When Marcos Netto, TN Outside‘s Southern Hemisphere Correspondent, saw my recent article describing how I mounted a taillight on my helmet, he thought he had a better idea. He was right, too. Which is a Very Good Thing, since, sadly, the roads of Brazil are no less dangerous for cyclists than those in the USA. Here’s how Marcos made the case for his dual-light setup:

A pair of Cateye TL-LD130 (in red or white) will work as well as, or better than, the model suggested on your article. They’re lighter and if one fails you still have the other. I have had them on my Giro Havoc helmet for two years, and have recharged the AAA NiMH batteries only a few times. These lights are the same I use on the handlebars and on the rear fender, so if one of those goes dead I can swap it for a helmet light. The Cateye 130 has a neat package. The handlebar bracket can be used in the helmet, too. It also comes with a clip holder that can be attatched to almost any part of the bike or to a backpack, on clothing, or where have you. The only modification I’d suggest is to wrap the seam with electrical tape to keep moisture out, because Cateye’s seal doesn’t work at all well.

And here’s what Marcos’ twin Cateyes look like when they’re in place and ready for duty:

Another view now, showing how the brackets are fixed to the helmet:

As you can see, the Cateye mounts’ hose clamp-like fittings will adapt easily to the vent configuration in just about any helmet—not to mention your seatpost or handlebars.

Nor does that exhaust the possibilities. The LD0130s also come with handy clip mounts for clothing and bags, as this picture of Marcos’ Topeak handlebar bag demonstrates:

My conclusion? It’s no contest. Marcos’ dual-light setup trumps effort in every way. It’s versatile, lightweight, inexpensive, and cheap to operate. What more could you want? OK. Better weather sealing wouldn’t go amiss. But a few inches of electrical tape will take care of that. So what’s stopping you? Light up! (A cautionary word: Local traffic laws often dictate the colors of taillights you can legally display on your bike. It’s wise to check before you order.

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