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



In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> Sorni wrote:
> > 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?
> >
> > Cheap blinkie.
> >
> > Bill "same to you, buddy!" S.
>
> 2 cheap blinkies. I've got one taped to my seat post with clear packing
> tape (yeah I know it's tacky, but only on one side) and one clipped to
> the back of my helmet.
> I buy the Planet Bike blinkies from MEC. Whatever you get buy ones that
> accept standard size batteries. If you need to replace one at a
> convenience store you'll find it easier to get a AA or AAA.

I've got one on the back of my rack trunk, and one on my left seatstay.


--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
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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?

VistaLite Eclipse. Multiple VistaLite Eclipse. Other than the
NiteRider 6Volt battery powered taillight, its the brightest out there.
Usually on sale somewhere for $12. 2 AAA batteries. Have 1 or 2
permaently mounted on the seatstays and 1 or 2 on the seatbag. The
seatstay clamp works very well and stays put for years.
 
NYC XYZ wrote:.....
I use a Vistalight red blinker on the bike, and a marine strobe light
on my commuter bag. The strobe takes a C cell and lasts for about 2 hrs
(I use a pair of rechargable Cs). The strobe can be seen for over a
mile, and really stands out, I have it on my bag so it lights me up
when it blinks

Frank
 
<[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?
>
> VistaLite Eclipse. Multiple VistaLite Eclipse. Other than the
> NiteRider 6Volt battery powered taillight, its the brightest out there.

It's a great light and very cost-effective. But have you seen it next to the
Cateye LD1000?

RichC
 
Rich Clark wrote:
> <[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?
> >
> > VistaLite Eclipse. Multiple VistaLite Eclipse. Other than the
> > NiteRider 6Volt battery powered taillight, its the brightest out there.
>
> It's a great light and very cost-effective. But have you seen it next to the
> Cateye LD1000?
>
> RichC

Yes I have seen the new CatEye and I was very unimpressed with it. Not
comparable to the VistLite Eclipse. I'd take 1 VistLite Eclipse over 1
new CatEye anyday. And considering the Eclipse is always on sale for
$12 at one of the mail order places, I'll take 2 or 3 Eclipses over the
new $30-35 CatEye anyday.
 
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?

They are not all the same. Cateyes are especially good. Vistalites
are also especially good, but for a cyclist to buy a bike light from a
company that lobbies for MHLs is like a gay person donating money to
Focus on the Family.

> And what do y'all think of this: www.fossilfool.com?

There are much less expensive ways to get such lights. Here's one
example: http://elwirecheap.com/index.html

One of my buddies uses a pair of cold cathode fluorescents like those
(but red) attached to the seat stays of his bike. They are much
brighter and more visible than any steady-burning LED light I've seen,
and they are equally bright from any viewing direction. They are
battery hogs, discharging in less than three hours, but he powers them
with rechargeable AA cells.

Chalo Colina
 
"NYC XYZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> 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?

DiNotte Lighting is bringing out a taillight in the next couple of months.
It's supposed to be super bright.
 
gooserider wrote:
> "NYC XYZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > 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?
>
> DiNotte Lighting is bringing out a taillight in the next couple of months.
> It's supposed to be super bright.


Great tip! Thanks! I'll be on the look-out for it -- though I guess
there's no missing it, since it's so bright!
 
"NYC XYZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> gooserider wrote:
>> "NYC XYZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> >
>> > 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?
>>
>> DiNotte Lighting is bringing out a taillight in the next couple of
>> months.
>> It's supposed to be super bright.
>
>
> Great tip! Thanks! I'll be on the look-out for it -- though I guess
> there's no missing it, since it's so bright!

Here's a link to a pre-production sample review:
http://www.gearreview.com/2006_led_lights.php

The taillight review is about 2/3 down the page. It's a 3 watt Luxeon with a
red filter, so it should be ridiculously bright. The run time isn't going to
be anywhere close to a blinkie, though.
 
gooserider wrote:

> The taillight review is about 2/3 down the page. It's a 3 watt Luxeon with a
> red filter, so it should be ridiculously bright. The run time isn't going to
> be anywhere close to a blinkie, though.

You may as well get a 3W xenon strobe for $8. Same issue of not annoying
drivers, but too bright for other cyclists riding behind you.
 
"gooserider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eek:[email protected]...

> Here's a link to a pre-production sample review:
> http://www.gearreview.com/2006_led_lights.php
>
> The taillight review is about 2/3 down the page. It's a 3 watt Luxeon with
a
> red filter, so it should be ridiculously bright. The run time isn't going
to
> be anywhere close to a blinkie, though.

Not a red filter - it's a red Luxeon. LEDs emit at fairly discrete
wavelengths, if you look at the edges of the light profile of a "white" one,
you'll see yellow and blue fringes - basically the LED has 2 principle
emission areas in the blue and the yellow parts of the spectrum. Or else
they're just blue with a phosphor like on a fluorescent tube. A red filter
on a white luxeon will give you next to nothing...
 
"Simon Cooper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eek:[email protected]...
>
> "gooserider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:eek:[email protected]...
>
>> Here's a link to a pre-production sample review:
>> http://www.gearreview.com/2006_led_lights.php
>>
>> The taillight review is about 2/3 down the page. It's a 3 watt Luxeon
>> with
> a
>> red filter, so it should be ridiculously bright. The run time isn't going
> to
>> be anywhere close to a blinkie, though.
>
> Not a red filter - it's a red Luxeon. LEDs emit at fairly discrete
> wavelengths, if you look at the edges of the light profile of a "white"
> one,
> you'll see yellow and blue fringes - basically the LED has 2 principle
> emission areas in the blue and the yellow parts of the spectrum. Or else
> they're just blue with a phosphor like on a fluorescent tube. A red
> filter
> on a white luxeon will give you next to nothing...
>
I stand corrected.
 
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