Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Safety Light LED Recommendations (Be-Seen Lights)

Any recommendations for safety (to be seen) lights? I already have a to see system underway, but wanted one extra level of safety.

Something with a flash mode, and fairly small.
Any other suggestions aside from the following, or reviews of the following:

I have heard about the Knog Frog and the Knog Toad.
http://www.thechopperdome.com/images/stories/knog/front-light.gif

MEC turtles.
http://images.mec.ca/media/Images/Products/Cycling/5006705_v1_m56577569830584003.jpg

There is also the Princeton Tec EOS which has a 1-Watt Luxeon LED bulb that flashes, really bright.
http://www.prolitegear.com/prolitegear/images/items/princeton_tec_eos_rg.JPG

There is also the BLT Lights Flare DX 7X 16,000 MCD LEDs really bright
http://www.rabbit-street.com/img/page4/blth1.jpg

http://www.s-sun.com.tw/p1.htm

Planetbike Superflash

Dinotte or DIY special both on strobe mode. That will pretty much be near the end all be all. :)

Planetbike Superflash
yeah, i has the planetbike

but more for the front headlight be seen

do they have the planetbike superflash in blue or white? cause that would end all my worries?

Here on BF the PB Superflash is almost universally considered the best rear blinkie - if only we could have one for the front end of the bike!

I have used both the Knog Frog and MEC Turtles as be seen lights.

This is the set up I used last weekend during our Clubs Midnight Howeler Ride

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7533/nightride2yn6.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4262/nightride4ot4.jpg


I'm actually fond of this Filzer Ibeam for general use

http://images.mec.ca/media/Images/Products/Cycling/5011880_v1_m56577569830603264.jpg

It shows up very nice on it's own. I have it stacked with a Planet Bike Super Flash in the photo above.

I use this one and it is extremely visable both day and night.


http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19647&subcategory_ID=4322

www.allelectronics.com Go to the strobe page. Wire one of those beasts to your bike and batteries. You get a feeling like Bruce Almighty with one of those. Yes they can suck more juice then some LEDS, but worth it.

www.allelectronics.com Go to the strobe page. Wire one of those beasts to your bike and batteries. You get a feeling like Bruce Almighty with one of those. Yes they can suck more juice then some LEDS, but worth it.

Is there video of that light in action? IS it brighter then the Dinotte?

I just came to the realization that you can buy one of those generic Power Beams from dealextreme for like $5.00 and it will be as bright as the $50.00 BLT Ultra Doppler DX. WTF?

I compared the intensity and they are so similar it is uncanny!

http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/341

only 3.75" long and just 1" in diameter.

I just got the planet bike super flash, but was disappointed with the output. Its no where as bright as my existing s-sun 120r light, which is significantly brighter and can be focused or de focused for a wider spread.

http://www.s-sun.com.tw/p1.htm

I just got the planet bike super flash, but was disappointed with the output. Its no where as bright as my existing s-sun 120r light, which is significantly brighter and can be focused or de focused for a wider spread.

http://www.s-sun.com.tw/p1.htm

However, cars will avoid the Superflash like the plague.

I have a pair of Superflashes mounted together. Cars yield a whole lane around me. One car slowed to a crawl just to look at me. Another cyclist said, "WoW! Killer Lights!" :D as he rubbed his eyes and pulled over.

So no S-Sun, but I would trust the Superflash over the S-Sun any day. :D

I have the superflash on 3 out of 4 bikes.. very satisfied.

superflash used here also.. I find it much more versatile than the LD-1000 it replaced..

I been thinking of trying a fenix as a taillight in SOS mode, mounting on the seatpost with a twofish lockblock.. I am afraid that the strobe mode would be too powerful..

Here is a photo, the best I could do.

Planet Bike Super flash is on the the left, S-Sun 120R is on the right.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/lannes2007/IMG_6513.jpg

Here is a photo, the best I could do.

Planet Bike Super flash is on the the left, S-Sun 120R is on the right.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/lannes2007/IMG_6513.jpg

why not use two?

use two 2X S-Sun
and 2X Superflash

that way no cars will hit you from behind! :)

where do you buy the S-sun lights?

why not use two?

use two 2X S-Sun
and 2X Superflash

that way no cars will hit you from behind! :)

If two is better than one, then 10 is better than two. ;)
Other than the loan you'd have to take out for batteries.

If two is better than one, then 10 is better than two. ;)
Other than the loan you'd have to take out for batteries.
umm...

Ironhorse...you mean powered by glucose.............
..........and not lactic acid...

10 better than two...probably not, it may distract traffic

3 superflashes would keep you safe, maybe 4, but no more

have at least one pair together

I used to have a PB Superflash until it fell off my backpack and got lost. I like the performance, size and flexibility of the PB Blinky 7's (have 3 of them) but it seemed to me that the Superflash had almost no off-axis visibility. If you're looking directly into the main lens it's very bright but move off by just a few degrees and it falls way off (to the point that I sometimes couldn't tell it was on in anything brighter than dusk).

anyone try the strobe from road id?

http://www.roadid.com/learnmore_ffsn.asp?back=/firefly.asp
oh here's the website

In my opinion there is no brighter tail light than the Dinotte. It is expensive and worth every dime (remember when we used to say "every penny"?).

Before you buy, be sure and check them out.

^ i booked the day off work tomorrow, just so i could wait for the postman to arrive with my new Dinotte Tail Light :D :D i cant wait!!!!!

In my opinion there is no brighter tail light than the Dinotte. It is expensive and worth every dime (remember when we used to say "every penny"?).

Before you buy, be sure and check them out.

The question is WTFF can we check it out. Most common flasher is the SUperflash around my areas. If I saw the Dinotte I'd be thrilled (blinded? :eek: :D ) but I've not see anyone with it here. If therei s a store with it around then yah I'd love to check it out but all the LBS shops I've been to don't carry DInotte and hell they've never even heard of them at all and they have no interest in it other thenthier own products (often under bright) for sale.

the dinottes are impressive lights but my superflash works just fine also for 1/6 of the price..

If I wanted a true blinding light, I would use a fenix L1d or p2d in strobe mode.. This would be easy to mount using a twofish lockblocks right on the seatpost.. I would opt for the L1d because it using aa batteries vs cr123's with the p2d...

https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_50&products_id=70&osCsid=f6e76f0d09f40ddcd9ed6144ee1d350f

the fenix store also sell the lockblocks.. I am still with this blinding light at 1/2 the price of the dinotte..

just got my pb superflash...they are nice :)

just got my pb superflash...they are nice :)
good for you.

there may be some other options that are a little brighter or even a lot brighter, but i firmly believe nothing compares to the Planetbike Superflash.

The reason being I have tried others and some even brighter, but I do not get the same response from motorists as I do with the Superflash. Motorists think that I am a cop, emergency vehicle or some sort of road hazard, and to be extremely cautious. I just had one motorist move into the lane of opposing traffic just to go around me. He risked his own safety just so he would not go near me! I won't bite, promise! But, it must have been the Superflash, because in the day, I don't get the same reaction (no Superflashes used). This doesn't just happen for one vehicle, but any vehicle near me will give me tons of room! Just wished there was an ultra bright day light version. That or a blue and white version that I could mount right next to the standard red Superflash, but that would probably be illegal.

yeah i think blue is illegal... ;)
I got 3 PB's (2 on my seatpost), 1 on the triangle part that goes to the chainstay and I put the MARS 3.0 on my helmet.

yeah i think blue is illegal... ;)
I got 3 PB's (2 on my seatpost), 1 on the triangle part that goes to the chainstay and I put the MARS 3.0 on my helmet.


yeah too bad about that though,

but still having two on your seatpost, and possibly one higher up would make others think that you were a cop or some emergency vehicle, and that keeps cars far away! t

that is the reason why the supeflash is so powerful!

if you don't think that is bright enough, get a Fenix Cree with some red mylar, and point it back
that would beat the pants off anything from Dinotte, or get something from dealextreme for $20, and still pack in around 100-150 lumens, that would shear any 3W or 5W luxeon you get from Dinotte for 8X the price.

Just got the PB Superflash as well. Did the mistake of accidentally looking into it for half a second and couldn't see clearly at my monitor for a minute or two.

you want the brighest tail light around, take a niterider trinewt or some HID system, glue a red lens
over it, aim it backward...the aristocrats !

IMHO...a red blinky should be bright, but not blinding. a head light can be blinding. tail lights, no so much methinks

pb superflash is the first tail light I used where I know traffic is adjusting away from me way more than with my previous blinkies. it has more to do with the flash pattern than lumens....the 4 bang.2 kapow mode really takes drivers aback

ditto on the
Planetbike Superflash

If what I've heard about Dinotte, that they are made in the USA, is true, it will almost certainly be a shoe-in for my next tailight. Can anyone confirm this? I'd much rather pay someone in my own country (even if it costs more) than continue selling out my country's industrial base (and that is exactly what has happened) to cheap labor from China. Not that I am anti-China, or even a nationalist, but I am certainly anti-corporations-selling-out-their-country-for-more-profits.

If what I've heard about Dinotte, that they are made in the USA, is true, it will almost certainly be a shoe-in for my next tailight. Can anyone confirm this? I'd much rather pay someone in my own country (even if it costs more) than continue selling out my country's industrial base (and that is exactly what has happened) to cheap labor from China. Not that I am anti-China, or even a nationalist, but I am certainly anti-corporations-selling-out-their-country-for-more-profits.

It does'nt say anything on the packaging but I'm pretty sure their made in the good ol' U.S.A.
I think their N.H based

I use two Planetbike Superflash's. I've got one on the seatpost and one on the back of my helmet. I use these in conjunction with bar end lights that face backwards in the ends of the drops, and let's just say, if I get hit, it's not going to be because the guy didn't see me.

I am curious about the batter requirements of the strobes from All Electronics, and also where to get the Sun light.

Lastly, I have use the PB Superflash in daylight and have seen cars treat me differently. YMMV.

where to get the Sun light.

In North America the s-sun light is market by BLT as the super doppler.

http://www.blt-lights.com/rearsuperdopplerdx.htm

I use 3 PB Superflash. It is true that a lot of cars give way more room than my 10year old blinkey some cars don't care though mainly taxis. I think it is a combination of the great flashing pattern and the brightness. If the beam gets you right in the eye Wow!! But the beam is pretty narrow.

I really like the Superflash you can't go wrong for the price!!

Maybe someone could mod out the red light and put in a blue LED. Then you would look like a cop, depending on your local laws you may be able to do this or not. If you could modify out the red with a white instead, and pack a red and white, and a red and white Superflash (4 total) you may look like an emergency vehicle (which is legal in pretty much all jurisdictions).

That outta do some scaring away. at least get a few more cars to give you an extra few inches

California law says red forward facing (solid or flashing) is illegal except for authorized emergency vehicles. Any blue light anywhere on a bicycle is also illegal except for police bicycles. There is a long section of the vehicle code that starts with "25250. Flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles except asotherwise permitted." Then goes on to list the permitted uses for flashing lights.

The section that allows slow moving vehicles to simultaneously flash their front and rear turn signal lamps to indicate a hazard may be applicable to flashing bicycle lights, but technically two taillights would have to be wired to flash at the same time and could only be red or amber. Even though it is technically illegal to have flashing lights on a vehicle (other than turn signal lamps), I think most police realize the safety aspect and are willing to overlook the infraction. Starting to switch up colors and intentionally look like an emergency vehicle may be pushing it a bit.

I'm about to go buy a PB Superflash today. Too bad there isn't an equivalent of the front light!

Here is a photo, the best I could do.

Planet Bike Super flash is on the the left, S-Sun 120R is on the right.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/lannes2007/IMG_6513.jpg

How is the side visibility of the S-Sun? Better than Superflash?

How is the side visibility of the S-Sun? Better than Superflash?

The PB is better is better side on as the S-Sun is more focused back, but I believe rear intensity is more more important. Most often with the bike moving around as we ride , the rear light beam will also be swinging around as well giving a wider coverage.

How is the side visibility of the S-Sun? Better than Superflash?

The side visibility is very strong, despite this, I mount multiple Super's and at various angles, not necessarily straight back, usually some that point out slightly into traffic.

I finally saw a Superflash in person, and I dug it. I couldn't figure out a way to put it on my bike, though. I don't have much seatpost at all (the main LED would simply light up the seatbag), and the seatstays have such a pinched-oval shape (Cannondale CAAD8) that I don't think the optional small clamp holder would work very well.

I might get one anyway, though, and find someplace to mount it.

Do they sell S-Sun L120Rs in the USA? I can't find a dealer so far.

If you want good side visibility, the PB BRT-7 or now called the Blinky 7 give you directional rear lighting.. I used this previous to the superflash.. They still sell it online.. It has 220 degrees of visibility..

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3019.html