Rear light

[Willam]

Just got it today (Thursday) light looks really good but the mount has me a little worried as the silicone band needs to be pulled what seems a little too much to go around the seat post, the black band went a little white as I needed to pull that much, is this normal? Has me worried it may snap whilst riding? Seems secure otherwise.

Do you guys that uses the tracer use a different mount?

 

[PaulSB]

@william nice to read your happy with the light. I have both the Trace (front) and TraceR (rear) lights. Although the rear mount is slightly angled to help correct the light position the two lights use essentially the same mounting method and rubber band. Is what I call the rubber band what you refer to as the silicon and/or black band?

I have used both extensively for two years without any incidents. I do agree it seems the band is stretched a lot but I haven't found it a problem. I mount the lights in one of three different ways, each using the rubber band, depending on the bike I'm riding. For options #2 and #3 you'll need the relevant mounting points on your bike.

1. With the supplied mounting and band on the bars and seat post
2. Using the Restrap mount linked below £6.99, mounted as illustrated on my offside fork
3. Using the Race Ware mount linked below £25.00 mounted on the offside seat stay. Although not required I use the band for extra security with this mount

In my experience the Restrap mount is every bit as good as the Race Ware mount. If you have a very specific mounting issue Race Ware used to offer a service to produce individual, bespoke mounts. A friend used this service, very expensive, but solved his problem. I don't know if the service is still available. From what I gather Race Ware offer mounts which cover a huge range of situations. The mounts are 3 D printed.

Restrap Light Mount

Race Ware Light Mount

 

[Willam]

@william nice to read your happy with the light. I have both the Trace (front) and TraceR (rear) lights. Although the rear mount is slightly angled to help correct the light position the two lights use essentially the same mounting method and rubber band. Is what I call the rubber band what you refer to as the silicon and/or black band?

I have used both extensively for two years without any incidents. I do agree it seems the band is stretched a lot but I haven't found it a problem. I mount the lights in one of three different ways, each using the rubber band, depending on the bike I'm riding. For options #2 and #3 you'll need the relevant mounting points on your bike.

1. With the supplied mounting and band on the bars and seat post
2. Using the Restrap mount linked below £6.99, mounted as illustrated on my offside fork
3. Using the Race Ware mount linked below £25.00 mounted on the offside seat stay. Although not required I use the band for extra security with this mount

In my experience the Restrap mount is every bit as good as the Race Ware mount. If you have a very specific mounting issue Race Ware used to offer a service to produce individual, bespoke mounts. A friend used this service, very expensive, but solved his problem. I don't know if the service is still available. From what I gather Race Ware offer mounts which cover a huge range of situations. The mounts are 3 D printed.

Restrap Light Mount

Race Ware Light Mount

Thank you for the reply, yeah the light is amazingly bright and light too, took me a couple of minutes to work out the modes but got there…you obviously know the light well, good to know I wasn’t alone in thinking the band was a tight fit (wasn’t there a group called tight fit lol), as you say you have had no issues with it, that’s good enough for me…now which front light to go for lol

 

[blackrat]

A better option is just to have two rear lights. One permanent and one flashing. You can never predict when one may fail with flat battery, especially when riding at night, looking in the forwards direction, with the rear lights out of sight.

I rather like the idea of a flashing rear light, but the Randos around here think it's a bad idea and just irritates following drivers. I try not to annoy anyone in charge of a vehicle bigger than my bike.

 

[Willam]

I rather like the idea of a flashing rear light, but the Randos around here think it's a bad idea and just irritates following drivers. I try not to annoy anyone in charge of a vehicle bigger than my bike.

I’ve definitely notice a difference with and without a rear light, drivers definitely give me more room with a light, for a couple of seconds the driver sees the light, it’s not enough for anyone to get upset, definitely worth having both a flash and a constant rear light, same for front…what lume is a car light, probably much more than a bike light.
I’ve never had someone shout at me either.

Just to add, think the setting I have it in is 2 which is only around 80 lines, daybright which I don’t use has a max of 125 lines which even that is not an excessive.

 

[HLaB]

Modern rubbish.

Give me one of these with a leaky battery any day
View attachment 793376

That's one of those new slimline ones, I had one that was about 6 times the size of that (you could see it from the moon, until you switched it on). I never had a bracket mind you, but it was a great comfort light for my den when I was 6 or 7 year old

 

[cougie uk]

I rather like the idea of a flashing rear light, but the Randos around here think it's a bad idea and just irritates following drivers. I try not to annoy anyone in charge of a vehicle bigger than my bike.

Pretty much every cyclist I see uses a flashing rear. I use one year round even in daylight. Never had any issues from anyone and never been annoyed by one ?

 

[Sharky]

Another good reason for having two rear lights, especially if you commute.

Returning to the bike shed after a day at the office, only to find that you'd forgotten to turn it off in the morning.

Also, as good as usb rechargeable lights are, it is always useful to have one of the lights, front and rear that take AA or AAA's, then you can always replace the batteries and get home safely.

 

[HLaB]

Pretty much every cyclist I see uses a flashing rear. I use one year round even in daylight. Never had any issues from anyone and never been annoyed by one ?

There's one bloke I ride with occasionally who always asks folks to put their lights to solid, rather than flashing.

 

[Gwylan]

I got one of these.
Does the job quite effectively. Quite compact. Seems good value.
Just seeing how the battery life works out.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20468324...QC&stype=1&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE

 

[PaulSB]

Pretty much every cyclist I see uses a flashing rear. I use one year round even in daylight. Never had any issues from anyone and never been annoyed by one ?

That's my experience as well. I run my Garmin Varia on flash all year round. In winter I add my TraceR in solid daybright mode.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

In the club, quite alot of us invested in these in the 90's (slightly different head units on outrs). I used them for commuting out to Knutsford down unlit roads. A huge output for the time, a twinkle by modern standards, when I think how good the Magicshine Hori 1300 is (small and powerful).
View attachment 793438

Finger screws. You were into torture?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I rather like the idea of a flashing rear light, but the Randos around here think it's a bad idea and just irritates following drivers. I try not to annoy anyone in charge of a vehicle bigger than my bike.

Drivers get irritated at anything that doesn’t match the advert of empty roads. You want to use flashing mode, then use it.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My default is one flashing and one steady

both cheap simple ones

 

[matticus]

I rather like the idea of a flashing rear light, but the Randos around here think it's a bad idea and just irritates following drivers. I try not to annoy anyone in charge of a vehicle bigger than my bike.

Speaking as a "Rando" (capital R!) and commuter etc ... Flashing lights are one of those things that are ok ... until people take them too far.
If brighter than a typical car light, they're definitely a nuisance
Riding in a group? Well, your group is so visible, where's the need? Nuisance.
Used in the dark, no steady light? Probably more harm than good, as your position becomes less certain. Nuisance.

Try following a group with just flashers on an unlit road.
Or consider the effect when DRIVERS start using flashing rears!