Rechargeable rear light question
 

I really like my Planet Bike superflash as a rear light. But I would like to have something rechargeable that will do the same job - even I, Mr. Superconservative, am thinking about the "sustainability" of constantly buying and tossing batteries. Affordability is also a factor.

Any suggestions?

Bunch of threads in the Electronics forum about this sort of thing, but with the search acting up, I'll just say that the Cygolight Hotshot 2W is the current gold standard for budget, USB rechargeable lights. I think I have a bookmark in another browser that has a video of it in action....

You might try rechargeable batteries in your Superflash, but read this first.

Without a doubt the Cygolite Hotshot is the clear winner. The next step up is basically the Dinotte 400R imo. The Hotshot is amazing! I charge mine every 2-3 days and have never been left stranded without rear lights.

You can search youtube for videos on the Hotshot, but here is a link that contains beam shots of quite a few different tail light (interior, steady), but I think the thread also contains clips of at least the Nite Flux Red Zone 4. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post14260127

Jeeeze, the hotshot is dwarfed by the power of the Dinotte 300. I can't wait until Christmas comes, Dionotte 400R for me :D The Red Zone looks very weak in this photo, especially for the price.

This. Do some research and get good batteries and a good charger.

I've got this one and I like it a lot. I use the AAA's that came with it and a couple of pairs of Dura-Cell rechargeables and just rotate them as needed, which isn't very often.

For that $40 charger + the cost of rechargeable batteries it will cost more than the $28 Cygolite Hotshot found on Amazon which is a superior light than the PBSF.

But the charger has other uses.

These are the same light, but with different batteries. The 400R uses an external battery pack, so you have to find a place to mount both the light and the battery pack. The 300R is entirely self-contained. It's just thicker to hold the batteries.

I own a 300R. I put a mount on each of my four bikes, and move it from bike to bike. It uses standard plastic reflector mounts. While it comes an assortment of mounts in the package, all my bikes use the same size. I just get more at the LBS. They don't even charge me. This also means that the light cost me $50 per bike, which is a little easier to take.

Meanwhile, I've never had my 300R go into low power mode, let alone run out entirely. I charge it every Sunday afternoon and it lasts for the whole week. And that's with using it on every ride--day or night--from 50 miles a week in winter to 150 miles a week in summer.

I have had no problems using AAA NiMH rechargeable cells in my PBSF tail lights and they last for many hours when set in the flash mode. And since I use NiMH AA and AAA cells in lots of other devices (GPS, camera, flashlights) this has been more convenient than yet another type of proprietary battery. For a tail light which may not need charging for extended periods of time I'd recommend the Eneloop or equivalent 'pre-charged' Duracell type - they have a much lower self-discharge rate so they maintain their charge for many months when not being used.

OTOH, the Hotshot is much brighter than the PBSF (incl. the Turbo model) and would be a good addition to your PBSF. I'd keep both since there's always the possibility of a rear light failing and you might not even be aware of it immediately. Better to have two separate rear lights.

+1 very happy user of the Superflash and other bike lights with Eneloop rechargable batteries. They rock.

I was already using Eneloops anyway for miscellaneous stuff around home, whether it be flashlights or whatever, but they're awesome in bike lights too.

I used Duracell rechargeable batteries for my lights. They're supposed to behave more like alkaline batteries, and so far I've had pretty good luck with them. I use them in a Radbot 1000 though, so I can't speak to the Planet Bike light. I do have the Cygolite Hotshot as a backup on my winter bike, and the only complaint I have about it is the power switch.

Although, if you're looking to reduce your environmental footprint, I would think recycling some rechargeable batteries in a few years is probably a lower impact than replacing a whole light that probably won't be able to be recycled.

Get the hotshot. Quit messing around with batteries.

I just use Chinese brand NiMH AAA batteries in my rear light. They last a long time and I can't complain about their performance in my light.

I rock four today - helmet, backpack, PBSF, and a steady red....

+1 on the LaCrosse BC-700 battery charger. I love mine.

I use Eneloops, both AA and AAA. I keep a rotation going, so I always have fresh ones ready to go when needed. They have been great rechargeable batteries for me.

I also use the charger to charge AA's and AAA's for home uses, like video game wireless controllers and LED reading lights.

I have a Dinotte 140R. I recharge it each weekend, and the charge lasts for the 10 rides during the week - about 45 mins each way, each day. Plenty bright. I've been using the same light/batteries for ~5 years now, no problems so whatever I paid for it, it was cheap.

This is the best solution. Use rechargeables in the PBSF & a Hotshot (depending upon where you want it mounted) or PDW Radbot. I have a number of Radbots for my wife & I as well as two Hotshots. I can't tell much difference between the Radbot & the Hotshot in brightness. But, the Radbot (& the PBSF) are more versatile where they can be mounted with the included mounts. One advantage of the NIMH batteries is that they charge much faster than the lithium cells. I usually charge them every or every other day & that way they are still cool in the charger once they are fully charged.

I have 5 taillights on my commuter & 3 headlights. Even my racing/training bikes have 3.

If there is one area to not skimp on, it is lights. Buy cheap chains, cassettes, tires, etc. Cheap chains are not likely to cost you your life or cause an accident. Lights might.

This is something I can't understand. I train with people riding $7000.00+ bikes and they still skimp or don't even use lights when it is dark. Some don't even own lights. I believe this is a genetic defect that Darwinism should have corrected.

I have over about $500 invested in the lights on my commuter bike & helmet & another $56 in a B&M sidewall generator. However, my road race frame was $199.

I don't think it's cheap, but I love my Light and Motion Vis 180 rear with the yellow side flashers and 4 moves (as well as my Stella 600 dual fronts) :) It so happens to match my brown bike :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpCAXJKz1p8

Evolution doesn't effectively filter out characteristics that manifest after breeding age. In fact, there tend to be evolutionary advantages to shorter life expectancy after reproduction. Those of us with the sense to use sufficient lighting are consuming resources that could be used for population growth and causing a bottleneck in the genetic churn.

Another option to consider is reelight (www.reelight.com) - it's a light that clips onto your quick release and is powered by magnets that clip to your spokes. It's bright and doesnt need batteries. I just leave them on my bike all year round, so I never have to worry about leaving work in the dark and finding my batteries are out of juice.

Same experience here. Its a great light from a great company. The only problem I had with mine was the mount - the nut tends to strip the plastic out if you remove it too often (like I did). A call to Dinotte and they shipped me a new mount free of charge.