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RSP racklight FAIL

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  1. SRD
    Moderator

    So, after my hassles with the last racklight, the kind people at TBC offered me a replacement, which was duly installed with rather a lot of help from Recombodna. Worked absolutely fine everytime until tonight - came out of work and just got slight flicker out of it. Tried the switch many times, undecided if fault was batteries or switch (again). Finally rode home in vile dark weather without lights - since i had somehow come out without either of my emergency rear lights. Nasty day for it.

    Then, at home, thought 'one more try' before I replace batteries, and it fired up perfectly.

    GRRRR.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Min
    Member

    Hmm, it sounds as if those racklights are just a bit pants sadly. :-( I have never managed to revive mine and have been going for a bag mounted light instead.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Roibeard
    Member

    Might want to bite the bullet and get the Cateye equivalent:

    Cateye TL 560

    I picked up three for the flock of Islabikes, and they have a reasonable rack fitting included - Cateye also have a model with a daylight sensor, for a few quid more.

    Didn't fancy the sensor, since I've seen lights that switch off when a car goes past...

    Can't speak to the relative brightness, as I've not seen the RSP, but the TL 560 isn't as bright as my TL 1100, but does have a reflector. The bulky AU100BS is also brighter and does have a reflector, but the TL560 is flatter and thus fits better on a rack - the AU100BS tended to get knocked as it sticks out so far from the rack. The TL560 seems less likely to pop out of the mount than the AU100BS due to a change in design - only the lens comes off to change the batteries, rather than the whole innards coming out.

    I'm sure others will have the opposite experience, but I've found the Cateyes to survive commuting in Edinburgh very well - no showstopping water ingress and mostly survive the cobbles. One did fall off about 5 years ago, but since then they've stayed put!

    Robert

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. SRD
    Moderator

    Yes, but I have yet to find another light that will go on back of Helios!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Smudge
    Member

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-rear-carrier-mounting/ maybe? I have one on the back of the Surly and (touches wood) it's held onto the generic cateye led back light so far...

    (other retailers are of course available, just the first I found on a quick web search)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. SRD
    Moderator

    thanks smudge. i like that it comes with cable ties...which is probably what I would have to do.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Smudge
    Member

    Lol, hadn't noticed that, mine is bolted to the rack, I *think* it came with the fixing bolts but couldn't swear to it.. if not I'm sure the spares box would yield something :-)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    If you have the mount holes on your rack to bolt on a light, I can recommend this Torch 3 LED Tailbright. It's very simple, it's on, or off. I have had one on my hybrid for two years, only changed batteries once. Reliable, simple, cheap.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. Instography
    Member

    I've had one of these on the rack on my tourer for a couple of weeks now. No sign of detaching itself and it's been working fine.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Smudge
    Member

    Good to see more variety available these days :)

    Always makes me laugh though when people say things like "visible up to 500m away", when for example tests proved many years ago that in a dark enough area a lit cigarette could be seen from an aircraft*

    *not that I'd recommend a cigarette as a taillight...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. LaidBack
    Member

    I did post earlier on this but for some reason it didn't show.

    Yes... very disappointing you've all had bad time with these lights. I use a lot and have been ok but they are maybe prone to water ingress around switch (yes.. I know should be 100% waterproof). Other RSP lights seem good so thought these would be too.

    Yes - Cateye have adaptor. 'Also used B+M lights but they can be rattly and weren't any brighter than RSP.

    Rack bag light (eg Cherry Bomb) is good as it stays dry and warm with your bag but it is nice to have reflector and light in one if it works.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    Earlier post de-spammed

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4574#post-48615

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. SRD
    Moderator

    thanks all for the tips. will have a look and a try. blackburn rack does't have holes/plate but am sure some o those can be made to fit....

    I just want a reliable, bright light that I don't have to worry about, especially with the bairns on board.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. kaputnik
    Moderator

    @SRD if you want I've got a selection of old rear light / rack mounting components if you wanted to see if they help in the attachment of lights?

    Other option is to get something like a Stinger that attaches with a built-in rubber band thing around the seatpost. It's very bright for a secondary light.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. Smudge
    Member

    Maybe get a local fabricator to do a 2min alloy welding job? Then bolt on the light of choice to your new mounting plate!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. SRD
    Moderator

    Thanks kaputnik. i may take you up on that.

    Seatpost mount doesn't work on tandem - i have one for emergencies if I'm solo, but (1) stoker blocks it (2) I want something on the very back!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. kaputnik
    Moderator

    P.S. never underestimate the power and usefullness of the cable tie for attaching lights in weird places!

    Also you could try getting hands on a stay-mounted reflector and using that fittings to mount a light on the stay?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. crowriver
    Member

    Busch & Muller do a rather nice carrier mount for racks that don't have bolt holes. Might work with your rack if it doesn't have a solid top plate...

    Then just bolt whatever light you like to it.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. Instography
    Member

    You could make a mounting plate from some metal or even thin plywood (I have acres of 5mm ply cluttering my garage from the canoe I never built. If you send me the sizes, I'll cut and post a bit). Use Kaputnik's fabled cable ties to attach it to your rack and then attach a light to that.

    Must say, I think the back of a rack is a perfect spot for a light. Just about eye level for your average driver.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. Instography
    Member

    @crowriver
    That's a neat looking little thing. Would fit the lightweight rack I plan to attach to the On One Pompino frame that's also cluttering my garage.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. LaidBack
    Member

    Neve knew about b+M mount - though it wouldn't work with childseat maybe.

    SRD - have you thought of these bar ends lights for tandem? Could work well as stoker bars point back when child uses them?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. crowriver
    Member

    If, in the end, you can't get a carrier fitting light to work, then there is an alternative: a mudguard tail light. Depends what kind of mudguards you have: if a bolt or rivet can be removed in the right place, a light like this is easy to fit.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. Dave
    Member

    SRD - for the benefit of those who haven't seen it, what's the problem exactly? The rack just doesn't have mounting holes at the back?

    Could you/someone attach a light to the back of the child seat instead (by drilling holes 50 or 80mm apart that would then take a standard rack light)?

    As a last resort (short of manufacturing something specific), it is possible to fit seat stay lights to a rack if you first bolster it with old inner tube / duck tape etc., but it's not as neat.

    I've used the pannier rack adapter before (I don't think I still have it though, but I'll take a look). It worked well enough.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. steveo
    Member

    I'm just finishing my light for the child seat, single hight powered emitter and some epoxy with the batteries in a waterproof box underneath.

    I did wonder about epoxying a cherry bomb or the light straight to the seat but figured the flash patter at that height would be tres annoying.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Smudge
    Member

    I position my cherry bombs specifically to be tres annoying, the only way to sink into some drivers consciousness!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. thebikechain
    Member

    Well that is annoying.

    Swing in for a refund if you like and you can keep the light anyway. I will take it up with RSP and kick someone in the nuts for your hassle.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. SRD
    Moderator

    Thanks tbc - will accept if the refund comes from RSP (no idea how these things work between suppliers and dealers).

    @Dave - have light on childseat - which looks great above the racklight, when that is working! But childseat not always on bike.

    Others - thanks for the even more suggestions!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. wingpig
    Member

    I got round the pannier-or-(Co-Pilot)-childseat-versus-rear-light problem by sticking a light on a bit of plastic tubing attached to the rack (and therefore technically interchangeable between racks/bikes) and protruding as far back as the rearmost portion of the mudguard. At the moment it's only hosting a CatEye TL-AU100BS but the improved version will hopefully accommodate a couple by sitting at a more seat-stay-ish angle than the current slightly-off-horizontal version.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. LaidBack
    Member

    wingpig I got round the pannier-or-(Co-Pilot)-childseat-versus-rear-light problem by sticking a light on a bit of plastic tubing attached to the rack

    Interesting creative approaches! All thanks of course to Blackburn not actually meeting the demand of people who may have wanted to have a removable seat and have a place to put light and reflector.

    In case of Helios tandem a mudguard light may have been an answer but due to frame geometry it would point up too much I think. And doesn't solve the reflector question which at least the RSP does when not lit.

    Hub lighting has been fitted to one of my recent sales. Only a small B+M toplight would fit without getting in way of seat.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. SRD
    Moderator

    Somehow got my rsp rack light working again. Put new batteries in and discovered that if I take off the cover, flick the switch a few times, and then recover, it usually stays on most of the way home. Haven't subjected it to heavy rain yet though

    Posted 12 years ago #

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