I use this:
http://www.powerflare.com/

16 very bright LED's with all different patterns,

You could always build something like this.

www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/605/strobes.html

Run the voltage up to get a faster flash. If you can not link the strobe to your headlight battery then connect a couple of 9 volt batteries to the strobe. With one of these Xenon flash strobes my club will not let me lead the paceline during group night rides.

I get a 404 with that link.

Well you have basically the best flashers mentioned by the other posters that are on the market currently. But using just one flasher may not be the best course of action though because there relatively small in shape. You should consider using 3 maybe 4 flashers for the rear PLUS some reflective tape and straps. You mount one flasher on the seat post and one each on the rear stays, this forms a triangle that can easily be seen by drivers and the triangle peaks their curiosity faster. Then as an option you could mount one on your helmet for added protection. Makes sure that whatever flasher you decide on that they can be seen easily from the sides; because remember, cars do come from the side and they also need to see you. Next take reflective tape and outline your helmet. Then take reflective straps and strap one on each ankle.

Maybe 2 Superflashers won't touch a single Dinotte, but the Dinotte has no side lighting capability, it's just very bright when viewed from the rear. The Cateye LD 1000 and 500 have extremily good side lighting, the Superflash is only so so from what I've heard from others on this forum.

I know buying 3 or 4 flashers could cost you close to $100 but considering your life is at stake just seems like a small investment to me. Also how much did you spend on your front light? I think that's it's amazing that people go out and pay $400 for a light or more, and have a single dim $20 flasher for the rear with little if any side lighting.

I have a Cateye LD1000 (seatpost) and Planet Bike Superflash (left chainstay). I feel it's adequate.

I also have a Cateye LD150 on my camelbak for backup.

Freeko: I agree with you. I have a rack mounted Dinotte tail light, a Dinnote helmet light that has some rear lighting, a helmet mounted SF, a rack mounted LD-1000, and 1 or 2 pannier mounted SF's.

I just received the Blackburn Mars 3.0, looks nice, but I'm having a tough time figuring out how to mount the thing onto my rear rack. It comes with a seatpost mount only, so do I need to purchase a separate piece to mount onto the rack? Or can the seatpost mount somehow be converted to attach to the rear rack (don't really see how). Oh well, I guess I can always clip the Mars to my the back of my pants belt as I'm riding home.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is why I prefer the LD1000 over the superflash (and I own both). The Superflash is cheaper than the LD1000, but all things being said, I feel the LD1000 protects me better.

Vistalite Total Eclipse $9.95 at Price Point

How do you like that one? I just bought one, but I plan it to be my only rear light. I've been using nothing but my standard reflector and some reflective tape until now, but after getting off the bike and looking at it from the rear with my flashlight I decided I should get a light after all. I like that the 500 is a reflector, too = simpler than having two pieces of equipment. I started a thread in the Electronics forums but nobody's replied so far.

In my opinion (that takes care of the disclaimer:D), I don't think the TL-LD500 is bright enough to run as a stand-alone taillight. I like it as a backup because under FL law a bike being ridden between sunset and sunrise requires a red taillight and red reflector. The 500, also being a CPSC certified reflector, meets that requirement.:)

I also like running a backup taillight because if one goes south on you, and I have had that happen, or bounces off, and I've had that happen too, you might not know. At least not right away.

[QUOTE=Vanguard;4903824]I just received the Blackburn Mars 3.0, looks nice, but I'm having a tough time figuring out how to mount the thing onto my rear rack. It comes with a seatpost mount only, so do I need to purchase a separate piece to mount onto the rack? Or can the seatpost mount somehow be converted to attach to the rear rack (don't really see how). Oh well, I guess I can always clip the Mars to my the back of my pants belt as I'm riding home.[/QUOTE}

They come with a rubber shim to fit small diameter tube like rear racks are made from, and the clamp works just like a hose clamp -- just keep tightening the largest of the screw adjusters and it will keep getting smaller until it fits. If you need to, mount the clamp on the rear-most vertical support for the rack, and then adjust the angle of the part that the light clips on to (also separately adjustable) so that the face of the light is completely vertical. The part that the light clips on to can also be inverted if needed. Basically, this thing is capable of infinite adjustments to fit anything. I have bought two of these in the last 6 months (lost the first one, bought another) and they both came with the same clamp, so I'm assuming you got the same clamp too.

Something happened the other day that has me thinking we're really getting into overkill here. I was commuting at about 6:15am and ahead saw a very bright LED blinkie. The rider was on the other side of the road (4-lane divided road, with bike lanes), on the sidewalk (as I later discovered) and was well over a quarter mile ahead of me. It turns out it was an older woman on a cruiser-style bike. I crossed the road and came up behind her and (in a friendly sort of way) asked what kind of tail light she had. She told me she wasn't sure, that she had just gotten it at the LBS. I told her it was very bright and she thanked me fpr the feedback. I looked closely as I passed and thought it was an LD600. Anyway, that thing was bright and very noticable from over a quarter mile (and the other side of the road) and it's not even a top of the line model.

My point is that from a practical standpoint all of the lights discussed here are probably more than you need. Buy what you like.

Personally, I use an LD1000 with the 2 rows of LEDs set so that they're flashing different patterns. On my warm weather commuting ebike I also wired in a 12v LED third brake light from JC Whitney. The cooler weather commuter (Bianchi San Jose) gets by with just an LD1000 but once the LD1000 replacement comes out I'll either add one of those or a SuperFlash, for redundancy.

They come with a rubber shim to fit small diameter tube like rear racks are made from, and the clamp works just like a hose clamp -- just keep tightening the largest of the screw adjusters and it will keep getting smaller until it fits. If you need to, mount the clamp on the rear-most vertical support for the rack, and then adjust the angle of the part that the light clips on to (also separately adjustable) so that the face of the light is completely vertical. The part that the light clips on to can also be inverted if needed. Basically, this thing is capable of infinite adjustments to fit anything. I have bought two of these in the last 6 months (lost the first one, bought another) and they both came with the same clamp, so I'm assuming you got the same clamp too.[/QUOTE]

ginsoakedboy, thanks for the description, but do you have any pics?

Good advice. I almost always have two blinkies going. I also wear an ANSI Class2 shirt or vest.

Along the lines of what dwainedibbly just said, with the TL-LD1000 I've had co-workers tell me they could see me from over a mile away.

I've had on-coming cars pull off the road and stop until I got close enough they could see what I was, on a narrow, 2 lane, rural highway. Rare, but it's happened more than once.

I've also had approaching cars from the rear slow until they could tell what I was before passing, but part of that could have been the light arrangement. Sometimes there are farm tractors on these roads.

I like these also. :beer:

Yeah, I also wear one of two reflective vests, with red, flashing LED lights built in, but I consider the vests tertiary to having active lights on the bike.

Regarding rack mounts, I just picked up a Blackburn mars 2.0 because it has a screw fitting so you can bolt it directly to your rear rack.
Its a nice little light, I like the side pointing orange LEDs, though a bit annoying you need a screwdriver to change the batteries.

Also has a clip for your seatbag.

Currently running:
2x cateye ld600 on seat stays
cateye ld 100 on helmet
mars 2.0 on seatbag
reflective vest.

For touring I will ditch the ld600s and put the Mars on the rear of my rack.

Where do you get off presupposing that brighter is always better? The flash pattern is enough to get traffic to yield, or avoid you at all costs with the Superflash. Are you missing the point? The flash pattern scares motorists in the Superflash, Dinotte light does NOT.

If I had just a Dinotte, I would fear for my life, not so with the Superflash. Cars yield with the Superflash. I also use a Fenix Cree, not that old outdated dinosaur technology as the 3Watt Luxeon that the Dinotte uses, and cars will still refuse to yield, even with red mylar. And the Cree is 2-3X brighter than the Dinotte.

Bright Light=Motorists will notice you.

Superflash in a pair=Motorists will slow down and avoid you like the Plague.

And again, no, I don't have any financial interest in PlanetBike. I think their products suck, except for the Supeflash, and maybe the Blinky 7. I don't like their Beamer, or any of their other lights. I think they are crap. Don't buy them! But buy the Superflash. Here I can get two for under $30 and feel 10X safer and better than spending $100 or more on a Dinotte.

Thanks! I did a search for the light on Google, and the first result was this:

http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/cateyetail2.html

I think I may do mod #6 listed there to make the LEDs brighter. I'll see once it arrives. BTW, does the light use AAs or AAAs? The company site lists AAA, but the eBay seller has AA.

I forgot to mention one other rear tail light that other posters mentioned on previous posts, and that is the Cateye LD600. When the 600 is mounted vertically it provides a lot of light to the sides with 5 or 6 very bright leds in full view, and it's relatively cheap.

The TL-LD500 takes AAAs. I haven't done any modifications on mine, so can't comment on how well that works, or if it shortens the life of the light.