Brake Sensing Taillights - Useful Feature or Gimmick?
#1
Craigslist Addict
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 21
Bikes: Zipp 2001, Specialized Roubaix, Felt FA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
2 Posts
Brake Sensing Taillights - Useful Feature or Gimmick?
I'm curious what people's thoughts are on brake sensing bike tail lights. They seem to becoming more popular even on lower cost tail lights, but I'm still undecided if they are useful features or just a marketing gimmick.
I've used two lights that have the feature, Magicshine Seemee 60 and the Lupine Rotlicht. Both lights seem to implement them differently though: Magichshine switches to a high power flashing mode while Lupine goes to a high power solid mode.
CONS
I've used two lights that have the feature, Magicshine Seemee 60 and the Lupine Rotlicht. Both lights seem to implement them differently though: Magichshine switches to a high power flashing mode while Lupine goes to a high power solid mode.
CONS
- Unpredictable battery life as you are running different modes
- Sensitivity of sensors seems to trigger feature on potholes or bumps
- Less control of mode, which may be a downside when riding in a group
- Improves visibility maybe (any studies to confirm this?)
- Adds some variability to the light output
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18319 Post(s)
Liked 4,487 Times
in
3,337 Posts
My thoughts on brake lights and turn signals are that they don't help a lot.
If you use flashers, then they would naturally confound sensitivity to other lights.
My goal is to BE SEEN, and I hope drivers react appropriately no matter whether I'm going steady, slowing, or at a stop light.
Perhaps glove lights??? But, I also pay attention to traffic before making sudden changes across traffic lanes.
If you use flashers, then they would naturally confound sensitivity to other lights.
My goal is to BE SEEN, and I hope drivers react appropriately no matter whether I'm going steady, slowing, or at a stop light.
Perhaps glove lights??? But, I also pay attention to traffic before making sudden changes across traffic lanes.
#3
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times
in
1,574 Posts
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,879
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 521 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times
in
179 Posts
Who will interpret what your light means?
This has been discussed here before and fairly recently. The problem as I see it is motorists are not going to interpret your dinky little stop light to mean anything. If you follow the progression of brake lights from antique cars to modern vehicles, they got bigger and bigger, brighter and brighter over the years. The DOT even added a requirement for a third brake light in the center and higher than the regular two brake lights. We know what a brake light means on a vehicle because it is always in the same location and the concept has been in use for about a century.
Likes For VegasTriker:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: midwest
Posts: 2,528
Bikes: 2018 Roubaix Expert Di2, 2016 Diverge Expert X1
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 482 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times
in
105 Posts
I prefer my rear light flashing constantly in the daylight, and on constantly at night. I think that and using a hi-output light will get you noticed the most.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: midwest
Posts: 2,528
Bikes: 2018 Roubaix Expert Di2, 2016 Diverge Expert X1
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 482 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times
in
105 Posts
Good idea, Or at least a some significantly noticeable change in pattern. Don't know how that would work at night though. Guess brighter like a car would be a good cue for a driver.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times
in
1,122 Posts
A friend of mine has a B&M taillight that works a a brake light, he likes it and from what I have seen it works reliably. But, it is a dyno powered light, the brake function is activated when the light senses that the dynohub is slowing, which is a reliable way of knowing if you are slowing down.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: San Diego
Posts: 704
Bikes: 1978 Bruce Gordon, 1977 Lippy, 199? Lippy tandem, Bike Friday NWT, 1982 Trek 720, 2012 Rivendell Atlantis, 1983 Bianchi Specialissima?
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 345 Post(s)
Liked 170 Times
in
105 Posts
A friend of mine has a B&M taillight that works a a brake light, he likes it and from what I have seen it works reliably. But, it is a dyno powered light, the brake function is activated when the light senses that the dynohub is slowing, which is a reliable way of knowing if you are slowing down.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times
in
1,122 Posts
I sure reacted, my friend is riding along maybe 8 or 10 feet in front of me, and he says, let me know if my light gets brighter. Then he brakes hard and I had no warning that he was going to jump on the brakes, I almost crashed into him.
#12
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,361 Times
in
1,380 Posts
I think it's a gimmick that could give you a warm fuzzy feeling which might prove to be unjustified. If a motorist is tailgating you close enough that he might crash into you, get out of the way. A taillight isn't the way to keep him away. So the braking feature might even be worse than useless.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Likes For noglider:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18319 Post(s)
Liked 4,487 Times
in
3,337 Posts
One thing to consider. When cars are moving 50 MPH, and bikes are moving 10 MPH, the bikes are ALWAYS stopped with respect to the cars.
Moving faster, slower, or actually taking your foot off the pedal really doesn't matter.
If a car can't react to a bike going from slow to slower... then they are following way too close.
Moving faster, slower, or actually taking your foot off the pedal really doesn't matter.
If a car can't react to a bike going from slow to slower... then they are following way too close.
Likes For CliffordK:
#14
Senior Member
I'm curious what people's thoughts are on brake sensing bike tail lights. They seem to becoming more popular even on lower cost tail lights, but I'm still undecided if they are useful features or just a marketing gimmick.
I've used two lights that have the feature, Magicshine Seemee 60 and the Lupine Rotlicht. Both lights seem to implement them differently though: Magichshine switches to a high power flashing mode while Lupine goes to a high power solid mode.
I've used two lights that have the feature, Magicshine Seemee 60 and the Lupine Rotlicht. Both lights seem to implement them differently though: Magichshine switches to a high power flashing mode while Lupine goes to a high power solid mode.
I agree with Vegastriker that many motorists don't expect a brake light function from a bike It is useful for other bikers, and anyone (even a motorist) who pays attention to the surroundings can notice it (and should connect it with a braking function). IMO: no harm done, but i don't know whether it is always useful.
additional con of the Lupine Rotlicht:
That g sensor is sensitive to rougher bumps as well (and if used on the "high sensitivity" mode, that light is basically all the time in max brightness. It is ok in the lowest sensitivity mode). I use the rotlicht with the pulsing mode (on the second lowest level)
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've seen several designs on patent websites in Canada and USA. Using a logic board limits the choice of materials and functions. I use an analog interface with my bike trailer - four switches on the bike connect via two cables to a wallet card-sized interface board. Any failed part that is obsolete is succeeded by a new circuit board. To date, all original parts in my bike trailer's electrical system are still working, 32 years after I invented it.