# What's The Best & Brightest Tail Lights on the Market?



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

I had a Dinotte 300R tail light and I loved it, but the design of the bracket allows the light to not be secure on the bike. (When I was riding home from work on Tuesday it flew off my bike and I lost the $200 light!). I now need a new tail light.

As I begin my research, I am wondering what tail light is the brightest one out there? I commute in very early morning with total darkness. Price is not an issue, I want the *BRIGHTEST *light on the market. Light weight is good too. Rechargeable is preferred.


Thanks!


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

bikerneil said:


> I had a Dinotte 300R tail light and I loved it, but the design of the bracket allows the light to not be secure on the bike. (When I was riding home from work on Tuesday it flew off my bike and I lost the $200 light!). I now need a new tail light.
> 
> As I begin my research, I am wondering what tail light is the brightest one out there? I commute in very early morning with total darkness. Price is not an issue, I want the *BRIGHTEST *light on the market. Light weight is good too. Rechargeable is preferred.
> 
> ...


for tail light the goal is to be seen by cars. It doesn't have to be super-bright - in fact, if you ride in complete darkness, the contrast between your light and complete darkness will make you fairly visible already.
I like BikePlanet Superflash. 
Light PB Rear Super Flash Blinky.5w2led Black 3034-1

There are brighter ones out there, but I think this is plenty bright for almost all situations, and going too bright may be blinding/distracting for drivers, you may not want that.


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Check out the Light & Motion Vis 360. It's a helmet mounted head and tail-light system. The headlight is modest in power (110 lumens) but the tail light is supposed to be among the brightest.

LIGHT & MOTION || VIS 360

If you just want a tail-light, L&M also makes a Vis 180 model

LIGHT & MOTION || VIS 180

UPDATE - I picked up a Vis 360 and was really disappointed by the light output. In a side-by-side comparison, it appeared no brighter and maybe even less than a PB Superflash, and it doesn't even compare with my Dinotte 140. The battery run times were also disappointing, much less than advertised. Needless to say, I returned the Vis 360.


----------



## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

Right now I am commuting with 2 flashers in the back: the planet bike superflash at wheel level (hooked to my bike rack), an older blackburn flasher attached to my commuting Ergon bag. And I am awaiting delivery of the Light and moriong 360. Kind of overkill 3 lights for the back, however, the helmet mounted light is a welcomed addition to the handle bar light, so I figure why not.


----------



## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

Apologies, I forgot the punch-line of the post above, and that was that there is some data that shows that having at least two light sources at different heights helps with visibility as rather than having a single brighter light source. HTH


----------



## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*400r*

I have a 140R, a 300R, and a 400R. The 140 uses the rubber bandy things, the 300 the slip on mount, and the 400 a solid bolt on. I think any of them is sufficient, but the 400R is blindingly bright, and completely secure. Just uses an external battery, which I like on a commuter.

I've been using the 300R since it came out, and never had a problem. I suspect it just was not pushed on all the way.




bikerneil said:


> I had a Dinotte 300R tail light and I loved it, but the design of the bracket allows the light to not be secure on the bike. (When I was riding home from work on Tuesday it flew off my bike and I lost the $200 light!). I now need a new tail light.
> 
> As I begin my research, I am wondering what tail light is the brightest one out there? I commute in very early morning with total darkness. Price is not an issue, I want the *BRIGHTEST *light on the market. Light weight is good too. Rechargeable is preferred.
> 
> ...


----------



## Rogus (Nov 10, 2010)

L_Johnny said:


> Apologies, I forgot the punch-line of the post above, and that was that there is some data that shows that having at least two light sources at different heights helps with visibility as rather than having a single brighter light source. HTH


...and, from what I've heard, having one flashing and one solid also helps. Supposedly the flashing one is more effective from a safety standpoint in the higher position.


----------



## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

Superflash works for me and it's only $30.
Lost the back on one (my fault) and they sent me a new one free.
I would save the big money for the head light.


----------



## BCP (Nov 3, 2011)

I recently picked up a Cygolite Hotshot and it's pretty bright and relatively inexpensive. 

2 watt LED with multiple modes, a programmable blink rate, and USB charging. 

Amazon.com: Cygolite Hotshot 2-Watt USB Rechargeable Taillight with USB Cable: Sports & Outdoors


----------



## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

I don't know about the lumen output, but I can't imagine you could need anything brighter than the Magicshine. Enough to hurt my eyes from close range. I'm not crazy about the mode switch being twisting the outer ring (I'd rather have an actual push-button), but other than that, it seems to work great. Uses the same battery as my Magicshine headlight, so only one batter to worry about charging. Not very expensive, especially if you already have the battery ($120 for the headlight, battery pack, and tail light).


----------



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

Thanks to all and for the input and ideas.

For me, nothing is more important on my super early, dark rides to the office than being seen. I have compared all lights and I made the decision to go with another Dinotte 300R. I like it because it is so friggin bright, and because it is easy to recharge with a USB cable. (I keep my bike in a storage closet at work during the day so I just charge the light every other day while it sits in the closet.)

I am going to use the permanent mounting option for the light when it arrives. 

To be honest I'm a little disappointed in Dinotte and I believe they have a design flaw that allows the light to easily fly off the bracket if it is not attached using the permanent method. (No - mine was not mounted upside down. YES - it was pushed on all the way when I left the office.) I am an engineer and understand design, and this is a poor design - so HEADS UP to other 300R owners!

In closing, I am so concerned about light levels that I have decided to go back to the same light, this time it will be bolted to the bracket though.

I do like the idea of adding a small secondary light to the back of my helmet, as suggested above. I will look for something small as I think that's a great idea.

Thanks again.


----------



## Bizman (Apr 27, 2011)

I have been looking at the Light & Motion vis 180 @ $99. It looks like a good light and has side lights like the Light & Motion Urban 500 front light that I have now (works real nice) and both charge by USB.


----------



## BigCircles (Mar 25, 2009)

I've been wanting a Dinotte 400R for a while now - so I took the plunge with daylight savings time. This light is a serious torch! I easily store the battery in the top of my pannier.










This picture is taken it a lit parking garage with the light on at 50% power. I plan to only use 100% power if it's raining or foggy. It's that bright. Nice to have the extra power when you need it...

Cars definitely give me more respect with this light running! :thumbsup:


----------



## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

BigCircles said:


> I've been wanting a Dinotte 400R for a while now - so I took the plunge with daylight savings time. This light is a serious torch! I easily store the battery in the top of my pannier.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Running my 400R and 140R on my commute today. Got 3 comments from drivers about how bright they are. Third one:

Great lights! What did you pay for them?

Couple hundred bucks. 

No, the *lights,* not the bike.

Yes, a couple hundred for the lights. They are the brightest ones made.

[Look of total amazement]

If I told him the true cost of all of them, I think his head would have exploded.


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm glad to see that Dinotte finally worked out some alternative mounting options rather than O-rings and seatpost mounts. My seatpost is blocked by my saddlebag that I use to carry gear for commuting, so mounting my Dinotte 140 was a challenge. I also like the fact that the new Dinotte tail-light has a self-contained battery with no separate battery pack.

On my budget, the Light & Motion Vis 360 is a better option -- helmet mounted headlight and taillight for about $120 -- but the Dinotte 300R is probably brighter if money is not an issue. I would be curious see a side-by-side comparison of the two taillights.


----------



## PBike (Jul 6, 2007)

I put this on my Tubus rack: Discount Busch & Muller 4D Toplight Taillights, TheTouringStore.com

I like it because it is big and is on continuous not blinking, it is very visible. I also use a Superflash, blinking during the daytime and continuous at night. 

Here is is on my bike, it's not a great shot of it, but as you can see, it is visible even from the side.


----------



## Bizman (Apr 27, 2011)

Since writting my post above I have been looking at the DiNotte lights and really like them. My choice is the 1200L + for front and 300R for rear. I have had problems with run times on the L&M Urban 500 and will be returning it, others have too, as well as the customer support from L&M. 

The reviews about how much better you are seen with the Dinotte lights hence making you safer have convinced me to make that the next light. And good customer service! I ride road and mountain bikes so the 1200L + otta do good for both bikes.


----------



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

Just make sure you use the permanent attachment mode for the 300R rear light. If you don't, it will fly off. Guaranteed............

I do like mine!


----------



## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

bikerneil said:


> Thanks to all and for the input and ideas.
> 
> For me, nothing is more important on my super early, dark rides to the office than being seen.
> 
> ...


Good to hear you're hard mounting the light. I was going to point out how important it is to aim the light straight back. I can't tell you how many times I've noticed someone's super bright flasher as I'm passing by because they have it on a backpack pointing only approximately backwards. 

Also, don't underestimate the importance of the light in daylight. If the sun is low you are INVISIBLE the moment you ride into a shadow (stand of trees, building, anything). Drivers cannot see you from a bright area at all.


----------



## Aushiker (Mar 23, 2008)

G'day

I ride my commuter with a couple of Radbot 1000s on the back. I have had two drivers stop and tell me that they are really bright and I was easy to see. That is reassuring 










Regards
Andrew


----------



## pethelman (Aug 23, 2011)

bikerneil said:


> I had a Dinotte 300R tail light and I loved it, but the design of the bracket allows the light to not be secure on the bike. (When I was riding home from work on Tuesday it flew off my bike and I lost the $200 light!). I now need a new tail light.
> 
> As I begin my research, I am wondering what tail light is the brightest one out there? I commute in very early morning with total darkness. Price is not an issue, I want the *BRIGHTEST *light on the market. Light weight is good too. Rechargeable is preferred.
> 
> ...


Hey bikerneil... sorry about the loss on the 300R.
If you want THE brightest you'll want to check out the DesignShine DS-500.

Rock solid mount WITH quick release and infinite aimability.
Best bike taillight beam pattern in the business with greater than 180 deg vis.
Lots of good feedback on MTBR.
There's a good comparison vid on YouTube with the 400R, but I can't post the link here. Probably easiest to find it through the "DesignShine...WOW" thread on MTBR.

None available at the moment, but should have some more in the coming weeks.
Sorry I couldn't PM you or give you links due to my low post count!


----------



## g0tr00t (Oct 21, 2011)

BCP said:


> I recently picked up a Cygolite Hotshot and it's pretty bright and relatively inexpensive.
> 
> 2 watt LED with multiple modes, a programmable blink rate, and USB charging.
> 
> Amazon.com: Cygolite Hotshot 2-Watt USB Rechargeable Taillight with USB Cable: Sports & Outdoors


Looks cool, I have the RADBOT, but this looks pretty good too.


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Since this thread began, I tried out the Light & Motion Vis 180 and Vis 360 in addition to the PB Superflash and Dinotte 140 that I've had for a while.

The PB Superflash is great if you don't want to spend a lot of money, and can often be found on sale for $20 or less. According to reports, lights by Princeton, Cateye and Radbot are comparable in quality and brightness. 

I was very disappointed by the L&M Vis 180 and 360. Neither seemed nearly as bright as advertised, and were not perceptibly brighter to me than my PB Superflash. I really like the Vis 360 system with the head and taillights mounted on your helmet and wish that it had performed as advertised, but run times were much shorter than specs and the taillight just didn't seem that bright to me. The Vis 180 was even more of a disappointment because I couldn't figure out a way to mount it on my bike. It is designed to fit on a seatpost, which makes it useless if you use a large seatbag, like many commuters and recreational cyclists. It supposedly will also fit on a seatbag strap, but the mount wouldn't shut closed on my seatbag. Finally, it is ridiculously difficult to remove from the mounting bracket, so much that I was afraid that it would break after using a few times. It is too expensive to leave mounted on your bike while parked in a bike rack if you commute.

In terms of brightness, my Dinotte 140 literally blows away the L&M taillights as well as the Superflash. I am not surprised that the Dinotte is brighter than the Superflash since it costs 4X more, but it is about the same price as the L&M Vis 180/360 and much, much brighter. The downside is that the Dinotte is much heavier due to the separate battery pack.

The Dinotte 300 gets around the battery issues since the Li-on battery is contained within the light (like the L&M 180/360), but it also costs twice as much. I'm not quite ready to spend $200 on a taillight that could fall off or get stolen. The Dinotte 300 offers multiple mounting options.

Another intriguing option is the NiteFlux Red Zone 4, an Australian LED taillight that is available mail order. It costs about $100 and has some nice features that might make me give it a try. Namely, it seems to be much easier to mount on frame, seatbag or helmet than other options (other than the Dinotte 300). Also, it is apparently visible from any angle and designed to be nearly indestructible.

One thing that baffles me about taillights is why the manufacturers don't put more thought into mounting options. They seem to feel that all cyclists have 12" of free seat post to mount a light. Apparently they are just trying to appeal to the racer boys and weekend warriors. Which is ironic, because it would seem that commuters would be most likely to buy an expensive taillight. They are also most likely to have a large seatbag that precludes mounting a light to a seatpost.


----------



## pethelman (Aug 23, 2011)

*Taillight mounting*



tarwheel2 said:


> Since this thread began, I tried out the Light & Motion Vis 180 and Vis 360 in addition to the PB Superflash and Dinotte 140 that I've had for a while.
> 
> The PB Superflash is great if you don't want to spend a lot of money, and can often be found on sale for $20 or less. According to reports, lights by Princeton, Cateye and Radbot are comparable in quality and brightness.
> 
> ...


Hey Tarwheel,
You're exactly right on the mounting issue. I spent a good bit of time refining the mount for the DS-500. Here were the design requirements:
1. It needed to be quick release
2. There could be no possibility of accidental release
3. It needed to allow for infinite aiming (i.e. no fixed detents)
3. It needed to be strong enough to take direct bumps and hits without breaking or moving
4. It needed to work equally well on vertical or horizontal bars OR on the rear of racks*
5. It needed to accommodate narrow seat stay mounting as well as seat post mounting

*The rack mount option requires an additional custom bracket ($12) that stays mounted to the rear of your rack but also maintains full two-axis aiming and the quick release feature for the light. Bolts right on to most racks using the Tubus "standard" with either 50mm or 80mm hole spacing.

Rack adapter (normally anodized black but shown bare aluminum here)









In the end, the mounting goals were accomplished by a custom adaptation of the standard Cateye clamp mounting system. So if you don't have room on the seat post, you can mount it on the seat stay. Putting extra clamps (cheap) on multiple bikes means you can easily move the light from bike to bike in a matter of seconds.

The full-up system is not cheap by any means, but if you put in a lot a miles on the road, you could consider it cheap insurance. Here are some pictures of various mounts. If you want to see the mount in action on an early prototype do a youtube search for:
"DesignShine - the Brightest LED Taillight on the Planet - Extreme Daytime Visibility! "

You only need a light like this if you want to seriously improve your dawn/daytime/dusk visibility to traffic from behind. It's powerful enough to force someone wearing sunglasses to look up from their cell phone in full sunshine. At night, just about any of the 1-watt category "blinkies" are more than adequate, although I would argue that you at least need two, one running in steady mode and one flashing with as much physical separation between the lights as possible.

As an aside, the DS-500 does provide some significant side lighting at night (see image below), which is nice when you're going through intersections. It's angle of coverage is even wider than the Red Zone 4 (i.e. beyond +/-180 degrees).

Just to give a point of reference on the brightness:
Dinotte 400R at full power = 240 lumens = DS-500 on Level 3
DS-500 on Level 5 = 500 lumens
The optics are optimized to make that 500 lumens even more effective on the bike.

Full disclosure...
All of this design work and limited hand-built final production takes place at my home in Alabama (all sub-components except the batteries are manufactured in the US). As an engineer/cyclist, I was really frustrated with the current taillight offerings and decided to build a serious taillight that would really satisfy my requirements. In the end, it exceeded my wildest expectations, and I decided make the effort (much bigger than I thought) to build enough to do a small market test. So far, 30+ have been out on the road for about the last 6 to 10 months with excellent feedback. At least another 70 will built in the coming months. Supply is quite limited though just due to the nature of it not being "mass produced."

Seat Stay Mount (aero tubing)









Seat Stay Mount (standard tubing)









Seat Post Mount (with saddle bag)









Night time shot from side compared to vehicle side markers


----------

