Cateye TL-LD500-R LED Bicycle Tail and Safety Light (Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I really wanted a tail light that I wouldn't have to screw around with taking it on and off the bike when I left the bike locked up somewhere. This was the only light (didn't buy it through amazon, but same model number on the box - TL-LD500-R) I could find, having visited 3 different bike shops, that would attach directly to the back of my bike rack - in my case a Topeak Explorer bike rack.
I found other lights that had a quick release system that would let you attach the light to the bike rack, but this was the only one that attached directly an wasn't easy to take off. Assuming your rack has a (for lack of a better term) hangy down thing to attach something to in the back, you just take the screw, screw it through the hole, and into the body of this tail light.
1. You don't have to unscrew it to change the batteries, you use a coin to pop it open to change the batteries. I suppose someone could pop it open and steal the batteries if they wanted, but I don't leave my bike in *that* sketchy of areas.
2. It's not impossible to get the light off again if you have a screw driver or the right wrench, but it takes some work - enough work for me to not worry about someone stealing it because they walked by and thought "hey, I could use one of those!"
3. Because it's bolted directly on, you don't have to worry about the light flying off when you hit a bump or something (which I've had other tail light do).
My only complaint is I wish it had more than 2 modes (steady on, or blinky).
EDIT: I wanted to add that one thing I'm not fond of on this light is the blinky mode - the light just isn't on long enough in blinky mode. I can imagine someone glancing over at just the wrong time and completely missing seeing the light on. It might be on, at most, half the time. I greatly prefer the blinky mode of the Planet Bike Rack Blinky - it's actually on like 90% of the time, but turns off just long enough to be attention getting.
I run them side by side (the cateye on steady, the planet bike one on blinky mode) so it's cool for my setup. And the planet bike rack blinky slides into a mount, so unfortunately it doesn't attach directly to the rack like the cateye light does. But I would prefer the Planet Bike Rack Blinky blink mode - it's easier to see.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cateye TL-LD500-R LED Bicycle Tail and Safety Light (Red)

This three red-LED tail light offers a constant mode and flashing mode. Powered by two AAA batteries, the light offers up to 100 hours of run time in flashing mode and 50 hours in constant mode. It mounts easily to any seat post or handlebar. A clothing clip is also included.
About Cateye Founded in 1946 in Osaka, Japan, CatEye is the leading manufacturer of cycle computers, lights, and reflectors to cyclists in the world. In 1964, CatEye was the first in the industry to create a flashing lamp for bicycles, followed by their first battery headlamp in 1982, and the very first bicycle head lamp using white LEDs in 2001. The company's Opticube lens and reflectors make the brightest and most efficient LED headlights. while their LD500 remains the only rear safety light that can meet the rigorous CPSC standards for reflectivity.

Get 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Cateye TL-LD500-R LED Bicycle Tail and Safety Light (Red)