onehandman

What tail light should i get thats bright, i want to mount it on the back of my topeak rack (the big rack that can support 50lbs) on my mountain bike. I suppose i want a decent head light too. Any suggestions.

Medic Zero

I was just eyeing the below light at Rivendell. Looks quite effective from the descriptions provided.

https://www.rivbike.com/product-p/lt009.htm

I can't justify the expense right now, otherwise I would pick it up to try it out, I've added it to my list of parts for my touring rigs overhaul though.

I can't really reccommend the light I mounted on the rear of my girlfriends rack, I found out after I bought it that it has a reputation for failures, but hers has been working well, it is quite bright with a little bit of a variation which helps catch the eye. I can't remember the brand/model, I'll check when I finally make it home from work and school later today.

nashvillwill

Cygolite hotshot.

degnaw

Beat me to it. It's awesome.

spivonious

My MagicShine 808 headlight is fantastic. Super bright and easy to mount/remove. It's got three brightness levels. Ultra bright, regular bright, and "help-the-cars-see-you" bright. I usually leave it off during the day and keep it on regular bright in the evening. If I'm going out in the dark, I use ultra-bright.

I just got a taillight, the Cat Eye Rapid 3. It's nice and bright for the dusk/dark but is pretty useless during the daytime (if you're looking for that). Three modes: steady, blink, and seizure. Steady only uses the center LED, blink only uses the two outer LEDs. Seizure uses all three and is definitely attention-grabbing.

ItsJustMe

The hotshot is really pretty good but the beam from it is extremely narrow. 10 degrees off to the side and the light is probably diminished 75%. I think I'd go for something different.

I have and really like the Knog Blinder, I have the 4V. However, it pretty much ONLY works on a seat post (I 3D printed a mount for it but most people won't have that option (yet)). Also as it's pretty tiny and yet pretty bright, the batteries do not last forever like most blinkies - if you use one of the more aggressive blink modes, probably only 5 hours or so. 3 on steady.

So it doesn't really fit the bill for the OP as it's not really rack mountable, but I think the fact that it has a pretty uniform beam pattern across about 170 degrees is good, we need something like that with better mounting options.

AusTexMurf

I think the rack mount light by Planet Bike Rack Blinky is affordable, reliable, and bright. It also has a fair amount of reflective surface area which might help you be seen. My favorite rear light for a rack on a budget, I have had a few.

Mumonkan

I have a magicshine knockoff for the front, my only gripe is it doesnt stay at the same angle and droops down from the bumps, super bright though-so much that cara flash highbeams at me all the time. At least im seen.

For the back i use planet bike superflash turbo, ive seen it mounted on just about anywhere

Stryver

I have a PB Superflash Turbo on a rack mount that is available from PB and from a few other places. It is bright, and many have raved about it. I don't like the switch, but it is otherwise a good, solid light. It is relatively directional, but I'm okay with this for the distance it gets.

I also have a Princeton Tec swerve, which I like much better (switch, looks, feel), but I cannot find a rack-mount for it. I contacted P.T. about it and received no response, so I bought the Superflash. I use the Swerve clipped on to my trunk-bag on solid (decent side visibility, though the angle is usually off, and the extra brightness hits the ground closer than I hope cars approach me). The Superflash lives in the rack-mount in flash mode, and it adjusted to point its flashing correctly.

degnaw

I actually put a piece or two of scotch tape in front of the lens to diffuse the beam. Not a perfect solution but it works pretty well.

colleen c

For self battery contain light, I prefer the Cygolight Hotshot. However I like the Planetbike Superflash (PBSF) blink pattern and the larger angle of spread it covers. The best is having both the Hotshot and PBSF as a combo unit. This combo is a pretty good mix. The Hotshot will not drown out the PBSF while the PBSF provides better spread. It also fills in the need for redundancy

For external battery power rear light, I like my Xeccon Geinea rear and front light combo. The cost might be more than what you willing to spend and it will be nice to know what your cost range, however Mtbrevolution is having a sales on the rear light only. The rear light is really bright, so much that I see the reflection bouncing off of signs and the pavement behind me in my rear view mirror way more than the Hotshot. Both the front and rear light are operated from a wired remote switch which is nice because you can power down the rear light to the lower intensity while waiting at a stop light with a car behind you.

sauerwald

I am a big fan of my Dinotte tail light. I know that I am sharing the road with distracted drivers, the Dinotte helps me to be the distraction.

fietsbob

in addition to the line tech one from Bush and Muller [riv bike likely gets them through Peter white cycles, the importer]
mine is dynamo powered, RBW link shows the battery version..

I have had their 4D Toplight on 2 versions, battery(2AA) and dynamo power + battery.
there are 4 diodes lighting up the whole broad lens , so as to be seen well from the sides ,
as well as the back..
the German made light, option .. 'Senso' in the battery power ,
detects motion and will turn on, and after stopping a while, turn off on its own.

newer hub dynamo lights add a capacitor in the circuit,
and will also stay on a minute or so after stopping.


when I had just a passive reflector bracket.. Cat eye tL 500 an oval , fit in its place..

the electronic gadget thread also has past discussion of lights..
some people use a bunch of them all at once ..

maybe 1 battery will last longer than the next one, in light 2 and 3..
do have to buy more batteries..

Leebo

Cygo light hot shot. Just make sure to line up the light using the rack or seatpost bracket.

Commodus

The hot shot is good, but I prefer NiteRider's Solas. A little bit better diffusion, still very bright.

ItsJustMe

If you like the effect, just try etching the surface with acetone.

arsprod 

ok, I gotta ask the question no one asks - is there really a difference? As the slow guy who's always following someone else I see lots of rear flashers. None stand out as brighter than any other. Does anyone have any evidence of better visibility or is it all anecdotal? Don't anyone get their panties in a wad - I'm a gadget geek and love the latest gizmos. But is a $40 hotshot really "better" than $10 cateye?

megalowmatt

I'm happy with a Planet Bike Superflash. As for headlight, I use this...

Cree XML T6

Commodus

I have a variety of rear blinkies, at several price points. The differences are obvious, and dramatic.

Are the brighter lights really necessary? Well that's a different question.

vol

Which of the following rear light is better? (a) A light with small lens, more directional, but very bright, (b) A light with much larger lens and more side visibility but less bright.

fietsbob

C, a light which uses the Optics to redirect the light to light-up the whole lens
with the light of 1 or so Diodes, efficiently,

a Red Laser is the A..

here everything is anecdotal ,

I don't see any PhD's linking to their Doctoral thesis on the particular subjects..

rekmeyata

I hate to say this but Grant is right about the size of the light is important. Even a real intense prick of a tail light is still difficult to judge distance by. I've seen in my town two riders with different type of larger tail lights on their bikes, and I noticed those way faster from a greater distance then the smaller ones like I use and the most of us use. That same phenomena occurs with headlights too; my wife noticed my Phillips Saferide headlight during a dark and rainy night test with her driving towards me far better then the Cygolite MityCross 480 or the ExpiliOn 350. She said she noticed it better because it was larger.

Problem is, die hard cyclists don't want a tail light that measures 6" x 4", and it does look ungainly on a bike. I guess it just depends on your interpretation of how safe you want to be.

I'm just happy with using more smaller lights instead of one larger one, but I admit the larger one is probably better.

There is a nice one made by Phillips too called the Lumiring but it doesn't blink due to European laws. I did find a comparison of a bunch of tail lights but their all European lights so there are none being compared against what you would typically find in America; see: https://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/tes...eride_lumiring

Leisesturm

When I've had money to burn I've bought good accessories. When money is tight I buy cheaper stuff. I'm still here to write about it. My main commuter has Planet Bike Eco rack and my LBS guy threw in the mount for a Superflash for free. I like the Superflash... it has the best of both worlds. It never goes completely dark between flashes, so it provides drivers with valuable information as to my heading, rate of speed and ETA... like I really believe that... honestly, I do not think that a vehicle closing in on my six at 45 mph really will care if I am going 12mph or 15mph... ... either speed is essentially stationary from his/her POV! I have, however seen flashers that have such a lazy blink rate that the bike and rider are blacked out completely for an entire second between light pulses... that's much too slow IMO. I will happily entrust my life to my $11 Viewpoint flasher. My only beef is that it has 72 different blink patterns and it takes me 5 minutes to cycle through them all to get to OFF, after I get home. The PB is either steady or blinking and that's it. Less really can be more. YMMV.

H

arsprod 

touche

terrapin44

This what I have as well. I'd recommend it.