Brightest rear light/s
- Thread starter NigelA
- Start date
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YahudaMoon
Über Member
Hi
Id avoid bright rear lights for road use as they dazzle/blind other road users, your just asking for complaints from fellow car users/cyclist in my opinion
Even the cheapest rear lights on the market are bright enough for normal night time weather conditions
Id avoid bright rear lights for road use as they dazzle/blind other road users, your just asking for complaints from fellow car users/cyclist in my opinion
Even the cheapest rear lights on the market are bright enough for normal night time weather conditions
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Safety comes under so many different guises, whether it is lights or road position, potentially different routes. Lights generally come under accessories. There are usually some new ones each year and some favourites.
Mine normal set up (actually this will prompt me to get it ready as I noticed last week I may start to need it), is a Smart one at the back if I'm in the gloaming, two if it's actually going to be dark so that if it fades on route I've still got the other one. At the front my main one is a Hope light which is quite old now, and backed up with a second light.
Front lights fall into Two categories, to be seen, and to see. Where and when you ride will also affect which sort of lights you should get.
Mine normal set up (actually this will prompt me to get it ready as I noticed last week I may start to need it), is a Smart one at the back if I'm in the gloaming, two if it's actually going to be dark so that if it fades on route I've still got the other one. At the front my main one is a Hope light which is quite old now, and backed up with a second light.
Front lights fall into Two categories, to be seen, and to see. Where and when you ride will also affect which sort of lights you should get.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
And brightest isn't always best. I followed someone who had an incredibly bright light, even from 100s of meters away, but the minute the road bent even slightly it completely disappeared, whereas some others have a better side view.
I use the Smart Superflash, bright and eye-catching sequence for £6.
This one looks pretty bright:
http://four4th.co.uk/products/lights/scorpion/
Pic below of my Thorn Audax and Surly LHT with lights, reflectors and reflective tape.
This one looks pretty bright:
http://four4th.co.uk/products/lights/scorpion/
Pic below of my Thorn Audax and Surly LHT with lights, reflectors and reflective tape.
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IncoherentJeff
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Gtr. Manchester
Some LED lights can only be seen from a very narrow angle.
I use a fibre flare as it can be seen from any angle.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fibre-flare/full-size-rear-light-ec034297
And also a Niterider Stinger Taillight, which seems to flash quite brightly.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/nite-rider-stinger-taillight/rp-prod54546
I've not had the waterproofing problems others have had & I've owned it 2 years and ridden in all weather. But it's something to bear in mind.
Cheaper retailers may be available, they were the first links that appeared on google.
I don't usually carry batteries with me so having two helps incase one dies.
I use a fibre flare as it can be seen from any angle.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fibre-flare/full-size-rear-light-ec034297
And also a Niterider Stinger Taillight, which seems to flash quite brightly.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/nite-rider-stinger-taillight/rp-prod54546
I've not had the waterproofing problems others have had & I've owned it 2 years and ridden in all weather. But it's something to bear in mind.
Cheaper retailers may be available, they were the first links that appeared on google.
I don't usually carry batteries with me so having two helps incase one dies.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Don't know about the brightest available and would agree that you can go too bright for a rear lamp.
These are pretty good and noticeable for not much money: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/LIPHBPDRL/phaart-bleep-dual-05-watt-led-rear-light
It's the lower of the two lamps in these pics.
These are pretty good and noticeable for not much money: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/LIPHBPDRL/phaart-bleep-dual-05-watt-led-rear-light
It's the lower of the two lamps in these pics.
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inkd
Senior Member
- Location
- New Forest
Love my phaart bleep, so cheap but very good.
There are two points here to consider
"Legally" you need to have lights have to comply with the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations. Once these are in place there is no legal requirement for your "backup lights" to meet these regulations
The Police are unlikely to take any action over lights, they are happy that yo have them
As to the lights, that is up to you.
My main lights are the Magic Shine rear lights and are much, much brighter than the law requires.... and they do make a difference, I have far fewer close passes usingthese than I do with the standard lights only.
All you need to do is have a sensible alignment to avoid dazzle
"Legally" you need to have lights have to comply with the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations. Once these are in place there is no legal requirement for your "backup lights" to meet these regulations
The Police are unlikely to take any action over lights, they are happy that yo have them
As to the lights, that is up to you.
My main lights are the Magic Shine rear lights and are much, much brighter than the law requires.... and they do make a difference, I have far fewer close passes usingthese than I do with the standard lights only.
All you need to do is have a sensible alignment to avoid dazzle
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
+1
I have 2 on the Ribble; one 'constant', the other 'flashing'
Bright enough, without being too glaring
(different saddle on it now; an original style 'Flite')
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
Smart Lunar R1 rear light
http://www.charleysbikeaccessories....r-r1-rear?utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=cpc
http://www.charleysbikeaccessories....r-r1-rear?utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=cpc
Ern1e
Über Member
- Location
- ROSSENDALE LANCS.
I also like to have a couple of smaller (frog) style lights for the front and rear of my helmet or if you don't use such a thing one of those headlamps with a red one facing backwards because as one "lady" driver pointed out she can see these over parked cars !! dont need to be exceptionaly bright as I did test this out with my cycling partner and well yes every little helps.
OP
OP
NigelA
Active Member
Thanks everyone for you quick and comprehensive and very helpful responses.
Regarding the comment about the possibility of rear lights dazzling drivers, I am primarily a driver and have taught safe road techniques and strategies to many people over more than 30 years. There are some good cyclists out there but it is also very surprising just how many are unwittingly vulnerable to crashes. Some have diminutive rear lights (for some if they carry any at all) and on the open road (national speed limits et al) these are not sufficiently obvious until you are quite close to the cyclist and sometimes they are just a small bead of light. I am also amazed at how many cyclists even in daylight insist on wearing non conspicuous gear and even more amazed at those who insist on wearing black. Further there are many cyclists who make themselves very vulnerable because they seem to believe that they are not part of the normal road traffic. Yes, there many are cases of drivers needing to be more aware of cyclists and give them more space (5 feet when overtaking please) but that is also the case for cyclists doing all they can to make themselves as conspicuous as possible. If that infuriates some drivers I am afraid that is tough cheese, because safety is more important than irritation; many drivers will get equally irritated and impatient when they get behind a vehicle doing 30mph in a 30 zone. So I would have thought a section on Safety and various strategies to try to reduce cycling vulnerability on the road would be a particularly pertinent one a forum such as this. This may appear to some as though I am getting at cyclists, but others will realise that the suggestions are more in the vein(sic) of cyclists generally doing more to help themselves stay safe and unharmed on the roads.
Regarding the comment about the possibility of rear lights dazzling drivers, I am primarily a driver and have taught safe road techniques and strategies to many people over more than 30 years. There are some good cyclists out there but it is also very surprising just how many are unwittingly vulnerable to crashes. Some have diminutive rear lights (for some if they carry any at all) and on the open road (national speed limits et al) these are not sufficiently obvious until you are quite close to the cyclist and sometimes they are just a small bead of light. I am also amazed at how many cyclists even in daylight insist on wearing non conspicuous gear and even more amazed at those who insist on wearing black. Further there are many cyclists who make themselves very vulnerable because they seem to believe that they are not part of the normal road traffic. Yes, there many are cases of drivers needing to be more aware of cyclists and give them more space (5 feet when overtaking please) but that is also the case for cyclists doing all they can to make themselves as conspicuous as possible. If that infuriates some drivers I am afraid that is tough cheese, because safety is more important than irritation; many drivers will get equally irritated and impatient when they get behind a vehicle doing 30mph in a 30 zone. So I would have thought a section on Safety and various strategies to try to reduce cycling vulnerability on the road would be a particularly pertinent one a forum such as this. This may appear to some as though I am getting at cyclists, but others will realise that the suggestions are more in the vein(sic) of cyclists generally doing more to help themselves stay safe and unharmed on the roads.
moo
Senior Member
- Location
- North London
I'm running a Moon Shield (60 lumens on flash) and two MagicShine MJ-818s (85 lumens each on solid) from a single 2 cell battery. On a dark country lane it does seem like overkill when you look behind 
As for legality, I had a police car following me last week on such a dark lane. It was simply waiting for a safe opportunity to pass and did so without fuss.
As for legality, I had a police car following me last week on such a dark lane. It was simply waiting for a safe opportunity to pass and did so without fuss.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Having a rear light that isn't too bright is a safety consideration, if I signal I still want the driver or cyclist behind to have some vision to see it. I've followed a cyclist with too bright a rear light before now, and you try to avoid looking that direction. I've even had that problem in the daylight with one particularly badly adjusted light.
If you want to see discussions of safety type some of those words into the search box, or type in Cyclecraft which will also bring up lots of different threads on safety. Cyclists are generally aware they are vulnerable road users, but what a car driver may think as the safest thing may not actually be true. Lots of cyclists do need further education, as do drivers, neither side is perfect.
If you want to see discussions of safety type some of those words into the search box, or type in Cyclecraft which will also bring up lots of different threads on safety. Cyclists are generally aware they are vulnerable road users, but what a car driver may think as the safest thing may not actually be true. Lots of cyclists do need further education, as do drivers, neither side is perfect.
