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Have had a run of bad luck with the commuter rear lights after the recent rains, all three have died or are in the process of dying.
Ideally something rechargeable, decent water resistance and very very bright. Unlit fast country lanes on my commute.
Anything you can recommend please?
2 of them.
After years of cheapo lights I bought an Exposure Trace for about £30, been spot on so far
[url= https://www.niterider.com/product/sabre-50/ ]Niterider Sabre[/url] Has been with me for over 2 years now. Very light, very powerful, charges quickly, string bracket and despite "few" no-mudguards wet rides it has never let me down.
Moon shield.. No problem in 18 months. One on helmet flashing one on constant fixed to seat post. The flashing helmet light really grabs the attention possibly annoyingly bright...
Exposure as above
I also use a USB rechargeable Cateye Rapid X3 on the seat stays, which has been through deluges of rain, plus a cheapy Halfords flasher up on the helmet, as a back up, and to make it easier for me to be spotted over the brow of a hill
One of the problems with rechargeable lights is that water gets past the small rubber flap that covers and seals the USB charging port.
You may wish to apply some silicone grease on this area to help the flap seal properly and keep the water out. Not too much - avoid getting it on the USB socket contacts. The stuff I use is in a tube from Maplin and is very sticky so helps the flap stay shut.
I went through the same issue after last winters rain... I bought a lezyne strip drive pro. The rear of the body and the lens are co-moulded, meaning no water entry points or seals that could leak. the USB charge stick is downwards facing and has a decent rubber bung cover. Its been faultless so far, loads of modes and super bright.
2 of them.
Yes
One on the bike and one on you.
I've got a Cateye Rapid 3 on the bike and a Smart Lunar R2 that I hang off my pack.
The Cateye isn't rechargeable but the battery seems to defy the laws of physics
seal a cheap one with flowable silicone sealent
I've got through loads.
Settled on exposure tracer on bike, exposure double ended one on helmet (link I think it's called).
Both are great.
2 x Moon Shield here as well. One fixed, one flashing.
Used at all times on local gnarmac rides, daytime running included. Lots of v dark wooded lanes around. One on the helmet for off road routes locally, used for road links only.
Moon nebula, very bright, been using one all winter and no issues.
Or
Hope district 3 if absolute brightness is what you are after, well sealed too. Only reason I haven't used for a while is I can't find the charger,... and the nebula is almost as bright.
It's two smart lunar R2's that have died (well, they have become very temperamental) and i've a third cateye that's also giving up the ghost after many years of sterling service.
I'll give two of those Moon's a go and keep an eye out on ebay for an Exposure. FIL up this weekend and think he's an Exposure Blaze i can play with.
Cheers guys for the quick replies.
Hope District.
Super bright, rechargeable and bombproof.
see sense icon.
super bright, super smart and includes crash alert and theft detection
also IP67 waterproof... I clean mine with a brush under the tap. 🙂
Don't know if they're still available but I bought one of these a couple of years ago.
[url= http://www.wigglestatic.com/product-media/5360087404/LifeLine-USB-LED-Single-Beam-15-Lumen-Rear-Light-blck.jp g" target="_blank">http://www.wigglestatic.com/product-media/5360087404/LifeLine-USB-LED-Single-Beam-15-Lumen-Rear-Light-blck.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
The light screws on to the post mount and the USB port is between the mount and the light, so well out of the way (possibly an o-ring in there as well?)
Pretty bright. Only downside is the flashing mode's frequency is relatively slow.
Fly 6 has been flawless. Used with a saddle mounte Cateye backup. Heard very good things about the Garmin Vario from a serial rear light destroyer too.
Hope District here. Very bright and has been faultless.
I've just invested in one of [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LEMKEVM ]these[/url]. Pretty impressed so far. Very bright, decent length of light as well (not just a spot), and as it's shining down as well it lights you up even more.
Fits on the seat post, so mostly covered in the event of rain. I've got flexi mudguards on that have a break near the brake, so the brake gets mucky, but the light is still in a pristine condition.
Edit - just seen the reviews since I've bought it. Oh well. Mine seems okay. So far.
Hope district sounds mentally bright?
Good for visibility when quite far away, but surely too bright when the cars are close?
You'd be better off with some better use of reflectives for a commute (i.e. some pedal reflectors or ankle straps)
Specific daytime visible commuting lights, backed up by reflective gear. I wouldn't rely on reflectives alone.
I've got a Cateye TL-LD600 (just Google'd it).
I think it's about 5/6 years old, it must have lived on my road bike for the last 6 years, other than replacing the battery, it's like a Terminator. It never stops.
still running two cateye tld 1000. aa batteries. they've lasted about 9 years of at least twice a week use, if not more.
+1 for SeeSense Icon. Smart features aside it's the best rear light you'll ever use and INCREDIBLY robust.
My experience of their customer service has been great too - very easy and fast to deal with.
2x the cheapest cateye. Rapid 3 maybe? About £8 each and come with two different mounts - one for seatposts, one for a seatpack or backpack. Single AAA in each has lasted a winter of commuting
Good for visibility when quite far away, but surely too bright when the cars are close?
I've passed a couple of people when I've been driving who were using Hope Districts and they didn't bother me at all. Much rather people used mentally bright lights than rubbish ones (or non at all!)
My knog blinder has never let me down, been wet ni end of times.
Can't say how it will fare with 5x days commuting through as I've never done it.
2x Moon shield.
ONe on helmet, one on bike. Cant fail to see you. They're very bright.
I had a Moon Shield it died and would not switch on .Looking at the latest model the switch is improved .Output wise though it was very bright
My Moon Sheild has died. The USB port is so rusty it won't charge. It is 4 years old however.
Very bright,small light and cable free - Lupine Rotlicht.
Armegeddon - Hope District.
I have an exposure one - not sure what it's called but it plugs into the port on a exposure front light and attaches to the seat post via cable. Very bright and reliable. I think too bright but angle of seat post points it down and washes the road with red light. I just checked their website and looks like not made anymore so that's not much use ! Unless you get a 2nd hand one I guess.