Skipjacks

Does anyone have any experience with the Cygolite Hotrod 50?

This one...
https://www.rei.com/product/895618/c...ear-bike-light

It's the perfect size and shape for mounting to my helmet. That's what I'm looking to do.

I have the much brighter Hotshot 150 mounted lower on my rear rack. I love that light. I'm pretty sure you could still see it if you were standing on the surface of the Sun....and blind.

I don't need that much brightness up higher on my helmet. But I want to know if this 50 lumen light is clearly visible and a good 'be seen' light in daylight hours.

I just tested the Hotrod 50 at REI and it's definitely bright. It's just hard to tell in darker store lighting if a light will be good outside in the sun.

Keep in mind that my Hotshot 150 on the rear rack is doing the heavy lifting for getting me noticed. At it's about 3 feet off the ground so it's just below eye level for most seated car drivers. I just want that extra boost up at my head height as an added attention getting.

Is the Hotrod 50 bright enough or will it dissapear in sunlight?

noglider 

I guess I don't have anything useful to say except that I have a Hotrod, and it seems OK, but I've barely used it so far. We can keep in touch if you like. Sorry I can't help yet.

TimothyH

I own a Hotrod 50 and use it as part of a lighting system.

The Hotrod 50 sits on the non-drive side seat stay, down low near the hub and stays on SteadyPulse mode all the time, whenever I ride, day or night. SteadyPulse mode is a repeated cycle of about 1 second steady followed by three very short flashes, repeat. I can confirm that runtime in SteadyPulse mode is at least 6 hours. It has been in use about six months on pavement and some pretty rough gravel rides. Seems well constructed.

I feel it is bright enough for daytime and very visible during the day but it is not my only light.

I also have an Axiom (performance house brand) Pulse 60 on the seatpost as my main light - flashing during the day and steady at night and use a Light @ Motion Vis 360+ helmet mount with rear facing red light when I ride at night. The idea is to have low, middle and high mounted lights, all three, forming a system which works together.

One thing I like about the Hotrod 50 is that it provides some side visibility.


-Tim-

Skipjacks

Not to bring up on threads, but some feedback on the Hotrod 50 light for anyone in the market...

I got one of these over the weekend and it's a really nice light. I use it in conjunction with the Cygolite Hotshot 150.

The 150 is MUCH brighter but is focused straight back with a narrow cone. If you're directly behind me I know for a factor you can see that light blinking form a half mile back in broad daylight. At night, it's probably visable from 2 miles away. But it has no projection laterally at all.

The Hotrod 50 is definately dimmer, but it's still visible in daylight. And it's easily seen from at least 45 degrees+ off the sides. So it gives me some lateral "LOOK AT ME, CAR DRIVERS" as well.

With the 2 working together it's a nice set up. I have the 150 blinking slowly but makes you look at it. And I have the 50 blinking faster so it holds your attention once the 150 draws your eye to the bike. Plus the additional viewability from the sides makes me feel much better.

At night, the 50 by itself it enough. The 150 is overkill. (But I still leave it on)

Dunbar

At night I use the 150 in the continuous mode with the brightness turned way down. I have a second ~$10 rechargeable flashing light I use in conjunction with the 150 at night. During the day I’ll use the 150 in one of the flashing modes (it’s super bright.) You really do have to strike the balance between bright enough during the day, and overkill at night, or resign yourself to using different lights for different lighting conditions.

Skipjacks

That's what I like about my new set up.

I'm VERY visible during the day.

At night I can just leave the Hotrod 50 on by itself and be plenty noticable. Unless i'ts raining or foggy or something then boom...I've got the 150 ready to light up the night.

Falchoon

I have a Hotrod as well and the only real slight negative is the mounting bracket/strap doesn't have a wedge to it to space the light out so it sits at 90 degree angle when mounted on seatpost or seatstays. The similiar looking $10 light that I bought from Fasttech does, but it's not as bright as the Hotrod, even though it's "claimed" to be 120 lm vs Hotrod 50 lm.

The mounting bracket/strap is different on the cheap light - one screw attaches the rubber bracket/strap to the light and allows it to swivel vertically or horizontally, whereas on the Hotrod there is just a "ladder" rubber strap that attaches to tabs on the side of the light so you pretty much have to mount it vertically.

Garfield Cat

The "extra boost at the head" doesn't mean you're head is safer. Or that a different vertical light is any better than what you have with the Hotshot 150, right where its at.

The 3 feet above the ground and eye level of cars: your hotshot 150 has an adjustable angle vertical. That would be ok.

Why not go two Hotshots instead of the Hotrod as a second light? Skip the helmet light and adjust the second Hotshot vertical angle. You want a car a quarter of a mile away to begin to notice you anyways.

That second Hotshot doesn't have to be the 150 either. That way you have two very good lights blinking at different intervals.

If safety is a higher priority than the seat bag, then both Hotshots should be on the seat post. One slightly angled towards traffic and the other straight.