Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Do you need that much rear light-Dinotte?

I bought the 200L for the front and I am very pleased with it. $169 is a lot of money for a light (I bought just before the weekend sale:() but having a good light has opened up a new world for me.
I've thought about getting the rear light, but 99% of my riding is on rural roads where there is no extraneous lighting. It's just me, and the dark, and an occasional pickup truck coming at me or passing me. I have a Planet Bike super flash blinky. I think that makes me stand out in the dark from behind.
I like the 200L because I need to see what's ahead of me. I don't need to see behind me. I could see if I rode in a city where I need to stand out from storelights, car lights, etc., but I don't.
So, do most of you get the rear light because you ride in a "lit-up" environment and you need to stand out?
P.S. I've thought about getting a reflective vest to supplement my safety gear. Should be cheaper than another Dinotte light.

I don't think a person really "needs one". However I suppose we all have to do what it takes to satisfy a person's internal comfort factor.


I commute daily, year round in downtown traffic. The rear light I use day in and day out is the Planet Bike Super Flash. That's all that I really need. I own a 140L just for something to do.

I personally don't think a person really "needs one". We just tend to over do it for the internal comfort factor.


I commute daily, year round in downtown traffic. The rear light I use day in and day out is the Planet Bike Super Flash. That's all that I really need. I own a 140L just for something to do.

I think you hit the nail on the head. If I get one it will be "just for something to do."

FWIW, I definitely experienced a much stronger feeling of security while riding around in the dark with the 200L headlight. It lets me go "where no man has gone before." At least not me.

I think you hit the nail on the head. If I get one it will be "just for something to do."

FWIW, I definitely experienced a much stronger feeling of security while riding around in the dark with the 200L headlight. It lets me go "where no man has gone before." At least not me.

I know how that feels... ;)

For $10 or less you can get a strobe tail-light that can make small aircraft see you as they pass. Add a legal minimal steady red tail light if the law requires that in your area.

" Do you need that much rear light-Dinotte?"

Yes. I love it. I generally have it on high steady. It gets lots of respect from the cars. One day last week, I rode in, in a pea soup fog in the dark (I never would have done that before I got the Dinotte front/rear 600L combo). Decided to put the rear light on high strobe for that trip. No problems. I had a co-worker, who saw me on the road that morning, tell me all he could see for a long ways back was my flashing rear light. He thought I was an emergency vehicle!

Actually dark rural roads is exactly why I got it. It lets off a ton of light rearward. When riding at night on my local roads they are very dark and usually empty. They are also rolling hills and windy. Often cars may not be expecting someone. Additionally the taillight shine bright enough that you can see if from around a bend, which is very nice. I don't want someone out at night coming up behind me, not expecting me to be there, and not seeing my blinky light until after they have come around the bend.

-D

I've thought about getting the rear light, but 99% of my riding is on rural roads where there is no extraneous lighting. It's just me, and the dark, and an occasional pickup truck coming at me or passing me.

If they can see you better from a quarter-mile away with a brighter light, then I'd say you should get one.

Imagine the driver's perspective at 60 mph (assuming pavement; slower if it's gravel ;) ): "Doo-de-doo.. hmm, there's a... oh, that's a light.. is it moving? kinda -- I think it's on the side of the road, so I'll go around.. nobody coming in the other lane, right? Okay, now I'm close -- oh, it's a bicycle! I sure could see him back there..."

Go through that thought process at 60 mph, think of how far a vehicle travels in that time, and you'll see why I mentioned easy quarter-mile visibility.

I splurged and bought a second rear light at the sale. At $99 I couldn't resist! The original is a Li-Ion so I can't mix batteries, but the new one has more flash choices. When I turn both on flash they are out of sequence and look like a UFO. VERY visible in daytime. I can go Li steady AA flash as another choice. I go on some dark fast semi hiway roads and at 2 points the bikes go across short bridges on the road. I like the idea of showing up to the drivers a mile down the road. If they're changing channels, looking for they're coffee cup, or talking on the cell. it gives them more time to glance up and see me. Now they go in the next lane rather than buzz me.

You all aren't supposed to tell me these things. Now I might have to get one. I had someone tell me that a high percentage of the drivers around here, after dark, have had a few drinks under their belt.

There are certain times in the day, dusk and dawn, when the angle of sunlight hitting the driver can make you totally invisible. It's during those times that the extremes of the dinotte tail light makes sense.

I splurged and bought a second rear light ... Now they go in the next lane rather than buzz me.

Me also - two lights at the rear. Mainly for redundancy, rather than visibility. 1x AA and 1x Li-ion.
They helped a lot this week with the clocks changing - keeps those novice night time drivers at bay.

If you can't sleep at night worrying about whether or not your bright enough then get one; personally I think it's an overkill. I've heard from other forum members that the thing is blinding to drivers so they had to aim them down toward the ground! I like my Cateye LD600's, there bright enough to be seen during the day thus more then bright enough at night, and if mounted vertically is way more visible from the sides then even the Dinotte! I use to run just one on the seat post and had drivers comment on how well they could see me from behind (I also use barend lights) and was the brightest from behind rider on the road, but now I have one each stay for even more visiblity without being over the top. And the Cateye 600 is only about $18 and is stingy on batteries.

Me also - two lights at the rear. Mainly for redundancy, rather than visibility. 1x AA and 1x Li-ion.
They helped a lot this week with the clocks changing - keeps those novice night time drivers at bay.

Oh man that is my aim for my DIY setup. Two on the sides on and one in the middle blinking or with a momentary on/off to act as a brake light. Oh yah...

I ride on country roads at night and to me the rear light was more important than the front. But now i have both ;)

I just bought the dinotte tail light during the sale even though I have two planet bike SF in the rear. Once you get it you will be amazed. I have never read any post of someone getting the dinotte tail light and being disappointed with it. Good reason. When I first saw it, I stood 20 yards back, stared into the light and it was so bright it gave me a headache. Every day in the U.S. someone gets killed on a bike, mostly from motorists. I don't want to be that statistic. The light for me is a small price to pay for the added benefit of safety.

+1 freedomguy22

I've had my DiNotte for a week, and for now I still use my SF mounted on the back of my helmet, but it probably doesn't do much. I do this b/c it's the only place I can think of that's far enough away to potentially be visible (the DiNotte's mounted on the end of my rear rack).

I can't speak for the tail light (I currently use a blackburn mars- PB superflash is on the wishlist) but I love my vest. I love reflectors on bikes as they have a way of jumping out at people. Make it a little different than a typical road marker reflector and people seem to catch it right away. Put a large reflector on a person and make it move around and it seems that motorists notice it. Now, if I only had the money to put a nice light on there, too...

If another sale comes along I'll probably pick up a Dinotte taillight. If I do, it will be for the gadgetness of it. I like the security of having a lot of light on my bike, and I like the feeling I get when I know cars can see me. I often get several miles out of town in the pitch black and it just feels good to have a lot of light.

If another sale comes along I'll probably pick up a Dinotte taillight.
You can often pick up the light on Nashbar for ~$125. That also gets you the batteries and charger. Not necessarily worth the extra $25, but it's something and you don't have to wait.

I missed the sale, but decided that I really need it for the curves and hills here.

... I love my vest... I love reflectors on bikes...

+1

Regarding vests, a while back Consumer Reports tested various reflective vests (you can read about it on BF here (http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-146229.html) ). Amphipod came out on top. I am very pleased with mine (though I don't feel it's substantial enough to provide much daytime visibility help).

Well while we're on the reflective clothing tangent, I'll mention I'm happy it's finally getting cold enough for me to wear my class III reflective windbreaker on my ride home from work (usually around 10pm-1am). Pretty good deal at http://www.bostonindustrial.com/hiviwirestcl.html. I like the reflective stripes on the arms...helps make my arm signals more visible to drivers approaching from behind me.