Planet Bike Blinky "7" 7-Led Rear Bicycle Light

by Planet Bike

Product Features

• 7 Super-bright eXtreme LEDs aimed 5 ways provide 220 degrees of visibility for up to 1 mile
• Flashing and steady mode
• Ultra compact vertical design is weatherproof, light weight and durable
• Includes bike mounts, clip mount and arm strap for multiple mounting options
• Up to 100 hours of run time on 2 AAA batteries (included)

Product Description

The Planet Bike BRT-7 Taillight features 220 degree visibility and a soft-touch flash/constant/off switch.

• Soft-touch flash/constant/off switch
• 220 degree visibility
• Includes batteries, armstrap, and seatpost and seatstay mounts
• Brighter LED's

Item Specifications
Weight	60g
Battery	2AAA
Bulb	7 LED
Run Time	100+

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000HVP5A2
• Item model number: 3019
• Batteries: 2 AAA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,412 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #6 in Sports & Outdoors > Bikes & Accessories > Lights & Reflectors > Taillights
  • #12 in Sports & Outdoors > Bikes & Accessories > Kids' Bikes & Accessories > Kids' Accessories

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars small and light, many mounting options, wide angle of visibility, May 8, 2006

By 

K. Yasuhara (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

LEDs generally have very focused beams, so you have to be looking straight at them to see their full brightness. This light cleverly orients seven LEDs in five different directions to cover a pretty wide angle of visibility, horizontally. (Planet Bike claims 220 degrees of visibility.) Three are directed straight back and through lens sections of the transparent red casing for maximum brightness in that direction. The remaining four are directed left, right, and partway between straight back and left/right. Brightness is lower in these side and intermediate directions, but many cheaper blinkers aren't visible at all from the side, so it's a start. (I sometimes put another blinker on my pannier side for better side visibility.)

One important consideration is that, as with most LED blinkers, the vertical angle of visibility is very narrow. I recommend mounting this light rigidly and precisely, e.g., on your seatpost or seatstay and not your helmet back or on a seat wedge bag. Adjust the mount and step back from your bike with the blinker running to make sure the LEDs are as bright as possible from the height of an average car driver.

I really like the mount design for this light. The clip is built into the light and does not have to be removed to slide it onto the quick-release bracket, which comes with hardware for mounting on a seatpost or a seatstay. (It's nice to have the seatstay option, but I don't do this, since I usually have panniers and prefer mounting the light higher.) The included elastic, velcro band makes it easy to pop the light off your bike and clip it on the back of your upper arm for a nighttime jog. I guess I've also seen cyclists with lights strapped to the back of their calves or ankles. Anyway, being able to pop it off the bike mount and clip it to a bag, belt or whatever without messing with a screwdriver or otherwise adding/removing parts is very handy.

The overall package is surprisingly small and light, especially compared to those hefty, five-LED, 2xAA blinkers that seem very popular. The case is easy to open with a coin or key and seems decently sealed with a rubber gasket. Planet Bike claims this light to be "weatherproof", and I've definitely had no trouble riding with it in the rain. The switch design is pretty clever, with a button directly under the bottom section of the transparent plastic case. That section of the case is thin enough to flex when you push on it, letting you operate the button, which stays safely sealed away from the elements. You don't get a satisfying click, but I think this is a great, inexpensive design for a weatherproof switch.

I'm very happy with this purchase, especially since Planet Bike donates 25% of profits to bike advocacy.

p.s. Check out Planet Bike's new Blinky Superflash, which is a more expensive, brighter light that's similar to this one.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good battery life but..., January 16, 2008

By 

Celeste "book geek" (Porltand, Or) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Planet Bike Blinky "7" 7-Led Rear Bicycle Light (Sports)

I have been using this light for a few years now. The clerk at my LBS talked me away from another light and to this one. He thought the light was sufficient and the main selling point was the long battery life. The batteries last so long in this I can forget about them. It is not bright enough to use on an overcast day. I can't even tell if mine is off or on unless it is pitch black. I live in an urban area where roads are traffic heavy, bicyclist and motorist tensions tend to run high and visibility is often very poor and days very dark. I am switching to a brighter light, even if it means changing the batteries more often.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best brightness for small size, but mount not secure., April 4, 2008

By 

Lorax (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Planet Bike Blinky "7" 7-Led Rear Bicycle Light (Sports)

There are several clever things about this light. Most important is the way the LEDs are oriented to deliver the light all around to the sides as well as a concentrated beam to the back. Another nice touch is that you switch it on or off by just pressing the case on the bottom, which means there's no worries over water intrusion from a switch.

But it doesn't stay on very well. I have it mounted on my seatpost above the rear rack. Almost every time I put my yoga matt on the rack, it knocks the blinky7 off its mount. The mount requires just a little bit of upward pressure on the light for it to fall off. When it hits the pavement, the lense falls off and the batteries fall out, and it can be a pain to find everything and put it all back together.

Even just turning it on/off by pressing the button on the bottom will pop it out of the mount if you don't use your other hand to hold it in place. This makes it very dangerous to turn it on/off while riding.

I'm about to solve this problem by putting a screw into the mount so it's permanently secured.