LED rear light for carrier mount 80 mm

[LittleGreyCat]

Having decided to replace my LED rear light, I've hit a bit of a stumbling block.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/rack-fitting-lights
recommends Spanninga lights but these don't seem to be available directly in the UK any more (at least not via Amazon).

These are showing up with large shipping costs and long delivery times so presumably from the EU.

Are there any recommended rack mount battery LED lights from UK sources?

Preferably with multiple functions such as flashing or steady, but a good bright light would do.

I have a Cateye USB rechargeable clip on light but I would prefer something which uses replaceable batteries if possible.

[Halla]

Have you looked at St John Street Cycles, they have lights available as you describe.

I hope this helps.

[freiston]

The prices I saw on Amazon were £24.73 for the light and £9.99 delivery (Jan 22-28).

I found one on bikester.co.uk for £21.99 with £4.99 shipping - but I understand it is shipped from their EU warehouse ("Standard shipping in 6-8 working days").

I couldn't find that particular light from "UK stock" but SJS are selling B&M rack mounted battery powered rear lights. I have a dynamo "brake light" version of the Toplight View, fitted in 2014 iirc, and I'm happy with it.

[rotavator]

How about a Moon Pulsar? https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting/mo ... ear-light/
You would also need the adapter bracket also sold by SJS to attach it to your rack. I fitted mine so that it cannot be slid off by a casual thief.

It has an IPX-4 rating, it is bright and with flashing modes.

Incidentally I don't rate the Spanninga Elips because of its lack of water proofing and lack of flashing modes. Mine did not survive its first winter. I guess it would be OK if you don't ride on wet salted roads in winter.

[gaz]

I found one on bikester.co.uk for £21.99 with £4.99 shipping - but I understand it is shipped from their EU warehouse ("Standard shipping in 6-8 working days").

Marginally cheaper from AddNature who are essentially the same business.

[rogerzilla]

I like the Axa Juno.

[Norman H]

An alternative approach is to fit a rack mounting light bracket. Something like this one for Cateye lights.

[Mick F]

Cateye.
viewtopic.php?p=1655567&hilit=cateye#p1655567

[freiston]

An alternative approach is to fit a rack mounting light bracket. Something like this one for Cateye lights.

The issue with this approach is that such lights don't usually have a "regulation" reflector incorporated and so to be legal, you would still have to fit an additional reflector. My assumption is that if you're looking for a rack-fitted rear light, then you're probably going to want the reflector mounted to the rack too.

For the rack on my folding bike, I fitted a rack-mounted reflector that I already had in my box of bits and I fashioned a bracket from a "T" metal stamped bracket and the seatpost/seatstay bracket that came with a Cateye rear light, so that the light sits below the reflector.

[Norman H]

An alternative approach is to fit a rack mounting light bracket. Something like this one for Cateye lights.

The issue with this approach is that such lights don't usually have a "regulation" reflector incorporated and so to be legal, you would still have to fit an additional reflector. My assumption is that if you're looking for a rack-fitted rear light, then you're probably going to want the reflector mounted to the rack too.

That's a fair point, and is a failing of a number of rear lights. As far as I know the only Cateye rear light that meets those requirements is the Reflex Auto. As a bonus the rack mount that I linked to earlier is included in the package.
It's auto only operation, using both light and motion sensors, might not suit everyone as it precludes daylight running. I suppose you could disable the photocell with a bit of electrical tape but manual override would be better.

[Steve]

I've just received one of these Smart lights in the post:
https://www.highonbikes.com/products/sm ... gJp8fD_BwE
Not fitted or tested it yet though.

Update: Now fitted, easily done. 80mm spacing only. It only has a single LED, in the middle at the bottom, which is fairly bright & diffused mainly along the base of the reflector, with steady & flash modes. Claims 100h/200h battery life for the two AAAs. Also claims to be "water resistant" - there is no rubber waterproof seal between the base & reflector unit, just an extra lip within the plastic along the upper edge, so instead it seems designed to allow water out easily via a drain at the bottom, which should prevent condensation I suppose.
Given the price I'll be happy if I only get two or three winters' use, which is all I've got from some other more expensive models anyway.

[drossall]

An alternative approach is to fit a rack mounting light bracket. Something like this one for Cateye lights.

The issue with this approach is that such lights don't usually have a "regulation" reflector incorporated and so to be legal, you would still have to fit an additional reflector.

+1 to Cateye. If I have a rack fitted, I also have mudguards. If I have mudguards, I fit a traditional mudguard reflector, so no problem there.

[freiston]

I've just received one of these Smart lights in the post:
https://www.highonbikes.com/products/sm ... gJp8fD_BwE
Not fitted or tested it yet though.

That light looks interesting as it seems to have a similar LED lens and reflector arrangement to some of the B&M lights (albeit LED on the bottom instead of the top) and it takes AA battery/batteries (I realise that some B+M rear lights do too). When I'm buying battery powered items, I prefer to get AA powered items so that I can "standardise" my requirements for spares and charging (there are exceptions to this).

I hoped to see more pictures or a manual so that I could confirm the number of batteries and how to change them but none on the website so I went to the manufacturer's website (smartbikelights.com) but it was an awful website imho. In the product menu there were no categories (such as "rear lights" - just three named styles/ranges (cliq etc.), "packages" and "accessories". I used the search function and searched "rear carrier light", "rear light" and "back light" - all gave zero results. A very flashy but poor website imho.

[nosmarbaj]

... As far as I know the only Cateye rear light that meets those requirements is the Reflex Auto. ...
It's auto only operation, using both light and motion sensors, might not suit everyone as it precludes daylight running.

According to the user manual, you can switch between auto and manual mode.

[wjhall]

There are two other solutions:

1. Most LED battery lamp seat post mounts can be split into two parts by unscrewing the pivot screw. The mount part can then be screwed to an angle bracket, widely available as furniture parts to create the right orientation for rack mounting. The examples in the pictures are solving the orthogonal problem to the OPs, the old racks have vertical mounting hole axes. They also use heavier corner pieces than the OP would need. A lighter corner piece, resembling slightly large metal meccano would serve the OP's requirement for adapting from a hole with axis pointing aft to one pointing across the bike.

This type of solution will allow the use of almost any battery LED lamp on any mount.

Take care that any bracket ends are pointing down and into areas where you your leg cannot strike them, or shielded by the lamp.

Alternatively, you could mount an LED dynamo rear lamp as normal and wire it to a 6 V battery pack. This could be regarded as giving all the disadvantages of both dynamo and LED lamps, or the advantages of both.