Okay...So What's A Good Tail Light?



SMS wrote:
>
>
> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.

???

"http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=101&subcategory=1068&brand=&sku=12860&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename="

Hey, thanks, this sounds very nice! Bright enough to be seen during
the day, eh?

> Yes, that's a great headlight, but ouch, $500?!

$529, mind you. But it's 5-6 hrs. of 500-600 lumens! You could mount
it on the helmet or the bike, and it's light-weight, the battery pack
weighing a pound -- as much as a loaf of bread!
 
SMS wrote:
>
>
> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.

???

"http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=101&subcategory=1068&brand=&sku=12860&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename="

Hey, thanks, this sounds very nice! Bright enough to be seen during
the day, eh?

> Yes, that's a great headlight, but ouch, $500?!

$529, mind you. But it's 5-6 hrs. of 500-600 lumens! You could mount
it on the helmet or the bike, and it's light-weight, the battery pack
weighing a pound -- as much as a loaf of bread!
 
The Wogster wrote:
>
>
> Hmmm, US$529 add on $40 for customs, convert into beaver bucks, that's
> $654 add on the Gouging and Screwing Tax that's $700 for a light, nearly
> 3 times what I spent on the bike (year end distributors clearance, I
> gotta *really* good deal). I think that's a little pricey....

I know, I feel the same way -- except that I do plan on night riding,
and being new to 'bents, I don't feel comfortable doing without a light
(I'm even gonna get a helmet, can you believe that), and this thing
sounds like a real light, not some bar-mounted flashlight.

And if you got such a great deal on the bike itself, then consider that
everything "balances out" with the purchase of such a wonderful
light....

> When I put lights on mine, I'll get a pair of $7 rear lights, and run
> them that way, since I have an MTB with the seat way up there, there is
> lots of seatpost space. Nice thing about running two rear lights, is
> that if the batteries die on one, the other is still running...

That's a good idea.

> Can have the opposite effect, remember, you hit what your looking at, so
> as your watching the light show, you run over the bike it's attached
> to....

But then you can say that about a regular light -- if the driver's
gonna hit what s/he's looking at, and the point is to be
seen...moreover, one might as well say that since 'bents are so
unusual, they're more likely to be hit....

> Well, they got the hokey part right. The real issue in both cases
> though, is you buy a nice light high quality bike, adding 25lbs of
> batteries isn't a big benefit.

Even if I employed all these devices at once -- which I'd only do for
something like a Fourth of July night-ride (yeah!) -- the weight is
most likely three pounds, four pounds tops.

Hell, do you know that a pair of combat boots weighs five pounds?

Besides, the SMGTe is surprisingly light.

I can hack.

> W
 
The Wogster wrote:
>
>
> Hmmm, US$529 add on $40 for customs, convert into beaver bucks, that's
> $654 add on the Gouging and Screwing Tax that's $700 for a light, nearly
> 3 times what I spent on the bike (year end distributors clearance, I
> gotta *really* good deal). I think that's a little pricey....

I know, I feel the same way -- except that I do plan on night riding,
and being new to 'bents, I don't feel comfortable doing without a light
(I'm even gonna get a helmet, can you believe that), and this thing
sounds like a real light, not some bar-mounted flashlight.

And if you got such a great deal on the bike itself, then consider that
everything "balances out" with the purchase of such a wonderful
light....

> When I put lights on mine, I'll get a pair of $7 rear lights, and run
> them that way, since I have an MTB with the seat way up there, there is
> lots of seatpost space. Nice thing about running two rear lights, is
> that if the batteries die on one, the other is still running...

That's a good idea.

> Can have the opposite effect, remember, you hit what your looking at, so
> as your watching the light show, you run over the bike it's attached
> to....

But then you can say that about a regular light -- if the driver's
gonna hit what s/he's looking at, and the point is to be
seen...moreover, one might as well say that since 'bents are so
unusual, they're more likely to be hit....

> Well, they got the hokey part right. The real issue in both cases
> though, is you buy a nice light high quality bike, adding 25lbs of
> batteries isn't a big benefit.

Even if I employed all these devices at once -- which I'd only do for
something like a Fourth of July night-ride (yeah!) -- the weight is
most likely three pounds, four pounds tops.

Hell, do you know that a pair of combat boots weighs five pounds?

Besides, the SMGTe is surprisingly light.

I can hack.

> W
 
"SMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> NYC XYZ wrote:
> > That L&M Arc Li-Ion Ultra is the best head light, hands down. But how
> > about tail lights? Or are they just the same?
> >
> > And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?
>
> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.

Best blinkie we have is my wife's cheap Wal-Mart one, I forget the brand
(not marked Bell), but it is really bright, with about 8LEDs in a full
semicircle. Much better than the Trek one that lasted about 5 weeks. Not
small, but it gets the job done properly, and gets left outside all day.
 
"SMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> NYC XYZ wrote:
> > That L&M Arc Li-Ion Ultra is the best head light, hands down. But how
> > about tail lights? Or are they just the same?
> >
> > And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?
>
> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.

Best blinkie we have is my wife's cheap Wal-Mart one, I forget the brand
(not marked Bell), but it is really bright, with about 8LEDs in a full
semicircle. Much better than the Trek one that lasted about 5 weeks. Not
small, but it gets the job done properly, and gets left outside all day.
 
NYC XYZ wrote:

> That L&M Arc Li-Ion Ultra is the best head light, hands down. But how
> about tail lights? Or are they just the same?

Due to the historically strict bike lighting regulations in the UK, we
have some rather good LEDs to choose from that meet BS6102/3. If you
can get one, the Cateye TL-AU100BS is excellent. The Cateye LD250 is
brighter but tends to drain its batteries when switched off and the
build quality is crapola.

The lighting rules over here have just been relaxed (Oct 2005) to allow
flashing lights, but they're horrid for other people if you're riding in
a group.
 
I now have a Busch & Muller 4D Permanent Tail Light (ie, doesn't blink)
through The Touring
Store.(http://www.thetouringstore.com/BUSCH & MULLER/BUSCH MULLER HOME.htm)
I also have a Trek Disco light, which I think is the best blinkie that can
attach itself to the back of my trunk. I really wish some thought would be
made by the blinkie companies about how they are going to attach to racks
and trunks, not just seat tubes.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
NYC XYZ wrote:
> The Wogster wrote:
>
>>
>>Hmmm, US$529 add on $40 for customs, convert into beaver bucks, that's
>>$654 add on the Gouging and Screwing Tax that's $700 for a light, nearly
>>3 times what I spent on the bike (year end distributors clearance, I
>>gotta *really* good deal). I think that's a little pricey....
>
>
> I know, I feel the same way -- except that I do plan on night riding,
> and being new to 'bents, I don't feel comfortable doing without a light
> (I'm even gonna get a helmet, can you believe that), and this thing
> sounds like a real light, not some bar-mounted flashlight.

Effectively every bike light is a bar mounted flashlight.... Actually
my preference would be 3 lights, mounted locomotive style, one on the
bars to be seen, then one on each fork, to see with, because they are
low down, they would make things like potholes and road detris show as
more visible.....

> And if you got such a great deal on the bike itself, then consider that
> everything "balances out" with the purchase of such a wonderful
> light....

My spouse would disagree.....

>
>
>>When I put lights on mine, I'll get a pair of $7 rear lights, and run
>>them that way, since I have an MTB with the seat way up there, there is
>>lots of seatpost space. Nice thing about running two rear lights, is
>>that if the batteries die on one, the other is still running...
>
>
> That's a good idea.

They also normally serve slightly different purposes, the blinking light
gets your attention, the steady holds it, while you decide how far
away the light is (and the object it's attached to).

>
>
>>Can have the opposite effect, remember, you hit what your looking at, so
>>as your watching the light show, you run over the bike it's attached
>>to....
>
>
> But then you can say that about a regular light -- if the driver's
> gonna hit what s/he's looking at, and the point is to be
> seen...moreover, one might as well say that since 'bents are so
> unusual, they're more likely to be hit....

Thing is they will not look at your bike, with conventional lighting,
they use it for targeting, (there is an object there to avoid). Whether
that object registers as a bicycle or not, doesn't matter, as long as
the driver figures it's something to avoid.

W
 
NYC XYZ wrote:
> SMS wrote:
>>
>> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
>> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.
>
> ???
>
> "http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=101&subcategory=1068&brand=&sku=12860&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename="
>
> Hey, thanks, this sounds very nice! Bright enough to be seen during
> the day, eh?

Yes, at least seen more than the typical blinkie. Trek and Specialized
also have some good rear lights, but I don't find them for sale on-line.

Also check out the Blackburn at
"http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?partNumber=54722"

See "http://nordicgroup.us/s78/taillights.html" for the taillight
section of the information site on bicycle lighting.

>> Yes, that's a great headlight, but ouch, $500?!
>
> $529, mind you.

$499 at "http://store.yahoo.com/phattire1/limoarcliulb.html"
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> I now have a Busch & Muller 4D Permanent Tail Light (ie, doesn't blink)
> through The Touring
> Store.(http://www.thetouringstore.com/BUSCH & MULLER/BUSCH MULLER HOME.htm)
> I also have a Trek Disco light, which I think is the best blinkie that can
> attach itself to the back of my trunk. I really wish some thought would be
> made by the blinkie companies about how they are going to attach to racks
> and trunks, not just seat tubes.

The Cat Eye LD1000 attaches to racks that have the little tab for
taillights.
 
NYC XYZ wrote:
> That L&M Arc Li-Ion Ultra is the best head light, hands down. But how
> about tail lights? Or are they just the same?
>
> And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?
>
Now that every taillight product has been recommended to you, I'll make
my recommendation:

Blackburn Mars 3.0

Why? It doesn't break off if you accidentally hit it. The others are
made of stiff plastic that breaks after jarring and occasional bumping.
The mars plastic is a little more flexible and absorbs that shock.
Otherwise it's your standard 2xAAA LED blinkie with four modes.

Have fun,
-C
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> I now have a Busch & Muller 4D Permanent Tail Light (ie, doesn't blink)
> through The Touring
> Store.(http://www.thetouringstore.com/BUSCH & MULLER/BUSCH MULLER HOME.htm)
> I also have a Trek Disco light, which I think is the best blinkie that can
> attach itself to the back of my trunk. I really wish some thought would be
> made by the blinkie companies about how they are going to attach to racks
> and trunks, not just seat tubes.

With my current blinkie, I ended up wrapping about a foot (30cm) of old
inner tube rubber around the back of my rack, to build it up to a
diameter that the supplied tube clamp could grab onto. It's about 2cm
in diameter, and the lamp hasn't slipped in 2 months of ridding.

I don't like the way it sticks out the back, but there's not much to be
done about that. I use the top of the rack constantly (ruling out the
seat tube mount) and panniers often enough to rule out using the rack
supports or seat stays.
 
SMS wrote:

> Don't get the el-cheapo blinkies. Three reasons. They are not
> well-constructed, not bright, and don't have a good angle of view.

Yup. And another point is that a non-cheapo blinkie isn't actually
/that/ much more money, like Cateye's AU-100 which has several LEDs
in different orientations and will also switch to constant mode.
And they're neat enough to have one flashing and one steady if you
fancy. The batteries (2 x AA) last for ages.

I use one on the Brompton. On the 'bent and the freighter I use
fairly uncheapie B&M LED dynamo powered standlights, which use
single bright LEDs and optics to allow for excellent angle of view.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
"SMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Claire Petersky wrote:

>> I really wish some thought would be made by the blinkie companies about
>> how they are going to attach to racks and trunks, not just seat tubes.
>
> The Cat Eye LD1000 attaches to racks that have the little tab for
> taillights.

And it will actually stay on if you use duct tape. Otherwise it will fly off
when you hit a pothole. I think someone should make a blinkie that will stay
on without having to use the duct tape.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
NYC XYZ wrote:

> That L&M Arc Li-Ion Ultra is the best head light, hands down. But how
> about tail lights? Or are they just the same?
>
> And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?

Go to a mass-start ride that starts at or before sunrise, and see for
yourself what you like - probably everything commercially available will
be on display.

As a result of doing this, I found the Cateye TL-LD600:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...=0307&sku=1512&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

The 600 has some sort of focusing of the five LEDs that makes it far
brighter than many competitors (I *have* compared them side by side).
Also has steady vs. blinking options. One drawback cited in RBT is
non-waterproof-ness. I have used two with one steady and one blinking
simultaneously.

Maybe Cateye listens: the Cateye LD1000:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...and=&sku=12860&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

10 leds, in two independently-controlled groups of five. Waterproof.
Same focused LEDs. Kinda blinding. Got it for Christmas, very nice if
you like overkill lights as I do.

Particularly because of the lensing, make sure you have these aimed
well. Probably not suitable for the clip-on-your-jersey-pocket style
mount, although Cateye includes one in the package.

Mark
 

>
>> And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?
>
>I thought such tube lights were stupid on cars.. I guess they would be
>popular to the same kinda guys though, but ones that haven't got the
>cash for a car.....

I have two white ones sticking up on the back of my recumbent. I get
people in cars pulling over and saying how well they can see me.
people on bike saying great lights. they light up me and the road. but
I paid less for mine at www.elwirecheap.com
Knight-Toolworks
http://www.knight-toolworks.com
affordable handmade wooden planes
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> "SMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Claire Petersky wrote:
>
>>> I really wish some thought would be made by the blinkie companies about
>>> how they are going to attach to racks and trunks, not just seat tubes.
>> The Cat Eye LD1000 attaches to racks that have the little tab for
>> taillights.
>
> And it will actually stay on if you use duct tape. Otherwise it will fly off
> when you hit a pothole. I think someone should make a blinkie that will stay
> on without having to use the duct tape.

Actually, what I did was to use two thin cable ties around the body of
the LD1000, and round the top rail of the rear rack. I didn't like the
fact that my $25 light was being held in by one screw, though it didn't
fall off. Duct tape is tacky.
 
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