Alarming safety issue - rear light

[E38Ross]

I've got a Moon Shield 60 and was cycling home last night and the rear light was working absolutely fine when i left and noticed it cut out on the way home. yes, it was because the battery was low which is my fault but my issue is this - i think that when the battery is running low the light should still shine but just be dimmer (as most lights do!!) instead of shine brightly and just cut out.

i could still turn the light on but a few seconds later it would just cut straight back out again. I nearly got run over yesterday!

Or is my light fked?

[bert11]

thats normal. Just charge it more regularly

[E38Ross]

bert11 said:

thats normal. Just charge it more regularly

ah, fair enough

will just charge it every couple of rides. luckily it's getting brighter in the mornings now; sadly i don't finish until after 7pm so still dark the whole 20miles home at the moment.

[Rob_T]

I'm a bit paranoid about my rear light failing so I now ride with three. A solid light on the saddle bag. A 'knight rider' flashing light on the saddle bag and the a third light on the frame that also flashes away.

[Liquid Knight]

I have a flashing red light on the back of my helmet, one on my bag, one on my mud guard and a constant light on my seatpost. I still get SMIDSY'd on a daily basis.

The issue isn't whether you're paranoid; it's if you're paranoid enough.

[Vladimir]

I think it's because once LED batteries dip to a certain voltage, the lights just switch off rather than dimming. Unlike older bulb lights.

[BliarOut]

Rob_T said:

I'm a bit paranoid about my rear light failing so I now ride with three. A solid light on the saddle bag. A 'knight rider' flashing light on the saddle bag and the a third light on the frame that also flashes away.

Yup, I have a flashing one on my high viz, a good one on my seat post and another spare on my down tube. I used to have one really good one but lost it on an A road always ride with backup now.

[littleandy0410]

As others have said, the moral of the story is ride with a back up.

I have 3 on the frame - 1 very bright left on solid on mode, 1 very bright on flashing, and a silicon Knog copy on flash, and then another small flashing one on the back of my helmet.

[DrMekon]

I run a supeflash, and astrum and a fibreflare. They run out batteries at different rates, so I'd be very unlucky if all three went. Also keep a charger in the office in case any are looking a bit flat on the way in.

[E38Ross]

I think it might be prudent to buy a cheap 2nd light as a backup then!

[BliarOut]

I keep some LIDL led ones on my jacket for emergencies, well worth the £3 they cost

[tigger1]

BliarOut said:

I keep some LIDL led ones on my jacket for emergencies, well worth the £3 they cost

Fasten them somewhere safe, say on the frame, and turn them on

Seriously, first thing you might know about a failed rear light is the car that didn't see you. Better to run two just in case - at least the chances of them both failing on a ride are then significantly smaller.

[MadDad]

I bought a handful of these from Planet-X, stuck them on the kids bikes and keep a spare one in my jersey just in case my main R2 gives up.

Incredibly bright for £2.50!



http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LIPHBPDRL/phaa...

[BliarOut]

tigger1 said:

BliarOut said:

I keep some LIDL led ones on my jacket for emergencies, well worth the £3 they cost

Fasten them somewhere safe, say on the frame, and turn them on

Seriously, first thing you might know about a failed rear light is the car that didn't see you. Better to run two just in case - at least the chances of them both failing on a ride are then significantly smaller.

ON my jacket They just dangle on the zip and the neck strap.

[tigger1]

BliarOut said:

tigger1 said:

BliarOut said:

I keep some LIDL led ones on my jacket for emergencies, well worth the £3 they cost

Fasten them somewhere safe, say on the frame, and turn them on

Seriously, first thing you might know about a failed rear light is the car that didn't see you. Better to run two just in case - at least the chances of them both failing on a ride are then significantly smaller.

ON my jacket They just dangle on the zip and the neck strap.

Do you wear your jacket backwards?

[BliarOut]

Only when I'm going the wrong way down dual carriageways

[shouldbworking]

I think i'd prefer one that didn't turn on if the batteries were too low. Mine all come on, burning bright for just long enough for me to get on my way, then someone comes by and tells you your light isnt working and sure enough its gone dim.

[Jayfish]

That's just the nature of Li-ion the voltage just falls off a cliff, rather than slowly diminishing like Alkalines.

[E38Ross]

Just remembered I have a rear light for my MTB which I can use but need to find somewhere to mount it.

Perhaps on one of the zips on my saddle bag or something. The mounting bracket is seat post sized and no more room there!