The first flashing bicycle light ever was made by Cateye in 1964.

They made the first battery-powered headlamp in 1982.

They created the first bicycle headlight with white LEDs in 2001.

And they’ve had other breakthroughs in the bicycle light category. For example, they made their LED lights even more effective with the Opticube lens and reflectors.

Cateye lights is now one of the leading companies in both bicycle lights and bike computers.

They currently have eight different models of bicycle tail lights. Here are some of the more popular models:

TL-LD1100
This Cateye light is their latest model and their brightest tail light thus far. It uses 10 LEDs and uses the Opticube lens technologies which maximizes refractor and lens brightness.

The TL-LD1100 has four different modes: steady, flashing, side-to-side, and random.

Candlepower: 100 cd
Takes two AA batteries
Battery life: flashing: 100hr, constant 50hr
Cost: $49.99

TL-LD610
This Cateye light is slim and bright, with five LEDs. It can be mounted horizontally or vertically. It has the same four modes as the LD1100.

Candlepower: 80 cd
Takes two AAA batteries.
Battery life: flashing: 60hr, constant 30hr
Cost: $18.99

TL-LD150
It has five LEDs for great visibility. And whatever mode you set it to will be the mode it stays on, even after the light is turned off and back on.

Candlepower: 4 cd
Takes two AAA batteries
Battery life: flashing: 90hr, constant 45hr
Cost: $13.93

TL-LD130
This is the model of bicycle tail lights most commonly found. It is exactly the same as the LD150 except that is has three LEDs instead of five. It is still plenty bright but is the most reasonably priced tail light.

Candlepower: 4 cd
Takes two AAA batteries
Battery life: flashing: 150hr, constant 75hr
Cost: $11.99

For more information, including the full line of bike tail lights from Cateye, check out their website:
Cateye Bike Tail Lights.

DiNotte Bicycle Tail Light

There are many bright lights out there, but on forum after forum, riders agree that then hands-down brightest bicycle tail light is made by DiNotte.

In fact, one reviewer said that when he rides on trails, his companions turn off their bike head lights and just use his tail light.

Here are some of the comments that can be found on forums about this light:

‘Incredibly bright…you look like a police car.’
‘EXTREMELY bright. There is no way a car wont see you.’
‘Small light weight, water proof, and most important BRIGHT!
‘VERY bright, good spillbeam’
‘Super bright’
‘ probably the brightest light on the planet’

DiNotte makes two models of their bicycle tail lights. Both have bright red led and a clear diffusing lens. But the 140L model has a single LED whereas the 400R has two.

One LED is still extremely bright, so most people are fine with the 140L model. However one complaint people have is with the mounting system.

The 140L mounts on the seatpost and some people find that they brush the light with their leg as they pedal.

For this reason more than the brightness factor, DiNotte recommends the 400R as an alternative because it has more mounting options.

For more information, see DiNotte’s webpage:
DiNotte 140R. (Click on AA-Pro Series and then the 140R Tail light).

It uses AA batteries (they recommend rechargeable NiMH).

But the DiNotte has a big downside, and that is the price. Whereas some other lights will cost you around $25, the DiNotte is about $125.

A small price to pay considering the amount of safety you get with the world’s brightest bicycle tail light, but if money is a factor, you might consider the Planet Bike instead.

Planet Bike Blinky Superflash Tail Light

This isn’t as bright as the DiNotte, but it is the brightest bicycle tail light you can get for an affordable price.

This light will cost you about $25. It has two LEDs and you can set it for steady or flashing light.

It uses AAA batteries and comes in either red or clear.

Here are some of the comments:

‘extremely bright’
‘ this is a very bright light’
‘ Just got this taillight in the mail a week or so ago and I am still amazed how bright it is!’
‘ Planet Bike has definitely hit a home run with this one…it’s brighter than everything but the DiNotte’

You can find it at Amazon:
Planet Bike Blinky Superflash

So to summarize, if you absolutely want the brightest bicycle tail light out there and money is no object, get the DiNotte. But if you want something pretty good, but at a more reasonable price, the Blinky Superflash is the one to get.

For this reason, it is really, really important to get a bright light. The best way to find a good bike tail light is to read product reviews.

For instance, the Planet Bike Blinky Superflash has 183 five-star reviews. One review said, " This light may actually be too bright for nighttime use, that’s how bright it is."

Other really bright bicycle taillights are ones made by DiNotte. They’re like flood-light bright. But the DiNotte costs about $130 compared to the Planet Bike which is under $25.

Here’s a link to Amazon which has the Planet Bike tail light:

Planet Bike Tail Light (affiliate link; I get a few coins as a thank you for referring you).

Planet Bike Tail Light (non-affiliate link).

Another important feature is to have a flashing option. Just the way people tend to ignore sustained sounds, even if they are loud, people may also ignore a light, even if it is bright.

But a blinking light tends to get noticed better. It could be because it makes us think of something needing attention, like when a light is flashing on the car dashboard. Or it could make us take notice as if it were a police light.

One reviewer said there was a noticeable difference when he put his light in flash mode during the day. Cars stopped passing him in the right lane and gave him more space.

Something else to look for is a decent casing because you don’t want to spend a lot of money for a really good bike tail light, only to have the casing break in the first month when you remove it from your bicycle.

Also make sure that the bike tail light can be seen from the side a little instead of just dead-on. That way you’ll still be seen by cars that are changing lanes into yours, not just those that are coming up to you from the same lane.

That’s why having bicycle tail lights is so important. Bicycles make no noise, unlike cars and motorcycles. So right off the bat, most drivers are not aware of them, even in daylight.

Then add to that darkness which makes it really hard to see bikes, and you’ve got a very sticky situation.

Cars that are heading in your direction are ones that you will see too and have at least a shot of swerving out of the way.

But cars that are behind you are a real problem. They’ll never see your headlight and you won’t see them. So having bicycle tail lights is a no-brainer. It should be part of your standard bike lights.

There are many different things to think about with tail lights for your bike, each with their own advantages/disadvantages.

Solar-Powered Bicycle Tail Lights

There’s a model of light that runs entirely on solar power. The advantage to these lights is that you never have to worry about changing the battery or worry if your light is working or not. It’s also better for the environment since there are no batteries to toss in a landfill.

Power Sources for your Bicycle Tail Lights

There are three main ways that a bike tail light is powered.

• External Battery
  A battery pack is strapped to a horizontal bar, or can sometimes be attached to the water bottle cage. One concern with these types of power sources it that they are easy for others to take.
• Internal Battery
  A standard AA or AAA battery inside the lighting unit prevents theft (although if you remove the whole light and take it with you, this isn’t a concern). If you do go with a cycle tail light that has an internal battery, you’ll be happier with a battery compartment that doesn’t require a screwdriver to open. Also you can use rechargeable AA or AAA batteries and carry spares so you’ll never be without power.
• Dynamos
  These are generators that use the rotation of the wheel to power the cycle tail light. While the environmental advantages are clear, they don’t produce as much power as batteries. They can also cause some drag and wear on the tire.

Flashing Tail Lights

Once a neighbor’s dog was barking for 5 hours before I really noticed it. A steady noise tends to be ignored. The same is true for bike lights. If you want to really be noticed by cars, a flashing light is helpful because it sets you apart from the solid, steady tail lights of cars. A flashing tail light will also lengthen the battery life, sometimes for 4x more life.

Some bike tail lights even have settings for different speeds of flashing.

Visibility

The whole reason for having bicycle tail lights in the first place is so that you are seen by motorists. Some bike lights are more visible than others. For example, some have LEDs on the sides as well as the back so that your bike can be seen if a car is coming at you from an angle.

Water Resistant

Make sure your bike tail light has a rubber seal where water could get in.

Easy Release Mounting

Many cyclists like a quick release so that they can pop off their tail lights and put them in their pockets when they leave the bicycle unattended.

Whatever kind of bicycle tail lights you’re looking for, there are many different brands and types out there, so be sure to do your homework.