# Rear lights.



## ericmark (31 May 2021)

The bike has a head lamp, but no rear lights, all I have is lights on the helmet, Lidi best with indicators too. But I look at back of bike and question is where can they go? Mud guard obscure the seat. Rear fork likely will get damaged when folded. In the main not needed, but may be the odd time don't get home on time. So may be best place is on me. But what do others use?


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## Mo1959 (31 May 2021)

ericmark said:


> The bike has a head lamp, but no rear lights, all I have is lights on the helmet, Lidi best with indicators too. But I look at back of bike and question is where can they go? Mud guard obscure the seat. Rear fork likely will get damaged when folded. In the main not needed, but may be the odd time don't get home on time. So may be best place is on me. But what do others use?


I like one that I can clip into my Topeak saddle bag and it's easy to move from bike to bike.


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## Cycleops (31 May 2021)

Just get a cheapie led that runs on triple As and flashes. They’re very visible. The batteries lasts ages.


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## ericmark (31 May 2021)

I had a cheap lamp on previous bikes, but they did not fold, and the mud guard did not obscure the seat. So if it sticks out will be damaged when folded. Road bike has a back rack and a light on the rack. I would normally find likes of Lidi and Aldi would from time to time do cycle lamp kits, but nearest is 8 miles away, and no car licence, so daughter does shopping or on line. Looked at the arm bands but would put them on my legs.


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## Spiderweb (31 May 2021)

Can you post a pic of your bike please.


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## Sharky (31 May 2021)

ericmark said:


> Looked at the arm bands but would put them on my legs.


I was about to suggest reflective slap bands for the ankles. Very effective and visible from the rear in car headlights.

But strictly to be legal in the UK, you need a rear light fixed to the bike.


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## Cycleops (31 May 2021)

So you’re saying the fold is the problem in fitting the rear light? @Spiderweb beat me to it. You don’t have to buy from Lidl, there are plenty of online sellers offering budget lights.


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## Chris S (31 May 2021)

How about a clip on light on your clothing?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233506218034?hash=item365e0e2032:g:zEIAAOSw2m1gUhL3


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## Baldy (31 May 2021)

Halfords sell a set of two flashing lights one red one white for £10. Just clip the red one to your back.


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## kayakerles (31 May 2021)

I use blinky red lights when I ride day or night, as I often am riding in traffic and every bit of visibility helps. The main thing you want is one with high lumens output. 100 lm and 150 lm are both plenty bright. They are USB rechargeable. I pull a small section of the strap out of a hole on the back of my helmet and clip it on there. When I fasten the helmet the light tightens to the helmet.







Great location and at night can be easily seen a block away. However, if it must be mounted on your bike, you can take the reflector off the back of your rack if you have one and buy a small L shape bracket to attach with a nut and bolt through the rack and make a holder for it. Brighter lumens = more visibility. They seem pricey but are so convenient and you don’t have to mess with batteries. Cygolite is a good brand. (Snapshot only)


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## ericmark (31 May 2021)

My helmet is this type


already so no point putting a light on the helmet, what I do worry about is I don't know if the helmet lights stops working, the handle bar control may show the helmet is turned on, but seems prudent to have back-up on shirt, legs, or arms.

Yes I know should comply with _BS6102/3 _ and be a steady light not flashing and fixed to bike. But I am not intending to do night riding, it is really for when things go wrong. Not one of my bikes has _BS6102/3 _ printed on it.


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## Sharky (31 May 2021)

The UK law allows flashing lights and must be fixed to the bike. In the event of an accident, the other party could claim contributary negligence. 
Helmet lights can be good secondary lights, but if you move your head, or bend down, the rear light can give a confusing view to a following motorist or could momentarily dissappear from view.


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## cougie uk (31 May 2021)

I find lights mounted on the bike to be the best. Helmet mounted are too high - makes it look like a bike further away in the dark. Also a lot of people ride head down so the light at the back is pointed to the sky. 

I'm curious about a mudguard that blocks your saddle ?


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## Tenkaykev (31 May 2021)

I have an adapter that clips on to the saddle rails, works well on my Brommie


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## Blue Hills (31 May 2021)

kayakerles said:


> I use blinky red lights when I ride day or night, as I often am riding in traffic and every bit of visibility helps. The main thing you want is one with high lumens output. 100 lm and 150 lm are both plenty bright. They are USB rechargeable. I pull a small section of the strap out of a hole on the back of my helmet and clip it on there. When I fasten the helmet the light tightens to the helmet.
> 
> View attachment 591467
> 
> ...


Absolutely not - what on earth do you think this head height oo so powerful light is like for any cyclists following you? A fair few cyclists with powerful head mounted rear lights in London, UK. A nightmare.
Do cars have headlights, rear lights, let alone flashing, shining straight into the eyes of other motorists through their windscreens?


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## Blue Hills (31 May 2021)

Re the original question @ericmark , where is this bike being ridden?
Off road, through woods or on roads/streets?


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## ebikeerwidnes (31 May 2021)

There is an issue with some lights having a minimum radius that it will securely fix to

so the only available tubes may be too thin for a lot of attachments
I get round this by wrapping a bit of old inner tube round the frame and supergluing it to itself - then attaching the light to that


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## kayakerles (31 May 2021)

Blue Hills said:


> Absolutely not - what on earth do you think this head height oo so powerful light is like for any cyclists following you? A fair few cyclists with powerful head mounted rear lights in London, UK. A nightmare.
> Do cars have headlights, rear lights, let alone flashing, shining straight into the eyes of other motorists through their windscreens?


Hmm... This is a pretty common way to use them here, and no one has ever mentioned that they're bothersome to them. When I drive a car, I really appreciate and understand why bikers have strong visible lights. To me a nightmare is more likely to be caused by someone riding in black or dark clothing, no or poor lights. With so many people here driving while texting, my main goal is really just to stay alive. A 1-inch safety light is also a far cry from any of a motor vehicle's lights. However, if I rode in a group ride, I could set it to steady-red only. Not as safe or bright, but better suited to the circumstances.


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## acuna_read (31 May 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> There is an issue with some lights having a minimum radius that it will securely fix to
> 
> so the only available tubes may be too thin for a lot of attachments
> I get round this by wrapping a bit of old inner tube round the frame and supergluing it to itself - then attaching the light to that


I use these as my everyday lights https://magicshineuk.com/product/seemee-30-combo/.

Nice and quick to put on and off, will fit on rear stays, seat posts, racks. USB chargeable with battery that lasts a long time. Plenty bright enough to be seen with various flashing or pulsing modes.


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## ericmark (31 May 2021)

In the main I simply don't ride at night, so don't need lights, I think even if the law does not allow flashing lights, these identify to the car driver that it is a bike, so still like flashing lights, what I am considering is when for example I get a puncture and so am delayed, so I have not got off where I am riding before dusk.

The mud guard


means any light below seat hight is useless, and above seat hight is not the bike and for 4 inches below the seat likely any coat will also obscure any light. So I have two arms,

that when folded will be on the outside of the bike so bottom arm is useless as top arm will obscure, and it needs to be on top of top arm not to side as once folded likely will get damaged.

So I want a lamp mounted some thing like this.

However not found a lamp with mounting brackets that would allow it to be mounted in that way, old dynamo lamps

would work, but then need to get power to it, I assume I can tap into front lamp but seems likely 48 volt, but I can't be alone, loads of people must want to do the same, and I just can't believe there is not a cheap read lamp which I can mount on that near horizontal bar, with one would hope the correct BS number making it legal in UK.

I am sure I can make a lamp bracket, but why re-invent the wheel, this must be a regular requirement so would have expected an off the shelf lamp which will do the job.

And yes I know there have not been bicycle dynamo for around 70 years, alternators replaced them years ago, but still call it a dynamo even if it is an AC output.


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## ericmark (1 Jun 2021)

Sorted wife it seems can hunt the internet better than me, and she has found a lamp that will fit on that rear fork tube.


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## raggydoll (1 Jun 2021)

ericmark said:


> Sorted wife it seems can hunt the internet better than me, and she has found a lamp that will fit on that rear fork tube.



Excellent. I was going to suggest something that would attach to the rear fork.

Hope you get something that fits well and keeps you safe!


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## simongt (1 Jun 2021)

The one that amuses me are the folk who ride with a perfectly good rear light on the seat pin, but then wear a long coat which then hangs over and obscures said light - !


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## raggydoll (1 Jun 2021)

simongt said:


> The one that amuses me are the folk who ride with a perfectly good rear light on the seat pin, but then wear a long coat which then hangs over and obscures said light - !



I dread to think what happens if it gets caught in the wheel too!


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## simongt (2 Jun 2021)

raggydoll said:


> if it gets caught in the wheel too!


'Back in the day', ladies specific bikes had dress guards on the rear wheel consisting of a lacing arrangement from the mudguard to a point just behind the bottom bracket. Such arrangements can still occasionally be seen nowadays.


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## Drago (2 Jun 2021)

kayakerles said:


> Hmm... This is a pretty common way to use them here, and no one has ever mentioned that they're bothersome to them. When I drive a car, I really appreciate and understand why bikers have strong visible lights. To me a nightmare is more likely to be caused by someone riding in black or dark clothing, no or poor lights. With so many people here driving while texting, my main goal is really just to stay alive. A 1-inch safety light is also a far cry from any of a motor vehicle's lights. However, if I rode in a group ride, I could set it to steady-red only. Not as safe or bright, but better suited to the circumstances.


Except there is some evidence that daytime use of unnecessarily bright lights on 2 wheelers actually increases your chances of being wiped out. I've explained the mechanism behind it too many times now to bother doing so again.


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## raggydoll (2 Jun 2021)

simongt said:


> 'Back in the day', ladies specific bikes had dress guards on the rear wheel consisting of a lacing arrangement from the mudguard to a point just behind the bottom bracket. Such arrangements can still occasionally be seen nowadays.



I might need to get one of those for my weekend rides!


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## ericmark (4 Jun 2021)

Well they arrived, bit useless to be frank, I hope I will never need rear lights, but best laid plans go wrong, so need some thing just in case.


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## Pale Rider (6 Jun 2021)

You do have a light obscuring problem with that 'flinger' style of rear mudguard.

A better shaped clip-on, such as the one in this link, would enable you to fit a decent quality bike light to your wedge pack/saddle/ saddle rail.

Some fiddling might be needed with the guard to account for rear suspension compression, but that's unlikely to be more than centimetre or two in road/cycle path riding.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-m...Vy8bpsHUZhv8NHu_X6AaAkS8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## Oldhippy (6 Jun 2021)

I have a quality rear and front battery light as required and that's it. When car drivers start wearing fire suits, helmets and painting their car in day glo colours I may look at it again. I have cycled for over 25 years in every environment and yes the odd dickhead and threat but other than it is me not succumbing to the fear of the car drivers.


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## RoubaixCube (6 Jun 2021)

Ive had one of these on my helmet for the longest time












Alternatively, I have seen some people mount their lights like this


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