Hurray for Planet Bike.
I've liked PB for a long time, and now they've done something I've been wanted them to do for a long time: include a rack-mount with a tail-light. It's really a no brainer--if you've got a rear carrier on your bike, then the only good place to put your tail-light is the back of your rack.
The Rack Blinky 5 comes packaged with rack-mount in addition to the seatpost mount. The rack-mount is also available seperately, as it has been in the past.
Hurray for Planet Bike!
PS for the rest of us:
This seemingly insignificant change makes the lives of your mechanic and your local bike shop's inventory staff just a bit easier, and saves you a few bucks. Both are good for you!
PS for the bikey folks (i.e. not "the rest of us"):
The rack-mount is versatile, too, allowing use of either the vertical (a la Blackburn, et al.) or horizontal (a la European, Planet Bike racks, and most others) two bolt patterns. I've also successfully bolted the mount to fenders made by Planet Bike and SKS.
5 comments:
I just purchased a Planet Bike Super Flash "Stealth" blinky and they did not include a rack mount. (They did include a seat stay mount along with a seatpost mount.) For me, it's not necessary for a couple of reasons.
1) My kid's rack-mounted child safety seat uses a plastic locking piece securing the seat exactly where I'd be mounting a rack-mounted blinky. (BTW, the Topeak Baby Seat is the best!)
2) My Bell Metro helmet has a tab on the rear where you can slide in a blinky. (BTW, Bell has discontinued the Metro and enhance their lower level Citi helmet.)
I plan on using my new Super Flash on the back of my head and put my old blinky (Blackburn) on the seattube.
I will say that the Super Flash is amazingly bright. It uses a 1/2 watt red led that can easily be seen during the brightest time of the day. I'm looking forward to mounting the new 1 watt Blaze on the front as well. It will be nice to be seen!
Right-on, DCD. Interesting news about the Citi and Metro helmets. I dig my Citi (though I enhanced it with extra refective material).
My personal feeling is that more lights are better, but that if you have only one, it should be mounted on the bike, so that it maintains a proper and consistent orientation. I've seen a lot of folks with lights attached to courrier bags or backpacks that are close to invisible, with the light misdirected.
Oops, I meant to say:
Thanks DCD for the review of the Super Flash. I don't have one, but I've heard the same good things from others.--d
I'd be happy to update the review with my thoughts on my 1 watt Blaze which should be arriving any day now.
I've been going toward brighter and brigher lights to insure that I'm seen by traffic while riding during the day. With night contrast, I don't have this problem. However, I've found more and more cars have trouble spotting me during broad daylight. Perhaps the mile-visible headlight will help.
a remote switch you could mount on the handlebars or the top tube of the frame and this light would be PERFECT.
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