Bright Rear Light
#26
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 548
I suggest an air raid siren. The horn from Loud Bicycle would be a good start.
#28
Francophile

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,788
Likes: 2,101
From: Seattle
Bikes: Lots
I love these lights. But I have found that helmet lights help visibility quite a bit, probably because they are not hidden by other vehicles. Any suggestions for a bright helmet light combination? I currently use a Light and Motion set that has served me well, but i am always looking at other options.
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Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
#29
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 548
CaptMike Posted: I turned my laptop up and played that horn for my wife. She said no way.
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,948
Likes: 782
From: San Diego
Bikes: Columbine, Lynskey GR300, Paramount Track Bike, Colnago Super (4), Santana Tandems (1995 & 2007), Gary Fisher Piranha (retired), Bianchi Track Bike, a couple of Honda mountain bikes
I love these lights. But I have found that helmet lights help visibility quite a bit, probably because they are not hidden by other vehicles. Any suggestions for a bright helmet light combination? I currently use a Light and Motion set that has served me well, but i am always looking at other options.

Flashlight test mounted on the fork with a headset stem.
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,948
Likes: 782
From: San Diego
Bikes: Columbine, Lynskey GR300, Paramount Track Bike, Colnago Super (4), Santana Tandems (1995 & 2007), Gary Fisher Piranha (retired), Bianchi Track Bike, a couple of Honda mountain bikes
I suggest an air raid siren. The horn from Loud Bicycle would be a good start.
#32
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 548
Aubergine Posted: I love these lights. But I have found that helmet lights help visibility quite a bit, probably because they are not hidden by other vehicles. Any suggestions for a bright helmet light combination? I currently use a Light and Motion set that has served me well, but i am always looking at other options.
#33
Francophile

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,788
Likes: 2,101
From: Seattle
Bikes: Lots
Yes, and I use the helmet lights in the daytime because drivers notice them. Thus my question, which is on topic even if not on the bike itself.
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Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
#34
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 548
Aubergine Posted: Yes, and I use the helmet lights in the daytime because drivers notice them. Thus my question, which is on topic even if not on the bike itself.
#35
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 324
Likes: 681
From: SF Bay Area
I agree with rm -rf with all he wrote…he nailed it!
Most often for daytime rides, I use one of my taillights with band mounts on my helmet. then my Varia Radar light mounted on my seatpost set to steady mode/medium. For night rides I add a Cygo 350….I have a DIY seat mount I almost always on use Pulse on Cygo lights
About 10 yrs ago I used a pair of Dinotte headlights with external battery. They are really well made! No experience with their taillight though.
I found a related post I made last year. in my pix you can see the 350 is noticeably brighter than 200, enhanced by the dual light configuration…
/
I recently set up my lights and snapped some photos at night. Don’t have any photos handy showing the lights during the daytime. In my comparison photos the lights are mounted on a rod. But because the mounting types vary they are not all parallel….it was a very quick test, not meant to be scientific in any way. In my photos all lights are in Solid/Steady Mode, which is less than the lumen used in the product name. It is difficult to find the actual lumen output for the steady mode.
Cygolite’s SteadyPulse is the mode I use. it doesn’t bother my coriders that much. but often I get comments that the Hypershot 350 is so bright. I often see the riders lights far ahead of me with Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar/Tail Light with only 65 lumen output on flash and it is noticeable. I am surprised how bright that is, but I am a slow moving biker not a car driving 70mph.
My road bike photo shows the Cygolite Hypershot 350 mounted on a custom mount, attached under the seat and the Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar is mounted on the seatpost. This is my default set up, day or night. The comparison stack photos are taken from about 40ft away. Also, I recently added the Lezyne Zecto Drive 200+ on the rear of my helmet at night, using the rubber strap through the vents.





Top of pole
Lezyne Zecto Drive 200+ Tail Light (2023)
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 200, Solid: 50
Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar/Tail Light
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 65, Solid: 20
Cygolite Hotshot Pro – 200 Lumen Bike Tail Light
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 200, Solid: 120
Cygolite Hypershot – 350 Lumen Bike Tail LightLUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 350, Solid: 210 estimated (used the 60% of max listed for the Cygolite200)
Bottom of pole
All are USB rechargeable.
/
Most often for daytime rides, I use one of my taillights with band mounts on my helmet. then my Varia Radar light mounted on my seatpost set to steady mode/medium. For night rides I add a Cygo 350….I have a DIY seat mount I almost always on use Pulse on Cygo lights
About 10 yrs ago I used a pair of Dinotte headlights with external battery. They are really well made! No experience with their taillight though.
I found a related post I made last year. in my pix you can see the 350 is noticeably brighter than 200, enhanced by the dual light configuration…
/
I recently set up my lights and snapped some photos at night. Don’t have any photos handy showing the lights during the daytime. In my comparison photos the lights are mounted on a rod. But because the mounting types vary they are not all parallel….it was a very quick test, not meant to be scientific in any way. In my photos all lights are in Solid/Steady Mode, which is less than the lumen used in the product name. It is difficult to find the actual lumen output for the steady mode.
Cygolite’s SteadyPulse is the mode I use. it doesn’t bother my coriders that much. but often I get comments that the Hypershot 350 is so bright. I often see the riders lights far ahead of me with Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar/Tail Light with only 65 lumen output on flash and it is noticeable. I am surprised how bright that is, but I am a slow moving biker not a car driving 70mph.
My road bike photo shows the Cygolite Hypershot 350 mounted on a custom mount, attached under the seat and the Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar is mounted on the seatpost. This is my default set up, day or night. The comparison stack photos are taken from about 40ft away. Also, I recently added the Lezyne Zecto Drive 200+ on the rear of my helmet at night, using the rubber strap through the vents.





Top of pole
Lezyne Zecto Drive 200+ Tail Light (2023)
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 200, Solid: 50
Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar/Tail Light
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 65, Solid: 20
Cygolite Hotshot Pro – 200 Lumen Bike Tail Light
LUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 200, Solid: 120
Cygolite Hypershot – 350 Lumen Bike Tail LightLUMEN OUTPUT: Flash Max: 350, Solid: 210 estimated (used the 60% of max listed for the Cygolite200)
Bottom of pole
All are USB rechargeable.
/
#37
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,160
Likes: 6,381
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Yeah, it's not much more than a regular taillight, but it's so much brighter. I should have gotten it sooner. Cygolite products have proven to be quite durable.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#38
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 548
Prompt Critical Posted: Well, most of the threats come from the rear, so now that I have a radar unit, I've been pondering some sort of interface with a device aimed at the windshield of the driver's car. Any suggested devices? Oh, must be legal in California, so that leaves out many of the more interesting ideas.
#39
A member to remember
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 244
Likes: 135
From: Ventura County, CA
Bikes: Tallboy, Domane, old 90s MTB beater/grocery-getter, and a couple of franken-gravel experiments based on the Sirrus x 5.0.
For those interested, the Cygolite Hypershot 350 is currently on sale at Amazon for $36 shipped.
#40
Recreational Road Cyclist

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 612
Likes: 305
From: MetroWest, Mass.
Bikes: 1990 Peter Mooney road bike, 1996 Gary Fisher X-Caliber mountain bike
I agree about the brightness of the Cygolite Hotspots. For me, durability was mixed. One of two copies wouldn’t hold a charge after a year (just out of warranty).
#41
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,160
Likes: 6,381
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
[MENTION=354412]BCDrums[/MENTION], I had one replaced, and I think it was after the warranty had expired. You could ask and see what they say, which is what I did. They sent me a brand new unit with a new bracket.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#42
Recreational Road Cyclist

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 612
Likes: 305
From: MetroWest, Mass.
Bikes: 1990 Peter Mooney road bike, 1996 Gary Fisher X-Caliber mountain bike
I just realized you and I have already had this conversation: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthrea...4#post22903554
All best!
#43
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,160
Likes: 6,381
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Haha, funny. I had forgotten. I'm glad you're happy with yours.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#45
Full Member

Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 288
Likes: 174
For those interested, the Cygolite Hypershot 350 is currently on sale at Amazon for $36 shipped.
My first impressions of it are favorable. This might displace the Magicshine Seemee 200 that I have been using, which does have its own charms.
#47
Galveston County Texas
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 33,335
Likes: 1,285
From: In The Wind
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
#48
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Amazing idea @PromptCritical. The best!
Can you please suggest where to read/learn about the wiring?
E.g. I have a DeWalt Battery that I would like to connect with one of these 'strobe' lights of yours (I would buy after learning how to connect the cables etc).
Thank you!!
Can you please suggest where to read/learn about the wiring?
E.g. I have a DeWalt Battery that I would like to connect with one of these 'strobe' lights of yours (I would buy after learning how to connect the cables etc).
Thank you!!
Last edited by Nikolatetios; 06-06-24 at 11:02 AM. Reason: I added the name of the user
#49
Newbie

Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 11
Likes: 8
From: Wine Country, Oregon
I don’t ride at night. Probably never will.
Would like to have more visibility to cars I am approaching, for example cars on side streets or driveways.
Opinions on putting one of the really bright taillights facing forward?
Would like to have more visibility to cars I am approaching, for example cars on side streets or driveways.
Opinions on putting one of the really bright taillights facing forward?






