# Some Tail Lights



## noisy boy (Apr 24, 2013)

My 2 cents on some Chinese tail lights that I have,
They all work exept the Meilan X6 (top left) it turns off by itself, it is no good I did some research on amazon some people are happy, idea is good that it stops when you move but censor is not functioning good. And the (top center)Lezyne version is very effective the most bright one is the straight red one middle right side, it has metal housing, with winter gloves the bottom left two lights are very simple to operate, off all the lights I have multiple pieces so they are all used and tested, except the Meilan XL. The second picture is also advertised as a bike light but I just hang it from my back pack it is also effective and simple and all the lights are USB rechargeable,


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

Some of that generic Chinese stuff won't last long as name brand stuff even though that stuff too is made in China. But, especially headlights, a generic Chinese light that cost just $45 or so on Amazon that claims they put out 2,000 lumens, though probably closer to half of that, is still cheaper to replace that light every 3 to 5 years with another cheap generic Chinese light then it is to buy a replacement battery for a name brand light!

However in the case of tail lights the low cost Chinese generic ones that I've seen don't even come close to the lumens that the more expensive brand name lights put out, so you have to take that into consideration.

By the way, lights from MagicShine are really popular, but they're nothing more than cheap generic lights that were imported to a dealer who created that "brand" and slap decals on them, which later the factory in China does now. Similar to what Nishiki of yesterday and Motobecane is today, just decal brands.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

The brightest one there is the first generation "comet" one. There is a new generation which is better because it's a clone of the serfas thunderbolt. It's quite popular around here. My thunderbolt still is going strong but when it goes I'll probably also switch to the comet clone one. They're just as bright and last just as long but aren't built as well. One benefit to the clone is that the housings are all translucent white plastic instead of opaque colored plastic so the light sort of glows from all sides as well as being super bright out the back.


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## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

I've bought all kinds of cheap, Chinese bicycle crap from Meritline. Tail lights that fail in the rain, headlights that won't fit on a standard road bar, and a bottle cage that fell apart during a fondo, dropping the bottle between the frame and cranks. The name brand stuff, also made in China, functions well and lasts.

If you need another taillight, here you go.

5 Led Rear Tail Light for Bicycle with Mounting Accessories


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## SauronHimself (Nov 21, 2012)

I'm pleased with my two PlanetBike Superflash tail lights. They're not too expensive, and they last a long time.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

I bought many chinese and US-brand tail lights. I run them day and night. good luck with all of them, except one chinse one that keeps tipping down on its own

But now I mostly use a Fly6 taillight/crash camera on the back

and I bought a $3 helmet coin-battery light for night also, which had red flashing in back, white in front. Wife says it really really helps with visibility at night having the light up so high, and I can direct it at cars by moving my head. it is even kind of aero

like this but I paid $3 shipped
Super Bright 4 LED Cycling Bicycle Safety Rear Light Lamp FOR Bike Helmet ARM | eBay


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

SauronHimself said:


> I'm pleased with my two PlanetBike Superflash tail lights. They're not too expensive, and they last a long time.


My Turboflash didn't last a long time, the mode button after about 1 1/2 seasons of use pushed into the casing and I had to use a pen to activate it, the button came off and I never found it, and the clip wouldn't hold securely enough when new so I strapped rubber bands around it to make it more secure but it still fell off in a ride and the lens cover went flying at around 15 mph and hit the pavement put a hole in the corner and scratched it up bad. My Light & Motion Vis 180 after 3 seasons still works great, that one too flew off because I forgot to clamp the clip down and smacked the pavement while I was doing about 20 mph and suffered no damage, not even a scratch!

No, I'm not going to buy another PB SuperFlash, if I was going to do that I might as well buy some cheap generic thing off of Amazon.

Just my opinion of course.


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## Cartoscro (Sep 10, 2012)

The last one you will ever buy...

Design Shine Lighting Forums - Home


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## noisy boy (Apr 24, 2013)

I had Planet Bike Super Flash and the red version, both great lights but the alkaline battery got to the situation, USB is the way, the Moon shield and Cygolite are powerful lights, Moon is equal to Serfas @ 60 lumen, got the Moon from England for $27.00 I believe that was same amount for Cygolight, from Sate side. On my back pack I run Moon and the Cygo with 3 more of the round Lezine knock offs, you can't miss me at night. ( I meant see me)....









this one (Meian) is going back it has motion sickness....








These both are the powerful ones 









And most easy to use with heavy winter gloves


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## MisterMike (Aug 12, 2004)

Deleted


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

noisy boy said:


> I had Planet Bike Super Flash and the red version, both great lights but the alkaline battery got to the situation, USB is the way, the Moon shield and Cygolite are powerful lights, Moon is equal to Serfas @ 60 lumen, got the Moon from England for $27.00 I believe that was same amount for Cygolight, from Sate side. On my back pack I run Moon and the Cygo with 3 more of the round Lezine knock offs, you can't miss me at night. ( I meant see me)....
> 
> View attachment 312662
> 
> ...


The Serfas now has a 80 lumen light that looks just like the 60 lumen unit. 

Which of all those lights you have is most seeable from a distance? 

For me the Light & Motion Vis 180 is by far the brightest light I have, at night from a distance it looks like a bright warning flare and it casts a pale of red onto the pavement behind me as well as any nearby buildings I pass. My other lights, well one was the PB Superflash Turbo, and the other is an old Cateye LD600 which works great and while not any where near as bright at the Vis 180 it does have a large surface area and when mounted vertically gives the rear of the bike a really good 90 degree off axis (side) visibility. But I am looking for another light and haven't decided yet what to get, but I need something that has good side visibility.


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## noisy boy (Apr 24, 2013)

I don't use one light I use 5 or 6 of them when I'm in the traffic or city streets,I try a night shot but did not do justice to the lights, there are 3 of them facing straight back and there are one on the left and right side if the back pack, and all the bikes had seatpost lights I also have a cateye for fizik, selle royal saddles I have, on bike path I leave only the Cygolight, on the rest I turn them off. I would say on that back pack the Moon (Serfas) is the bright one, but combination of all those lights make the difference, and they are in blinking mode.


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

I guess, any light is better then no light at all. 

I like to use Niterider. I won a niterider headlight at a festival some years ago. So, I normally stick with what works and these lights are good quality. 

I started a cycling group last year and purchased lightsets for my first 5 members. All niterider lights.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

noisy boy said:


> I don't use one light I use 5 or 6 of them when I'm in the traffic or city streets,I try a night shot but did not do justice to the lights, there are 3 of them facing straight back and there are one on the left and right side if the back pack, and all the bikes had seatpost lights I also have a cateye for fizik, selle royal saddles I have, on bike path I leave only the Cygolight, on the rest I turn them off. I would say on that back pack the Moon (Serfas) is the bright one, but combination of all those lights make the difference, and they are in blinking mode.
> View attachment 312680
> 
> 
> ...


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## Kurious Oranj (Oct 11, 2009)

The last 3-4 years, I have almost exclusively used 2 types of rear lights that have been great. Most of that time, I lived in Scottsdale so rain was really not an issue. The last year I am back in Minnesota and so far, the lights have held up well in the rain.

1. The Portland Design Works Danger Zone is definitely my all-time favorite. Very bright, has never failed me and is reasonably inexpensive. This light has slowly replaced all my PB Superflash lights which are now on the kid's bikes which mostly are ridden in our quiet neighborhood and never at night.
http://www.amazon.com/Portland-Desi...6801408&sr=1-1&keywords=portland+design+works

2. Metro Flash Safety Zone is a cheap and so far reliable rear light which is my backup, the one I have clipped on my messenger bag and back pack.
http://www.amazon.com/MetroFlash-Sa...C_UL160_SR87,160_&refRID=1NHN5YAQ0N6D04WYT41B


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## netwave (Oct 20, 2016)

After reading many complaint's about the Meilan X6 turning off while riding I decided to rectify the problem. Removing the light sensor & vibration sensor switch fixed this.
The vibration switch is basically a cylindrical barrel with a spring inside, when the spring vibrates & makes contact it creates a circuit but obviously doesnt work while riding on smooth ground. I removed the light sensor too as that was also turning off my light during experiments, for anyone wanting to take on this easy fix the "sw" needs bridging with a bit of wire once the vibration sensors removed, opening the unit is done by removing the rubber switch boot, there are two screws underneath, one which is hidden under the manufacturing date label, I used a mobile phone plastic prising tool to seperate the housing as its clipped into place, remove the USB rubber before re-assembly & push back into place once assembled, this makes it easier to put back together limiting any obstructions from the inside.


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