cvcman

I have a decent headlight on my bike for early mornings...I have a seat mounted small bag that mounts under the seat...looking for a GOOD bright taillight that I can use w/o removing my saddlebag....any ideas ? I have a flashing light that I use now that has like twist ties on it that I loop thru my bags rear loop...but its clear net red...


Thx

10 Wheels

Jay Olson

I just started riding with lights on my early morning training rides, and I bought the Light and Motion combo with Urban 350 front and Vis 180 Micro rear. I have enough seat post showing that I can mount the Vis 180 Micro on the seat post underneath the saddlebag and still have the light visible. Obviously, YMMV, depending on the size of your bag (you said it was seat-mounted) and how much seat post you have showing.

cvcman

not much room...wonder about mounting it on the chainstay tube ?

surgeonstone

Finest light made. Will slow traffic and make them go around you day or night.
300R RED Taillight with built in battery (Li-ion Endurance Series)

bhchdh 

My seat bag has a tab on which I mount a PDW Radbot-1000. by its back pack clip. https://www.ridepdw.com/goods/lights/radbot-1000

GP

My Planet Bike Superflash came with a mount for a small diameter tube.

Bathwater

I've been pretty happy with the Lezyne Zecto. The rubber strap is long enough for seatposts (obviously) but also at the top of both seatstays. Rechargeable via USB with colored indicators on the sides displaying battery life.

$28 at REI: Lezyne Zecto Drive Rear Bike Light at REI.com

cvcman

Bathwater, wonder how that comapres to the Cygolite hotshot ? They had the best rating in 2013

Leinster

I have the hotshot, it's fantastic. I haven't charged it in months and I use it for a 20 minute ride home from rugby practice every Thursday. I'll be using (and charging) it more now with the winter months closing in. My co-riders on my midweek rides complain constantly about being stuck behind me as it's too bright, which I figure must be a good thing.

I used to mount it on my saddle bag, as bhc mentions above, until it came off on a bumpy descent, never to be seen again. I replaced the light, so now I have 2 brackets, one for my road bike, one for my commuter. Bloody expensive spare bracket, mind.

Jaeger99

Another vote for the Lezyne. Love the rubber strap mount - install or remove in about 2.735 seconds.

Bathwater

Unfortunately, the only other lights I've had experience with is the Blackburn Mars and a random Planet Bike one, with the Zecto easily being my favorite. I chose it based on this review: Lezyne Zecto Drive rear light review | road.cc and the reviews on Wiggle. A quick glance at the Cygolite's specs indicates better battery life and more lumens, so if your purpose if a lot of true night riding, it might be a better option for you. I mostly use the Zecto for commuting and when my afternoon rides run late, but when it's pretty dark out I don't feel uncomfortable on the roads at all. What drew me to it was the quick/easy mounting and battery life indicator.

mvnsnd

I use the Cygolite Hotshot. Very similar. It can be mounted on a seat stay above the brake if your bike allows it. It's bright, easily removable from the mount, has multiple modes, and its USB rechargeable.

Clem von Jones

The latest version of the Cygolite Hotshot comes with both a saddle post and seat stay mount (at least mine did). Very pleased with this product. Small, lightweight. Its battery seems to run forever. Cars veer away from me to avoid the bright but narrow hot-spot. You can get parts if they break. Lights attached the bag loop tend to point down whereas you can aim them with a solid 2-axis mount.

linnefaulk

I just got a light but forgot about the rack mount. In the meantime, I mounted it on the frame by the rear tire. It is Planet Bike Turbo. (sorry, photo is sideways)

hammond9705

+1

I have 2 of these and really like them

PaulRivers

It's...funny how people pretty much just ignored your requirements to mount on a bike to suggest completely other lights. If I have a bag, a seatpost mount doesn't work.

Unfortunately I've never been able to find a rear light that didn't require some modification to stay on a seatpost bag with a loop. What I did is I use a Planet Bike Rack Blinky, used a very small drillbit to drill 2 holes in the clip, and clip it on then secure it with a twist tie.

Problem is that while it clips onto the bag without the twist tie, occassionally a really big bump will throw it off the bag. The twist tie makes sure this doesn't happen.

That's what's worked for me. Would prefer something better designed to begin with, but couldn't find anything last time I searched.

Leinster

I think a seat-stay mount is the real answer to the OP's question. I ride with guys who have the Lezyne on their seatstays, and if the Hotshot has that option too, then the OP can just pick his poison between them.

banerjek

Depends on the bag. Just about all the lights recommended in this thread can be used (and removed) with a small bag in place unless your seat is really low.

It's hard to use the loop on the bag without getting the aim of the light all screwed up. Much better to go with a seat post or seat stay mount. My experience is that drivers respond better to lights when they're higher up.

PaulRivers

If it's a good rear light aim isn't that important as it will spread light around fairly evenly as long as it's facing backwards and not being blocked by something.

I'd far rather use the rear bag where I know there's nothing blocking the light behind me, then put it on a seatpost and have the rear bag sit in between the light and driver, blocking the light. Perhaps I'm biased since I often use both a trunk back (carrying stuff) and a seat bag (carrying emergency stuff), but I think a good unidirectional rear light is more visible on the back of the rear bag and not facing totally backwards, than it on the seatpost with the bag blocking the view of the light.

Something like this is useless:


OP didn't mention a trunk bag, but even if you remove the trunk bag the saddlebag has to much risk of blocking the light being seen, imo.

banerjek

Agreed that a seatpost light is useless with a trunk bag or a honk ass seat bag like the one pictured here. In cases like this, mounting the light on the trunk or behind the rack (trip to the hardware store normally required) is the way to go.

Team Sarcasm

I also recommend this tail light. I have not had a chance to use it yet, but I have messed around with it. You can see it blink from many angles and it would be hard to miss.

PaulRivers

"honk ass seat bag", ha. :-)

Appreciate your thoughtful response. I can see where you're coming from recommend the seatpost mount if you can get it mounted like this instead:


And also, this pic doesn't have a trunk bag. All my bikes can have a trunk bag, so I suppose my first though is in that direction. Still, I see a number of people who mount it so that the trunk bag is blocking it, and that's...well, we both agree it's bad. Whatever does give you the best visibility behind you is best.

floridamtb

That's nothing, I can do it 2.312 seconds!

tjkoko

I do mine in nothing flat!