lost another damned tail light

[AngryScientist]

my ride yesterday was an epic disaster on a few fronts, but that's a story for another time.

i had a knog blinder which i really liked. great bright tail light, but the attachment system was hokey at best for rear seatstay mounting.

so....

given the fact that i have to mount on the seatstay for a variety of reasons, any recs for a light with a good, solid mounting system. i keep losing rear blinkies, i need something that stays put.

what i had:

http://www.behindmagazine.com/contents/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/knog-blinder_2407.jpg

[Wilkinson4]

How about the nob? Used it for a front light and it worked fine.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/light-mounts.asp

mIKE

[rice rocket]

I've never lost a Planet Bike rear, use some Loctite 242 on screw if you're using the seatstay mount (mine hangs off my saddlebag).

I more recently picked up a Niterider Solas 2W rear as recommended by xjoex, and the attachment mechanism is pretty similar.

[crownjewelwl]

niterider

http://www.niterider.com/solas-2-watt-rechargeable-tail-light-2013-2/

comes with 2 mounts...one for seatpost and another for seat stay

seems pretty solid and super bright

[FlashUNC]

I once lost a Knog Blinder front after two rides.

Their stuff looks cool, but just doesn't hold together well at all.

[buldogge]

I've taken to zip-tying or "rubber" banding my blinkies on.

No matter the make/model, they seem to want to "jump" off (the saddle bag, in my case) over urban potholes/etc.

-Mark in St. Louis

[uncrx2003]

Niterider solas

[mmuurr]

I've never lost a Planet Bike rear, use some Loctite 242 on screw if you're using the seatstay mount (mine hangs off my saddlebag).


i also use Planet Bike Superflash varieties, and have never lost one while riding.
if you're willing to leave the light on the bike most of the time, you can superglue the light's clip to the mounting bracket... this just forces you to take out the screwdriver whenever you want to remove or put on the light.
(but for a commuter it might make life a little easier, plus it helps prevent quick thefts since the the clip mechanism will no longer work easily.)

[fiataccompli]

I also have had good results with the super flash on chain stays. With some lights I have drilled small holes and used safety wire...I suppose like others do with zip ties?

[Keith A]

i also use Planet Bike Superflash varieties, and have never lost one while riding.Me neither. I have several of these and not one has popped off...great little light.

[neiltron]

I use the Serfas TL-SN seat stay tail light. (https://www.serfas.com/products/view/677/referer:products%7Cindex%7Clights%7Ctail-lights)

[charliedid]

http://www.lightandmotion.com/bike/vis180micro.html

[mktng]

https://www.ridepdw.com/goods/lights/danger-zone

Great light. Easy on the batteries. AAA.
Secure and bright.




"danger zoonnneeee"

[KonaSS]

I use the Serfas TL-SN seat stay tail light.


Super double A+++ this recommendation. I love this light. Affordable, superbright with several different modes.

Slim and out of the way. All rubbery and soft in case you do bump into it. Super duper easy to get on and off, and stays put.

But so slim, I keep mine on most of the time.

[ckamp]

http://www.rei.com/product/823031/planet-bike-superflash-turbo-rear-bike-light

[josephr]

+1 on anything Planet Bike...I have these on two of my rides.

also have a Blackburn Mars but seat-stay mount not likely.
http://www.amazon.com/Blackburn-Mars-Click-Light-Black/dp/B00435N34S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1373062157&sr=8-4&keywords=blackburn+mars

Good luck! Joe

[moose8]

Another +1 on the planet bike one - when used with the mount it has never fallen and I use it on some rough boston streets. They earned my loyalty when I stupidly jammed a superflash on the back of a basket on a bike I didn't have a mount on and it popped off when I hit a bump. The light then split into its front and back half and a bus proceeded to immediately run over the back half. I emailed planet bike telling them what had happened and they immediately and without charge sent a new backing, even though the breaking of the light was pretty much completely my fault since I mounted it wrong.

[fourflys]

i also use Planet Bike Superflash varieties, and have never lost one while riding.
if you're willing to leave the light on the bike most of the time, you can superglue the light's clip to the mounting bracket... this just forces you to take out the screwdriver whenever you want to remove or put on the light.
(but for a commuter it might make life a little easier, plus it helps prevent quick thefts since the the clip mechanism will no longer work easily.)

this....
I have a few of these on everything from my road to my monster cross I use off road as well and have never lost one (knock on wood)... and I mount mine on the left chainstay as well...

and their customer service is second to none!

* I don't superglue it though, just use the regular mount that clips in and out...

[fogrider]

a red knog (http://www.knog.com.au/gear-lights/beetle-twinpack.phps) on my helmet. I like to have the light has high as possible!

[Shiversolitude]

Im a big fan of two different tail lights, cygolite hotshot and the portland design works danger zone. I used a couple different knog lights and they are ****e. None of them stay in place, the mounts suck etc.

[pdmtong]

IMHO that knog is prolly the best bang for buck going. I have the skinny version with 4 lights in a row I put on my seat post. the attachment is looking for a larger dia tube than the SS to clamp to - why nit keep the light but build the stay dia up with pipe insulation foam or similar? you could even simply wrap the stay with electrical tape to get it larger in dia.

[SpeedyChix]

Like you, I have to mount my taillight on the seat stay.
This works but it's a bit snug for removal if it's on a bike with canti mounts
http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3034.html

Cateye (used to) have this one, probably not bright by today's standards but it was a great light for mounting on the stay (archived product)
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/TL-LD270-R/

[druptight]

I use this:


http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3034_1.html

with a seatstay mount that screws on with rubber protection that's provided and i've never had an issue with either the mount or with the light itself breaking in half where it opens (which has happened with other lights).

The thing is blinding too.

[AngryScientist]

i'm going to bump this out of annoyance.

went for a 6-hour ride saturday morning, and much to my dismay, and despite no rain in the forecast the night before, it poured the entire 6 hours.

yea, you guessed it, my new planet bike superflash turno drowned. totally aggravated me, as the last few hours of the ride, i had to ride without a tail light on, and given the road and visibility conditions, a tail light would have been a good thing to have from a safety standpoint.

i dried it out at home, and it fired right back up the next day, but i cant trust the light anymore. blast.

[MattTuck]

I found a planet bike tail light on the road a week or two ago. :banana:

[Highpowernut]

I use the Serfas TL-SN seat stay tail light. (https://www.serfas.com/products/view/677/referer:products%7Cindex%7Clights%7Ctail-lights)

Another +1 love this light

[R3awak3n]

I found a planet bike tail light on the road a week or two ago. :banana:

I lost mine about 2/3 weeks ago. Best lights out there. I think its probably somewhere around my house or office but I can't find it so I just bought a new one. Still has the original battery and it was over a year old. I had used it with the plastic holder and never fell, latelly I just clip it into my jeans when commuting or clip it into my jersey pocket and its been fine.

[rice rocket]

i'm going to bump this out of annoyance.

went for a 6-hour ride saturday morning, and much to my dismay, and despite no rain in the forecast the night before, it poured the entire 6 hours.

yea, you guessed it, my new planet bike superflash turno drowned. totally aggravated me, as the last few hours of the ride, i had to ride without a tail light on, and given the road and visibility conditions, a tail light would have been a good thing to have from a safety standpoint.

i dried it out at home, and it fired right back up the next day, but i cant trust the light anymore. blast.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. I'm a fairweather rider though, so I haven't done that in a couple years. I haven't tested the Niterider in the wet yet.

[Ahneida Ride]

Get a Dinotte ...

[SpokeValley]

I've been very happy with my Serfas Thunderbolt tail light. Bright, blinky when you want it, easy and sturdy attachment, reasonable (USB rechargeable) battery life. Different colors (black for me).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QcFQ7JIM5Ac#at=18

[feFIFO]

Exposure Blaze (coupled with a helmet-mounted Diablo for pre-dawn rides). More expensive than some, less expensive than a pine box:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/product-accessories/2013-exposure-blaze-33345.3076.0.html

[ColonelJLloyd]

i'm going to bump this out of annoyance.

went for a 6-hour ride saturday morning, and much to my dismay, and despite no rain in the forecast the night before, it poured the entire 6 hours.

yea, you guessed it, my new planet bike superflash turno drowned. totally aggravated me, as the last few hours of the ride, i had to ride without a tail light on, and given the road and visibility conditions, a tail light would have been a good thing to have from a safety standpoint.

i dried it out at home, and it fired right back up the next day, but i cant trust the light anymore. blast.

It's worth a call to PB. They are extremely helpful folks and might send you a replacement or hook you up some other way.

I can't really help with not losing lights as I haven't had that problem, but I will say that the Cygolite HotShot 2w (http://www.cygolite.com/products/hotshot2W1.html) light is damned impressive. It's supposed to be weatherproof; I've not ridden in extended periods of rain. What I can say is that it is friggin' bright and cannot go unnoticed. I get comments/compliments on it even on sunny rides in the middle of the afternoon.

[Louis]

I can't really help with not losing lights as I haven't had that problem, but I will say that the Cygolite HotShot 2w (http://www.cygolite.com/products/hotshot2W1.html) light is damned impressive. It's supposed to be weatherproof; I've not ridden in extended periods of rain.

Same here. I like my Cygolite HotShot, and it's super-bright and safe and secure on the seatpost. Haven't (yet) had a chance to see how it performs in big rain.

My only (small) gripe is that I'm not 100% happy with the angle at which it currently sits and the little "teeth" that allow you do control this don't provide enough fine-tuning. However, if they were small enough for that, they would be too small and not strong enough to handle the loads. My plan is to stack a few layers of duct tape under bottom of the holding-clip, which will give me better control of the pitch position and bring it up a fraction of a degree.

[hainy]

I have know blinder and basically they are designed for seatpost mount. I have had no problems with their stuff and also use their computer which work perfectly and gives all the info I need.

Never lost one.

[TimD]

Until recently Cateye were my taillights of choice, specifically the LD-600. The mounting system is the best I've used; you can purchase mounts of varying diameters in their small parts store, so I've mounted them on seat stays, racks, seatposts, and seat tubes on different bikes. I've never had one fall off.

This is not their "Flex Tight" bracket, note, but their screw-tight clamps such the ones shown here
https://www.shopcateye.com/products/category/safety-lights?secondary_category=67&field_part_number_value=

The screws are relatively large and the clamp is very sturdy (unlike Cygolite's).

These all take AAA batteries but the runtime is very long, at least in flash mode. Once I sealed the battery cover with electrical tape I never drowned one, including squirting the hose at it while rinsing the bike.

Cateyey have updated their product line, including with the LD650 and Omni 3; these might be worth a look as they probably incorporate more up-to-date LED technology. They also now have a saddle rail mount (RM-1, $9) and a rear rack bracket (TL-LD560, $6).

That said, I'm now using Cygolite HotShot 2W, mainly because they are visible in daylight. These are stupid bright, USB-charged, and also are unlikely to fall off. However as pointed out above the mount is under-designed IMO: the screw is too small, the plastic is too thin, and unless you torque the screw all the way to the bottom (stressing the plastic) the clamping pivot interface slips and the light tips down and points to the ground. Useless. There's only one mount and it is designed for seatposts, period.

If it had a Cateye mount this light would be hard to improve upon, at least in the category of rear-facing taillights (it does not have (much) side visibility so that's another limitation). Of course the mounts are not compatible, though I suspect the Cygolite mounting tab could be modified to work with a Cateye mount. I haven't tried it.

[fourflys]

i'm going to bump this out of annoyance.

went for a 6-hour ride saturday morning, and much to my dismay, and despite no rain in the forecast the night before, it poured the entire 6 hours.

yea, you guessed it, my new planet bike superflash turno drowned. totally aggravated me, as the last few hours of the ride, i had to ride without a tail light on, and given the road and visibility conditions, a tail light would have been a good thing to have from a safety standpoint.

i dried it out at home, and it fired right back up the next day, but i cant trust the light anymore. blast.

this happened to my first superflash I had... I called PB and the guy I talked to said they had a run of seals that were too hard... he asked for my address and sent me out a new light immediately... the old one dried out and works just fine to this day... ;)

[moose8]

I'd second calling planet bike. There are three of us in my bike room at work who've been commuting on them for at least the four years I've been there through all kinds of nasty Boston weather and never had a problem. And because we have a strict no work talk in the bike room rule we talk about stuff like how much we love out tail lights and we all agree on the planet bike one but fight about really important stuff like tire widths and fenders.