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I have a Magicshine rear light ( not the fancy one ) that lasts only about an hour even on the least powerful setting. I always have to carry a spare for longer night rides. Any recommendations for a rear light that lasts a long time on one charge?
Lezyne do a good selection. I have a couple of Zecto drives (250 lumen) and they last ages, even longer on lower power modes.
Cheap and cheerful, the PX Dogstars last a good while - I'm getting over 2 hours on third brightness level (of 4) for my commute - don't know how long they last, as I charge every day.
Exposure TraceR lasts multiple rides for me. Meant to be 3 hours on full (which is insanely bright, I turned mine down) and 24 hours on flashing. Only downside is it costs about £50 so I'm terrified of it bouncing off into a bush, never to be seen again.
I've got a Moon Shield X which seems decent (not sure how long it lasts, but it's done a few 2hr+ night rides). It has an auto on feature, a blindingly bright daylight setting and a nifty mount that attaches to your saddle rails (standard rubber band mount also included). JE James had it reduced to £20-25'ish? not long ago, not sure if they still do
I think https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-lights/halfords-50-lumen-rear-bike-light-253294.html is a cracking light, and lasts (on flashing mode) for multiple winter commutes.
I use this one:
https://cyclein.co/accessories/lights/giant-recon-tl-200-cycling-rear-light-in-black__21160
I get 7-8 hours on the brightest flash mode, just leave it on all the time on 6 hour road rides and it's never gone flat on me.
something like my cateye twin AAA jobby on the back of my commuter. Lasts months through the winter, 40 mins a day.
I use the Cateye Tight Kinetic Rear Light, lasts up to 180 hours according to the specs! , I have not actually measured that
It Uses 2 AAA batteries and I find the fixing bracket handy to move between bikes as well and its pretty versatile mounting on seat post or seat stays.
A bit fiddly to switch between the 3 modes I just make sure its on as it last ages on the brightest mode as well .
IPX7 waterproofed .
I prefer batteries for audax use.
Something with AAAs would be my recommendation & get some of those rechargeable batteries that don't discharge (well, discharge slowly) when not in use.
I've got a Moon Pulsar as my back-up second light. I think the reported battery life is something like 40 hours on high & 60 on low - when solid, more when flashing. It is definitely bright enough.
Only issue is you need a separate battery charger & it's a teeny bit more faff to charge.
& get some of those rechargeable batteries that don’t discharge (well, discharge slowly) when not in use
...with the highest mAH.
exposure traceR
I have bontrager flare rt.
I'd say they over perform put of the box - 20hrs on flash.
But about 18 months later you only get about half that.
Batteries don't seem to hold condition. Otherwise, fantastic wee lights.
I use Exposure Tracer. Not cheap but last longer than I’ll ever want to ride for, they’re bright and well built. About £70 on BF deals.
Only downside is it costs about £50 so I’m terrified of it bouncing off into a bush, never to be seen again.
This happened to me with the same light on a night gravel ride. 2 weeks old… it was such a good light that I bought the same one straight away. I strongly suspect it was user error as the whole thing (bracket included) was missing and perhaps I didn’t hook the elastic around both tabs. Since then it’s been great.
If you use exposure then they do a wired redeye light that connects to your front one. Just one thing to charge and one place to see remaining runtime.
I've an old cateye one(2 AA batteries) its lived on the main bike for 2 years and before that on another bike for probably 3. No batteries needed to be changed and its still going strong. It probably cost me a tenner.
It appears though if you buy a rear light costing 50+ quid, you need to change the batteries or recharge it once a week.
+1 for moon shield x, on flash it lasts a days ride and i've had mine going strong now 5 years with daily commutes and winter mud.
Smart 317, there are 0.5w and 1w versions. Runs on AAAs. Approx 60h flashing. Costs about £10.
Varia RTL515 lasts three hours on full and a day on flashing. Exposure Tracer otherwise. The Fly 6 is two hours only as the camera is eating the battery. Disappointing as my training rides are 3 hours. I ride with the Varia and a backup Cateye Micro USB on the saddle rail on flashing. On the recumbent, it's Christmas tree time and I use an AA rechargeable Cateye and two micros, and the Varia and the Fly 6 😀
Hope district. Got a massive battery pack- hence it lasts for ages.
https://www.hopetech.com/products/lights/mountain-bike/district-plus-rear/
I bought mine 2nd hand for much less
something like my cateye twin AAA jobby on the back of my commuter. Lasts months through the winter, 40 mins a day.
Precisely. Run time in days rather than hours! I use nimh rechageables and take a spare set on long rides, but I've never had to change batteries on the road, and that includes multi-day audaxes.
I generally have a few rears on the go for my commute (as I won't notice if one dies or disappears, which probably means I would do likewise).
Cateye tight as above plus Lezyne strip plus
https://www.jejamescycles.com/product/46750/moon-moon-sirius-pro-rear-light/option/
The moon will do a couple of days between charging - so depending on wind direction/ speed I guess that's five to six hours on some sort of flash setting. Brake light too. Main downside is working out which setting it's on is beyond me - but that is probably just me. Push button, it lights up - hold button it turns off - good enough 🙂
Hope district. Got a massive battery pack- hence it lasts for ages.
Sod strapping an external battery pack to your bike for a rear light.
They do a splitter cable though so if you run a Hope front light, you can piggy back the District off the main battery
lupine rotlicht max stvzo.
+1 on moon.
My rear also has some of the fancy pants brake and movement detection. When coupled with a good flashing (oo-er) setting, it happily lasts 4+ hour rides.
Only downside is it costs about £50 so I’m terrified of it bouncing off into a bush, never to be seen again
Not much good as a rear light then 😀
AAA / AA lights always last ages. Probably to do with the chemistry vs cold. And are much cheaper than flashy new usb lights.
+1 for running two rear lights. Or every now and then glance back at your rear wheel to make sure you see it glowing red!!
The rear "shield" light that came on my Lidl set that possibly has a stvzo front, bought in March '20, lasts pretty well.
Generally, it's a shame that cheaper lights rarely give estimates on remaining battery charge.
If I expect to be out in the dark, I try to remember to fit a cr2032 silicon set as redundancy, just in case the main light goes because I've lost track of how long since last charge.
Hope District with a 6 cell battery. 600hr run time in the lowest (still really bright) setting.
Battery fits nicely in my frame bag, so not an issue
Cateye for me too with AAA. I bought a cheapo (£10) rechargeable one from Amazon to use on helmet, but annoyingly didn't fit well, so it now lives on the seat post, whilst the Cateye is on the saddle rail bracket. Think combined cost would be c.£20. Not had to change the batteries on the cateye this year (so far).
Another TraceR here. I use it on "Daybright" setting during the day. At night it is perfectly visible on its lowest setting which on "pulse" apparently has 24 hours battery life. I haven't run it that long so can't confirm put it strikes me as "adequate".
Yes Exposure are expensive but they are well made, robust and Exposure have very good after sales service.
Knog Blinder, 7hrs on steady low, I charge it every two days which is about 4 hours this time of year, Will do 100hr in eco flash mode (but I've not tested this).
Exposure do an extra fat Tracr. Lasts even longer.
The normal one lasts ages tbh
It will also last years.
I like the exposure lights. The Trace R is good. If you want longer run times, go for the boost. The lower modes are still bright and great run times. Don’t forget the Singletrack discounts!
Used a Moon Nebula during the Great British Divide and that lasted all night in flashing mode.
The planet x one does well for me. I remembered to charge it this evening after at least 4 weeks of night rides, so ~8 hrs turned on. I thought that was pretty good for an £8 light
have two of these - been ultra reliable over past few years £14.
Bit less common, but nice little units: BBB Spark 2 - runs for hours and has addtional 2hour flash get you home mode
more info:
https://bbbcycling.com/uk_en/bls-152-spark-2-0#more-information
Saw this "deal" earlier on Nebula https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/moon-nebula-rechargeable-seatpost-mounted-rear-bike-light-4239383
nedrapier
Full Member
something like my cateye twin AAA jobby on the back of my commuter. Lasts months through the winter, 40 mins a day.
this is the only rear light i havent destroyed. I have been through many rear lights, including posh rechargeables, and other cheap ones. This one sat in teh firing line of all teh shit for nearly 10yrs of all winter offroad (and road sections) commuting (and normal biking). just went a bit dim when the batteries need changing rather than turning off so you get a few days/weeks to remember to buy new batteries. i gave it to one of the kids to use on a scooter when they were small and they promptly lost it. i was very sad.
I have also had quite good success with a topeak redlight ii which is only let down by the crappy battery size and inconvenience of having to go to a more 'proper' shop to get replacements - AAAs are available anywhere. they do fail eventually though and the crud covers the all of the light more easily than the larger cateye.
this is definately the case where less money spent is much much much better.