BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Nice find. Do they have them in large quantities? I'd hate to gobble up all the whole supply, but it's never too early to start thinking about the next bike menorah or two....

When I was there this afternoon they probably had at least 30, two shelves worth.

I can't imagine any scenario in which this light would be even close to the minimum amount of light necessary to be seen by motorists (unless they are already 10' behind you). A $1 light that blinks at a fraction of a watt will serve as nothing more than instilling a false sense of confidence that people will actually see you. Proper lighting is some of the cheapest insurance you can buy, since it can catch the attention of a motorist and alert them to your presence. If budget is a major concern, try something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B005DVA57Y If you are slightly mechanically inclined, you can modify an existing front light to build a very powerful rear one for $32: http://forums.mtbr.com/commuting/%2465-dinotte-400r-alternative-headlight-tail-light-820885.html

I just picked up a Hotshot a few days ago when Amazon had them at $20 for their lightening deals. It's such a great light! I stopped at my local Target today. No bike lights (they did have some cheap little flashlights and a ton of battery powered LED candles. They weren't bright enough to be very useful for the menorah ride). On the cheap, this is a great little be-seen light http://www.amazon.com/Serfas-Seat-Stay-Taillight-Black/dp/B002JBB552 The only downside for me is that the straps eventually wear out. The newer design addresses this but costs twice as much.

UnrealMachine wrote:echanically inclined, you can modify an existing front light to build a very powerful rear one for $32: http://forums.mtbr.com/commuting/%2465-dinotte-400r-alternative-headlight-tail-light-820885.html

Really good link, thank you. I'll make use of this, although I'm not sure which project it will go into, yet.

reading through the forum that @UnrealMachine linked to, there is this: http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/accessories/products/wide-angle-lens-red No mod needed, just swap lenses, now to figure out a mount...

Yeah, I'm really excited to know that such a bright light exists for only $20. Even if I end up replacing the bulb after a few months, acquiring a better battery pack, etc., it makes for a great project starting point. The Amazon reviews seem decent as well, with just a few quality control issues (the kind of stuff that is easy to fix if you own a soldering iron). But really, with minimal effort it seems like a great light.

It really bugs me that things that are so important, like lights, a helmet, and a good lock, are so expensive. You could easily end up spending more than $100 on this stuff, 20% of the cost of a new entry-level bike. And they don't last, so if you buy a used bike you'll still have to buy new accessories, and may well spend more than the cost of the bike itself. So folks who don't have a lot of money to spend end up riding without this stuff, taking risks.

JSYK, taking a front light and pointing it backwards without making it red is really uncool, and a tad bit dangerous. I've seen a few of those around. Spend $10, maybe $15, and get a decent rear blinky. Spend another few bucks and get rechargeable AAAs and a charger. I have two, one on the helmet, one dangling loosely under the seat. In my experience, having a wobbly mount makes it darn difficult to snap off, something I've done far too many times.

ericf wrote:reading through the forum that @UnrealMachine linked to, there is this: http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/accessories/products/wide-angle-lens-red No mod needed, just swap lenses, now to figure out a mount…

Yeah, the person wasn't aware of the red diffuser lens when he first made the mod. That's why it's so much cheaper, easier and brighter now. I only found out about this shortly after I purchased a pretty decent rear light. The only downside I see to this is the flash pattern ('strobe'). I would try to find a light with a flash pattern more like a 'pulse'. As always, you want to aim the light downward so that it projects a beam along the road and not into a driver's face (at least not directly). As far as mounting, there are several pictures on the Action LED website on how to mount a front light on the back. You just need the plastic mounting portion of the head strap, and most lights already come with a head strap. If that's not DIY enough, you could use a small length (2-3") of small diameter (1") PVC pipe. Drill a couple of holes and fasten the PVC pipe to the seat rails with zip ties. Attach the light to the PVC with rubber O-rings.

@StuInMcCandless, The mod refers to adding a red lens to a magic shine light. Is this what you don't like, or are you referring to a white light facing backwards?

White light facing backwards.

Action LED also sells an amber lens. Would it be legit to run a red / amber combo(rear facing)?

ericf wrote:Action LED also sells an amber lens. Would it be legit to run a red / amber combo(rear facing)?

Amber would be good for daylight usage since yellow is the most easily perceived color during daylight hours. I don't see it being much use at night though. The red light will already be very powerful.

I used to run an amber light on the right-front side of my helmet. More a "be seen" than anything else, and I think it helped with people pulling out of driveways and side streets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DTC3zpVz0e0