mounting MULTIPLE taillights/blinkies
 

Considering how most taillights are designed to be mounted on the seatpost, and how there's a limited amount of seatpost space available, what are some of the ways to mount additional taillights beyond the customary one on the seatpost? FWIW, people have noted that having a backup taillight is an excellent idea, because of the possibility of one failing during a ride.

Here's a picture of my old setup, before I changed to a waterproof pannier instead of a trunk bag and toned down the lighting a bit:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/a...Rearlights.jpg

One Superflash mounted on left rear rack support using supplied seatstay mount and 2 large rubber spacers.

One Superflash mounted on right rear rack support using supplied seatstay mount and 2 large rubber spacers.

One Superflash mounted on rear rack tab using Planet Bike rear rack mounting bracket.

2 Dinotte 140Ls mounted on PVC pipe attached to rear of rack with duct tape and zip ties.

One Viewpoint Flashpoint clipped to blinky mounting tab on trunk bag.

Here's my current minimum setup, 2 Dinotte 140Ls mounted to the rack plus the Superflash on the rack bracket. When I put the pannier on I clip the Viewpoint Flashpoint to one of the straps.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/a...ity17Feb08.jpg

Of course if you don't have a rear rack, seatstay mounted lights could be an option.

I got a blinkie that only had a mount for the seatpost...so I attached a section of pvc pipe to the rack and used that.

Cateye el610s mount nicely to seatstays. Was doing this even before I got the brooks seatbag(that has nowhere to mount a blinky and obscures the seatpost!)

http://idisk.mac.com/timonz/Public//el600x2.jpg

Same here.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...u/Hpim0354.jpg

The Planet Bike Superflash comes with both seatpost and stay clamps. I put a unit on each stay, above the rear brake. I set one steady and one blinky. A 3rd blinky goes on my backpack.

Some lights (Blackburn Mars 3.0, for example) have clamps that have a really wide fit range; you'd basically keep turning its securing screw until its strap gets snug enough. Good for the seatpost, seat tube, or a seatstay.

I have a 4DToplight on one of my rear racks, a Cateye TLD1000 in the other, then 1-2 PB superflashes on the trunk bag. If I happen to be using my panniers, I can put a blinkie on each one of those too.

Some under-saddle bags, like the Avenir I have on my road bike and SS. have a pretty good mounting for a Superflash or Mars...other bags, not so good.

The Superflash also has a mount for seatstays that works fairly well, depending upon your stays.

Edit: I gotta get updated pics of my bikes on here someday!
Edit 2; I did, I did!

Seat stay (traffic side, of course), backpack, ziptied to the back of the helmet (just turns out that a PB Superflash fits perfectly in the diamond shaped opening in the back of a Bell Ghisallo. YMMV).

See those horizontal slits on either side of where the light is mounted? If you ditch the seat post mounts, altogether, you can run a screw through there and mount the lights on each side of your rack.

I use short wood screws and drive it into a small hole in the back of each light.
http://home.swbell.net/mcpoop/MMACH_...ts_covered.jpghttp://home.swbell.net/mcpoop/MMACH_..._b_side_01.jpg

Think vertical. Here it's kinda hilly and I like having a light higher up than bike level that can be seen over the crests better. I clip one on either my collar or jersey pocket or camel back and I have one mounted on the back of my helmet. The seatpost mounted light makes for a total of three blinkies. Perhaps not as outragous as some of these examples, but the height advantage counts for a lot.

BTW, blinkie aim is important. The max brightness cone on these things is very narrow so make sure it's pointed where you expect the traffic to be (when the bike is on the side of the road the blinkie should be pointed paralell to the ground or slightly up and slightly towards the centerline of the road). Make sure you get the aim right, a single well aimed blinkie is better than six poorly aimed blinkies.

Another thing: when I buy a cheap blinkie I count the number of rear facing LEDs. The TREK brand with 5 rear facing LEDs is my favorite of the cheap-ies. AAA or larger batteries are also good. I have a super bright tiny one that runs on watch batteries and it burns through batteries really quickly.

I just got another mars 3.0. I had a single either on the seatpost or rack depending on if I was carrying anything on the rack. I now have two mounted on the rack, one on either rear brace.

The mounts went on fine, they will move if you hit them on something, but don't move from just riding.

I had planned on trying to mount them at different heights, but it was actually amazing how much better 2 are side by side when playing with them. Have them on strobe and it is very eye catching, I would say more than twice as good as a single. I have sightly different aged batteries in them, so one is faster than the other and they go in and out of sync. From in sync (very close anyway) to alternating every few seconds.

Another up high sure would hurt, but I don't wear a helmet and haven't found an effective way to mount one to my camelbak.

Oh, FYI, the Mars 3.0 does tilt and isn't picky about size, but it only really tilts "up". It mounts nicely on thing like seat tube and my rear rack's brace (they slope forward) but not to seat stays as they slope back. Tilts up really far though.

Keep in mind that in most states, multiple lights on the rear of a vehicle must flash in unison. They reserve the whole alternating or out of sync set up for emergency vehicles. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket over this, but it's info you should know.

For the record, my triple light set up has the two outside lights running steady while the middle one flashes.

A good point, but you will also find many of those laws apply to motor vehicles ;).

Most vehicle codes have something in them similar to the following, CVC 21200:

21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, ... except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

Also, nobody's going to give a flip if your rear light is blinking wrong. Besides, by CVC 25250 and 25251, all flashing lights on bicycles are illegal. Nobody cares.

CVC = California Vehicle Code

I think I just stumbled upon a trick that I'm planning on implementing soon. Replace the stock 5 mm screw that holds up one blinky with a 5 mm rod. (My blinky is held on with a seat post mount. The bracket has a 5 mm screw in a through hole going to a hexagonal hole, into which snugly fits a nut.) Have blinkies that all have brackets with 5 mm through holes. Mount them with nuts. This will work only if all the blinkies desired don't weigh too much for the seat post bracket.

FWIW, on flickr I saw an image of a guy who mounted two old cateyes in a creative manner with the screw holes already provided. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aalpern...n/photostream/ for those interested in his setup.

MMACH I totally agree with you. In most states the vehicle codes relate to VEHICLES. Bicycles in most states are considered vehicles, and additional laws may apply to bicycles just as there are addition laws for motorcycles, scooters, and ATV's.

I once bought a modified 7 1/2" traffic barricade light that was modified to clamp onto most rear racks. The special clamp could be home made. DIY mounts can be the way to go when you out-grow commercial bike lights.

I am a rear light junkie. I made sure my seat bag had a light loop to mount one there. Another one on the seat post. As indicated, several lights have the flexibility to mount on the seat stay. I also found a small enough model that it would clamp to my jersey pocket and was lightweight enough to point straight backaward(most of the other models point downward if mounted to a jersey pocket). Finally I found this Planetbike Blinky 3H self-leveling to mount to my helmet.

Or you could just forget all this and bite the bullet and buy a Dinotte tail light that dwarfs all others in brightness.

sorry for size below...

Bicycles obviously already have totally different lighting requirements than motor vehicles including motorcycles. No turn signals or marker lights required (front or side), headlights and tail lights have different requirements if required at all and no brake lights.

I haven't read all states, but I can tell you that in Texas and several others these laws are pretty obviously seperate for motor vehicles and bicycles.



§ 547.002. APPLICABILITY. Unless a provision is
specifically made applicable, this chapter and the rules of the
department adopted under this chapter do not apply to:
(1) an implement of husbandry;
(2) road machinery;
(3) a road roller;
(4) a farm tractor;
(5) a bicycle, a bicyclist, or bicycle equipment;
(6) an electric bicycle, an electric bicyclist, or
electric bicycle equipment; or
(7) a golf cart not required to be registered under
Section 502.284.

§ 547.305. (snip)A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a
red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter;
or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, taillamp, backup lamp,
or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law. (/snip)

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes...htm#551.104.00

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes...htm#547.321.00

I ran across this on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/NITTO-Axle-Skewe...ayphotohosting

http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/imag...SkewerNut3.jpg

Ahh, but you see a bicycle is considered a vehicle in NY state. There are additional laws that apply to lighting requirements for bikes. AND nothing in the statutes authorizes any flashing lights on any vehicle other than emergency vehicles. THE ONLY exception are turn signals, hazard warning signals that must flash in unison , and "modulators on motorcycles. So you should be familiar with your states laws.

Having read the New York equipment laws just now, I must agree. It would be illegal there.

In NH you must have front and rear reflectors, white in front red in back. Lights are optional. If you have lights only rear facing lights can be red, and are not allowed to blink. IIRC I don't think you're allowed a rear facing white light. Blue is not allowed at all. Front lights can be white, yellow, or green, and can not blink.

I ignore the blinky light laws and all my red lights blink. On my road bike my white front light (not enough to see by) blinks. My headlight (NiteRider Minewt X.2) can blink but I think I'd get dizzy or have a seizure if I set it to blink while I ride. :)

Given that a light is bright enough to do so, I prefer that my rear light is solid at night. I use the Dinotte, and it is more than bright enough even on low. I do supplement that with a SuperFlash on blink because I'm paranoid.

I do plan on running the Dinotte this spring/summer on blink during daylight hours.