Big, wide AA or AAA powered rear light?

[beanzontoast]

Currently I have a mix of Smart and Cateye lights on the back of my commuter bike. I'd like to invest in one of those big, wider lights with 5 or more leds in a row (or similar matrix arrangement). Bit put off by reviews saying that some of them are prone to falling off though (I picked up and returned one to a cyclist in front of me a couple of years back). Anyone recommend a good one to go for? My only stipulations would be that I'd like it to use AA or AAA batteries like all my other lights do currently.

Also, as it's pretty crowded space-wise on the back of my bike with 2 lights and a red reflector (I also have crud catcher mudguards that also use up some of the clamping space on the seat tube) , if there's any way of extending a rear light on an arm of some kind from the seat tube or crud catcher arm, I'd be grateful to hear of / see what people have come up with.

 

[HLaB]

Currently I have a mix of Smart and Cateye lights on the back of my commuter bike. I'd like to invest in one of those big, wider lights with 5 or more leds in a row (or similar matrix arrangement). Bit put off by reviews saying that some of them are prone to falling off though (I picked up and returned one to a cyclist in front of me a couple of years back). Anyone recommend a good one to go for? My only stipulations would be that I'd like it to use AA or AAA batteries like all my other lights do currently.

Also, as it's pretty crowded space-wise on the back of my bike with 2 lights and a red reflector (I also have crud catcher mudguards that also use up some of the clamping space on the seat tube) , if there's any way of extending a rear light on an arm of some kind from the seat tube or crud catcher arm, I'd be grateful to hear of / see what people have come up with.

I don't know if they are the best performance wise but I never had a problem with the mount for my Cateye TL-LD600 lights; I think that suits your description, wide 5 LED and takes AAA.

You coud try something like the Topeak Bar Xtender to get more room.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've got a Cateye TL-LD1100 which I've got fitted on a short length of metal, to extend it a bit lower. The light slots onto the holding bracket, which is then screwed onto one end of the metal strip, and the other end is then screwed onto the clamp around the seat post. It helps to have a number of spare clamps & brackets, so that you can play around with combinations.

The only time I've had that light fall off was halfway to Brighton when I went over a bump, and discovered I've put the bracket on upside down!

 

[beanzontoast]

That bar extender looks great. Just wondering now if I might have the bits to make something similar myself...

I've seen both the lights you guys have suggested - they look good too. What's the battery life like on them? Do you use them on steady or flashing? Either of you use rechargeables?

 

[marinyork]

That bar extender looks great. Just wondering now if I might have the bits to make something similar myself...

I've seen both the lights you guys have suggested - they look good too. What's the battery life like on them? Do you use them on steady or flashing? Either of you use rechargeables?

The cateye ld-1000 and 1100 can take rechargeables fine. I have a 1000, a mate has two 1100s. You can fix 1100s even to racks so there are quite a few ways of doing it (I don't).

I use my ld-1000 on steady. The battery life is very large 40, 50 hrs. The problem on the 1000 was the age old problem of rechargeable batteries being fatter than standards so it's not as easy as it might be changing them. I had to get some sandpaper and file it down a bit. Apparently the 1100 is easier though.

The 1100 is very overpriced for what you get though, very good light though.

 

[marinyork]

The 600, 610 and fibre flares are much better for the 'wide look' than the 1100.

Cateye lights do fall off, it's the crap mounts. I had to cable tie my ld-1000 on.

 

[Tynan]

had a tld1100 for ten odd years I think, it's on it's third bike I think and it's still going very strong without ever giving me an issus, I've always had it on a seatpost mount

 

[the_mikey]

I've been through a few rear lights, the mounts often seem to fall apart long before the lights do, I'm considering something like an LD600 myself. I have a Smart 1/2 watt rear LED flasher atm, which is plenty, but I'm pretty certain that too will go to the rear light graveyard soon!

 

[beanzontoast]

The 600, 610 and fibre flares are much better for the 'wide look' than the 1100.

Cateye lights do fall off, it's the crap mounts. I had to cable tie my ld-1000 on.

Going to have a close look at the 600-types and the ld-1100 in the LBS based on these recommendations.

+1 with the cable ties - I always stick one or more cable ties on my lights just in case one comes loose. Its a bit less convenient when wanting to remove them completely in summer, but being able to take the top off the light unit to change the batteries during the darker months is all the access I need most of the time.

 

[slowmotion]

I've got an LD600 on the seat post and an LD1100 on the plate at the back of my rack. I have not had any problems with the lights dropping off the brackets, so far. If anything, I find that they are a bit difficult to unclip. I have a Hope Vision 1 on the front, together with an el-cheapo NoName as back up. Both these, and the LD1100 take AA Eneloop rechargeables. The LD600 uses AAA cells and it is a bit of a pain to have to carry two battery sizes. I do not know if the LD1100 is good value, but it is plenty bright enough, and unlike the LD600, it is quite bright when viewed side-on. My two cents. <BR><BR>

 

[beanzontoast]

I've got an LD600 on the seat post and an LD1100 on the plate at the back of my rack. I have not had any problems with the lights dropping off the brackets, so far. If anything, I find that they are a bit difficult to unclip.

I have a Hope Vision 1 on the front, together with an el-cheapo NoName as back up. Both these, and the LD1100 take AA Eneloop rechargeables. The LD600 uses AAA cells and it is a bit of a pain to have to carry two battery sizes. I do not know if the LD1100 is good value, but it is plenty bright enough, and unlike the LD600, it is quite bright when viewed side-on. My two cents.

Thanks for this. Good point about the batteries - I'm happy to carry spares of each though because my front pair use different sizes, so whatever the new rear light is, I'll be stocked up!

 

[Tynan]

every led light I've ever had ran for ages even on steady, for ever on flas, with rechargeables there really is no excuse for them running flat, and I'm very casual about it

 

[marinyork]

Going to have a close look at the 600-types and the ld-1100 in the LBS based on these recommendations.

+1 with the cable ties - I always stick one or more cable ties on my lights just in case one comes loose. Its a bit less convenient when wanting to remove them completely in summer, but being able to take the top off the light unit to change the batteries during the darker months is all the access I need most of the time.

There's a side access hatch to the ld-1100 that unscrews. It's really taking out standard batteries especially if you tip it up. As I have fat rechargeables and it's tied on to the bike not quite so easy.

The 600s used to be fairly common. Nice lights, not owned one so not quite sure how they fix, seen plenty onthe backs of riders though. For the wide look I think the flares aren't bad though.

The side visibility on the 1000/1100 is better than nearly any other light.

 

[slowmotion]

There's a side access hatch to the ld-1100 that unscrews. It's really taking out standard batteries especially if you tip it up. As I have fat rechargeables and it's tied on to the bike not quite so easy.

The 600s used to be fairly common. Nice lights, not owned one so not quite sure how they fix, seen plenty onthe backs of riders though. For the wide look I think the flares aren't bad though.

The side visibility on the 1000/1100 is better than nearly any other light.

Look, it is nearly ten o'clock on a Sunday evening, but I have to share my geekiness with you!

The LD600 has five LEDs all pointing backwards, and takes AAA cells. The battery capacity of an AAA cell is typically a third of an AA.

The LD1100 has six LEDs pointing backwards, and two sideways-pointing ones on each side. It takes AA cells.

Both lights take two cells.

If you want to make the lights un-clip more easily, do as I did, stick a small amount of silicone grease on the bracket.

Evening all...

 

[marinyork]

You been drinking too much? I've used the ld-1000 for five years, I'm more than aware what it does and what it's successor looks like. I'm also more than aware of what the 600 and 610 does having seen them in many rides.

You seem to have the strange idea I have a problem unclipping the 1000, that is certainly not the case, the problem is it not committing suicide and flying off going downhill so it is cabled tied on. It's an extremely well known issue with cateye mounts.