• This topic has 45 replies, 37 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by FOG.
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  • Hard to lose rechargeable rear light
  • reeksy
    Full Member

    Lost another rear light on my commute last night. Was just an Aldi cheapy, but it’s not ideal. Last time it happened it was proper dark, on country roads and I had to angle my helmet light backwards to make sure I was seen.
    Now i carry a back up rear on my bag just i case.

    Any recommendations for not too expensive usb charging rear lights – that won’t easily fall off a helmet/seat?

    jkomo
    Full Member

    There’s lots of cheap ones, just get an Exposure Tracr for the cost of 2 cheap. Then put a cheap one on helmet, as a back up. Or an Exposure link when funds allow.
    Not an area I’d take any risks, but Moon fit the cheap but good category.

    ahsat
    Full Member

    Exposure Tracr as above. Don’t even fall off on the mtb and will last for ever. Have then got a Moon Sirus as my back up second light.

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    nixie
    Full Member

    I’ve always run two lights when commuting, both turned on. Means that if one fails or goals your covered. I used the cheap px tears (not rechargable) as they were super cheap and bright. Do you know what is causing theme to fall off? Can you fit them with an extra zip tie around to secure them?

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Lezyne zecto, had it for over 5 years.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Got two Aldi rear lights running this time of year, must be 3-4 years old, and never lost them, including using them for some spirited gravel rides with the club.

    Still think they are the best value rechargeable lights, £15 front and rear. There’s a spare set in the garage I bought this year just in case.

    lardman
    Free Member

    Moon rear light fixings are very secure. Sometimes tough to get off with my fingers.

    They’re also bright and reasonable price.

    Shield

    reeksy
    Full Member

    Thanks for the suggestions, i’ll look into them.

    My commute isn’t really a typical commute. 1h 30. Some easy road, interspersed with quite technical rocky singletrack and depending on energy levels steep sections.

    I think the best bet is something that will go on my bag. It’s only been helmet and seat fittings that have failed. Plus i’m more likely to remember to charge it that way.

    The best one i had didn’t fall off, but died from getting filthy and soaked.

    tthew
    Full Member

    If you don’t want retina burning bright,<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”> These x lite 100’s are good. Zip tie mount on the saddle rails and the light screws onto it with an O ring for watertightness, also gives enough friction to prevent accidental unscrewing. </span>

    Murray
    Full Member

    Cateye Viz 300 – uses the classic Cateye square mount which is very reliable.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    +1 on the Moon light fittings being very secure.
    Great lights.

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    I’ve bought two sets of the Aldi light for commuting this year.

    So far so good

    nbt
    Full Member

    another vote for Moon, mounts are great

    my Cateye Holy Hand Grenade is still going striung along with all the brackets, but it takes 2*AA batterieus

    nixie
    Full Member

    Off road I use a small bontrager light. With rubber strap. Small enough that it’s does not get knocked and I’d imagine this also helps stops it bouncing around.

    This one https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-lights/bike-rear-lights/bontrager-flare-r-city-rear-bike-light/p/14241/

    I’ve also seen lights that attach to the saddle rails. If you had something like that the mount shouldn’t break and if you picked something that has a lanyard loop you can feed the lanyard around the rails as a backup.

    prawny
    Full Member

    I use/d 2 cateye Rapid x2 on the seat stays and an exposure link on my helmet.

    I also used a German approved front light as well as an 800lm Evans job on the bars and a white rapid x2 on the headtube.

    The rapids are great, just bungee on battery lasts ages and puts light all over the place.

    The link is good too because it’s high up and gets a lot of attention.

    I only ever got hit by a car once and that was a blind spot issue in a small suv, no amount of lights would have solved that

    a11y
    Full Member

    +1 for Exposure TraceR – I’ve got them on the saddle rail mount on my MTB and commuter and haven’t managed to lose either in several years. Nicely tucked away out of the way.

    fossy
    Full Member

    The Zecto’s are great, as are the copies (but not as bright) Got copies on the commuter, and use front/rear Zecto 250’s as a daylight lamp on the road bike.

    trailwagger
    Free Member
    VanHalen
    Full Member

    for offroad commuting the best i have found is the topeak redlite

    i use this with a cheapo AAA light on my backpack.

    the only time i`ve lost a light is crashing and smashing one to bits. Lots of jumps and tech singletrack on my commutes.

    Always 2 lights as riding home without a light sucks.

    All my usb rechargeable lights ive tried (and ive tried a lot!) failed after a month or so of rainy wet muddy offroad commutes.

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    I’ve got the other Lifeline one as a backup to my See.Sense Ace – https://www.wiggle.co.uk/rear-lights?ea=4294789698
    Superb little thing, very bright, has a few fixing options.

    (Both have survived many a rainy commute)

    DrP
    Full Member

    Off road I use a small bontrager light. With rubber strap

    I love these lights too…but they stick out quite far and i’ve lost 2 due to teh rear wheel hitting it (on a FS).
    I’ve now got a few of These lifeline ones, and they are GREAT- well fixed on, don’t protrude too far..puurrrfect

    DrP

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    The longest lasting lights I have are some unbranded Zecto knock-offs from China via eBay for a fiver several years ago, and a AAA powered ‘phart’ (smart knock-off) dual 1/2 watt LED job that was about £2 over 5 years ago… neither has died, both stay attached and functional through on/off road use and splattering with mud and water…

    PX no longer sell the ‘Phart’ lights, but they seem to be flogging a Zecto knock-off very similar to the ones I have been using for several years: This one for £4 which seems worth a punt if you’re already ordering some bits from PX and need to push the order value into free postage territory…

    I also have a Lezyne Femto which I find to be a bit bobbins for the relative cost TBH, the battery life seems less than those ancient Chinese jobs and the output is less Impressive than the £2 PX light from half a decade ago… Despite costing more it’s been relegated to backup duties.

    Basically don’t buy Lezyne products, buy the cheap copies of Lezyne products 😉

    sandwicheater
    Full Member

    Plus whatever for the Moon shield, lives on my commuter and MTB all year around and going strong after a few years.

    ransos
    Free Member

    my Cateye Holy Hand Grenade is still going striung along with all the brackets, but it takes 2*AA batterieus

    I actually prefer AA or AAA batteries for a rear light because the burn times are so much better.

    jeffl
    Full Member

    To prove the exception to the rule I lost a moon shield on the commute a few years back. Fortunately had a light on my helmet as well.

    Replaced the moon with a trace-r which has stayed put to date, although a lot less commuting since Covid and lockdowns, so not a fair comparison.

    Aldi lights are good and cheap. Run one on the MTB as the strap is narrow so just goes round the cm or so of the dropper post that sticks out the frame.

    andrewreay
    Full Member

    I think the best bet is something that will go on my bag. It’s only been helmet and seat fittings that have failed.

    Weirdly, I’m the opposite.

    All the lights fitted to my bags or jacket have fallen off, even when zip-tide to death they seem to find a way of slipping through the ‘mounts’ on the bags.

    My frame or saddle mounts seem to have been much more resilient and I’ve yet to lose one. But..
    – I forget to charge them
    – They get covered in muck so can’t be seen
    – Get masked by mudguards, bum-bags or jackets so can’t be seen

    So yet to find the perfect solution.

    In terms of frame mounts, the Moon Nebula has a great saddle mount that is rock solid. The Tracer is rock solid too (albeit on my road bike).

    jimmy
    Full Member

    Annoyingly I lost my Tracr at the end of last winter. I don’t know when, but at some point I found the red rubber band for attachment on a neighbour’s driveway, not realising it was mine. Months later, after summer, I realised I couldn’t find my light. Don’t know how it got lost, it has survived years of offroad riding so must have taken a knock.

    igm
    Full Member

    Rubber ages eventually.

    But TraceR here. Blinking excellent. Literally.

    Off road, on road, for hours at a time.

    esselgruntfuttock
    Free Member

    Good thread timing Reeksy. I lost my Niterider Solas 260 on a day ride last week, no idea where & ive re-rode the route but no luck. I’ve ordered a Cateye Viz 300. £26.83 from Velozone. I’ve had battery Cateyes for years & never lost any, just hope the clip on this one is as reliable as the others, which it should be!

    susepic
    Full Member

    Had a zecto rear, but the clip was too loose, and it bounced out of the loop on my saddle bag. Happened to my son as well. The rubber strap was fine tho to attach to seat post

    as mentioned above, the moon replacements have been superb – whether the seatpost rubbers or the excellent clips to attach to bags and loops

    flicker
    Free Member

    I’ve been using one of these for the last couple of years, works well and hasn’t fallen off yet 😀

    rear light

    pdw
    Free Member

    I’m a big fan of Moon lights, but would say TraceR here. I had the clip on a Moon Shield 60 break when I hit a pot hole once (clip replaced FoC, to their credit).

    I never like lights on bags because they never seem to be pointing in the right direction. Rear lights tend to be pretty directional, so you want them pointing straight back for maximum benefit.

    t3ap0t
    Free Member

    Alpkit Tau are great for me, got them front and rear on 4 bikes and not lost one yet. I mount to the seatstay on the rear (road bikes), but they can go on a seatpost too. Seem to last about 5 hours on constant full power.

    nedrapier
    Full Member

    Could anyone tell me how much clamp area you need for a TraceR? I don’t have a lot of room between seatpost clamp and dropper collar.

    easily
    Free Member

    I’ve been using the same light from PX as flicker, and I agree – it’s laughably cheap and very effective.

    I’m happy to accept that the TraceR is great as so many people here rec it, but could somebody explain why it is so loved? In pictures it looks a little clumsy and clunky, it seems to stick out too far so it might wobble around. I assume this isn’t so, but what is it that makes the TraceR the STW fave?

    kelron
    Free Member

    @nedrapier 30-35mm with the included mount, I have mine half on the dropper collar and it’s fine. You can get a saddle rail mount too.


    @easily
    It’s secure, very visible and has good battery life. Also solidly built and weather sealed. There are cheaper lights but given it cost me about £10 more than the Aldi and Moon lights I had that variously fell apart or stopped charging properly it’s worth the difference.

    jkomo
    Full Member

    I added a new light to my set up Last winter, a PX cob light on the top tube pointing down, it lights up my bottle, peddles, and front triangle. Gives loads of side on visibility on my 20 mile dark country A road commute.

    slowoldman
    Full Member

    Exposure TraceR. Very secure fit in the bracket.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    Aldi +1

    Or bite the bullet, get a dynamo and never have to worry about charging or losing lights again.

    Having said that, my setup is a dynamo (Shimano XT, B+M IQ-XS friendly, B+M Secula).
    +
    Aldi as a backup, basically only switched on super bright flash mode in morning fog.
    +
    An old Cateye 1/2W light that zipties neatly to the back vent on my helmet. Because I think helmet lights stand out more and more visible over bridges and other rises in the road.

    reeksy
    Full Member

    So many options!

    Some i can’t really get as they’re not coming up in Oz. Most that are available are around AU$50. Ex Trace I can get for $85.

    Anyone tried the Knog Cobber lights? I like the look of the wrap-around nature.

    The problem i had with the Aldi one was that the charge didn’t last long.

    I run Ayup lights on the front are they’re really well mounted. I’m not sure why the rear ones get lost. I think the rubber straps get knocked sometimes.

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