[Closed] Rear light recommendations - USB charging + waterproof!

I've got [url= https://www.niterider.com/product/sabre-80/ ]Niterider Sabre[/url]. Has been with me for over 2 years now, used in the worst conditions, often without rear mudguard - no issues with it at all!

The rubber cover gets a bit flimsy after a time, now it even doesn't stay in to be honest. But the heck the micro USB port does not seem to mind any water and mud that gets into it - if it's blocked I'll just wash it under a tap, dry for few minutes and it charges like if nothing happened.

Nice, bright and cheap. And the mount is solid.

Don't get the Lezyne one I've got with the lights on a triangle. Possibly a Zecto drive.
It's shite, the battery life is appalling, seems to last about 2 hours on twinkly mode, and the clip is so massive it's barely usable.

Cateye Rapid Mini.

Buy two - one for the seatpost and one for the saddle rails. Buy the Cateye saddle rail mount and a proper seatpost mount of the correct diameter. If you have a Fizik saddle, there is a small bracket that mounts into the saddle instead.

This system has served me well over several winters.

Don't get the Lezyne one I've got with the lights on a triangle. Possibly a Zecto drive.
It's shite, the battery life is appalling, seems to last about 2 hours on twinkly mode, and the clip is so massive it's barely usable.

I've got one of these, had it for a few years. It's not my main light any more (I got given a Fly6) but still works and holds a charge.

the Tau from Alpkit is great, good value for money, bright and reliable .

The long term durability is unknown, but your local Aldi may have some of these left https://www.aldi.co.uk/high-performance-bike-lights-rear/p/080231184023401

Mine survived a very wet ride at the weekend, and it's certainly bright enough.

I got a few winters of daily riding out of my old Lezyne Microdrive and then went Exposure Flare. No complaints about either other than the Exposure being a bit fiddly for USB first few times.

Don't get the Lezyne one I've got with the lights on a triangle. Possibly a Zecto drive.
It's shite, the battery life is appalling, seems to last about 2 hours on twinkly mode, and the clip is so massive it's barely usable.

Conversely, my Zecto is about 5 years old, and has lasted a full week of winter commuting, 5 days, 35 minutes each way, not flashing either, on full mode.

Where are they mounted and are you using mudguards?

In over two years of daily commuting in all weathers, ALL my original lights are still going strong

I use guards and position them where they'll get wet from rain, but not in a spray of water. My bike lights on both my MTBs are also fine, same as my brompton. In fact, now I think about it, I've never killed a rear light. I realise I'm now tempting fate

Commuter is on pannier stay (like the seat stay but more vertical) and mounted at the back of the rack. Another at the back of my rack pack, and another on the back of my lid

MTB have them mounted on the seat stays - PDW something and an Aldi something

Brompton has an Alpkit Tau on the back of the seat

Seatstay mounted as I used a bridgestreet saddle bag that obscures the seatpost. I do use guards, but they're not much use to a light in that position I guess. Maybe my rain is wetter than yours 😉

Where are they mounted and are you using mudguards?

Aye, SKS guards, mounted on seat-tube between seatclamp and seat stay bridge.

If you have a rear light with a rubber cover over the charging port you can greatly increase the water resistance by adding a light smear of thick silicone grease to the inside of the rubber cover. It will seal against the elements and help keep it closed.

The best I've found for this is silicone grease from Maplin which comes in toothpaste tube type packaging. It has the consistency of honey or treacle, so is much thicker and more importantly stickier, than standard bike grease.

I've always found those rubber covers to be a bit of a flaky design which can spoil an otherwise decent light, across many brands. They should really come up with something better.

They should really come up with something better

Knog lights are completely sealed. They have an external USB (male) interface that is part of the bracket.

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@Yak - Nice looking design. Which Knog model is that?

^^ That's a good idea

@woody2000 - I'm in the SE, my rain is probably just less wet

I have a few of the smaller Knog lights. Sadly, I've had a couple where the rubber mount has split and this renders them somewhat useless. Shame as I love the design.

I use Knog Chippy's. just like above, they work great and don't need a separate mount.

Exposure TraceR are also pretty robust. 2 of mine are coming upto 3 years old and are used daily for 60 mins in all weathers.

That's the blinder Mob V four eyes (catchy!)

@benp1 - I'm in Yorkshire, proper rain up here! 🙂

^^ I've got one of these. It's really good. I've had it a year and ridden with it daily and it's lasted better than any light I've had before. Normally I have to replace every 6 months.

It's a KNOG Blinder R70. I got mine in the sale for circa £20 but it's normally more like £40. Even at full price i'd say that it's worth the money. Couldn't recommend it enough.

daern - Member
I have a few of the smaller Knog lights. Sadly, I've had a couple where the rubber mount has split and this renders them somewhat useless. Shame as I love the design.

They've changed the design - they now have a totally replaceable rubber band. The straps of the older ones can be repaired using innertube cutoffs and tube repair glue.

I don't know what that one is. I have a Mob Kid Grid. Quite new though, so I won't comment on durability yet.

Yes as ^, it comes with replaceable bands. Its just the USB end of the bracket that is fixed.

The Blinder R70 and the Mob v Four Eyes differ... the four eyes has 4 equally bright lights, the R70 has 3 little ones and an UBER big one at the bottom...

All the KNOG rear lights seem pretty good though, so pick your brightness or budget and go with that!

i bought a cheap set of knog frog, i was really impressed generally compared to the cheapo chinese ones i'd been using but the rear has only lasted a winter and its developed a glitch (you put batteries in, it flashes once, and thats it).

Lupine Rotlicht.

Lunched mine in the rear wheel. Photo of loose bit to importer, new one in the post.

Really bright and really good.

I'm using a BBB Spark, usually paired up with a bike with mudguards. Now into it's third year of night riding in all weathers.

Moon Shield 60 here, just keeps going, even after several winters!

Moon shield 60 again. Bright and sturdy.

Moon Nebula, happy after ~12 months of ownership.

Lezyne Strip Drive

Very bright, lots of modes (i feel too many but read carefully each mode has diifering approx runtime which vary massively)

USB cap never came off but is just held by friction so I prefer to mount inverted hard up under the seat clamp just to be sure. It mounts with a rubber strap like a laddered O-ring

The good stuff is it seems sturdy and very bright, and just pushes into a USB port to charge.

PDW Aether Demon and Aldi/Moon lights don't seem fazed by foul weather.

Anyone used the "city slicker" rear light from candbseen?

500 lumens (might be a bit overkill!), but it looks sturdy and the replaceable battery is a nice feature.

https://www.candb-seen.co.uk/product-rear-light.html

Another Moon fan here. Shields currently, bombproof. Also, Moon carry a full stock of spares/bits for them should anything go awry.

I always recommend the Lezyne copies available on ebay [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cycling-Bicycle-Bike-Front-Rear-Tail-Light-USB-Rechargeable-3LED-Lamp-4-modes-/253087949620?var=&hash=item3aed37a334:m:m5F1EYo62JWJDLb943uCnFg ]Link[/url] for peanuts (or from China for even less).

They are super bright and I have been using them front and rear on a number of bikes for the last two winters without any issues. Still holding plenty of charge (3 days per week of about 90 mins/day on flash). USB rechargeable so just charge them at my desk at the end of the week. They have been used in all weathers (road and MTB) and are still fine. They can mount on seatpost/bars/stays with the rubber strap (helmets too) or can clip onto bags with the built in clip.I don't see why you would spend more?

Bontrager Flare R City for daytime duties.

For night riding I add a Flare RT to it also.

woody2000 - Member
Anyone used the "city slicker" rear light from candbseen?

500 lumens (might be a bit overkill!),

A 500 lumen rear light would be like repeatedly looking into the flash from a nuclear explosion!

It would (and I'd never use it), thankfully it has some lower settings too 🙂

I think it's possibly a typo to be honest, can't really see how you could get 5 hours run time out an 800mah battery if they really were pumping out 500. 50 maybe?

I've got a cateye rapid x2 front and rear (amongst others) and I'm going to get another one.

Battery lasts ages, totally waterproof so far and bright. Like you I'm also a seatstay lighter due to a carradice SQR bag taking up all of the seatpost, the smart lights aren't sealed well enough to cope with being so close to the wheel.

I do like the look of that knog one though, might give that a look.

I put a Lezyne Chinese copy through the wash last month. Still alright

Got a Exposure trace-r and I can't fault it. So bright I really get a bigger berth from cars.