I want an Intelligent rear light

[IBarrett]

My rechargeable super bright rear light now can't even make it to work and back home without going flat and as a consequence I rode in yesterday with no rear light and according to a neighbour it was pretty much from the get-go.

Is there such a thing as a bright rear light which will switch to flashing mode when it is running out of juice so at least I get home with some level of visibility and if its flashing when I arrive I then know it needs charging.

It doesn't actually need to be rechargeable. I'm happy with batteries if needs be. Its the not having any kind of light I'm more worried about.

Oh, there is one other reason I'd prefer it to automatically flip to flashing mode.
I'm colourblind so having an indicator which changes colour if it needs charging is useless because I don't take notice of colours.

As usual, thanks for your help and advice
IanB

 

[Markymark]

Why not have it flashing all the time? Won't help with the letting you know but it would hopefully last the journey.

 

[the snail]

Buy another light and run it flashing, two rear lights is a good insurance against failure, and the batteries will last for ages in flashing mode. A cheap light + batteries from the pound shop will do fine.

 

[derrick]

Have two rear lights one as a back up, Have always used two rear lights.

 

[derrick]

Intelligent rear light

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/...hgXrZVtjwzF8VaUv4F-2XjYyeEpTMPNPVGBoCHUbw_wcB

 

[Drago]

Two lights, on the basis that even the most intelligent light can fail.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Yes, there is. I have a Cateye Rapid X, USB chargeable. I have it on solid, and when it gets low it switches to flashing. It happened this morning so I've charged it at my PC.

 

[fossyant]

C&B Seen City Slicker switches to flash.

 

[Lonestar]

Blimey,my rear light lasts seven plus commutes and it's never gone failed yet (in five years/).Still I did make a battery pack for it,it's a magicshine.(I do have backups though just in case I've jinxed it) I always run two rear lights at the minimum.

 

[IBarrett]

Thanks for the replies all.

I should have mentioned I do run 2 lights normally. But I pinched my flasher for my road bike at the weekend and couldn't be bothered going back to the shed when I went to turn on my lights yesterday so I had just the 1 light which has no other function than super bright solid light.

I have now bought a Lezyne strip drive pro for my roadie so won't be robbing peter to pay Paul again.
And as thats for my weekend bike I won't forget to charge it. I would have got another of these for my commuter but it doesn't have the function of going to flash when it is running out of juice.

So I'm looking for a replacement for my 'always on' bright light on my commuter. And as I'm getting older and forgetful I need it to be something which smacks me in the face that it needs attention.

I like the look of the cateye rapid xx - good call AbikeCam.

The C&B Seen looks a bit chunky fossyant, have you got one of these and is it as big as it looks? I don'l like anything brushing my legs and this has to be seatpost attached so I worry it might.

Oh how I would love the Garmin and its compatible with my 520 computer. But £150 !

 

[jonny jeez]

Lezyne micro drives switch automatically to a low dimmed running mode, which from my experience lasts about as long as the high beam mode of 2.5 hours. They are very bright.

They also tell you via a series of green to red (and red flashing) leds on the switch, how well the battery is performing.

Mine go from green to amber within 30 mins, then settle on red about an hour later before going to red flash (when the light dims automatically) for another couple of hours.

 

[mjr]

Blimey,my rear light lasts seven plus commutes and it's never gone failed yet (in five years/)

Mine is only two and a bit years old but lasts an infinite number of commutes.

It doesn't actually need to be rechargeable. I'm happy with batteries if needs be. Its the not having any kind of light I'm more worried about.

Go dynamo and mount it somewhere that you can see - back of the rack top or on the drive-side seat stay. I really do not understand the modern fashion for putting the light in hard-to-see locations on the back of the saddle or seatpost.

 

[Lonestar]

Mine is only two and a bit years old but lasts an infinite number of commutes.

I wouldn't actually know how many commutes mine lasts.

A dynamo can be unreliable and doesn't work when you stop.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Mine is only two and a bit years old but lasts an infinite number of commutes.

Go dynamo and mount it somewhere that you can see - back of the rack top or on the drive-side seat stay. I really do not understand the modern fashion for putting the light in hard-to-see locations on the back of the saddle or seatpost.

Just under the seat at the top of the post is the best place on my Brompton. I don't have to remove it when I fold the bike and I don't wear a long coat so it's never covered up. Anyway, isn't the fashion to have one on the back of your helmet and not on the bike? Failing that, a cheap clip-on attached to a rucksack, so it points down at the ground....

 

[Lonestar]

I want an intelligent rear light which rings me up when it's going flat.bloody nuisance calls.