Old 05-10-18 | 08:41 AM
  #24  
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noglider
aka Tom Reingold
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,302
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Tail lights are easy, because they require a lot less power than headlights. Here is my approach.

More is better, right? I have a dynamo powered tail light. Because it requires little power, the standlight keeps the light on for longer than the headlight's standlight. And it keeps the tail light on at full power, whereas the headlight goes to low power as soon as I stop (which is OK).

I also have a battery-powered flashing tail light. I can easily remember to charge it more often than necessary, because I probably only have to charge it once a month. I think I do it twice a month.

The combination of the two tail lights is better than having just one.

I also use a spoke light, because it's a great attention grabber, even at low intensity.

If all of that sounds too complicated, then keep using your battery powered flasher(s) and don't get a dynamo powered tail light. You get the dynamo for the tail light. Finding you don't have as much charge for your headlight as you thought is a major hassle. It doesn't happen to me with my tail light. My dynamo headlight has not failed me once in several years of use. Not once. My tail light has failed two or three times, and the cause was always a wire that had fallen out, and riding without a tail light isn't as scary to me.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

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