cuda2k

I was so set to get myself a Cateye LD-1000 at Nashbar while they were onsale... except it looks like I waited a day too long. So, instead I'm looking at the Blackburn Mars 3.0 that I can pick up locally for half the price of what the Cateye is anywhere at the moment. Thanks!

anonymouse99

The plastic is horrible... Purchased one at Dicks, opened it up and found that the plastic around where the screw is in the back, to access the battery, was shattered in that area. I figured some gorilla who packaged the light, overtightened it, so I exchanged it for another one. That replacement wasn't cracked, but after using it I later noticed some fractures in the plastic around one of the screws, similar to what I observed before. So the plastic material they used is terrible. Other than that, I also hate it for the goofy toy-like design Blackburn seems to think is cool.

CastIron

Love it. Will buy another in a heartbeat if needed. The yellow side lights seem a little dubious in their value until I saw another cyclist with one. They also mount on the seatstay very well.

I do agree that the construction isn't for the long haul. But at $15 or less what can I expect? As a vertical blinkie they can't be beat.

joesmohello

I own a Mars 3.0 and a LD-1000 and use them side by side. I really wish I had bought two LD-1000 instead. The Mars 3.0 uses AAA batteries while the LD-1000 and my headlight both use AA which is more convenient. Replacing the batteries is a pain because of the Mars' design and each time I unscrew the cheap plastic screw it strips a little more. The cheap plastic screws on the Mars are also flat head which doesn't make any sense to me. The light is not as bright as the LD-1000 either. I'd much rather spend an extra $15 and get something that is quality made, especially when it comes to safety.

Mukluk

I was not happy with mine. It quit working after less than a year, also it was difficult to change the batteries (I changed the batteries thinking that it just needed new batteries but putting new batteries in did not help). I hope blackburn will refund my money.

matthew_deaner

I don't like mine. It's bright, but uses batteries very quickly compared to my PB Superflash. It's not as bright as the Superflash either. And you have to remove several screws to replace the batteries... it's a real pain.

zoltani

Yeah, i do not like the mars 3.0. First, the screws to put the batteries are tiny, who has a screwdriver that small, what do you do when you are out and about and need to replace the batteries? Second, one of the LEDs was burnt out form the start. Fortunately(un?) it was stolen off my bike, so i never got a chance to send it in to blackburn for a replacement.
Go with the PB superflash!

To blackburn's credit i do like their rear rack a lot!

tdister

I like mine, nice and bright. Some blinkies are brighter from straight on, but it seemed to have the best mix of head-on and off-angle viewing. Agree that the side lights are not that effective, but better than nothing.

Mine has metal screws, and a dual head (phillips or flat). It could be better without, but I carry a tiny eyeglass screwdriver in my pack just in case, which now serves 2 uses.

Haven't really paid much attn to battery life, but it doesn't seem bad. I just put in the second set of replacements (went with lithiums this time). and will see how many hours I get.

I do like the clip on vs many of the others mounting.

No cracking or anything for me. Would buy again, though might get a superflash for my helmet since it is smaller.

...and I now see this thread is 1.5 yrs old. i hope the OP has already decided

agarose2000

I use the MARS 3.0. It's good, and cheap, but not perfect. Still, I'd consider it an excellent rear lighting system. VERY bright, good strobe effects, and side-lighting. I didn't encounter the cheap plastic problem mentioned above - I've dropped mine many times, and it's still doing very well, as opposed to some other plastic lights I've had which cracked.

I haven't encountered any battery-eating issues with it either. It seems to last forever, although it does dim as the batteries wear down. With fully charged batteries, it's painful to look at at night because it's so bright.

Definitely the biggest problem for me is the fact that you have to use a small screwdriver to remove 3 screws in the back to replace the batteries. Bad design. Yes, the MARS will run for 100+ hours and still do a decent job, but they do dim after lots of use. I prefer to run charged batteries for all my lights, and the screws are a real pain.

For the money, it's still really outstanding bang for the buck. I feel very, very safe at night with one of those on my rear, and 2 of 'em pretty much guarantees that you'll be respected by all the cars out there.

ItsJustMe

Honestly, I took my LD1000 off my bike when I got a Planet Bike Superflash. The SF is a much more visible blinkie.
I haven't seen the LD1100, I understand that ups the bar quite a bit.
I did put the LD1000 back on recently to run it in steady mode.

duppie

I bought a total of four. Two wouldn't work out of the box and I returned. that's not good

On the other hand: they are very bright, cheap, easy to mount and the mount seems sturdy. I do not seechanging the batteries as an issue. they last forever. I ride almost 5 times a week for about 2 hrs/day. I've been using them for over a month and they are still going strong. Unscrewing 3 screws once a month cannot be considered a big deal IMO.

I also have the LD1000. The LD1000 is a lot heavier, somewhat harder to mount (but not much), brighter, more expensive, and batteries last less

Running out in the middle of nowhere should not be in issue with any blinkie. Rear blinkies do not die in an instant. Rather they get dim over time. I do definitely not carry a screwdriver with me

As one other poster mentions, think about the other batteries you use. Are they all AA? then you might be better of chossing the LD1000, which runs on AAs. If you already use AAA's it may not be an issue

Duppie

bmfsiii

I have one along with the viewpoint tail light from performance. So far I am very happy with both, and have been told that the mars light is very bright and noticeable. I use the mars during the daytime and both lights at night. No problems at night with cars with both tail lights on, one steady and one flashing.

BarracksSi

Hehe... I didn't even notice!

Things I like about my Mars 3.0: Small size, good side lighting, nice click to the switch, can use the same mount for anything between a seat tube and a chainstay, shouldn't bounce apart if it falls off, machine screws instead of plastic screws (necessary since they'll be unscrewed many times).

Things I don't like: Those damned tiny screws that I'm afraid I'll strip every time I unscrew 'em,... and I think that's all.

DXchulo

I bought one after an unfortunate incident with one of these. I had it clipped to my bag one morning as I was headed to work. I hit a bump and the light fell off. I heard a crunch behind me and sure enough, a car ran over my poor little light. Anyway, most people have already hit on my major points about the 3.0, but what the heck.

Good:
Very bright. I'm sure there are brighter lights out there, but you'll definitely be seen.
I like the orange lights on the sides. I'm not sure why more lights don't have a similar feature. The idea makes a lot of sense.
The clothing clip is more secure than others I have tried. That's always good when you want to run multiple lights.

Bad:
The little screws can be a pain. On the bright side, you never have to worry about losing half of your light if you end up dropping it.
The light dims as the batteries wear down. I'm not a big fan of that. I'd rather just have the batteries die so I know for sure when to recharge them.

How much can you buy the 3.0 for? I'm seeing them for $15 online when a Super Flash can be had for $20. Everyone seems to love the Super Flash so much, so why not spend $5 more? I'm hoping to get one for Christmas so I can see what all of the fuss is about.

DXchulo

I didn't notice, either. Oops.

tdister

As far as batteries, I am trying the lithiums to see if I can squeeze out a little more life. I hate to run with anything but as bright as it can be, the lithiums are supposed to stay bright until they are nearly shot instead of alkalines going gradually.

They are more expensive, not sure if it will even out. I just hate to be wasting batteries really. don't have anything else to use the half charged AAAs in

Jinks

I'd have to agree that I'm very concerned about that large flathead plastic screw used to mount the light. I think a handful more times of taking the light off and it'll be useless. When I bought the Mars it was the best that my LBS had, and I needed one for the commute the next day. I must say that it is a bright light and the side lights are a good idea. I'll use it till it busts and then maybe something new will be out!

tdister

Is there more than one version of the 3.0? I seem to remember seeing a pic of one that had gray instead of black plastic as mine does.

Maybe some of us really have the Mars 3.1?

Juha

I know it's an old thread and all, but in reply: why not use rechargeables? It obviously solves the "wasting batteries" issue.

It might help with the AA vs AAA issue too: previously I tried to stay with AA powered devices to keep things simple. But there are some items that are simply better with AAAs, mainly the kind that don't use much power and benefit from the small size. Such us a radio, my Petzl headlamp etc. So I got a charger that accepts both AAs and AAAs, and a selection of both kind of batteries.

--J

tdister

Well, I have horrible luck with the chargers first off. They seem to last about 10 charges before they break. gone through 3 with my camera. about to get a new camera so I can eliminate that headache.

2nd, they have less voltage and, I assume, less light. With as few batteries as I go through, I am not too concerned. It isn't a money issue, I just hate to waste them.

mkoso

I bought one in the late summer and I've been using it without any problems. It seems bright enough to me and I think the battery life is decent. Having to unscrew 3 little screws every once in a while doesn't bother me either. I think it's a good design and I would buy another one in a heartbeat if I lost this one.

-=(8)=-

I like my 3.0. Has worked flawlessly for about 3 years now on three sets
of batteries. It has passed my bike on occasion and still works fine
But, I also think those Schwinn UFO style lites are good too, to put this opinion
in perspective

CommuterRun

I use a Mars 3.0 on the back of my helmet as a tertiary taillight to a TL-LD1000 (primary) and a TL-LD500 (secondary) bike mounted taillights. Nice and bright for what it is, with side visibility. The NiMH rechargeable batteries I run in it last over a month for my commuting purposes, with the light run on steady on. It does have 3 little screws that hold the two halves of the light together, but that's no problem for anyone that can operate a small screwdriver.

I like it. The only thing I like better about the TL-LD500 is the CPSC certified reflector.

powerhouse

I once had a Mars 3.0 and found it to be a real disappointment. The screws in the back of the light are so tiny that just about every screwdriver in existence couldn't remove the housing so that I could install the batteries. Afterward, I couldn't screw it back into place like the way it had been. The light was also not bright enough for my needs.

I bought a Superflash instead and am very happy with it.

BarracksSi

Are there any other lights that have amber side LEDs, or does Cateye have a copyright/patent on it?