andychrist

My iPad with its auto exposure doesn’t capture the brightness of these blinkies but they are all quite blinding — and inexpensive!
Stratus
XPC Planet Bike Grateful Red Serfas Stop Sign by andyXchrist, on Flickr

RANS Stratus XPC by andyXchrist, on Flickr

https://www.amazon.com/Akale-Recharg...V50R3H19MKQK0K

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Serfas-TL-S...72.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PB-Grateful...72.m2749.l2649

First link is to set of 4 for $18.99 which comes with one pair of red flashing tails and one pair of white to mount on handle bars.

Pacobee

Stix light for 30....little higher but like it so far

alo

These are my favourite tail lights. These have built in solar chargers. You don't need to recharge them, or replace batteries.

At the time of writing, you can buy these on ebay for less than US$3.

RichSPK

Those are worth a try, but you may still want to replace the battery eventually. My solar marker lights on my driveway don't hold a charge for long anymore. I've been meaning to replace their batteries.

alo

No doubt you can replace the batteries. You would need to find out where to get appropriate batteries.

However, at less than $3 per light, it is probably easier to replace the light. If a light got broken or stolen at some time, replacing it should not cause financial stress for most people.

More information here: Solar bicycle lights

takozukuri

I love anything by KNOG. I've owned several. Seems that battery life is on par with other products out there (if not better), interface with bike is fantastic and features/settings are excellent.

Biker GD

Some great ideas here 👍


Kind regards

Biker GD

Geepig

I received my latest tail light today, about 3 dollars, no idea who the manufacturer was but was common on 1960s Romet bikes from Poland. I am not sure how bright it will be, but it will snuggle up close to its bottle dynamo.

10 Wheels

Good luck with That Light.

noglider 

I suggest an LED bulb for that tail light, @Geepig. If it casts its light in many directions, you'll get more light per watt.

Geepig

That is very good advice, and at some point in the future I may well do that. In the meantime I will run the incandescent blub because this is my first bottle dynamo application and I want to experience that old-time combination. I will probably review my lighting next summer, so that might be a good change point. For now I am just renovating.

hotbike

This is a Pannier/ Tailbox. I built this to make the recumbent bike community happy

Testing a new Samsung Galaxy phone...

hotbike

Making GIF animations to show the directional indicators.

hotbike

The all-important left turn signal

"I'm taking the lane"

Bicycles usually go around parked cars, not slam into them.
This is the only way to get the message across, it seems...

Anyway, IIRC these lights cost about $1.67 each . The OP asked about the cost of the light,, not the cost of the battery, which is 12 volt. I recently converted from. Lead/acid to Lithium Iron Phosphate, but the cost of LiFePO4 has come down to where it is more economical than lead acid.

RichSPK

Some day I plan to make brackets to attach to my racks so I can fit multiple tail lights. A motorcycling friend once surmised that car drivers seem to recognize a triangle of lights much better than a single light, so that's what I'm aiming for. It would also give a better sense of the width of the bike so, hopefully, cars will give adequate space when passing.

hotbike

This 🔝 is what I have my tail lights mounted on.



I’m working on a 15 inch cube next (So it will fit in a 16” cube cardboard box).

I want you to see the plan, so you can grasp the simplicity of it. It’s one box that does the work of three , left, right, & top.
Corrugated Polypropylene can be found at Home Depot, it’s right next to the plexiglass, near the shower doors.
LED lights can be found on Amazon.


I buy LED blinker modules by the 5-pack

This plan is better than making brackets.

RichSPK

Thanks! What are you fastening the polypropylene with? Glue?

hotbike

Glues. I’ve used hot-melt glue, which bonds quickly, as soon as it cools. And I’ve used a construction adhesive called Loctite PL, which comes in a tube that fits in a caulk gun. It requires a lot of clamps. I had to use boards ,1”x4” , about 28” long, and sandwich the seams, with carpenter clamps outside, there was no way to fit the clamps otherwise.






⬇️⬇️⬇️Creasing method shown below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
⬇️⬇️⬇️Edge of a cutting board. ⬇️⬇️⬇️


⬆️⬆️⬆️ Clamping method shown above ⬆️⬆️⬆️


I might have a few photos

hotbike

Front and rear are cut from another piece of Coroplast (or similar corrugated polypropylene) keeping the grain horizontal.



The pattern for the sides, bottoms, and wheel arch. You could conceivably cut two of these from one 48” by 96” sheet, if you fudge it a little bit, I’m leaving two inches of flap to fold over and glue…



Pattern with locations marked Blue lines cut Red lines fold



Pattern with measurements marked in millimeters (And I spelled “height” wrong)

Kat12

Has anyone used the Lumintop tail light? I see good things here about the headlights, but not much about the tail lights-- the tail light isn't even shown on their site.

https://www.amazon.com/LUMINTOP-Rech...t-items&sr=1-2

(Thinking about getting the C01 headlight, but not sure if I should also do the tail light or go for another brand there.)

SkinGriz

I think the brand names on these change?

I bought 2 very similar to this. However, they were not used for commuting, but so my kids could ride around campground after sundown. I was satisfied with them for that purpose.

Kat12

Not sure. Lumintop seems to be an actual company, just that they seem to sell exclusively on Amazon. Vs. other products you often see on Amazon that seem to be sort of "white label" things where the exact same product is slapped under whatever Chinese company happens to be selling it that day.

I did buy the Lumintop lights and they seem okay for my purposes (very occasional after-dark riding). I chose the cheaper of the two headlight options and like it; even on lower settings it's bright enough for me to see what's in my path. Not as sure about the tail light since obviously I'm never behind me observing how it works, but when I just look at it on the bike it seems nice and bright (maybe I should park the bike and walk a couple blocks down the street to see how visible it is). Can't speak to longevity since I've only used them maybe 4 times since getting them.

rc5781

This thread is right up my alley. I use these. Less than 3 bucks each

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19566854385...Bk9SR6Dv1_KJYg

Not necessarily from this particular vendor, but just search for "5 LED USB Rechargeable Bike Tail Light". Include results from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan. Yes, they're from China and take about a month to be delivered, sometimes less.

I get one red and one blue light to "simulate" cop lights. I use the 4th setting. Not too busy, not too stale. And yes, I'm about 90% positive they're legal in my area because I've checked the statutes. Also, I've been passed by many cops in the area and no one has said anything,

Use the micro usb that's included. Gently insert and take out. I've broken a light by applying too much pressure. My rides are for about an hour and a half, maybe more. I recharge every 3 rides. I could probably get 4.

noglider 

Wow, at $2.74 each, it's tempting to buy a pile of them. I *think* I notice I get a lot of attention when I have more than one flashing taillight.

I once had a light that flashed blue and red, and an oncoming car pulled over because he didn't know what I was driving. I decided I won't use blue and red anymore.

noglider 

That looks like a light I have. I would call it something between barely adequate and inadequate. Not bright enough.