cannister that fits in your bottle cage for your tools/ inner tube which will leave plenty of your seat post free?

    Yep yep I do that for rides where I don't need two water bottles. On my rides there is very little water available, with COVID-19 the water sources are closed!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I know what you mean. Tricky finding cafes open. Cemeteries are usually good for having taps that you can refill from though.

    Let's hope our favourite coffee stops reopen soon.
  • spatt77
    spatt77 Posts: 324
    ok, i think on some of the moon lights they can turn horizontally as well, i may be wrong, good lights though!
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,249
    Got a moon auto last week which has a clip on it. awaiting delivery. Tredz have it at £17 plus delivery
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731

    I would never ride without my light either! However, I need two water bottles for 100k+ rides so I can't store my patch kit in a my water bottle cage (I do this on short rides! LOVE it!)

    What do you carry in your saddlebag?

    I use a 'Leyzene road caddy' - fits a topeak hexus ii multitool, 2x 25g co2 cannisters, co2 pump, tubeless worms, tubeless repair tools, rubber cement and a few rubber patches.... You can't tell me that something like this would obscure a rear light unless your ant Man!

    And surely you can fit a puncture repair kit and a multitool in your rear pockets (that's what they're for)? And use a frame mounted pump or a co2 pump.
  • alex222
    alex222 Posts: 598
    pblakeney said:

    fenix said:

    Seat stays would mean the wheel blocks the light at some angles.

    Seesense Icon or Ace come with clips for bags and are very very bright and great customer service.

    My lezyne just died on me so can't recommend them.

    I went through 3 rear Seesense Aces before I gave up. I now use Moon Orion. They are not Smart but they simply work and don't fall off.
    I got through 2 See Sense Ace lights before giving up. Kept failing due to water ingress.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,249
    I've see lights obscured by the tyre on small frames, utterly invisible from behind.
    I can't think of the name of them but those long tubular shaped lights, one on each seatstay seem very visible at night. Probably not good as daytime lights if that's what you want.
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,121
    spatt77 said:

    Leyzne zecto max drive! 250 lumens, great battery life and has a clip that fits onto a saddle bag!

    Late to this party but I got a rear Zecto drive after seeing someone else's and thought it was great.
    It got full of water on the first wet commute and won't fully turn off. Battery life doesn't seem to be affected massively but there are always 2 LEDs permanently on now.

    PlanetX have cheaper copies of the Zecto drive:
    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIJOAVI/jobsworth-avior-usb-rechargeable-light
    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIJOFLASH/jobsworth-3w-flasher

    I can't remember which one of those that I bought but it's been more reliable and it's still really bright on full power. It only has on, or flash with none of the fancy patterns of the Zecto drive.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,130
    I really like the seesense ace, but have had it replaced twice due to water getting in. Great customer service - really great.
  • skeetam
    skeetam Posts: 178
    I use a large saddlebag for commuting (don't like a rucksack) and attach my Exposure TraceR to the seat stay. Used it like this for years without it falling off.


  • alex222
    alex222 Posts: 598

    I really like the seesense ace, but have had it replaced twice due to water getting in. Great customer service - really great.

    Agree that the customer service was excellent. But for me the second unit failed 2 days into a 6 day cycling holiday, so I lost faith in the product. They refunded me without question though.
  • I would never ride without my light either! However, I need two water bottles for 100k+ rides so I can't store my patch kit in a my water bottle cage (I do this on short rides! LOVE it!)

    What do you carry in your saddlebag?

    I use a 'Leyzene road caddy' - fits a topeak hexus ii multitool, 2x 25g co2 cannisters, co2 pump, tubeless worms, tubeless repair tools, rubber cement and a few rubber patches.... You can't tell me that something like this would obscure a rear light unless your ant Man!

    And surely you can fit a puncture repair kit and a multitool in your rear pockets (that's what they're for)? And use a frame mounted pump or a co2 pump.
    I would LOVE to fit the repair kit in my pockets but they seem full already - gels. Also the CO cannisters are a bit heavy/bulky.

    Anyways, I'm not Ant man however - I'm going to look at that caddy! Maybe I'll post a pic of the situation... :-)

  • Rear lights certainly don't need to be big to be effective these days.

    I use a Bontrager Flare-R which is seriously effective and attaches to the bottom of my seatpost with plenty of room between it and the underside of my Lezyne Road Caddy (the smallest one).

    I only carry x1 tube, small pack of Park pre-glued patches (tiny), x1 spare CO2 can and a couple of allen keys. To be honest, I'm thinking of ditching the spare tube and just sticking the patches in a pocket so I can bin the Caddy completely. AS small, compact and neat as it is, I hate having "luggage", on the bike...