Rear lights visible from orbit....

[TheLemming]

After another SMIDSY moment of some **** turning across me without warning into a parking space, I've decided that perhaps better illumination couldn't hurt, especially as the great dark will descend soon (for a given value of soon).

Front lights, well we already have a thread on stupidly powerful LEDs (soon to be ordered for my mountain bike as there's a local group who does night runs through the woods that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun, dumb, but fun) rear lights on the other hand, what do people recommend?

I was trying to get hold of a pair of full length Fibre Flare lights after seeing some videos of them in action, but they seem to be vanishing from retailers.

I was looking at these?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld600-led-rear-l... - glowing reviews
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cateye-tl-ld110... - Seems to be the next one up

Still searching. Budget isn't really an issue although I'd prefer not to spend a fortune on something easily nicked from my bike.
Alternatively there's always shopping at Wicked Lasers for something capable of bubbling paintwork.... http://www.wickedlasers.com/torch

Edited by TheLemming on Wednesday 21st August 21:07

Edited by TheLemming on Wednesday 21st August 21:16

[Disco You]

I find it makes a big difference to have two(+) lights rather than one; one static and one flashing; and in the case of rear lights, at different heights. (the same applies to front lights)

For example, a static on the back of your helmet and flashing on your seatpost/ saddlebag.

[anonymous-user]

I've got the lower cateye TLD whatever. It's a great light and very bright, battery seems to last for yonks in various strobe modes. Bright from the sides also.

[TheLemming]

Actually a combination of two two could be interesting,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIx8R2WHJOA

600 on the side and 1100 on top....

[jodypress]

TheLemming said:

Actually a combination of two two could be interesting,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIx8R2WHJOA

600 on the side and 1100 on top....

You can't go wrong with a pair of Smart Lunar R2's on the rear stays.



I picked some up last month for £9 each, can't remember where though.

[dudleybloke]

iv got one of these on the front.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XM-L-XML-T6-LED-180...


and this on the rear.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magicshine-MJ-818-Cycle-...





iv set pointing down as not to blind drivers and its very noticable even in daylight. drivers seem to give me a lot more room and consideration with it on in the day too.

Edited by dudleybloke on Wednesday 21st August 21:36

[TheLemming]

dudleybloke said:

iv got one of these on the front.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XM-L-XML-T6-LED-180...


and this on the rear.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magicshine-MJ-818-Cycle-...



iv set pointing down as not to blind drivers and its very noticable even in daylight. drivers seem to give me a lot more room and consideration with it on in the day too.

That sounds like just what I'm after for the MTB as I was going to order some Cree fronts anyway... Nice one thankyou for that.

[dudleybloke]

you wont be disapointed.
just dont look right at it when you first switch it on.
(you will....we all did!)

[Disco You]

jodypress said:

You can't go wrong with a pair of Smart Lunar R2's on the rear stays.



I picked some up last month for £9 each, can't remember where though.

Mind looking up where? £15 is the lowest I can find.

Edit: found it, jejames cycles maybe? They have none left

Edited by Disco You on Wednesday 21st August 22:18

Edited by Disco You on Wednesday 21st August 22:19

[bingybongy]

I used this on my paper round.

[nagsheadwarrior]

Just bid on a diamond shaped l.e.d job on ebay that has a laser beam option too,draws 2 red beams onto the ground from the bike,awesome!

[yellowjack]

BOOM!!!!

Blast from the past, there bingybongy. I had one o'them too, along with a front lamp that wouldn't look out of place on a steam locomotive. That fitted onto a lovely chrome bracket fitted between the crown race and the head tube, not something you see on a bike these days

Back to the OP's question - Cateye TL-LD610 is my main rear light... http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld610-led-rear-l... ...when mounted horizontally it has a KITT/Cylon warrior style back and forth wave mode which is quite eye catching, along with the 'House of Pain' mode. (The light literally 'jumps around' in an apparently random fashion, one LED lit at a time).

It's used in conjunction with a couple of older Smart lamps... http://www.schmooscycles.org.uk/smart-superflash-l... and http://www.probikekit.co.uk/cycling-accessories-nc... ...which I've picked up over the years and handily clip to the rear of my saddle pack and the strap for my head torch. If anything I'm over-lit at the rear, I'm going to get me some of the Magicshine front lights this year, as the two AA battery/three LED Smart lamps I'm currently using are not really up to rural roads and off-roading in the dark.

[T350 Al]

The Cateye units are pretty bright, but they aren't exactly waterproof. Worth considering if you're planning on riding in sodden conditions. I went through two of them within a couple of weeks on my daily commute in fairly heavy rain, thankfully they died a slow death so didn't leave me stranded in the dark.

Just bought a couple of Lezyne units that claim to be waterproof so will see how they go.

[Mr Will]

T350 Al said:

Just bought a couple of Lezyne units that claim to be waterproof so will see how they go.

Less waterproof than the Cateyes IME, sorry

I'm a Cateye fan, it's little things like turning on in the same mode they were in before you switched them off and not having to cycle through twenty million useless flashing modes all the time. They get a big thumbs up from me.

[Rolls]

Best thing to stop rear lights mounted on the seatpost from dying due to rain is a rear mudguard.. - without, mine last a couple of weeks... with, has lasted 2 years thus far...

[itsnotarace]

Anyone used those fibre flares long term? Any good?

[Fluffsri]

These are the brightest lights ive seen on bikes so far.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/exposure-flare-mk-2-rear-l...

[Smartboy]

I have an exposure rear light, think it's called a red-eye perhaps? Anyway, it's the one with a long cable which plugs into the port on the back of my Exposure front light (Toro).
Very bright and is only a constant light (does not flash).
Guess it doens't help unless you have a compatible Exposure front light to power it with though?

[robpearson]

I've got a hope District +, it's attached by a splitter cable to the same battery as my front light, and it's scarily bright. I bought it because it requires tools to remove. My last one (Lezyne) jumped off the bike, and left me with a 10 mile commute with no light on an unlit country lane. luckily only one car came past and they told me I should get some lights... I had one of the freebie elastic-on things from MBR, so put that on for the remaining distance.

[vvill]

Use an Exposure Flare and it is very bright. Few downsides though:
- Takes daft CR123 batteries so an extra cost
- The twist action to turn it on/off sometimes means the mode will change from constant to flash for no reason

I'd probably consider a Lezyne Micro Drive: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-micro-drive-rear-le...