I mounted a taillight on my bike as soon as I got it, and the light I chose—a Cateye that combines a CPSC reflector and three LEDs—has served me well. A progenitor of the current Cateye TI-LD560, it’s weatherproof, bright enough to get noticed even in daytime, and remarkably sparing in the demands it makes on the AAA cells that power it. (Farwell commuted for three years in all weathers using the same light, and he remembers having to change batteries only once.) That said, there’ve been times I wished it was brighter: in dense fog, for instance, or during sudden, unexpected snow squalls.

So, not long ago, I found myself placing an order for a Portland Design Works Radbot 1000, widely touted as one of the brightest taillights now on the market. And here it is:

The Radbot’s the one on the left, next to my old, and somewhat weathered, Cateye. I’ve mounted it next to the Cateye on my LHT‘s rear rack. You can’t be too visible, however. That’s why my lefthand rear pannier also sports an inexpensive blinkie clipped to a handy tab on the back pocket, not to mention a reflective safety triangle. I think it makes for a pretty impressive display:

Of course, it’s one thing for a light to stand out in the dark, another for it to turn heads during the day. But the Radbot does that, too, particular in flare (“cornea blitz,” in adspeak) mode:

Nor is that all. The Radbot is a reflector as well as a light, though it doesn’t claim to meet CPSC standards. Still, every little bit helps. And my Cateye does incorporate a CPSC reflector, so that requirement is already covered. Bottom line? I’ve only had the Radbot for a couple of weeks, but it’s looking mighty good. Drivers really do seem to take notice, and the delayed-action switch—it has to be held down for a second or two before shutting off or turning on—keeps it from going dark whenever I hit a pothole, something that I gather can be a problem with other lights (not the Cateye, however). All in all, I’m impressed with my new light. In fact, it’s totally rad.

 
Send a Comment