[Closed] Rear LED lights

The Smart 1/2 Watt is very good light and quite cheap.

There is a Blackburn Mars 4.0 which should be brighter. Although I have no experience.

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/215/eh2011369/blackburn-mars-40-rear-light.html

There is also this Raleigh light which looks like the same LEDs as the smart but two of them instead.

http://www.buybikesnow.com/572/Raleigh-RSP-Astrum-Rear-LED-Cycle-Light.html?referrer=froogle&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid572

trail rat - is that the flare-b-seen, or the fibreflare?

My thinking right now is: 1 x seatpost mounted, 2 x seatstay mounted, 1 x bag mounted and 1 x helmet mounted. Coupled with reflective clothing and stickers on the guards, that ought to do.

Up front I'll have my lumi LED3. Need to have something flashing on the lid as well, I think.

Trouble is, how to get some side illumination. Thoughts?

Just noticed [URL= http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.42077 ]this, the bastid rear[/URL] 3watt!!!

fibre flare on stays and an exposure rear unit i suspect will be the final config !

I think trailrat meant the Exposure Flare.

i did - but having experianced a fibre flare - for all round visibility they are demon.

expensive but worth it for the mean streets of aberdeen

Ah. Too many sodding lights calling themselves "flare".

Unless they look like Travolta in Saturday Night, then I refuse to call any of them "flare". Grr.

[i]Then strolled into the pub clutching his Model 601 and two of those smart 1/2 watt rear LEDs."[/i]

Yeah, he hadn't managed to squeaze them into his back pack by the time he entered the pub. It can happen.
😉

I couldn't find any of the 1W versions.

Linky anyone ?.

Oh, and another thing. Why is it Watts for the rear light and lumens for the front ?.

🙂

Luminous - I thought I'd post here because it's off topic in the other thread but I'm looking for a rear light, and saw the L&M rear that is being sold @ 35lumens (no lux quoted 😉 ) that would be the max budget

just wondered if you made rears as well as fronts or if you had a recommendation. atm I'm using mars 4.0's (two of them), and a holy hand grenade! I find that they are good but would prefer more spread and intensity from just one light with a backup on my body.

I've had a hand grenade for years and no problems, although I do use mudguards and a mate's did jump straight out of the bracket, off the cobbles and into the canal a couple of weeks ago. I've also seen the ads for the Exposure Flash/Flare though and they look interesting.

My old commute was through lit urban streets, so a handgrenade and a cheapo twinkly LED on my lid was all that was needed.

Now I'll be commuting on unlit roads for 50% of the ride, the plan is to have a certain "volume" of rear light. There aren't may side roads where cars pulling out area problem, but my fear is being hit from behind.

I always reckon that my lights are [i]more[/i] effective on unlit roads than they are in urban areas, and drivers will see me better in the sticks than in town with the same lights. Am I deluding myself?

Some like the Holy-Hand-grenade (that post still makes me laugh)

The L&M light, £90 + !, is that price I just saw correct ?.

As in an earlier post, I saw one of those Smart Lunar 1/2 Watt rear lights recently, and was quite impressed, so much so, that I bought one, <£10 from tredz.

With lights like that at that price, I certainly don't think I can compete.

Not sure about Trout though, I think I once saw an early example from him, of his work on a rear light.
Don't know if he took it any further though.
Search for his user ID here, and you'll find his contact details.

Thing is, ride along with a "power of the sun" rear light, and you're just going to upset motorists, like they need a reason / target.

At least with a powerful front light, you can point it down, or switch it to a lower output.

Most commuters I see are lit-up like Xmas trees anyway, usually two lights on the bike, and one on the backpack, at least.

I reckon that for the money, a couple of those smart Lunar 1/2 watt and you're sorted. The Holy Hand grenade just gives a bit more light out the sides.

Unless that is, someone knows where we can get the Smart Lunar 1 watt versions...

Ultimately, when it comes to rear lights, I think that a few, cheaper, strategically placed lights, are going to serve you better than one super-power light, which may pop into, out of, the sight line of a motorist in traffic.

🙂

thanks. the blackburn mars 4.0 is a 1watt with two small side LED's as well but it's quite focussed so I have it angled about 10 deg down so it's visible but not blinding. I'd recommend the blackburn mars 4.0 it's lasted much longer than my holy handgrenade which I've had to replace although does not have the vast array of LEDs. It is bright however. maybe I'll just get another of these.

the L&M seemed to(from the pics I've seem) have a nice spread and angle down it would give a nice glow around the back. but it IS pricey for a back light!

Thanks for that, I'm gonna go look at the Mars 4.0 then
😀

[IMG] [/IMG]

[IMG] [/IMG]

there you go! some piccies comparing THHG with Mars 4.0! HTH. taken at the same angle and distance, both lights aligned the same angle. 🙂 apologies for the poor piccie quality only got my phone atm 😳

Same as Pab, that rear cateye was amazing compared to my old TL600 thing which was amazing ten yrs ago.

Now I have 3 red lights min.

A mate has these glow lazer strips on his road bike-lush but £££!

i've got a niterider cherry bomb which is ace - but...while looking for a pic found these

http://www.niterider.com/prod_lbstinger.shtml

look interesting, especially that stinger!

LED's seem to get brighter each day that goes by... here's one further picture showing the side view from the mars. not quite as good IMO as THHG, but I'm not exactly aligned with the light - but then what car would be? 😯

you can get these for about 18 quid from online retailers.

eg:> http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/215/eh2011369/blackburn-mars-40-rear-light.html

AAA batteries last me about a week and a half commuting but I keep 'em fresh as this seems to keep it shining bright.

I clean the outer lens with isopropyl wipes to keep the lens clean, that also seems to help.

[IMG] [/IMG]

I've got a mars 4.0 too - pretty damn bright, but I thought I might have got a little longer out of the first set of batteries considering it's used flash-only. Perhaps I'm expecting a bit too much for something that bright. Mine sits on a bag loop, and it's only got really drenched once or twice, so I can't really comment on the mount/sealing - tho' the mount looks like it ought to work well (a bit like that on an old Spesh Las Vegas I've used most of the time).
Certainly does what I want, which is a bloomin' bright backup for the more weedy reflector/led unit bolted to the rack of my commuter.

Frankenstein:

A mate has these glow lazer strips on his road bike-lush but £££!

is that these things?

http://www.toxel.com/tech/2009/06/21/innovative-laser-bike-lane-concept/

Exposure Flare

any prices being guestimated yet ?

having a maxx D and a joystick already and knowing how quality they are thats what i want ! - without even seeing it !

+1

Also like the look of the Light and Motion Vis180, but it doesn't say how waterproof it is?

On secong thoughts, Its FUGLY, but cheaper than I expected!

[url= http://www.rutlandcycling.com/25308/USE-Exposure-Flare-Rear-Light-2011.html ]Exposure Flare[/url]

& a set of 2 [url= http://www.rutlandcycling.com/25670/USE-Exposure-Flash---Flare-Twin-Lights-Set-2011.html?referrer=froogle1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid25670 ]here[/url]

On secong thoughts, Its FUGLY, but cheaper than I expected!

Exposure Flare

yeah I've just rung the people at USE. Very helpful. It's 75lumens, takes CR123's which they sell as disposable and rechargeable (I use them in a backup BLT light that I have - they are EXPENSIVE if you buy the disposable type and they are not easy to find quality rechargeable ones so a potential caveat there?)

They say battery on constant is 8 1/2 hrs using disposable, 3 1/2hrs using rechargeable. so I'm not that enamoured with that! although it looks like a kickass light the L&M vis180 for a bright rear is chargeable by a USB and lasts longer on a charge but MAYBE not as bright but who can say for sure!

I think I'll be sticking to my MARS 4.0 for now and possibly get a couple more of them! then when L&M revise their prices with new models I might be tempted with one of their offerings for the rear ➡

Hope this helps!

I will see if I can get some photos of my Vis 180 in action. It impressed me a lot.

that'd be great! do you use anything else as well?

Mister P, you still going to post those pics?

Still like the look of the Flare and flash combo, but have to carefully consider disposable or rechargeable, any reviews anywhere?

I haven't managed to find any but I have a BLT backup light that uses CR123's, they have high output but are very expensive. TBH that's put me right off!

I made the mistake of switching on a Vis 180 while looking directly at it (something I've learnt not to do with white leds), in the LBS the other day I was still seeing red spots half an hour later, VERY bright for a red led.

Saw a bad experience earlier in the thread but I've got two backupz as pictured below that have lasted three years now with no problems at all and are nice and bright.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8749

[img] [/img]

Probs with the Exposure Flare/Red Eye is inability to to adjust the angle,which seems like a fundamental pre-requisite to me.Limits where one can mount the blighters.

Had a Hand Grenade few years ago,utter carp in terms of the dam thing staying on,despite prising the contacts out to increase battery tension and so on.

Princeton Tec just this evening parted company from the bike on a road descent.Good vis but never stays put.Will see if i can find the rogue parts/rechargeables tomor.

Smart 1/2 watt job is unreliable in the wet but VG in the dry.

Like the look of L&M Vis 180 - easy to adjust the angle and mount on post/stays/aero seatpost/trailer/rack etc.It just doesn't look very bright from online clips/images.Will get one in to try though.

Shame the Exposure bods couldn't quite get the Flare mount right as otherwise it looks ace.

I was having a play with the Vis 180 again the other day, I was impressed with the build quality (aluminium body as opposed to plastic), but then again its only to be expected for that sort of money.

Dibbs,have you compared it to the Smart 1/2 watter or Red Eye? Is the flash mode a slow pulse or a quicker beat? I guess the whole reflector area lights up?? Ideally I'd like a unit that stays on but with a flash at same time.Bit like the Exposure fronts.
The Hand Grenade [one I had anyway] is old technology and not that bright compared to modern alternatives.
Every rear light I have had except the Red Eye has been unreliable in some way or other,which is a worry.

Anyone know a shoppe with the L&M Vis 180 in stock at a good price? $85 ish over the pond so they should be more like £65 over here imo,rather than £85-£100!

I agree the hand grenade has had it's time it's been around for ages and in the meantime LED's have taken off big time it would seem. If the hand grenade had a couple of 1/2 or even 1 watt led's in the array then I might be interested but even then the reflectors and lens on my mars 4.0 are far superior IMO, especially considering the bang for buck factor!

Putting a tiny smear of grease around the seals/joins of the casings can be very helpful with most lights. I always do it from new. Keep it away from the electrical contacts though.

Just picked up a Smart Lunar 1/2 watt from Halfords for 6 or 7 quid. They're selling off the stock prior to the 1 Watt version coming in.
(much cheaper than the £17 that Evans want!)
Seems plenty bright enough and good value.

I commute in the car and look carefully for bikers (as some of the roads I drive on are ****in awful for bikers' safety IMO). Here's the "opposition's" story: (slightly exaggerated for illustration but honestly how I feel)

[b]I really don't think brighter is better on the roads[/b]

To me, flashing lights give very little idea of where [b]you[/b] are in distance terms (obviously they're OK directionally and great for actually being noticed), especially in built-up areas with lots of other point sources to distract & reflect off wet roads etc. The brighter they are, the more marked this is (you seem really close even when you're way off so we can't tell when you're actually close)

Similarly bright, small-lensed front lights. They are as bad, even worse - tend to look like a distant motorbike quite often and can also be pretty dazzling (leads to "me" not looking in your actual direction, more off to one side)

If I was commuting on a bike in the dark I'd have bright lights, but shining on to me rather than outwards so that I'm brightly visible as a cyclist rather than a point source of light. Then a moderate, well-shielded light at the front to light up the road but not dazzle and 2 or 3 moderate flashing reds at the back

SMIDSY isn't the problem - it's recognition that matters IMO

Anyone know if the vis 180 has holes that would allow it be mounted with cable ties? I'm not a big fan of those rubber strips.

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-best-led-rear-light-is ]It's that time of year again, dark nights approaching and all that. Here's last years thread, with pics[/url]

I actually think you're safer at night precisely because the motorist can perhaps only see your rear light. As a result they tend to slow down first because they're not sure what your are. Secondly because its difficult to judge light distances they tend to give you a wider berth. That's my experience anyway.

BTW Smart 1W here

[url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_Lunar_R1_Rear_Light/5360053638/ ]http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_Lunar_R1_Rear_Light/5360053638/[/url]

Cheers

Matt

Been using a Cateye LD610 (or something like that) for a while - contacts got damp once but I cleaned them and all was fine.

Very bright and pretty cheap. If you ride in minging weather a lot (I do) it's worth taping over the battery compartment and the "split" between lens and main unit.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cateye_TL-LD610_LED_Rear_Light/5360031618/

yeah I agree with mtb_matt. I don't go out of my way to dazzle motorists but at the end of the day we're talking about battery powered LED's not car rear brake lights, etc. when I drive I can stuggle to judge distance at night esp in rain etc when a car tail light comes on, so it's the same for cyclists too.

so I think it's a good thing that the motorist thinks you are closer than you are. wouldn't work the other way around!

I put scotchlite stickers everywhere as well so when the motorist comes closer they start getting the passive reflection stuff too.

I can remember one occasion when I nearly didn't see a cyclist before pulling out of a side road. Dark, wet evening, and they had one of those cheap green LED front lights, and they were almost completely invisible thanks to the headlights of a bus some way behind them.

There's no need to try and dazzle drivers, but if you want to be seen you need lights that are at least comparable to those of other vehicles.

(I keep answering to this after it's died off - it's because I care, honest !)

I actually think you're safer at night precisely because the motorist can perhaps only see your rear light. As a result they tend to slow down first because they're not sure what your are. Secondly because its difficult to judge light distances they tend to give you a wider berth. That's my experience anyway.

Unless you ride on country roads, with no other light sources I think it's a fallacy that more output is better. I can see a standard rear light from 100yds away already (esp if it's flashing) and brightness doesn't help identification - arguably you "lose" more detail around a really bright light.

good thing that the motorist thinks you are closer than you are. wouldn't work the other way around!

There's no need to try and dazzle drivers, but if you want to be seen you need lights that are at least comparable to those of other vehicles

Any more user reviews on the l+m vis 180?
Do you still think it was worth the money?