Two Rear LED Bike Lights - A joint CPF Review

[jch79]

Pieter - that's very interesting! :shrug: Who'da thunk it?

Hopefully other people are aware of it, and know to either find the US-version, or are as handy as you, and can fix it with the zip tie (which, BTW are some of the most useful things to have around!)

john

 

[greenLED]

Welcome to CPF! That looks like the SuperFlash indeed:
http://www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk/public/index.php/product/LAM317R.html

The difference in backplate color and your note about the crappy bracket makes me think they might be made by different companies? We've had a single report of the SF falling off the bracket. Or maybe "Smart" is a re-branded, cheap version?

 

[PWBotha]

Hi,

Actually Green, I have taken a look at the photos of the bracket at: http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3107.html and it's exactly the same as mine as is the clip on the light. I originally based my assumption on the photo posted in this thread but I stupidly did not realize the light clip was attached to the light bracket and now that also looks exactly the same as mine.

BTW, I said before that the rear casing of the light is black. it's actually smoked see through or whatever you call it

Can I just also add that the 3 lights flash at the same time and not independently as I think I have read before.

I have just noticed this Smart thing has been mentioned in that MTBR thread which includes a link to another online supplier in the UK.
I do actually think the superflash is amazingly bright and I expect it to be reliable. I have submerged it in water and put it under running water both for several minutes and it still worked the way that it should.

Have you lot seen this yet:http://www.cateye.co.jp/tlhtml/slld200.html ?
I really have to get my hands on a few. It's powered by solar and that shake power thing.

JCH, yeah I often find a use for zip ties. I have plenty on my bicycle.
Thanks for the welcome Green. I have actually been lucking for a few years, since the end of 2003 or something.

Can I just say that I went to take photos of my light and the camera broke. Otherwise I would have posted photos of the thing.

Sorry for my childish writing style.

Bye.

 

[Trashman]

Glad I happend to find this thread the other day. I purchased a Super Flash and the thing kicks major heiny. It didn't readily attach to the spot where my old one sits, right in the middle of my rear carry rack, so I mounted it to the left post on the rack. I'm now debating if I want to to add another to the other side, to balance it off. I'm really, really, really lovin' it. Thanks guys!

 

[jch79]

:wave: Trashman! Glad you're likin' it! :thumbsup:

On a separate note, a friend biked over to my house the other night, and he had the Blackburn Mars blinker - it was a pretty impressive little light, and I took out the SuperFlash and did some comparing on the wall. The SuperFlash still takes the department of better visibility from behind, however the Mars had great side visibility, thanks to a yellow-orange LED on each side.

Overall, I thought the Mars was a great little light, with simple and usefull features! :thumbsup:

john

 

[varuscelli]

Of course, now that there's a Cateye TL-LD1100 out, it might be interesting to see how that one fits into the mix.

I'd have to guess that with the TL-LD1100 version coming out, perhaps Cateye won't be producing the TL-LD1000 any more, and once those are gone off vendor shelves, the 1100 will be the one that's available. (Just guessing, but that would fit common manufacturing/vendor selling patterns.)

I've got the Planet Bike Super Flash and the Cateye TL-LD1000 (and have been using them at the same time on one bike)...but I hear some good things about the improved Cateye TL-LD1100 and how much brighter it is than its predecessor.

 

[greenLED]

I wonder if it'd be possible to swap the SuperFlash's optic for a wide-angle optic. That would take care of the sideway visibility issue (which I still think it's pretty decent, all things considered).

 

[greenLED]

ahem... double-tap.

 

[jch79]

I wonder if it'd be possible to swap the SuperFlash's optic for a wide-angle optic. That would take care of the sideway visibility issue (which I still think it's pretty decent, all things considered).

Hmmm... :thinking:

I've never disassembled mine - have you? That's a very cool idea, and might be one worth exploring! :thumbsup:

john

 

[greenLED]

I've never disassembled mine - have you?

I've "accidentally" dropped it to see if it'd break, but so far the only thing's that flown off is the battery compartment thingy. I just took a peak and it looks like the stock optic is somehow welded onto the red acrylic. :thinking:

 

[Szemhazai]

You can try - today I get 15 o them :devil: And the first thing that I was trying to do was dismounting... Battery holder I precisely glued (on whole perimeter) to the red part of the case and it impossible to dismount it without destroying it

On days I will get the new CatEye EL610 and I'm going to post review of both lamps and EL600 to.

 

[greenLED]

You can try - today I get 15 o them :devil: And the first thing that I was trying to do was dismounting... Battery holder I precisely glued (on whole perimeter) to the red part of the case and it impossible to dismount it without destroying it

On days I will get the new CatEye EL610 and I'm going to post review of both lamps and EL600 to.

We need pics of the guts, and more of the comparisons!
:thanks:

 

[jch79]

Cool! Keep us up to date, Szemhazai! :thumbsup:

john

 

[alexlockhart]

I wonder if it'd be possible to swap the SuperFlash's optic for a wide-angle optic. That would take care of the sideway visibility issue (which I still think it's pretty decent, all things considered).

A guy over on bikecurrent did this - see: http://lists.topica.com/lists/bikecurrent/read/message.html?mid=812891870

I've never disassembled mine - have you? That's a very cool idea, and might be one worth exploring! :thumbsup:
. . .
I've "accidentally" dropped it to see if it'd break, but so far the only thing's that flown off is the battery compartment thingy. I just took a peak and it looks like the stock optic is somehow welded onto the red acrylic. :thinking:
. . .
We need pics of the guts, and more of the comparisons!

About 2 months ago, I was riding my friend's bike with a dodgy kickstand, and I took it on the bus, and when I got off, it was dark and rainy. I parked the bike on the curb, turned back to fold up the bike rack on the bus, and the bike fell over towards the bus. I caught it just before it hit the ground, and my Superflash (which I had mounted on the rack, using its seatpost mount) fell off. I didn't notice, the bus drove off, and then I saw about 100 pieces of Superflash in the road - the bus had run right over it. I picked them all up and put them in my bag, and was very glad for my extra little helmet blinky as I rode home.

So now I have a bunch of mangled Superflash guts, which I've played with a bit. The big Nichia LED lights when I apply power, but I can't make anything else happen. I bought another one, and thought about mounting it more securely, but my bike has a great kickstand and never falls over, so maybe it's fine. Anyway...tomorrow night when I get home I'll take pictures of all my mangled Superflash guts, for your modding pleasure.

I also think it would be a great idea to pop in an elliptical optic on it, but since I'm building a taillight with a red-orange Cree and elliptical optic, powered by my main battery, which will be far brighter than the Superflash could ever be, it will soon be relegated to being my backup helmet-mounted blinky, and I'll be perfectly happy with it in stock form.

Alex

 

[Szemhazai]

Small teaser...

 

[jch79]

oo:

 

[Darell]

Well thanks to you intrepid explorers, and this thread, I bought a couple of the super flashes...and they're dreamy! Really the only thing I'd fix at this point is that dang clip. These things have to have more secure clips! If I clip it onto the strap on the back of my seat bag, it just goes flying when I cross railroad tracks or similar. One ride, I had to go back for it three times. The good news is that nothing broke, and it was easy to find.

I've started to slip an Oring over the front lens and around to capture the scooped part of the clip after it passes through the strap it is clipped to. It works OK, but is an annoying kluge. I can' think of several ways to make this clip better without adding much expense. The one place where this clip seems to work perfectly is on the back of my helmet - since my head presses against the back of the clip, the light isn't going anywhere before my head comes off.

 

[greenLED]

I'm starting to wonder about those clips. The one on my bike is rock solid, and yet we have other units with flimsy clips. :shrug:

 

[Darell]

I'm starting to wonder about those clips. The one on my bike is rock solid, and yet we have other units with flimsy clips. :shrug:

If definitely depends on what you clip it to. If it goes onto something somewhat thick,and the clip is allowed to "close" over it, it is pretty secure. But if ou clip it to a pocket of a bag where the clip is held "open" by the material, it comes right back out too easily. I think both helmets and bikes should have universal light brackets (just like all cars should have universal cargo bar anchors). I'll never happen, but I can dream.

 

[greenLED]

Oh, I see what you're saying! I've never clipped it to anything but the stock mount under my seat. That's probably why I've never had a problem. Yes, I agree, the short clip wouldn't "grab" onto a whole lot of other things.