Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Best LED Flashlight for Tail Light Use?

I'm planning to buy a LED flashlight to use as a tail light. I've been browsing DealExtreme.com but they sell hundreds of different flashlights. I need a light with a strobe function, but I don't want something as expensive as the Fenix L2D. Any recommendations?

I have a 10430/10440/14500/16340 /17670/18650/CR123A charger, so any one of those battery types is fine.

Also, what's the best way to filter the light and turn it red?

I have one of these. Very Bright. Long run time. Water proof. I use it in the day time.
http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?IGPK=2126174836
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/nitelights009.jpg

Filtering a "white" LED into red isn't terribly efficient because white LED's have very little emission in the red part of the spectrum to begin with. If you MUST go with a Lux-type, use one with a red emitter, like the Dinotte. Otherwise, the lesser powered red LED blinkers like the Superflash, Flashpoint, or Mars seem to do pretty well, and they're cheap enough that you can even pick up a few - two running together (one steady, one flashing) will do quite well to grab attention - more than a single bright red point will. (imho)

Hope that helps!

10 Wheels,
Do you have any more information on that Serfas light? It must be new because I couldn't find anything else about it on the internet; no reviews, etc.
Any idea how many lumens it puts off? How does it compare to a Dinotte tail light?

This one runs on 4AA's; it's already red, and as bright and visible as any car light. You will have to rig up a mount: (from prev. post)

For the tail light, I found a super bright LED at Lowe's, item #248852. It is made for a trailer, but I was able to remove the magnets and mount it to the rack in back. It was only $16, runs on 4-AA's for about 40 hours, and provides awesome visibility. It is made water-tight. It also looks like it was made for the bike, unlike my version of the headlight. I recommend this tail light over anything I have seen at a bike shop, unless you get uptight about a few extra grams on your race bike.

Planet Bike Superflash or Superflash Stealth work for me.

This one runs on 4AA's; it's already red, and as bright and visible as any car light. You will have to rig up a mount: (from prev. post)

For the tail light, I found a super bright LED at Lowe's, item #248852. It is made for a trailer, but I was able to remove the magnets and mount it to the rack in back. It was only $16, runs on 4-AA's for about 40 hours, and provides awesome visibility. It is made water-tight. It also looks like it was made for the bike, unlike my version of the headlight. I recommend this tail light over anything I have seen at a bike shop, unless you get uptight about a few extra grams on your race bike.

Can you send a direct link to the Lowes tail light?

10 Wheels,
Do you have any more information on that Serfas light? It must be new because I couldn't find anything else about it on the internet; no reviews, etc.
Any idea how many lumens it puts off? How does it compare to a Dinotte tail light?

On Sale:
http://bikeusa.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=989

10 Wheels,
Do you have any more information on that Serfas light? It must be new because I couldn't find anything else about it on the internet; no reviews, etc.
Any idea how many lumens it puts off? How does it compare to a Dinotte tail light?

It's going to put out a fraction of the amount of light as the Dinotte, as you're comparing three "regular" type LED's with a high flux emitter, which is about 10x as bright.

However, unlike a headlight, you're not necessarily in need of maximum light power. The amount of light necessary to "be seen" is much lower, depending on the situation.

Quiet suburban road with little traffic? Sure, you can be easily seen with a tiny blinking LED light from a good distance.

Riding on a major thoroughfare with lots of traffic and fighting to be seen among a sea of automobile lights? Absolutely you want to bring out the big guns for maximum visibility.

Under most conditions I find a pair of Superflashes, Flashpoints, or Mars taillights do the job quite well. A single can do the job when augmented with some retroreflective tape. A big enough swath of tape, and it will easily outshine your taillight when illuminated in the path of a vehicle.

I ride in a group, one has a Superflash, one has a Dinotte, My TL 1000 is Brighter than the Superflash.
Could just be difference in batterys? I use mine in the day time.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/serfusTL1000002.jpg

If you're doing it on the cheap: Planet Bike Superflash/Superflash Stealth or Cateye TL-LD610.

If you're spending some $: Dinotte.

***Can you send a direct link to the Lowes tail light?***

10wheel,
I can't link a picture, but...
They do 10 of them on the shelf at Lowe's in Webster, Texas on I45
321-332-3006 $16-
For whatever reason, the item does not have a link on Lowe's.com.
The light is about 6"wide, 4"high, and as bright as a car tail light, uses 4AA's,
runs about 40 hours a set (also water-tight). You will have to unscrew and
remove the 2 big magnets, and then you can mount it to your rack with some
small angle brackets. If I had a digital camera, and knew how to use it,
I would show you the set-up on my bike. B.

***321-332-3006***

Doh! I guess you know that's not your area code(it's mine)...

Try 281-332-3006

This is actually very simple.
If budget is not an issue get a dinotte ($150+)

If budget is an issue get either a cateye LD1100($40) or planet bike superflash ($20). These are the most common positively reviewed and loved taillights in the commuter forum. There is a reason they are cited over and over and over. They are dependable and very bright (bright enough to use in the daytime).


Personally, I'd recommend at least two rear facing lights, three if you want to be really safe.

I run a PB superflash on helmet and one on seatpost and a cateye Ld1000 on rear rack.

I have the Superflash on the rear, and the 1 watt Blaze headlight, both are great so far...