View Full Version : Why Doesn't The Cateye TL-1100 Get Any Love?
Why doesn't the Cateye TL-1100 get any love? It's a lot more visible than the Super Flash - especially during daylight or low light times such as dusk, isn't that expensive ($30), has a long run time, and is waterproof. Why are so few people using this great light?
stonecrd
11-30-07, 05:45 AM
I love mine, for $35 it is a great taillight. Very bright, has about 5 different modes and goes on and off the bike easily. The issue I have is the battery compartment is so tight that it is a struggle to get them out when I do a recharge.
Zero_Enigma
11-30-07, 08:02 AM
I love mine, for $35 it is a great taillight. Very bright, has about 5 different modes and goes on and off the bike easily. The issue I have is the battery compartment is so tight that it is a struggle to get them out when I do a recharge.
What rechargeable batteries and capacity doyou use and what is the cell diameter?
Psydotek
11-30-07, 08:56 AM
I've got the LD1000 and it's great but i can't find the newer 1100 anywhere yet...
I've got the LD1000 and it's great but i can't find the newer 1100 anywhere yet...
I got mine from AE Bike.
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=list&Category=54&brand=65&modelid=12183&type=T
I love mine, for $35 it is a great taillight. Very bright, has about 5 different modes and goes on and off the bike easily. The issue I have is the battery compartment is so tight that it is a struggle to get them out when I do a recharge.
Take the stupid little piece of plastic out and the batteries should be easier to remove.
stonecrd
11-30-07, 09:27 AM
Take the stupid little piece of plastic out and the batteries should be easier to remove.
I was wondering if you could do that without a problem.
I am using energizer 2500 mAh NiMH batteries.
I got mine at USBIKEBARGAINS via Amazon. It was great since they are in Coral Springs a few miles away I got it the day after I ordered.
flipped4bikes
11-30-07, 10:16 AM
My history of rear blinkies: PB blinky1. Cateye LD-1000. PB SuperFlash. Dinotte 140L-AA-R. I don't doubt that the new LD-1100 is nice, but I don't need one.
I love mine. (well not really love but I do like it alot. :) )
HardyWeinberg
11-30-07, 10:55 AM
Does the LD1100 have a better rack mount option than the LD1000 did?
Why doesn't the Cateye TL-1100 get any love? It's a lot more visible than the Super Flash - especially during daylight or low light times such as dusk, isn't that expensive ($30), has a long run time, and is waterproof. Why are so few people using this great light?
I guess most people are infatuated with the flashing pattern on the PBSF that looks like a police emergency light. It is indeed mesmerizing....
One of the other issues that people seem to have is with the quality of the mount. People report of the light falling off the mount when you hit a bump. I have not had that issue, but I do notice that you need to push them in hard (until you hear a click), hard being relative, compared to a Mars 3.0
Overall though, I do think the TL1000 (which is the one I have) is a better light. Brighter, more sideways visibility. :love:
Duppie
Probably because it seems like a lot of money for a "blinky".
I guess most people are infatuated with the flashing pattern on the PBSF that looks like a police emergency light. It is indeed mesmerizing....
One of the other issues that people seem to have is with the quality of the mount. People report of the light falling off the mount when you hit a bump. I have not had that issue, but I do notice that you need to push them in hard (until you hear a click), hard being relative, compared to a Mars 3.0
Overall though, I do think the TL1000 (which is the one I have) is a better light. Brighter, more sideways visibility. :love:
Duppie
I ride over rough cobblestones every day and have never had a problem with my Cateye lights falling off the mount. Neither has my wife who rides the same streets.
I was wondering if you could do that without a problem.
I am using energizer 2500 mAh NiMH batteries.
I got mine at USBIKEBARGAINS via Amazon. It was great since they are in Coral Springs a few miles away I got it the day after I ordered.
I called Cayeye and asked about the little plastic pieces and they told me it's to help in removing the batteries! I've removed them and there has been no problems.
Does the LD1100 have a better rack mount option than the LD1000 did?
I have LD-1000s, each screwed to two different racks on my bikes.
See http://bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=5693984&postcount=2
What's wrong with that?
Both my mtn bikes have TK1000's and my road bikes have The 110 is one of the best I've seen for the price. Small and compact. You can put one row on steady and one on flash. Great light.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=24806&subcategory_ID=4322
BarracksSi
12-01-07, 04:59 PM
Whenever I used mine, I ended up either putting all the lights on or just one row on flash and the other row turned off. Turning on both rows -- at any setting, too -- just gives a sparkling effect when it's seen at a distance.
For a blinking pattern to work, it has to blink OFF with certainty to give better contrast against the ON blink. If one row blinks off, but the other row is still on, the net result isn't a blink, but just a flicker.
Here's someone else's video comparing the LD1000, LD500, and PBSF:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fl5y72POyiU
The older LD1000 was definitely not as bright as the PBSF, and with both rows blinking, it just didn't have the pa-pow effect that the PBSF did. The newer & brighter LD1100 should be pretty good, though, and its flash effect should be good if it's just switched to one row flashing.
What is really unique to this great light is the ability to choose a combination that will provide an approaching motorist with the correct information. There have been several studies discussed on the BF about flash vs steady. Flashing seems to not provide approaching drivers with the correct distance to the bicycle. Thus a driver may come too close. 28 years in law enforcement has provided me with some knowledge that leads me to believe this studies merits. Call it defensive bicycling . The ability to make it twinkle gives an approaching vehicle a better perspective of the distance from the bicyclist. Remember the object here is to not get hit. Flash is very effective ,but not as informative IMO. The really neat thing is what ever study or belief you have about the subject the light provides you with that ability to choose. I wish to be seen, and not confuse the other vehicles on the road. After all...I am a vehicle.
daredevil
12-02-07, 06:37 AM
I've got the 1000 and it's brighter than the Superflash but the Superflash is more versatile just for it's built on clip.
BarracksSi
12-02-07, 07:13 AM
What is really unique to this great light is the ability to choose a combination that will provide an approaching motorist with the correct information. There have been several studies discussed on the BF about flash vs steady. Flashing seems to not provide approaching drivers with the correct distance to the bicycle. Thus a driver may come too close. 28 years in law enforcement has provided me with some knowledge that leads me to believe this studies merits.
That's why I have separate lights doing separate things, in one case a Dinotte taillight and PBSF -- one does the flashing for better attention-getting, and the other stays steady for better distance judgment. They're also spaced far enough apart for one to not interfere with the other.
daredevil
12-02-07, 07:48 AM
That's why I have separate lights doing separate things, in one case a Dinotte taillight and PBSF -- one does the flashing for better attention-getting, and the other stays steady for better distance judgment. They're also spaced far enough apart for one to not interfere with the other.
Exactly the same for me. Steady on the seat post and flashing attached to the helmet.
noisebeam
12-05-07, 08:58 AM
Does anyone else have the problem that the TL-1000 sometimes grows dim or even goes out, only to be corrected by banging on it (or more civilly taking off cover and putting it back on)
I assumed it was due to poor contact at battery ends. So I pulled/stretched out the battery contact springs (used a tweezer to get to the ones on the far end)
That did not fix the problem. What have others done?
Al
Does anyone else have the problem that the TL-1000 sometimes grows dim or even goes out, only to be corrected by banging on it (or more civilly taking off cover and putting it back on)
I assumed it was due to poor contact at battery ends. So I pulled/stretched out the battery contact springs (used a tweezer to get to the ones on the far end)
That did not fix the problem. What have others done?
Al
Try calling Cateye; they have top notch customer service.
noisebeam
12-05-07, 10:27 AM
Try calling Cateye; they have top notch customer service.
OK, you are right, they have helped me before. I do however recall this is a common complaint about this light, so perhaps there is some knowledge here about a cure.
Al
OK, you are right, they have helped me before. I do however recall this is a common complaint about this light, so perhaps there is some knowledge here about a cure.
Al
Between my wife and I we've owned four TL-1000s and have had no problems.
EXCALIBUR
12-05-07, 02:01 PM
Does anyone else have the problem that the TL-1000 sometimes grows dim or even goes out, only to be corrected by banging on it (or more civilly taking off cover and putting it back on)
I assumed it was due to poor contact at battery ends. So I pulled/stretched out the battery contact springs (used a tweezer to get to the ones on the far end)
That did not fix the problem. What have others done?
AlThis condition occurred frequently when I used my Cateye TL-1000. I finally replaced it with a Planet Bike Super Flash.
noisebeam
12-05-07, 02:05 PM
This condition occurred frequently when I used my Cateye TL-1000. I finally replaced it with a Planet Bike Super Flash.
I use two PBSF in addition to the TL-1000. That is why the times it does go dim/dead are not a serious concern. I usually notice within a few minutes and can bang it back into operation.
But it would be nice to fix it once and for all. Calling Cateye seems the best next plan.
Al
I use two PBSF in addition to the TL-1000. That is why the times it does go dim/dead are not a serious concern. I usually notice within a few minutes and can bang it back into operation.
But it would be nice to fix it once and for all. Calling Cateye seems the best next plan.
Al
Cateye will probably just send you a new one. Please let us know what they say!
Why doesn't the Cateye TL-1100 get any love? It's a lot more visible than the Super Flash - especially during daylight or low light times such as dusk, isn't that expensive ($30), has a long run time, and is waterproof. Why are so few people using this great light?
The Cateye is very directional. Great if seen more or less straight on, but becomes lost if off center. The Superflash is much better off center. It was the rear blinkie in Seattle for a bit, but now it's the Superflash followed by the ViewPoint and Niterider blinkies.
The Cateye is very directional. Great if seen more or less straight on, but becomes lost if off center. The Superflash is much better off center. It was the rear blinkie in Seattle for a bit, but now it's the Superflash followed by the ViewPoint and Niterider blinkies.
The TL-1100 is a new and improved version of the one you are talking about. It's much less directional than the SF and brighter actually. I own both lights and have tested them side by side.
Guess I need to take a look at the newest version.
powerhouse
12-13-07, 11:01 AM
Yep. The TL-LD 1100 is insanely bright. I just finished testing it. It can be mounted to the seatpost or clipped to a bag. However, the Superflash is a bright blinky that can more easily be clipped to helmets or bags and mounted to a bike.
It's a tossup between the two in some cases.
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