Rear light that lasts

[archy sturmer]

Recommendations please for rechargeable rear light - either with built in or separate battery. I currently have one of those USB-chargeable rear lights - the`light is good and bright, but gives no warning when it's running low. Recommendations, please, for a replacement that won't suiddenly let me down.
Sorry if this is already well covered in the forum - I couldn't find it.

[gxaustin]

I have a light I can see between my legs and carry a spare.

[alexnharvey]

I find that the relatively simple smart AAA powered 7 LEDlights combined with low self discharge NiMH batteries are very long lasting and dim slowly over time rather than stopping suddenly. I like Eneloop, Fujitsu and IKEA NiMH LSD batteries, look for the made in Japan ones.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3501686043

[Cugel]

I have a light I can see between my legs and carry a spare.

I yam so tempted to make a rude remark or even a question filled with the potential for all kinds of innuendo! But I won't.

Cugel

[thelawnet]

Recommendations please for rechargeable rear light - either with built in or separate battery. I currently have one of those USB-chargeable rear lights - the`light is good and bright, but gives no warning when it's running low. Recommendations, please, for a replacement that won't suiddenly let me down.
Sorry if this is already well covered in the forum - I couldn't find it.

The Lezyne lights have a battery indicator. Some models use a green (75%+) green red (25%+) and red (0%+) LED, you might prefer the newer system which has five states: https://www.lezyne.com/downloads/72826- ... L-R0A1.pdf

[thelawnet]

Recommendations please for rechargeable rear light - either with built in or separate battery. I currently have one of those USB-chargeable rear lights - the`light is good and bright, but gives no warning when it's running low. Recommendations, please, for a replacement that won't suiddenly let me down.
Sorry if this is already well covered in the forum - I couldn't find it.

The Lezyne lights have a battery indicator. Some models use a green (75%+) green red (25%+) and red (0%+) LED, you might prefer the newer system which has five states: https://www.lezyne.com/downloads/72826- ... L-R0A1.pdf

Note battery life is a function of lumens & battery size. Most rear lights use quite small batteries, perhaps 200 mAh.

One option here is the Cateye Volt 50, which uses a full size (but non-removable) 18650 battery at 2200mAh. These have been known to go on ebay for a few quid, but they seem scarce now as no longer ons ale. There is a warning light when the battery is about to run out also. I have a Volt 50 & it is bullet proof. Best combined with a Volt 800 front light https://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-volt-80 ... ont-light/ as the battery packs can be switched around

[gxaustin]

I yam so tempted to make a rude remark

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is pleased you exercised restraint

[mjr]

One option here is the Cateye Volt 50, which uses a full size (but non-removable) 18650 battery at 2200mAh. These have been known to go on ebay for a few quid, but they seem scarce now as no longer ons ale. There is a warning light when the battery is about to run out also. I have a Volt 50 & it is bullet proof. Best combined with a Volt 800 front light https://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-volt-80 ... ont-light/ as the battery packs can be switched around

If you go cateye, get GVolt if you can. German standards-compliant (K~ marked) so decent lens. Sadly the numbers on the UK ones are a less meaningful inflated number, so it can be tricky figuring out what is equivalent.

I think I've two cheap German back lights here and both have battery indicators on the on/off switches. Maybe battery indicators are required by StVZO standards.

[thelawnet]

One option here is the Cateye Volt 50, which uses a full size (but non-removable) 18650 battery at 2200mAh. These have been known to go on ebay for a few quid, but they seem scarce now as no longer ons ale. There is a warning light when the battery is about to run out also. I have a Volt 50 & it is bullet proof. Best combined with a Volt 800 front light https://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-volt-80 ... ont-light/ as the battery packs can be switched around

If you go cateye, get GVolt if you can. German standards-compliant (K~ marked) so decent lens. Sadly the numbers on the UK ones are a less meaningful inflated number, so it can be tricky figuring out what is equivalent.

I think I've two cheap German back lights here and both have battery indicators on the on/off switches. Maybe battery indicators are required by StVZO standards.

I don't know if Cateye make a GVolt rear light though....

[gxaustin]

Another factor is the type of light you want. A flashing light will last longer than one which is constant.

[Redvee]

Exposure lights have a power level indicator when you turn them off. I can't remember the levels but it flashes several times in either green, orange or red when you turn the light off.

[tim-b]

Hi
Is it for daytime use or darkness?
For darkness I use these two; the left-hand light uses two AA batteries and lasts for months on constant. It has a built-in reflector and a yellow led that warns of low battery power. If you're interested I can make a note of the make/model. The other light is a Smart 1/2W Superflash that I use in flash mode, it also lasts me for months on two AAA batteries. Those run-times are darkness only, maybe 3 hours per week in winter?
If people can't see a moving cyclist in daylight then a rear lamp won't help you
Regards
tim-b

[gazza_d]

Recharge every night or every day at work (if commuting)?

And I am surprised no one has suggested dynamo lights yet. Modern dyno hubs are light, almost drag free and the lights are always on.

Can be cheap. Ready built wheels from £30-40 and lights at a tenner an end, esp if riding in lit areas

A side bonus is that unlike battery lights dyno lights are generally bolted to bike, so no risk of some scrotes nicking the lights whlist you nip into the shop

[alexnharvey]

I think no-one has suggested them because they weren't asked for and typically it derails threads into a more general discussion of battery Vs dynamo, of which there have been plenty recently. Have some self discipline!

Since you mention it now I switched from battery to dynamo rear lights in October, having used Dynamo front and The AAA LED rear light combination for about eighteen months prior. There was no particular problem with the previous combination.

Back to batteries, am I right in thinking that the 1500-1800mAh capacity of two rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries is much greater than the capacity of most of the rechargeable internal battery lights that are now popular? I see a number of my colleagues recharging their lezynes daily which seems a terrible faff to me.

[foxyrider]

I'm currently using a Moon light bar at the rear, 8 assorted levels/modes and a run time from 30 minutes of eye searing steady to about 3 hours of more than adequate flashing. It's USB, and importantly has a low indicator LED on the top which gives you about 30 mins warning on the lowest setting.

I've used all sorts of stuff down the years, the Smart series always worked well with good run times even on the 1/2 watt version. They could however be susceptible to wet, something the solid state lights don't suffer with.