1/1/14 11:16 AM

Greetings Is anybody using a flashing rear tail light in the daytime? If so do you have any brand recommendations.

1/1/14 12:34 PM

I have a solid taillight on all the time, but it's just run off a dynohub. The Spanninga Pixeo works is very bright, and has the advantage of a built-in reflector.

1/1/14 12:41 PM

Funny, yesterday I looked at the bike on the computrainer and said no. Wet or not I gotta get out.

I stuck fenders and a seat bag with a blinky on the back of the bag on the the CX bike for a ride. Roads where wet still enough some puddles. I totally forgot to turn on the blinky. I could have answered yes to this question. Better on than off certainly.

But the guy/gal texting seeing you from far away before looking down at the phone again has got to lower your odds... maybe... ;)

1/1/14 2:23 PM

Yes, I've routinely used one for the past decade or so, ever since the 1/2W and 1W focused LED flashers started to appear in taillights. They are easily visible even in bright sunlight from a couple of hundred metres away. I run mine off rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries, which get swapped out and recharged every few days or weekly, depending on amount of riding.

This 1W Planet Bike unit you can get from Amazon is about as bright as any. I also have the Radbot 1000, which is about equally bright, but it requires removing from the mount on the bike and the use of a a screwdriver to replace the batteries, whereas the Planet Bike just uses a coin to unclip the lens assembly from the rest of the unit to replace batteries:

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Blinky-Superflash-Turbo/dp/B004U5PV5A

1/1/14 3:08 PM

Had the Planet Bike but whenever I rode in the rain, water would seep in and the light would stop blinking and go solid. Taking it apart and drying it was good the next day. Also, the power button was hard to press...had to use a fingernail to drive it down into the plastic case to operate.
Upgraded to a Serfas TL60 and have had no issues. Side by side it is brighter than the Planet Bike. Serfas also offers USB recharging and 4 modes.
Info here:
https://www.serfas.com/products/view/143/referer:products|index|lights|tail-lights

1/1/14 3:22 PM

Damn, I just ordered the Serfas TL60 on Amazon $39.90 shipped. 60 lumen, smokes! ;)

1/1/14 5:43 PM

I have assorted rear red blinkies on my 3 road bikes, I use them when I'm riding solo.

I also use on every road ride, a white blinkie on the front. I find that works very well at stopping/slowing motorists who are about to left hook you or pull out of a side street, parking lot, etc..... The front is more noticeable then the rear in terms of it's effect on motorists.

1/1/14 8:40 PM

If using the stretch-strap (seatpost mount) of the serfas units, beware that I've torn the rubber straps in a relatively short time. The straps can tear at the holes, the rubber isn't the most durable stuff apparently...

1/1/14 8:42 PM

Is the Serfas light enough to helmet mount ?

1/2/14 4:19 AM

Please don't if you group ride. That blinky shit is annoying to no end.

1/2/14 7:53 AM

For group rides all of them have a steady mode which should not be distracting. It would be nice for the last rider in a pace line to have a highly visible light and a typical rotating line would need everyone to have one.

1/2/14 10:52 AM

I have been on night rides where the blinkies ahead of me drove me mad. So I have a proposed solution for tail light manufacturers:

1. Add a rear-facing light sensor (that cannot be activated by overhead lights--easy to do by placing the sensor at one end of a tube, which provides shadowing from above);

2. Add a circuit, activated by (1) that flips the light to steady whenever (1) is exposed to light for >2 seconds. The effect should last for 30 seconds or so.

This would mean that a string of riders could have a blinking "red lantern" rider, and yet not be driving each other nuts with blinkies in the dark. As each rider drifted off the front, their light would convert back to blinking and the rider ahead of them would be tripped to steady.

This assumes the use of headlights, of course.

1/2/14 1:32 PM

i'm vain and not keen on a big/bulky light setup on my go-fast bikes, but value some level of enhanced visibility.

i've been using the lezyne femto on rides when i might end up out as it gets toward dusk.

very low-profile and reasonably bright considerign their size. matched set for seatpin (red light) and bars (white light), anodized aluminum body is well made and available in several colors, easy-on-off rubber-band mounts.

1/2/14 1:43 PM

Erik, exactly when would you be behind someone and see a blinky ?? ;)

1/2/14 6:02 PM

Only when I decide to sit up and post here or check Strava.

I RARELY ever group ride as most of you know but have been exposed to the blinky lights just enough to hate them.

1/2/14 6:37 PM

Erik, are you getting Strava upload errors ? Last two uses it is barfing on my Android..

1/2/14 7:27 PM

no problems at all @ 2027ET.

1/2/14 7:30 PM

None on my 5s. I did goof around trying just get time and HR on the treadmill today. It quit timing around 7 minutes because of no GPS signal.

I ride and run in open areas with no buildings to speak of so I pretty much have ideal conditions.