Need a Taillight Suggestion
 

What's the best RACK MOUNTED, BATTERY OPERATED taillight?

I rather go with batteries for the taillight rather than run wiring from the front dynamo hub.
I currently have (or did till the front popped off somewhere along the road) a Planet Bike Super Flash. Not the greatest solution for a rack though since it's tall. I need one of the horizontal lights that are really meant for mounting on a rear rack.

Thanks!

Cateye LD600 works great on my rear rack. Very bright, and has a side to side pattern that makes my bike look like KITT from Nightrider :)

I have also a Cateye product I can recommend. http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/468
Works well for my rack, but of course each rack is different.

I would stick with the Planet Bike Super Flash given that they are simply the best light for the money. I previously had a Cateye, but the Super Flash is much more visible.

I have two lights mounted on the rack supports with the supplied mounting brackets, and they are very secure. Since they are mounted a little lower than the top of the rack, there is no issue with the taller light interfering with the trunk bag. I go over lots of hard bumps, and the supplied hardware and mounts have never failed.

Also, I think two tail lights are better than one, since I can't easily see if they are working while underway.

I've had a CatEye TL-LD1100 mounted to a rack for years and years. It screws right to the rack using the rack's standard reflector bracket, and the screw comes in the package.

It even survived a crash that bent the rack. None of that falling apart crap you get with the Superflash. (EDIT: Come to think of it, it's survived two crashes unscathed. The first when we went down due to rider error, and the second when we were left-crossed by a Pontiac. Both times road impact bent the rack.)

You can see the scratches on the rack from the first crash.
http://www.brucew.com/images/bikefor...0-rack-lit.jpg

B&M 4D Toplight

http://www.calhouncycle.com/productc...57_general.jpg

I complement it with blinking PBSFs clipped to the rack trunk, panniers, or seat pack.

And with the Superflash, you can't easily see if one has fallen apart while underway.

I've been liking my Radbot 1000 much more than the Superflash. It's been through some light rain with no problems, when it survives a real frog-stranglin' downpour, I'll know for sure. My Superflashes never could do that.

Downside is about half the battery life, but I use rechargeables, so that's not a big deal to me.

*edit* I recall now that I had the Radbot on my last tour, which saw all-day rain a couple times. No problems with it, either.

Really? Not mine. In fact, with just the one screw my Arkel Tailrider pushes it horizontal. It won't stay vertical because it sticks up too much.

No, you don't. All you need a rack mount bracket for your superflash.

I jury rigged my superflash onto the back of my rack, but the whole thing vibrated off. I went to buy a new one, but the PDW Radbot 1000 caught my eye, and it was the same price, so I bought it. It comes with a proper rack mount, which the Superflash doesn't.

+1 on the Radbot 1000. It's a great light. It also comes with a rack mount.

Never had a PBSF fall apart in over two years of use. Battery life with the Cateye is not great, so that several times by the end of a commute, when I thought I had a taillight, it was actually out. So even if I was using a Cateye, I would install two since I want the redundancy for a critical piece of safety equipment. My main concern is visibility, and the PBSF is the best for the money.

I have a rear light similar to chipcoms' light; its not super bright but it does auto detect when to turn on and off, I have other lights too.

There's a rear light on Deals Extreme that is less than $4 shipped. Someone wrote a good review on it. It's not as bright at the PB Superflash, but there's a wider angle it lights up, making it more visible from the side. The battery life is just as good as a SF. For $4 it's hard to beat and I bought two.

You would have to make something to get it to mount on a rack though. It just comes with a mount meant for seatposts.

But then again, that's exactly why I'm here today looking for a new light. Mine stayed together for quite some time too. Until last week. ;)

All lights have their good and bad points. Some are brighter, some more durable, some less expensive, etc. I've tried lots of lights over the years, and have never been more satisfied with a taillight than with the PBSF. Sorry to hear you had a problem with yours, and good luck on your search for a new one.

Ok, i ordered the radbot 1000 from amazon with free prime shipping.
ZOMG! I thought the PBSF was bright. Hopefully the correct mounting bracket will make the vertical mount ok.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxnYHRINovU

Thanks guys!

The Real Test is on the road. How far can it be seem at a distance.

PBSF here:
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...nburyTX019.jpg

PBSF

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...elights006.jpg

the battery-powered 4D toplight is brighter than a PBSF, isn't as angle sensitive, acts as a reflector when not lit and doesn't require jury-rigging with zip ties and other such nonsense.

I have a dynamo-powered toplight with the auto-sense and standlight functionality on my winter bike...it's not as bright as the battery-powered version.

+1. The radbot rocks. Even when the batteries are drained, its brighter than most.

The Radbot 1000 screws together, so no worries about having to keep it from popping open.

I have the Planet Bike Rack Blinky 5. Works as a passive reflector when not in use. I can take it off and attach my Superflash to the mount when I want as well.

I secured a PB Superflash to my rack using a short length of 3/4" PVC, a screw and a couple of washers. Then just used the seat post clamp. Got the idea here at BF.

PBSB. Inexpensive and bright as hell, plus the strobe pattern is eye-catching. The Radbot is also a very good tail light. When my blinky dies, I'm probably going to switch over as it looks like a better design all around. Only other reputable flasher I can think of in this price range is the Mars.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I see PDW's products are quite popular here. Does anyone have any experience with the PDW Spaceship (headlight)?

I use the MARS 4.0. It's also more vertical, and I had to modify the mount to get it to go on my rack in the proper direction, but it's really quite bright, seems well made, and I think it's less directional that the PBSF. I also have a PBSF on the rack support bar as a back up.

The MARS comes with a mount for the back of the rack, but on my rack (Axiom Journey) it would only clip in upside down until I modified the mounting bracket. That took about 1 minute with a knife. I have no idea why it doesn't come that way.

I found a way to put my Dinotte on my rear rack. Nothing beats a Dinotte...from my experience anyway.

btw, did I miss it or did it really take 27 posts before somebody mentioned the Dinotte? Surprises me.

If you guys look at the youtube link i posted and if you google the Radbot 1000 for reviews, it just takes the PBSF out of the running completely making it not even worth mentioning, really. Much brighter and it is held together by a screw rather than just tension, and it comes with different mounting brackets including the rack mount bracket. Only downside is it goes through batteries quicker but who cares. AND it gives the dinotte a run for it's money at just a FRACTION of the price.
I'm expecting this to be a great light. Will have it wednesday!

Here's another video.
http://vimeo.com/7730667

Dedicated PBSF user here (I have mounting brackets for it on all 3 of my bikes and my wife has a Super Flash on on hers, too) but I'm becoming more and more impressed with that Radbot 1000. I had considered upgrading to the Dinotte but the Radbot is certainly more budget-friendly.