I saw an interesting taillight that incorporates brakelight and turn signals. I believe it has already been discussed here before but I can't find it.

It looks like this:


It is sold under various brand names, but I believe Clipbrite2000 is the original OEM.

https://www.clipbrite2000.net/turn_signal.htm

Does anyone have any experience with it? I know it won't compare to motorcycle and car lights and that it is better to indicate your direction by sticking out your hands, but I just want one for the gadget factor and maybe try to optimize it with brighter LED's.

I doesn't tell you how many WATTS. Besides the great innovation and utility of the this light it could not be BRIGHT enough, too good to be true. Does anybody know HOW BRIGHT is it?

Corsaire

I like the idea of having a turn signal, but because bikes are narrow from behind, it seems difficult for drivers to differentiate between just a blinkie and a blinking turn signal.

Word. Make sure the switch box is waterproof. I bought one similar to this 2yrs ago and it chirpped miserabley in the rain.

It's made with super-bright LED lights, should be really bright. Nice idea, seems like a good setup, very light-weight too.

I have this one, it is great

The Euro version is interesting. This firm is a marketing and resourcing firm for light manufacturers. Only good info is they have a phone number and address. Unclear who source manufacturer is and if light really performs as advertised. I'd guess the brake light would only work with rim brakes and not with disc brakes. Unfortunately there is no information on the types of brake systems it would work with.

Personally, I'm unlikely to buy one as I don't need a turn signal indicator.

I have ordered one of these - I will let everyone know how it turns out;

I bike ~120 miles a week, winter (Massachusetts!) and summer, in traffic. It seems to me very useful to be able to indicate a turn while keeping both hands on the handlebars

Sorry - my first post got sent prematurely; the point I was trying to make is that, if I stick my hand out to signal stopping, I would bet that most motorists would not know what I meant. Plus, you can't really do an emergency stop without both hands on the handle bars - and that's when you MOST need to signal, so IMHO, a brake light system should be REQUIRED for anyone that bikes in traffic.

A continually blinking red tailight shows that you are something slow moving and may be a bike. A steady light like a brake light can be confused in some conditions from a distance with a car or a motorcycle that would be traveling closer to the speed of traffic. You want slow vehicle caution flashers. Just like most slow vehicles.

Interesting point above. Personally, I feel pretty damn lucky if I'm even seen by other drivers AND they don't try to run me over as a result. I think signaling only gives more opportunity to plan their homicidal manuevers. Besides, I already look like a gay discoteque on wheels.

I have it and it works great. It amazes people when they are behind me and see the brake light light up. I get stopped all the time and asked questions about it.
One thing, when the ambient temperature is below 45 degrees out, at night say, the tuensignal freezes up and will not blink, but the brakelight works. Worth the $15.00 I paid for it.

i notice this in the commuter pic thread... great idea.

I saw a motorcyclist with an LED stop/turn light of about that size. The lack of separation of the turn-signal lights from the motorcycle's centerline made it difficult to see that it was, in fact, a turn signal. And I was just a few car-lengths back, and have good eyesight.

Think about it... most motorcycles have the turn signals separated quite a bit from the brake light. The brake light establishes where the center of the vehicle is, giving the turn signals their reference point. At very close range, this may be an understandable setup, but I wouldn't trust it to be comprehensible from much distance because the lights are so close together that they're probably going to blend into one orange-ish overall light.

Not to rain on the parade, but I will be sticking with the arm signals

On the other hand... arm signals are invisible at night...

Well, but not necessarily. At close range, a neon-yellow jacket shows a bit in low-beam headlights from about 1/2 block away, although I'm sure my powerful lights make it harder to notice. I put my self-illuminated + retro-reflective armband on my left wrist for the moment (I only signal with the left arm) and am going to stitch reflective tape down the front and back of that sleeve too.

There was a valid point made regarding whether motorists understand arm signals. Pointing left when going left, I think they can figure that one out. The right-turn signal (holding left arm in an L shape) has gotten me some waves in return, oh look at the nice man on the bike waving to us honey but really, that's their problem. In Washington state, I can legally point the right arm to the right instead, but after ~15 years of the left-arm method, I'd probably crash & burn

It is really good at night. I got three of them. BUT they don't work in the winter time...well up here in the winter. In the 40's it starts to go slow and then stops working, but its a good bright light.

Super Geek

If you are running alkaline batteries, try rechargeable NimH or Li-ion. There is a very good chance that will solve your problem. Alkalines lose power quickly in the cold compared to other battery types.

I have ridden behind the turn signals on the bike on the right, at all times of the night and day. When a car is approaching the headlights wash out the light so much that it really is useless. If it is dark you can see it , but if you get to far away it's hard to tell that it is a turn signal.


<- I guess I'll stick with the Death Star.

i think for less than 20 bucks... it's worth adding as a safety feature. it's funny, i always use arm signals and i can't tell you how many times i've been turning left with my left arm in the correct position and the on coming traffic has either almost completely stopped and looked at me funny OR waved at me like they knew me. i always laugh abit... but, i'm glad they atleast see me.

I signal with both arms. I just point where I'm going. Leaves less up to interpretation from drivers.


Actually,I'd like brake lights for other cycles,not the cars. I've had a couple close calls in (unorganised)group rides where somebody suddenly stopped.

I agree with the brake light. But in hand signalling, it's HOW you signal that make the difference. The arm should be horizontal. I find that signalling and moving into position about 100' before the turn helps drivers understand your intent. Also looking occassional in the direction that you're about to turn helps convey intent. To brake and signal at the same time is tricky but doable.

Too gimmicky for me. I've seen one before and could only see it in broad daylight when I was 3 feet from the guy. Simply pointing in the direction I'm planning to go has served me well for years. Besides, even when I do signal when changing lanes, I'd say at least 3/4 of drivers ignore it and pass me anyways. Its much easier/safer just to find a gap and slip in.

Last summer I bought an ankle strap with amber blinkies from Walmart ($8 Cdn). I wrap it on my left wrist at night so my hand signals are visble.

it's kind of hard to see arm signals in the dark, unless your hands are lighted.

Don't Waste Your Time - This Company Is Out Of Business.