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  Blackburn Mars 3.0 Flasher Rear Bicycle Light By: Blackburn Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 37 More Information Good Even As A Rescue Device!  On: 2008-07-04Have 2 of these. I even carry one on my motorcycles in case I crash and end up off the road to help in being seen if need be. These are honestly SO bright (I used to work in Law Enforcement), that I consider them far more useful than simply a bicycle safety item. It can be used in so many different ways, one should be carried in everything you use for transportation & recreation.... Light On: 2008-02-16I second all the plus/minuses from other reviews on the Blackburn Quadrant Mars 3.0 Combo Bicycle Light Set. Its a great little kit to have on your bike. Love the rear Light. Blackburn Quadrant and Mars 3.0 Combo Bicycle Light Set great light On: 2008-01-11This is a great light ,very bright and noticeable even in the day light Like some other reviewers the clip broke off .I contacted Blackburn via their web sight , They backed up their product I sent it to them, they mailed me back a new one no charge. Also my local bike shop carries Blackburn products and They told me they would have exchanged it for me and sent the old one back to the company no charge Fantastic light On: 2007-12-19I commute daily and have gone through a myriad of rear lights that break or fail before finding the Blackburn 3.0. I started with a Blackburn 3.0 on one bike and was so impressed I have one on each of my three bikes. They are extremely bright which is my main concern when riding in the dark. It does take a small screwdriver to replace the batteries but this isnt a problem cause I replace them before theyre completely dead. I think the screws provide a better, more watertight seal than other lights that simply snap together. I cant say enough good things about this light. Fantastic light On: 2007-12-18I commute daily and have gone through a myriad of rear lights that break or fail before finding the Blackburn 3.0. I started with a Blackburn 3.0 on one bike and was so impressed I have one on each of my three bikes. They are extremely bright which is my main concern when riding in the dark. It does take a small screwdriver to replace the batteries but this isnt a problem cause I replace them before theyre completely dead. I think the screws provide a better, more watertight seal than other lights that simply snap together. I cant say enough good things about this light. Mars? Try Jupiter! On: 2007-11-29Safety is everything when youre riding your 30 lbs bike, trapped between an onslaught of 1 tons metal beasts, and unforgiving concrete sidewalks. If youre planning to see behind you, this is not something that you want to depend on to save your life. Prior tail lights: - Trek 3 LEDs - Generic 3 to 5 LEDs Adaptive Design: The light can be mounted on virtually all bike tube sizes (minus the odd elliptical shape bike frames). I have a custom hybrid road bike, my wife is a Sidewinder FX mountain, my 8 year old sons is BMX, and my little 1 year old is a Schwinn Mark III trailer. Each and every bike is outfitted with this awesome tail light. The flexible plastic mount allows you to adjust the circumference of the frame/seat post/pole up to 2 inches, and as small as 1/2 inch. This is practically the sizes for 90% of the bikes and trailers. The cool thing is, the mount also has an adjustable vertical angle as well. This angle adjustment allows you to readjust the visibility angle for your tail light to match the eyes viewing angles of the drivers. Between the SUV and sedan drivers, theres a 3 degrees different. If you have an SUV and a sedan, sit in the vehicles, and adjust the light angle to the middle point of both viewable angles of the vehicles about 25 feet away. That will be your sweet spot that can be seen practically 1/2 mile away. Visibility: - Morning hours: At dawn, your light only gives you enough lumen to be spotted around 1/4 mile away. On a cloudy or in a foggy morning, your visibility increases due to the lack of sunlight. It increases up to 1/2 mile. - Night hours: When the sun starts to sink into the horizon, your visibility increases significantly. If theres still some light before dusk, you still shines out at the 1/2 mile marker. When theres no light left, and all you have are street lights, you can be seen up to 3/4 mile away. In total darkness, you can be seen as far as 2 miles away at level ground, and as bright as a blinking traffic light. When the vehicle is close by, the blinking LEDs can be quite hypnotic to the drivers, as well as blinding. There are passengers screaming out indicating that the LEDs are way too bright, and drivers honking horns to tell us to crank the brightness down. Sorry, cant do that. Our safety goes above the irritation the drivers may have. In comparison with the Cateyes TL1000, this light rivals the Cateyes 10 LEDs, and much less expensive. If you want something brighter than this light, best to invest in the Dionette single beam LED tail light. Nothing is more bright than this beauty. Side marker LEDs: There are two yellow blinking LEDs that acts as side markers. These proves to be useless on all level. Theyre not bright enough as effective visible markers, and theyre draining the batteries for nothing. Power usages: There are three settings and three level of power usages: - Solid colors: The LEDs are on continually. The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 5 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 4.5 hours. - Steady fast blinking: The LEDs are blinking at a rapid pace (3 blinks per second). The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 7 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 6.5 hours. - Steady fast blinking (as the LEDs moves up and down): The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 7 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 6.5 hours. If you use your light on and off, an hour or two each day, you can go as long as 10 hours for the solid light, or as long as 14 hours blinking. Just be warned, when the batteries reaches the 1/2 to 3/4 way point of power spent, the LEDs will dim to 3/4 of their brightness strength. Durability: The shell is nothing to laugh about. There are three small screws you have to remove to change the batteries. This will ensure the batteries will not pop out, nor even move a millimeter within their housing, unlike the lights with the pop-on battery housing lids. The shell survives so many of our three to 5 feet falls, onto hard concrete. There are minor nicks and scratches because of the harsh surfaces, but the brightness and clarity remain the same regardless. Overview: If I have to invest in an effective tail light that doesnt break the bank to cover my behind, this is it. Not only its inexpensive, but its a versatile to have on any equipment for high visibility in the dark. A couple of these strapped to your back and bike, youre set to venture the highways and byways of the modern day. My suggestion is to also strap a blinking white light LEDs in the back of bike. This will throw the motorists off and make most of them merge onto the lane away from you, since the white LEDs cause them to believe youre going towards them. Works every time on 90% of the good motorists. The remaining 10%, theyll plow through you regardless if they see you or not. Mars? Try Jupiter! On: 2007-11-28Safety is everything when youre riding your 30 lbs bike, trapped between an onslaught of 1 tons metal beasts, and unforgiving concrete sidewalks. If youre planning to see behind you, this is not something that you want to depend on to save your life. Prior tail lights: - Trek 3 LEDs - Generic 3 to 5 LEDs Adaptive Design: The light can be mounted on virtually all bike tube sizes (minus the odd elliptical shape bike frames). I have a custom hybrid road bike, my wife is a Sidewinder FX mountain, my 8 year old sons is BMX, and my little 1 year old is a Schwinn Mark III trailer. Each and every bike is outfitted with this awesome tail light. The flexible plastic mount allows you to adjust the circumference of the frame/seat post/pole up to 2 inches, and as small as 1/2 inch. This is practically the sizes for 90% of the bikes and trailers. The cool thing is, the mount also has an adjustable vertical angle as well. This angle adjustment allows you to readjust the visibility angle for your tail light to match the eyes viewing angles of the drivers. Between the SUV and sedan drivers, theres a 3 degrees different. If you have an SUV and a sedan, sit in the vehicles, and adjust the light angle to the middle point of both viewable angles of the vehicles about 25 feet away. That will be your sweet spot that can be seen practically 1/2 mile away. Visibility: - Morning hours: At dawn, your light only gives you enough lumen to be spotted around 1/4 mile away. On a cloudy or in a foggy morning, your visibility increases due to the lack of sunlight. It increases up to 1/2 mile. - Night hours: When the sun starts to sink into the horizon, your visibility increases significantly. If theres still some light before dusk, you still shines out at the 1/2 mile marker. When theres no light left, and all you have are street lights, you can be seen up to 3/4 mile away. In total darkness, you can be seen as far as 2 miles away at level ground, and as bright as a blinking traffic light. When the vehicle is close by, the blinking LEDs can be quite hypnotic to the drivers, as well as blinding. There are passengers screaming out indicating that the LEDs are way too bright, and drivers honking horns to tell us to crank the brightness down. Sorry, cant do that. Our safety goes above the irritation the drivers may have. In comparison with the Cateyes TL1000, this light rivals the Cateyes 10 LEDs, and much less expensive. If you want something brighter than this light, best to invest in the Dionette single beam LED tail light. Nothing is more bright than this beauty. Side marker LEDs: There are two yellow blinking LEDs that acts as side markers. These proves to be useless on all level. Theyre not bright enough as effective visible markers, and theyre draining the batteries for nothing. Power usages: There are three settings and three level of power usages: - Solid colors: The LEDs are on continually. The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 5 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 4.5 hours. - Steady fast blinking: The LEDs are blinking at a rapid pace (3 blinks per second). The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 7 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 6.5 hours. - Steady fast blinking (as the LEDs moves up and down): The power usage at this state will eat up your Duracel batteries within 7 hours, and rechargeable NiMH within 6.5 hours. If you use your light on and off, an hour or two each day, you can go as long as 10 hours for the solid light, or as long as 14 hours blinking. Just be warned, when the batteries reaches the 1/2 to 3/4 way point of power spent, the LEDs will dim to 3/4 of their brightness strength. Durability: The shell is nothing to laugh about. There are three small screws you have to remove to change the batteries. This will ensure the batteries will not pop out, nor even move a millimeter within their housing, unlike the lights with the pop-on battery housing lids. The shell survives so many of our three to 5 feet falls, onto hard concrete. There are minor nicks and scratches because of the harsh surfaces, but the brightness and clarity remain the same regardless. Overview: If I have to invest in an effective tail light that doesnt break the bank to cover my behind, this is it. Not only its inexpensive, but its a versatile to have on any equipment for high visibility in the dark. A couple of these strapped to your back and bike, youre set to venture the highways and byways of the modern day. My suggestion is to also strap a blinking white light LEDs in the back of bike. This will throw the motorists off and make most of them merge onto the lane away from you, since the white LEDs cause them to believe youre going towards them. Works every time on 90% of the good motorists. The remaining 10%, theyll plow through you regardless if they see you or not. Perfect Purchase On: 2007-11-17This product works great and is very bright indeed. Serves its purpose very well. No cons whatsoever, although I dont bike at night much so Im not sure about battery life. I also wont be too thrilled to have to bust out a tiny screwdriver again to replace the batteries, but at least I know that the batteries cant fall out of the device when I go over a bump. This product is a perfect accessory to anyone who bikes when its dark out. Worthless due to a poor clip  On: 2007-11-16Like many other reviewers, my clip snapped off after less than a month of light use. Keep in mind that Im on a road bike commuting along mostly smooth roads. The light is great, but if it cant stay on the bike, its just a nice shiny paperweight. I should have paid heed to the many warnings. You should do the same. Continues to amaze On: 2007-11-13This is the brightest tail light Ive ever seen for a bike. I live in the city and was previously fending off cabs and anxious drivers. There is no way that they can miss me when this thing is turned on. It has orange lights on the side as well which are key for those intersections. It has a clip on it for when you dont want to mount it below the seat and instead want it on a bag or on your helmet. It releases easily from the mount when you want it to, but wont fall off. Its also very light. I bike in the rain and it doesnt seem to mind. I was trying to put it on while riding a few weeks ago and fumbled it (my fault) and it skidded half a block down the street and into the gutter. Nary a scratch, it kept blinking perfectly as the passersby watched, as they couldnt avoid staring at a shooting star in the middle of the street. Great light. Buy it without hesitation. Dont stare into it when its on...seriously. Youll go blind for a minute. Also great as an emergency beacon when hiking or when youre stranded at sea. Great light - sturdy and very bright On: 2007-10-25Ive used a lot of different rear lights on my bike. Generally they either fall off or get lost. This one has a very secure mounting system, so I doubt it will fall off. If it does fall off I would suggest that its probably not properly mounted or clipped in. You can mount it to your seat stay, although I use a trunk bag and have it on my luggage rack. I could also clip it to my helmet if I wanted to use a different bike. If the mount breaks you can contact Blackburns customer service and request a new one. This light is extremely bright - brighter than anything else that I have used. You can see it from the back as well as the sides, so it makes you that much more visible. All in all, this is a quality tail light and a great deal. Excellent light for the price.....and bright too!! On: 2007-10-24As an avid bike rider I highly recommend this rear light. Its bright and easy to install. You can easily be seen from 1000 feet. If you are riding with someone and you get too far ahead of them they will be able to see the light of your bike and catch up. Just make sure you slow down of stop first. Plus cars, trucks and other traffic will be able to see you alot easier with this light. Ive had other lights in the past but this is the best of them all. Installation of the batteries is a bit stubborn but once you get them in the unit will not fall apart. Its durable and will take all of the bumps and bruises of the road without jarring and falling into traffic. It can easily be placed all the way up the seatpost. I highly recommend doing this so no one will steal it. Dont worry, the light will come out of the braket. It just takes a little patience. I only take the light out when I need the batteries to be replaced. So with all that being said I have only a few last words...BUY THIS LIGHT! ITS WORTH THE MONEY!! OK but could be better  On: 2007-10-12Nice bright light but the plastic bracket broke so I had to permanently attach the light to the bike. Also it would be nice if it used larger batteries so they wouldnt run down so fast. bad design and poorly-selected materials On: 2007-09-01First 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 dont 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 manufacturers befuddling choice of an inferior yogurt container-type of plastic. If you ride a lot and want dependable gear, I suggest Planet Bikes stuff, which exhibits a comparable level of operating performance but much better design. No hassle  On: 2007-08-12I have been a commuter cyclist for decades and I have used a number of different front and rear lights. The Blackburn Mars 3.0 is significantly brighter that any rear light I have yet used. Installation was easy, although I am not fond of plastic/resin "screws" for mounting brackets. My last light, a Cat Eye, worked well for quite some time. The salt air here at the beach eventually corroded the insides, first eliminating the flashing modes, then reducing the steady mode to only occasional function, soon after which the unit died. The Cat Eye had easy snap off access to the battery which may have contributed to its demise. The 3 small screws on the Mars are a small inconvenience if they prevent corrosion. Difficult battery installation, poor QC  On: 2007-08-12Wow, buying the Blackburn Mars 3.0 was a negative experience all the way around. First of all (and Im 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 wont 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 didnt do anything. Im 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. Difficult battery installation, poor QC On: 2007-08-11Wow, buying the Blackburn Mars 3.0 was a negative experience all the way around. First of all (and Im 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 wont 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 didnt do anything. Im 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. Awesome Light! On: 2007-07-03I ride a motorcycle and I love to cruise the country roads, but I am on a tight budget and I cannot afford those over-priced motorcycle custom lights! Any bikers reading this, you will not regret buyng these lights. Super bright and mount to almost any strong point in your bike. The side yellow leds make the rear end chrome glitter nicely and add visibility, can be seen for miles and batteries run long and hard, the clip mount allows to use them as emergency/hazard lights on other bikes or where needed. I got 3 and now I am back for 2 more as backup! nice and bright, but fell off my bike... weak clip attachment On: 2007-06-20Was a great light for the 3 weeks I had it, it fell off at some point in my morning commute this am. I doubt Ill find it on the way home. be wary of attaching it via the clip to anything but the holster... bright, britght, bright by: Anonymous On: 2007-06-13 Its awesome the power of brightnes of this little product, with 7 LEDS it makes the job!!! you will be seen at hundreds of meters. Waterproof and very light you will be happy with this, include a clip to atach it any were you want. A little dificult to reach the bateries (4 1/2 stars for this reasson), need a little screwdriver to remove the back, if you plan a long trip (a week or so) put fresh bateries and may be you will not have to change them, because they last 150 hr. (product info)in flash mode. Dont look directly at the light!!! Excellent Choice .... On: 2007-05-24fits great for my commuter bike ... very bright and cars can recognize my presence on the road in the dark very clearly. Excellent Choice .... On: 2007-05-23fits great for my commuter bike ... very bright and cars can recognize my presence on the road in the dark very clearly. Wear suglasses when you test this tail light On: 2007-05-15Like other reviewers have noted, the most striking feature of this tail light is that it is BRIGHT!. There are plenty of LEDs 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 bikes 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. Rear Bicycle Light On: 2007-05-14Bright, easy to see,lots of flash modes. The only reason for 4 stars is the expense. You can get a cheaper light, but it probabl wont be as bright. Rear Bicycle Light On: 2007-05-13Bright, easy to see,lots of flash modes. The only reason for 4 stars is the expense. You can get a cheaper light, but it probabl wont be as bright. Excellent light for riding at night. On: 2007-05-06I commute on my bicycle and often ride home in the dark. Therefore, I wanted a light that would be seen and this light certainly fit the bill! The light is extremely bright, especially when viewed straight on. I am very pleased that the light also has blinking orange lights on the side. I always worried about a car coming at me from a side street which is something that I no longer fear when I use this light. A fixture is provided to fix the light to your frame via the clip on the back of the light. The clip holds the light securely, but it is easy to snap out when you need to retrieve it. You can also clip the light to your belt or backpack. My light arrived with several LEDs not working. This is not Amazons fault, but it is a bit of a disappointment that Blackburn didnt have better quality control. The quality control is the only reason that I didnt give the light five stars. But, even with the missing bulbs, the light is still very effective. If you ride at night, then do yourself a favor and get this light. bright, sturdy, brilliant On: 2007-03-11this is a BRIGHT light. even during the day, looking at the LEDs directly will leave your eyes blinded with retina fatigue. the screws are tiny, so its hard to change batteries, but then the case is solid and sealed from the elements. I thought that the mounting bracket was pretty good, too, although I just got back from a ride to discover my light is gone, due to a bump somewhere 20 miles ago. But im here again, ordering another one. bright, sturdy, brilliant On: 2007-03-10this is a BRIGHT light. even during the day, looking at the LEDs directly will leave your eyes blinded with retina fatigue. the screws are tiny, so its hard to change batteries, but then the case is solid and sealed from the elements. I thought that the mounting bracket was pretty good, too, although I just got back from a ride to discover my light is gone, due to a bump somewhere 20 miles ago. But im here again, ordering another one. VERY BRIGHT!!! by: Anonymous On: 2007-02-13 THIS LIGHT IS GREAT AND SO BRIGHT I ATTACH IT TO MY WIFE STROLLER WHEN WE TAKE OUR WALKS AT NIGHT. THAT IS WHEN IM NOT ON MY BIKE. EXCELLANT BUY!!! Mars 3.0 Flasher Light On: 2007-02-09I found a Mars 3.0 laying at the edge of the road one morning flashing, I liked it so well I bought two more. My wife and I use them when we go out in the dark on our 6.2 mile jaunts in the mornings. We attach them to our clothing and they can be seen for at least a half mile or more. We think they are great. We will also use them on our bikes this summer. Gary Scorby Mars 3.0 Flasher Light On: 2007-02-08I found a Mars 3.0 laying at the edge of the road one morning flashing, I liked it so well I bought two more. My wife and I use them when we go out in the dark on our 6.2 mile jaunts in the mornings. We attach them to our clothing and they can be seen for at least a half mile or more. We think they are great. We will also use them on our bikes this summer. Gary Scorby great flasher!!! On: 2007-01-18I have the previous model of this unit, and this one is definitely much brighter than the older one... I use it when I take my dogs for a walk each night and also on my bike... it may look a bit bizzare but it works really well!!! Bright light but.... I'm not getting good battery life On: 2007-01-02This is a bright light and you will get noticed but the batteries are hard to replace because the case is difficult to get into and a small specialized screwdriver is required. Im only getting about 6 hours of flashing light time and have changed the batteries numerous times. A single LED light that holds up to water and abuse seems to be the Pelican Mini Flasher. It is not as bright and fancy as the Blackburns but the batteries are easy to change and its a tough little light. Bright light but.... I'm not getting good battery life On: 2007-01-01This is a bright light and you will get noticed but the batteries are hard to replace because the case is difficult to get into and a small specialized screwdriver is required. Im only getting about 6 hours of flashing light time and have changed the batteries numerous times. A single LED light that holds up to water and abuse seems to be the Pelican Mini Flasher. It is not as bright and fancy as the Blackburns but the batteries are easy to change and its a tough little light. just great On: 2006-11-04easy strong attachment to bike. It does the job and is pretty bright. Defective design On: 2006-10-29I strongly recommend you getting the Blackburn Mars 2.0 if you plan to permanently attach this light to your bicycle. The 2.0 uses a screw and thus will stay attached. My 3.0 fell off somewhere along my first ride as soon as it got a tad bumpy (in New York City). I had to buy a replacement light and thus settled for the 2.0. To this date it is still attached to my bicycle. Defective design On: 2006-10-28I strongly recommend you getting the Blackburn Mars 2.0 if you plan to permanently attach this light to your bicycle. The 2.0 uses a screw and thus will stay attached. My 3.0 fell off somewhere along my first ride as soon as it got a tad bumpy (in New York City). I had to buy a replacement light and thus settled for the 2.0. To this date it is still attached to my bicycle. Great visibility for a light that sits in the palm of your hand On: 2006-09-23This 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 "cant 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. Great visibility for a light that sits in the palm of your hand On: 2006-09-22This 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 "cant 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. The only way I won't get noticed is if I forget to turn it on. by: lbphoto_dot_net On: 2006-09-12 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 wont get noticed is if I forget to turn it on. Dont 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 doesnt 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 Bright and eye catchy by: Anonymous On: 2006-09-12 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. fine but does NOT mount to seatstay On: 2006-09-08Nice bright light that I could still see in my helmet mirror as it tumbled down the road behind me having fallen off. Absolutely does NOT mount to the seatstay which was the only reason I wanted it. fine but does NOT mount to seatstay On: 2006-09-07Nice bright light that I could still see in my helmet mirror as it tumbled down the road behind me having fallen off. Absolutely does NOT mount to the seatstay which was the only reason I wanted it. Use THIS and BE SEEN On: 2006-08-21This thing is BRIGHT. Ive had mine for several months now, use it nightly (morningly, really). Works great, Id recommend it to anyone, and provided you have a small enough philips-head screwdriver to switch the batteries in/out, youre golden. If anything happens to the one I have, Im buying another one just like it. In fact its so great Im tempted to buy another just for MORE being seen. Obnoxiously bright On: 2006-08-19I 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. Its 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. Obnoxiously bright On: 2006-08-18I 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. Its 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. great safety light On: 2006-06-28I second the other two reviews, bright, good design, nice package. Down side is battery replacement. Doesnt bother me, but if you dont 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, Ive had other lights, with out screws, come flying apart in similar circumstances.) So worth the money in my opinion. 5 red LEDs + 2 orange on the side! Disco pattern! But 3 screws... On: 2006-05-14This flasher has 5 red LED lights in a 3-1-1 configuration on the back, and it also has 2 orange LEDs on the side - a nice safety extra. When you view the lights on-axis, theyre amazingly bright. A flush clicker-switch cycles between 3 modes: all on, all flash at once, and "disco" or "up-and-down" flashing which looks like a lot of fun. The clip is nicely designed to work on the bike-frame mount or on clothing or a bag strap. The only drawback is that to replace batteries (2 AAA), you have to unscrew 3 small screws. Flashy & Bright On: 2006-02-08I 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. Its 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 theyll last a good long while, because I dont want to be replacing these things, but maybe once a year. |
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