Customer Reviews

Blackburn Mars 3.0 Flasher Rear Bicycle Light

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

First impressions often lead to purchases which the passage of time reveals as mistaken. Such was the case with this light. True, it is very bright and well constructed to resist the elements. Then, the defects emerge.

Firstly, the batteries must rather laboriously be changed by removing three tiny screws, which although ensuring a tight seal in wet weather, are also prone to becoming lost or simply cross-threaded with repeated use. Use this light on a daily basis and it will deplete the batteries fairly quickly, whereupon one must fetch the small screwdriver and take out the little screws, taking care that they don't roll off the counter and disappear forever.

The second design defect of note is the brittle plastic attachment clip. Mine finally snapped under the stress of routine use, owing to the manufacturer's befuddling choice of an inferior yogurt container-type of plastic.

If you ride a lot and want dependable gear, I suggest Planet Bike's stuff, which exhibits a comparable level of operating performance but much better design.

I recently bought a bike with intentions of riding home from work in the evenings. Since winter is approaching, I wanted a rear light to ensure I will be seen when the light gets dim. HOLY MOLEY! The only way I won't get noticed is if I forget to turn it on.

Don't turn this light on while looking directly at it. The Mars 3.0 comprises of seven super bright LED lights. The front is lit by five red lights with three at the top, one in the center and one at the bottom. Each side has an orange light each for side visibility.

If the brightly lit Mars 3.0 in steady mode doesn't get enough attention, you can choose between flash and chase modes. The batteries will last about 50 hours in steady mode or 150 hours in the other modes.

The Mars 3.0 requires 2 AAA batteries. Installing the batteries requires a small screw driver and some patience. Once the three tiny screws are removed, pulling the back off can be challenging. It may be a bit difficult to complete the task, but the light is water resistant as a result.

The light includes a seat post mount, but it is not required. The back of the light has a clip that could be used for attaching it to a belt, or backpack. Even though I have other options, I prefer to keep it mounted on my bike.

PROS:

Water resistant design

Super bright

Attention getting

Long battery life

CONS:

Changing batteries is difficult

I started biking to work this past fall, and boy is it dark! I needed a rear-flasher. I had seen another review on the little Mars 3.0, saying that the battery life was very-very long. Good enough for me. Then I saw it in person - WOW! this little guy is bright! That sold me on it.

It comes in 3 modes: Steady, Flashing & Disco (those are my words for it). You can lay a light pattern on the wall across the room with this thing. It's that bright.

It also has a clip with it. So, I clip it to my backpack.

So, why did I give it a 4 out of 5 stars? Putting the batteries in, is a pain. And boy am I glad they'll last a good long while, because I don't want to be replacing these things, but maybe once a year.

Wow, buying the Blackburn Mars 3.0 was a negative experience all the way around. First of all (and I'm definitely NOT a tree-hugging granola head), I was offended by the excessive packaging. It was very wasteful. And then only after I opened the package did I discover that installing the batteries required a tiny phillips screwdriver that many people won't have. Plus it was tedious to remove and replace the three tiny screws. It would have been more helpful if they put the battery installation instructions on the back of the excessive packaging. Then I found that the battery tray was too tight, requiring a lot of force to pop the batteries in. Then I discovered that the unit was broken. One LED lit up but the button didn't do anything. I'm glad it was broken because when I returned it I then discovered the Planet Bike Superflash, a fantastic little tail light that comes in very simple earth-friendly packaging.

This thing is BRIGHT. I've had mine for several months now, use it nightly (morningly, really). Works great, I'd recommend it to anyone, and provided you have a small enough philips-head screwdriver to switch the batteries in/out, you're golden.

If anything happens to the one I have, I'm buying another one just like it. In fact it's so great I'm tempted to buy another just for MORE being seen.

This is a great little light - Visibility is wonderful and very strong. There are three settings, one of which I use day and night because it flashes and is visible from the sides. I commute to work and I want to make sure that cars that pass me know that I am there - because it is amazing how drivers "can't see you". The light includes a seat post mount, which I have had to use - the mount on my back basket snapped the first week I had my bike. Overall, I am very pleased by the size, and the amount of light it projects.

I second the other two reviews, bright, good design, nice package.

Down side is battery replacement. Doesn't bother me, but if you don't have a small screw driver/dexterity it could be a problem.

Up side... hit a major pot hole on a down hill route causing the stap the light was on to break. The light survived the impact with out issue. (Benefit of the screws, I've had other lights, with out screws, come flying apart in similar circumstances.)

So worth the money in my opinion.

I purchased a variety of taillights to try out, and this was the brightest from quite a wide viewing angle, and the one I decided to use. The amber side LEDs are quite nice, too. It's probably too bright on a completely dark path for the bike right behind you, but very effective with streetlights, etc., around. I like the styling of the Mars 2.0 a little better, but it is not quite as bright or quite as wide a viewing angle as this. The mounting bracket is very well done, and unique. It mounts to the frame with a tension strap that you tighten with a penny, and it can pivot up/down (with a penny) quite an angle. Of course you can also slide it onto your belt, etc.

Like other reviewers have noted, the most striking feature of this tail light is that it is BRIGHT!. There are plenty of LED's to either flash (two different modes) or to have permanently illuminated. This is by far the brightest bicycle tail light I have ever seen - it is literally blinding and your eyes will hurt if you look directly into the light.

The design is pretty straight-forward and functional. Changing the batteries is actually not too hard although a clip-on cover would have made the process much easier. As it stands, though, you will need a small screwdriver to loosen three screws and you will be able to change the two AAA batteries that power this light. I suppose this method is employed to increase weather resistance. My only gripe with this light is actually with the attachment used to instal the light on a bike: The screws are made of plastic and unless you are very careful, it is easy to damage them.

As I mentioned, the light comes with an attachment that allows you to install it on just about any part of a bike's frame or on the seat post. In addition, the light itself has a clip that permits attachment to backpacks, belts, shirts, etc. although I am not quite sure this clip would hold up if you intend to go running with the Mars 3.

Basically, this light is the best (in my opinion) you can get and I have yet to find anything that I would prefer over this one.

I do a lot of night biking because I work third shift and I travel on roads where cars go anywhere from 35 - 55 M.P.H. I can say this is a very bright rear light with good battery life and is well worth its price. The "disco" mode is a very nice touch and I have to admit, even though you have to loosen three small phillips screws to change the batteries, I feel that this is a very good way to secure them and helps make the light a very sturdy design.