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Sturdy mountain bike tail light?



 
 
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  #21  
Old June 25th 14, 02:19 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 6,374
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:17:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:12:22 PM UTC-4, wrote:

http://goo.gl/A3fyuh




http://goo.gl/A3fyuh


http://goo.gl/8gZcN2
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  #22  
Old June 25th 14, 04:18 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
(PeteCresswell)
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Posts: 2,790
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

Per Joerg:
The main purpose is not night riding but to be seen during the day when
I have to use roads.


Consider the color of your clothing too.

After having two near-misses within a couple of months last year (one
contact, one just really close), it dawned on me that I was wearing drab
clothing. In fact the guy behind the near miss chased me down to
apologize profusely "I just did not see you....".

Now I have a drawer-full of el-cheapo red tennis shirts....
--
Pete Cresswell
  #23  
Old June 25th 14, 07:20 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg
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Posts: 55
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

James wrote:
On 24/06/14 09:00, Joerg wrote:
Folks,

My tail light just flew off, gone. The plastic holder snapped off. It
probably vibrated through. I usually ride on very rough turf so it has
to be sturdy. All the lights I've looked at so far have these flimsy
plastic holders.

Is there any reasonably priced LED tail light that comes in a metal
enclosure and most of all with a metal seat post clamp like they did in
the good old days? Something with the sturdines of a hydraulic brake
handle mount.

The main purpose is not night riding but to be seen during the day when
I have to use roads. Yesterday my MTB buddy was almost hit by a car so
this is really important. Brighter = better. I also like to leave it on
flash mode if going alone on gnarly trails so rescuers can find me
should I ever turf it real bad.


This looks like a metal mount.

http://supernova-lights.com/en/produ...il_light2.html


That needs a cable and separate power supply or battery though. Also, it
seems to have the German legal rating for power (according to their STVZ
law). That usually makes for a fairly dim light.

I wish they'd produce something like this with battery inside and 1/2W
or more power while flashing. So people see me.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #24  
Old June 25th 14, 07:40 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg
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Posts: 55
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Joerg:
The main purpose is not night riding but to be seen during the day when
I have to use roads.


Consider the color of your clothing too.

After having two near-misses within a couple of months last year (one
contact, one just really close), it dawned on me that I was wearing drab
clothing. In fact the guy behind the near miss chased me down to
apologize profusely "I just did not see you....".

Now I have a drawer-full of el-cheapo red tennis shirts....



I try to wear bright T-Shirts and my hydration pack is pretty contrasty
as well. Plus my MTB is white with red, blue and black lettering, quite
visible. But nothing beats a 1/2W or 1W flashing LED.

It's just that I already have so many honey-do projects on the list so
I'd like to avoid another lamp building project.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #25  
Old June 26th 14, 04:16 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Frank Krygowski[_2_]
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Posts: 7,511
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:10:30 PM UTC-4, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:04:27 PM UTC-4, Joerg wrote:

Sir Ridesalot wrote:




On Monday, June 23, 2014 7:00:37 PM UTC-4, Joerg wrote:




Folks,
















My tail light just flew off, gone. The plastic holder snapped off.




It








probably vibrated through. I usually ride on very rough turf so it




has








to be sturdy. All the lights I've looked at so far have these




flimsy








plastic holders.
















Is there any reasonably priced LED tail light that comes in a metal












enclosure and most of all with a metal seat post clamp like they




did in








the good old days? Something with the sturdines of a hydraulic




brake








handle mount.
















The main purpose is not night riding but to be seen during the day




when








I have to use roads. Yesterday my MTB buddy was almost hit by a car




so








this is really important. Brighter = better. I also like to leave




it on








flash mode if going alone on gnarly trails so rescuers can find me








should I ever turf it real bad.
















--








Regards, Joerg
















http://www.analogconsultants.com/








Perhaps buy a quality rear light and reinforce the clamp with a thin




strip of metal? Small strips or sheets of aluminium can be bought at




hobby stores.












Oh, I have the material. I just don't enjoy metalwork in a hot garage




much and I'd rather be sitting on my MTB roaring along some trail.












I've made permanent mounts for tail lights aned bolted the aluminum




mount I made directly to the rear of my MTB or touring bike.












If I don't find anything else that's what I'll have to do. Grudgingly :-)








My dream (when I retire, some day ...) is a box somewhere in the




otherwise unused lower frame triangle right above the BB that contains a




LiIon battery set, some electronics, maybe tools as well. Then a




locomotive-strength front light at the bottom of the steerer tube (the




inside of which is vacant unused space) and a tail light right under the




seat. Then a micro controller in the box and a military-grade control




switch for front/back/blink.








--




Regards, Joerg








http://www.analogconsultants.com/




To reinforce or make a mount from metal that's on hand is a very short amount of time needed project. Mark everything that you need to cut whilst you are still in the house, cut the metal in the garage and then bend/assemble it in the house. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours max to do the entire project.



Cheers


I agree with Sir. Bike lights are simple. Reinforcing one would be simple,
assuming you've got some tools and materials available. It's a good thing
to learn to do.

Also, not all plastics are equal. One or two failures doesn't prove that all
plastic parts will fail. If you're really loathe to do a little custom work
for your bike, perhaps you could instead ask which bike lights people have
found to be reliable. There must be many.

- Frank Krygowski
  #26  
Old June 26th 14, 04:50 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
James[_8_]
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Posts: 6,153
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

On 26/06/14 13:16, Frank Krygowski wrote:


I agree with Sir. Bike lights are simple. Reinforcing one would be simple,
assuming you've got some tools and materials available. It's a good thing
to learn to do.

Also, not all plastics are equal. One or two failures doesn't prove that all
plastic parts will fail. If you're really loathe to do a little custom work
for your bike, perhaps you could instead ask which bike lights people have
found to be reliable. There must be many.


In a response to Sir's question on most favourite vintage bike part, I
commented that I have a rear red LED flasher that has protected my arse
for nearly 2 decades, and many hundreds of hours of urban night riding.

It has a slightly flexible plastic mount and has never failed. Takes 2
AA batteries.

Though it's probably been with me for near 200,000km on the road bike, I
guess the lens might come off with a bash on the ground, as it's only
held on with friction. I should think a little electrical tape would
stop that, or a cable tie.

--
JS
  #27  
Old June 26th 14, 07:03 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg
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Posts: 55
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

Joerg wrote:
Folks,

My tail light just flew off, gone. The plastic holder snapped off. It
probably vibrated through. I usually ride on very rough turf so it has
to be sturdy. All the lights I've looked at so far have these flimsy
plastic holders.

Is there any reasonably priced LED tail light that comes in a metal
enclosure and most of all with a metal seat post clamp like they did in
the good old days? Something with the sturdines of a hydraulic brake
handle mount.

The main purpose is not night riding but to be seen during the day when
I have to use roads. Yesterday my MTB buddy was almost hit by a car so
this is really important. Brighter = better. I also like to leave it on
flash mode if going alone on gnarly trails so rescuers can find me
should I ever turf it real bad.


Sooo ... I ordered this:

http://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-L...nus+Innovation

The holders are plastic but supposedly sturdy and the lights themselves
are aluminum. If the holders don't hold up I'll build my own. The
manufacturer responded that this set is frequenctly bought by mountain
bikers and that they haven't heard of premature failures.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #28  
Old June 26th 14, 09:01 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Jeff Liebermann
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Posts: 4,018
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

On Thu, 26 Jun 2014 11:03:14 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

Sooo ... I ordered this:

http://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-L...nus+Innovation

The holders are plastic but supposedly sturdy and the lights themselves
are aluminum. If the holders don't hold up I'll build my own.


You'll be building your own. The headlight mounting looks sturdy
enough, but the "quick release design" tail light mounts look like
they'll do exactly what the name suggests, release quickly and fall
off. I suggest you add a safety string to keep them from
disappearing.

The tail lights also operate from two CR2032 coin batteries. Those
are rated at 240 ma-hr each.
http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/cr2032.pdf
If your LED's are drawing perhaps 60 ma, you'll get no more than:
480 ma-hr / 60 ma = 8 hrs
of operation. That's probably adequate but I suggest you carry some
spare batteries. Oddly, I don't see that model tail light on the
manufacturers web pile:
www.magnusinnovation.com
Instead, they feature this model:
http://www.magnusinnovation.com/images/61tihgorkbl_sl1500_.jpg
There are only a few other vendors carrying that light on Amazon,
which makes me wonder if it's a counterfeit, especially since it's not
on the manufacturers web pile.

The design also seems defective. It's made to fit on the seat post
which is never perfectly vertical. Unless I'm missing something,
there doesn't seem to be a way to adjust the light so it shines
parallel to the ground, instead of into the ground. Close up:
http://ebikeshoes.com/store/img/best-bike-tail-light-100-lifetime-guarantee-money-back-free-batteries-with-high-intensity-rear-back-light-fits-all-bikes-easy-install-no-tools-needed-waterproof-quick-release-strap-limited-time-offer-buy-today-save-50-off_27450_.jpg
It also doesn't seem to be very bright, but I can't tell because there
are not specs, tests, reviews, or comparisons.

The
manufacturer responded that this set is frequenctly bought by mountain
bikers and that they haven't heard of premature failures.


Sure, possibly because all the riders with failed tail lights got run
over by tailgating motorists who failed to see the cyclist.

There was plenty of good advice in this thread. All I can add is that
if you want to make yourself visible, try to make yourself look as big
as possible. That means head to toe reflective clothing, in colors
not found in nature. In my never humble opinion, shining a light in a
drivers face has some merits, but I believe lighting oneself up light
as a moving billboard is more effective. Think Christmas tree lights.

Of course, the best defense is a good offense. If you see the car
approaching, and it appears that they don't see you, I suggest an RPG
(rocket propelled grenade) or flare gun between the windshield wipers.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
  #29  
Old June 26th 14, 09:44 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg
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Posts: 55
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jun 2014 11:03:14 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

Sooo ... I ordered this:

http://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-L...nus+Innovation

The holders are plastic but supposedly sturdy and the lights themselves
are aluminum. If the holders don't hold up I'll build my own.


You'll be building your own. The headlight mounting looks sturdy
enough, but the "quick release design" tail light mounts look like
they'll do exactly what the name suggests, release quickly and fall
off. I suggest you add a safety string to keep them from
disappearing.


I sure will, maybe with aircraft lacing cord. They'll also send me a
sturdy non-swivel mount for the handlebar, via separate shipment and
free of charge which I thought was a nice touch. But I am prepared to
build my own mount. At least this way I don't have to build the whole lamp.


The tail lights also operate from two CR2032 coin batteries. Those
are rated at 240 ma-hr each.
http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/cr2032.pdf
If your LED's are drawing perhaps 60 ma, you'll get no more than:
480 ma-hr / 60 ma = 8 hrs



They say it begins to dim after around 70h of operation but I assume
that is in a flashing mode. Which is really all I need, in order to be
seen.


of operation. That's probably adequate but I suggest you carry some
spare batteries. Oddly, I don't see that model tail light on the
manufacturers web pile:
www.magnusinnovation.com
Instead, they feature this model:
http://www.magnusinnovation.com/images/61tihgorkbl_sl1500_.jpg



I had a similar plastic one before from another manufacturer. It
vibrated off and another light became erratic. Plastic is no good for
mountain biking.

They also offer the round aluminum ones separately:

http://www.amazon.com/LIFETIME-GUARA...nus+Innovation


There are only a few other vendors carrying that light on Amazon,
which makes me wonder if it's a counterfeit, especially since it's not
on the manufacturers web pile.


I think it's really them, had a few email exchanges with the company.


The design also seems defective. It's made to fit on the seat post
which is never perfectly vertical. Unless I'm missing something,
there doesn't seem to be a way to adjust the light so it shines
parallel to the ground, instead of into the ground. Close up:
http://ebikeshoes.com/store/img/best-bike-tail-light-100-lifetime-guarantee-money-back-free-batteries-with-high-intensity-rear-back-light-fits-all-bikes-easy-install-no-tools-needed-waterproof-quick-release-strap-limited-time-offer-buy-today-save-50-off_27450_.jpg



In this link you can see that they are asymmetrically backed:

http://www.amazon.com/LIFETIME-GUARA...nus+Innovation

This provides a straight angle only for one particular seat post angle
but it's no problem to add a piece of rubber to align it. Usually the
radiation pattern is wide enough anyhow. If they work well enough I'll
make a larger aluminum holder that can carry an 18650 cell or a few AAA
batteries.


It also doesn't seem to be very bright, but I can't tell because there
are not specs, tests, reviews, or comparisons.


One of the Amazon reviewers had a video of it. Bright enough for me, I
need to be visible in the wilderness when I crash alone, and to be
noticed by car drivers.


The
manufacturer responded that this set is frequenctly bought by mountain
bikers and that they haven't heard of premature failures.


Sure, possibly because all the riders with failed tail lights got run
over by tailgating motorists who failed to see the cyclist.


On the trails we usually go a motorist would be hardcore stuck within
milliseconds :-)

One of the main reasons for a flashing rear lighht is so rescuers can
find my if I crash alone. I ride alone a lot, mainly because many people
find the terrain too difficult and strenuous.


There was plenty of good advice in this thread. All I can add is that
if you want to make yourself visible, try to make yourself look as big
as possible. That means head to toe reflective clothing, in colors
not found in nature. In my never humble opinion, shining a light in a
drivers face has some merits, but I believe lighting oneself up light
as a moving billboard is more effective. Think Christmas tree lights.


That's why having the tail light flash is very beneficial. I notice that
myself when in a car. Way in the distance something flashes red ... "Oh,
must be a bicyclist". Then I pass several others that I saw much later
even though the guy with the flashing tail light was hundreds of yards
farther out.


Of course, the best defense is a good offense. If you see the car
approaching, and it appears that they don't see you, I suggest an RPG
(rocket propelled grenade) or flare gun between the windshield wipers.


Fireworks are prohibited out here :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #30  
Old June 26th 14, 10:54 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Sturdy mountain bike tail light?

On 6/23/2014 4:00 PM, Joerg wrote:
Folks,

My tail light just flew off, gone. The plastic holder snapped off. It
probably vibrated through. I usually ride on very rough turf so it has
to be sturdy. All the lights I've looked at so far have these flimsy
plastic holders.


Yeah, nearly all bicycle specific tail lights are not very sturdy.

You need to look at LED lights not intended for bicycles. The one I'm
using now is this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GAXXUU

Extremely rugged, waterproof, USB rechargeable but no charging port,
there's two contacts on top that the charger drops onto.

Alas, you'll have to fabricate your own seat post mount. Use a Minoura
BH-95X http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ASWIUQ and an aluminum L bracket
(could be hard to find but you can order a custom cut one from Online
Metals for about $4). Secure the light to the L bracket and the L
bracket to the BH-95X.

The other option is putting a red lens on an LED flashlight
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAYN8UE but you'll still need to figure
out a seatpost mount.

You're not going to find any bike-specific rugged tail light.


 




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