I know that this can be really subjective, but what is everyone's opinion on the Best & Brightest battery operated Red TailLight ??? Thanks for any info. God Bless :thumb:

Dinotte.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=413833

I know that this can be really subjective, but what is everyone's opinion on the Best & Brightest battery operated Red TailLight ??? Thanks for any info. God Bless :thumb:

4 AA's run 15 hours
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/ScreenShot001-1.jpg

Planetbike Superflash.

I'm dying to see a post titled "Worst & dimmest tail light". :D

www.northerntool.com Go to the section on strobe lights. Their red one is on page 2. If you really want the Best and Brightest be ready to shell out the cash and accept the weight penalty.

One step down but much lighter and less expensive would be www.allelectronics.com and check under strobes.

If you want something made just for bikes other posters will give the needed advice.

:) I once shopped for the flashing lights used at airports like LAX and SFO but would have needed a trailer to carry the power supply. ;)

4 AA's run 15 hours


Hey, 10 Wheels...you gave JDELUNA a runtime but not a suggested light! :)

I'm pretty sure that I know which light you're using...but I'm not sure JDELUNA will. ;)

And JDELUNA, whatever you do, DON'T try a forum search for answers. You might end up with more than you bargained for. Worst case, you might find yourself in the fist-fest of a thread suggested by photoassign. :p

The Cateye TL-LD1100 is one of the brightest and is readily available at bike shops. I have the TL-LD600 (older model) and it is good also so the 610 (new model) should be even better. Also the Blackburn MARS 2.0 and 3.0 are fine and available retail. Planet Bike Superflash as already mentioned is great but you will probably have to order it over the internet since I have not seen it retail.

http://www.cateye.com/en/product_listing/57

Dinotte.

Unless you want it for daytime visibility and are willing to spend the bucks, I would buy two of the models that I listed so you have redundancy and better visibility. The models that I listed are not going to be as good as the Dinotte for daytime visibility. That is undeniable. But two of the others would be helpful during the day.

The most versatile and the best bang for the buck goes to the superflash, no? A pair with one on you and one on the bike and you're in business.

I'm dying to see a post titled "Worst & dimmest tail light". :DI have 6 of them.

Planetbike Superflash.

without a doubt. when I wear it cars usually slow pass slow and wide.

Dinotte, although I've got to qualify that by saying that I've not used---or seen---the Superflash live. A year ago I, too, wanted the "best and brightest" taillight possible, but choked on the Dinotte's price. This spring I decided to bite the bullet and buy one, rationalizing the cost as a premium on insurance against getting rear-ended by a distracted (or oblivious) driver. After seeing it live and using it, I bought 2 more; one for each of my kids' bikes.

It's not only bright, but it casts a wide red glow on the pavement behind me. That and the point source combined make it impossible for anyone to not see me, unless they're absolutely terminally oblivious in which case nothing will help. Run times are good with the less expensive 4xAA version, and 2 to 4 times as long with a Li-ion version. Dinotte customer service has been outstanding as well.

The only downside to the Dinotte is that it's tough to figure out how to install the light on the bike if you use a saddlebag that takes up most of your seatpost, as is my case. You can't just slip it onto the rear loop of a saddlebag as you can most other lights. I've managed to come up with ways to do this, but in one case I needed to make a contraption to attach it to a rack, and in the other case I needed to attach something to a Carradice Bagman to hold the light. Both were easy to accomplish once I figured out what I wanted to do, but it is a hurdle you might have to overcome depending on your set-up. In my opinion it was worth the effort. If you have plenty of seatpost exposed then you can use an attachment that comes with the light, in which case this paragraph is moot for you.

I'm dying to see a post titled "Worst & dimmest tail light". :D

I have a couple, but I've forgotten what brands they are.

[QUOTE=10 Wheels;6997147]4 AA's run 15 hours
On what mode? DiNotte doesn't list anything with nearly such a long runtime on their spec sheet.

4 Cell AA Ni-MH
2 Hours 100%
4 Hours 50%
8 Hours 25%
12 Hours Slow Pulse
6 Hours Rapid Pulse
6 Hours Strobe

Light Output: 120 Lumens, Tail Light

http://www.dinottelighting.com/manuals/200L_INST_A.pdf

The Cateye TL-LD1100 hands down

I've had the same set of batteries in it for 3 years, it's bright as he!! and I haven't been run over yet!

My commute is only 1.1 miles on a fairly straight road, but I do it at 10PM. My co-workers tell me they can see me the whole way!

Without a doubt the Dinotte's the big daddy. However, under most conditions, you can be fairly well served by a couple of smaller lights. The Dinotte's strength is competing against other head and taillights on a crowded well lit road, or daylight visibility on a long high speed stretch. Under those conditions, you absolutely want as bright as possible.

However, I find that it can be hard to gauge distances against a singular point of light (esp. when it's bright enough to wash out the rest of you in the darkness) That's why I prefer multiple mid-range lights vs the Dinotte.

The Planetbike Superflash is an excellent light to run in this category. However be aware that you lose a lot of brightness when viewed off-axis, so it's not a great light to clip to a helmet or messenger bag. I'd suggest pairing it with a different light - the Superflash on the bike, and a different light on the bag.

I like the Blackburn Mars as well (the skinny newer one). Not as bright on-axis as the Superflash, but pretty bright in its own regard. The hose clamp-like clip is pretty versatile, being able to mount the light onto racks and other locations that other lights might not work as well with.

The Viewpoint Flashpoint (imho) is a sleeper, really underestimated. To me, it's easily as bright as the Superflash is (although it doesn't have the distinctive flash pattern the Planet Bike has), and has pretty good off-axis brightness by having a physically large "body" that's lit up even when the LED's aren't aimed at you. Competes decently in daylight - I've had riders come up to me and remark on being able to see me from a ways off as they approached.

My suggestion would to pair a Flashpoint on Steady + a Superflash on blink for attention grabbing.

Don't forget the retroreflective gear. Vests, belts, tape, etc. In a car's headlights, DOT-rated reflective gear can easily outshine a battery-powered light - and it works at angles you may not have lights pointed at - like in cross traffic at intersections.

Hope that helps!

4 AA's run 15 hours
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/ScreenShot001-1.jpg

15 Hours Low Setting:

Peter White Dinotte Lights

DiNotte Ultra 3 Lithium includes:
DiNotte signature aluminum light engine
3 Watt super LED (SLED), 80 lumen output
Regulated power supply
Lithium-ion battery and charger
Ballistic nylon battery holder
Handle bar or helmet mount
Extension cable for helmet mounting

Key Specifications:

Light output: 80 lumens, (8-10 watt halogen equivalent)
Battery life: 15 hours low, 7.5 hours high, 40+ hours flash
Warranty: 2 years parts and labor
Weight: 320 grams

Key Features:

Double click on – Protect against accidental power on
High, low beam, low battery mode
Self test upon battery connection
Power on and low battery indicators
Low battery auto-lock to keep your light running

[quote=10 Wheels;6997147]4 AA's run 15 hours
On what mode? DiNotte doesn't list anything with nearly such a long runtime on their spec sheet.

4 Cell AA Ni-MH
2 Hours 100%
4 Hours 50%
8 Hours 25%
12 Hours Slow Pulse
6 Hours Rapid Pulse
6 Hours Strobe


http://www.dinottelighting.com/manuals/200L_INST_A.pdf

Peter White DiNotte Lights: I don't have one, but ride behind one three days a week for 210 miles.

Peter White DiNotte Lights: I don't have one, but ride behind one three days a week for 210 miles.

I think you've confused the AA and the lithium models.

I know that this can be really subjective, but what is everyone's opinion on the Best & Brightest battery operated Red TailLight ??? Thanks for any info. God Bless :thumb:

I'll defer to those who have Dinotte experience (and the spare cash to fund it).

I looked for more reasonably priced units last week. The models on display (with unknown battery life) that impressed me most were the Mars 3.0 and the PlanetBike SuperFlash (PBSF). I visited several bike shops, PB and REI in my search. I was unable to find the Cateye TL-LD1100 which I really wanted to see.

IMO, the Mars 2.0 did not come close to the 3.0 unit. I liked the Mars 3.0 except for reported battery replacement issues. I bought the PBSF because it was equally bright and had an effective flash pattern with an easy to replace battery. I've also heard good things about PB customer service (although for a cheap device, that's probably a moot point).

I don't ride at night, but do get into dusk at times.. and early morning too. Anyone ever use a PBSF (or equivalent) on the front of the bike for better visibility? I'm thinking of approaching intersecting roads and trying to make eye contact with the driver to make sure I've been seen.

I'll defer to those who have Dinotte experience (and the spare cash to fund it).

I looked for more reasonably priced units last week. The models on display (with unknown battery life) that impressed me most were the Mars 3.0 and the PlanetBike SuperFlash (PBSF). I visited several bike shops, PB and REI in my search. I was unable to find the Cateye TL-LD1100 which I really wanted to see.

IMO, the Mars 2.0 did not come close to the 3.0 unit. I liked the Mars 3.0 except for reported battery replacement issues. I bought the PBSF because it was equally bright and had an effective flash pattern with an easy to replace battery. I've also heard good things about PB customer service (although for a cheap device, that's probably a moot point).

I don't ride at night, but do get into dusk at times.. and early morning too. Anyone ever use a PBSF (or equivalent) on the front of the bike for better visibility? I'm thinking of approaching intersecting roads and trying to make eye contact with the driver to make sure I've been seen.
Get a white light for the front as it won't confuse cars to which direction you are traveling in. White = front, red = rear.

Get a white light for the front as it won't confuse cars to which direction you are traveling in. White = front, red = rear.

Good point about the direction of travel. But I question the value of a non-flashing white light that would likely be pretty dim for the front (for daytime use). Or maybe I have an incorrect assumption about the front white lights?

The strobe effect of the PBSF is hard to miss. Is there an equivalent in white that would be appropriate for the front?

Sorry... didn't mean to HJ this thread.

Good point about the direction of travel. But I question the value of a non-flashing white light that would likely be pretty dim for the front (for daytime use). Or maybe I have an incorrect assumption about the front white lights?

The strobe effect of the PBSF is hard to miss. Is there an equivalent in white that would be appropriate for the front?

Sorry... didn't mean to HJ this thread.

There are plenty of bright flashing white lights, and they are very visible.

I use the Cateye 135 as a front white blinkie. Very small, 2 aa batts, long run time and about $20+. It is quite effective.

For the money, you can't beat the Planet Bike super blinkie. It will reflect off traffic signs from a block away.

Hey, 10 Wheels...you gave JDELUNA a runtime but not a suggested light! :)

I'm pretty sure that I know which light you're using...but I'm not sure JDELUNA will. ;)

And JDELUNA, whatever you do, DON'T try a forum search for answers. You might end up with more than you bargained for. Worst case, you might find yourself in the fist-fest of a thread suggested by photoassign. :p

Thanks: I follow a Dinotte for 210 miles a week. I need all the help I can get. Thanks for keeping me
In line.

I think you've confused the AA and the lithium models.

I stay confused. Keep me honest. Thanks

I will have to buy a digital camera just to show off the Lowe's big blinkie. This 'trailer safety light' is ridicubright and big, and easy to rig up to fit your rack. Only $16, runs on 4AA's for about 40 hours, waterproof. I will get a camera and post pics, so you can see it. Item 248852(it's not listed on Lowe's.com yet)

I don't ride at night, but do get into dusk at times.. and early morning too. Anyone ever use a PBSF (or equivalent) on the front of the bike for better visibility? I'm thinking of approaching intersecting roads and trying to make eye contact with the driver to make sure I've been seen.

I use not a red light to the front (see Ziemas's point about orientation), but a white or amber Dinotte that's st00pid bright. If you're unlit and shaded by trees, you might not be seen; if you're not in the shade of trees, you're potentially being masked by the dazzle from sunlight reflecting off of cars, both moving and parked. Get something bright.

That's why I often go with the amber Dinotte, too -- it's a significantly different color than a midday sunlight reflection, and I believe it's more likely to make drivers take notice.

Check on your jurisdiction. Some places require red light or reflector to the back, so at least augment it with some kind of red light.

But yeah, I use a combination of red and amber blinkers for when I really want to be seen, like course marshalling. :D

Check on your jurisdiction. Some places require red light or reflector to the back, so at least augment it with some kind of red light.

But yeah, I use a combination of red and amber blinkers for when I really want to be seen, like course marshalling. :D

Edited my post if it wasn't clear;

Nothing but red to the rear on my bike, and either white or amber depending on what's on the bars at the time.

Planet bike 1W Blaze for the front, have one and its great.

Planet bike 1W Blaze for the front, have one and its great.

If that was for me, the PB Blaze only has a high and low setting, right? I want a blinky for the front for visibility, not illumination for the road. Or did I misunderstand your suggestion?

Edit: I stand corrected. The Blaze does offer flash along with high and low. Thanks.

I know that this can be really subjective, but what is everyone's opinion on the Best & Brightest battery operated Red TailLight ??? Thanks for any info. God Bless :thumb:

You're in the luck! Dinotte just came out with a rear light that is suitable not only for bikes but for spaceships too. I think it's an overkill but on the other hand it answers your question. Here it is:

http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=349376857&Count2=266517281

The strobe effect of the PBSF is hard to miss. Is there an equivalent in white that would be appropriate for the front?

I was browsing lights in REI the other day and played a bit with the new Planet Bike Blaze 1W model. It has three modes: high solid, low solid, and "SuperFlash" strobe. In the strobe mode, it uses the same flash pattern as the PBSF blinky. Of course, difference is that it flashes with the pure white headlight (no red). I was impressed, and began to seriously covet one even though I already have nearly new lights for both my bike and my wife's.

It would be nice to hear whether anyone has seen one in the field.

Here is a link to the PB site: http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3044.html.


Mike

Clearly it's the Dinotte, however Planet Bike's Superflash is one great light for the price. I've also owned the Cateye 1000, another great light. I understand the Cateye 1100 is even brighter. You can't go wrong with any of them in my opinion.

The Dinotte during the day it protects be from RangeRovers & Bentlys & at night it lets me communicate with other worlds . (but seriously folks the Dinotte makes sure others see you even during the day.)

Has anyone here tried that Lowes LED light for trailers (as far as I know there is no link to it online, but people have posted about it here)? It is huge and has at least 20 LEDs on it by my count. It also weighs surprisingly little once the magnets and magnet backing is taken off (all the metal from the back), and fits into the middle pocket of a bike jersey as if it were made for it.

I tried this walmart pirahna brand trailer light that I picked up a few years ago (new ones might possibly use better LEDS)
This is with either 8 or 10 (I played with it both ways) 1.2v NIMH in series with the dinotte on top on high for comparison.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2171/2346046233_a63ec50a7a_m.jpg
I reclined my seat more on my recumbent so I have to find a new spot for it but I think it gave a nice big noticeable light that was pretty bright.
Right now I'm running a cateye 1100 on my head rest which is covered with red reflective tape. Then on the rack I have a dinotte 140L which reflects alot off of some silver mylar tassels that trail off my seat bag.

SMV Industries LED Safety Light :
Large 6 X 4 inches. $16.00 from Lowe's, Hardware Section.
18 LEDs, 4 AA Alkaline Batteries

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ssQlULh20U

SMV Industries LED Safety Light :
Large 6 X 4 inches. $16.00 from Lowe's, Hardware Section.
18 LEDs, 4 AA Alkaline Batteries

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ssQlULh20U

any pictures on how it's mounted?

Serfas TL-1000 on top
SMV Safety Light below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZeX49pBtCk

Has anyone here tried that Lowes LED light for trailers (as far as I know there is no link to it online, but people have posted about it here)? It is huge and has at least 20 LEDs on it by my count. It also weighs surprisingly little once the magnets and magnet backing is taken off (all the metal from the back), and fits into the middle pocket of a bike jersey as if it were made for it.

I bought one of the trailer lights from Lowe's, but now I'm wondering if I wouldn't have been happier with a second PBSF or one of the Cateye TL-LD1100. This post (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=375687) links to some pictures comparing the Lowe's light with the others, and it doesn't wow me in comparison. I suspect this is because the Lowe's light is made with white LEDs shining through red plastic, while the PBSF uses a red LED shining through clear plastic, which seems to be a more efficient use of battery juice. For me to mount the Lowe's light on my aluminum rack, it looks like my best bet is to bolt a 3x5 piece of steel to the reflector mount, then use the magnets to attach the light. While weight is not a particular concern of mine, it just seems heavier than easily available alternatives. It also bugs me that with the magnets in place, I need a screwdriver to change the batteries.

So in summary, if I hadn't foolishly thrown away the packaging before figuring out how to mount it, the trailer light would probably be going back to Lowes. As it is, I will probably just keep it for use on my Burley trailer, as I can temporarily mount it by sandwiching the fabric between the magnet and a scrap of metal.


Mike

any pictures on how it's mounted?

I have a ToPeak MTX BeamRack V-Type Quick Release, on the seat post.

Removed the Magnets, Removed the Glued Magnet mounts on the back of the light.
Bought longer bolts at the hardware store. Put two holes in the bottom of the tire tool bag and screwed the SMV Light to the bag.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Morerear.jpg


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/LeftSide.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/RainJacket.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/DayTailLite.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/FullBike.jpg

I knew that description sounded familiar
http://www.reallite.com/images/reallite.jpg
http://www.reallite.com/RLHome.htm
"The RealLITE is a 4" x 6" 18-LED battery-operated light." "Four AA batteries "
Course theirs is 39.95+shipping and has a bike specific mount. They have amber and white too.

For $16 at lowes it'll be worth picking up and seeing if I can use that instead of trying to figure out how to mount my trailer light permanently.

I knew that description sounded familiar
http://www.reallite.com/images/reallite.jpg
http://www.reallite.com/RLHome.htm
"The RealLITE is a 4" x 6" 18-LED battery-operated light." "Four AA batteries "
Course theirs is 39.95+shipping and has a bike specific mount. They have amber and white too.

For $16 at lowes it'll be worth picking up and seeing if I can use that instead of trying to figure out how to mount my trailer light permanently.

Lowe's also has an Amber one.
Look in Tools, found it in Hardware, with the jumper cables and auto battery starters.
I couldn't find it on the Internet anywhere.

A Big Thanks to chewybrian (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=116365) for telling me how to find The SMV LED light at Lowe's.

Without a doubt the Dinotte's the big daddy. However, under most conditions, you can be fairly well served by a couple of smaller lights. The Dinotte's strength is competing against other head and taillights on a crowded well lit road, or daylight visibility on a long high speed stretch. Under those conditions, you absolutely want as bright as possible.

However, I find that it can be hard to gauge distances against a singular point of light (esp. when it's bright enough to wash out the rest of you in the darkness) That's why I prefer multiple mid-range lights vs the Dinotte.

The Planetbike Superflash is an excellent light to run in this category. However be aware that you lose a lot of brightness when viewed off-axis, so it's not a great light to clip to a helmet or messenger bag. I'd suggest pairing it with a different light - the Superflash on the bike, and a different light on the bag.

I like the Blackburn Mars as well (the skinny newer one). Not as bright on-axis as the Superflash, but pretty bright in its own regard. The hose clamp-like clip is pretty versatile, being able to mount the light onto racks and other locations that other lights might not work as well with.

The Viewpoint Flashpoint (imho) is a sleeper, really underestimated. To me, it's easily as bright as the Superflash is (although it doesn't have the distinctive flash pattern the Planet Bike has), and has pretty good off-axis brightness by having a physically large "body" that's lit up even when the LED's aren't aimed at you. Competes decently in daylight - I've had riders come up to me and remark on being able to see me from a ways off as they approached.

My suggestion would to pair a Flashpoint on Steady + a Superflash on blink for attention grabbing.

Don't forget the retroreflective gear. Vests, belts, tape, etc. In a car's headlights, DOT-rated reflective gear can easily outshine a battery-powered light - and it works at angles you may not have lights pointed at - like in cross traffic at intersections.

Hope that helps!

I use this light and it works well and is only like $20. Extremely bright and definitely gets the attention of cars. I did a quick ride tonight at midnight and from what cars that were on the road, they saw me with plenty of time to move a whole lane over. My front light is just a Cateye HL-EL135 set to blink mode and that stopped a car from making a left turn two blocks ahead of me. Since i don't have a cycling specific headlight, I ziptied my LED MiniMag to my helmet and it was surprisingly effective. Having the ability to adjust the beam is a plus.

Hey, Fred
Thanks for putting up a picture of this light. I am sure some other folks will find it useful. You saved me running out to get a camera to post a pic myself. I have co-workers tell me how far away it grabs their attention in the dark. Can't go wrong for the price.