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 On: 2008-10-10
After my old Cateye TL-LD500 began to fail, I purchased an TL-LD550 thinking it was the new improved version. Ten LEDs must be brighter than three, right?
Wrong. When I first switched on the light, the illumination was so feeble that I decided that the included batteries had to be defective. I purchased two new N-type batteries for about $6 at my local drugstore. No improvement.
While other manufacturers have created amazingly bright LED taillights, the Cateye TL-LD550 is invisible during the day and not nearly bright enough at night. It seems about one quarter to one third as bright as my old LD500 from the rear, and perhaps one tenth as bright as my main LED taillight. (I use two taillights.)
One selling point for this device is that it is a reflector in addition to being a taillight. The problem is that those two purposes demand different designs. Reflectors should block light, while taillights should let light pass through. The LD550 tries to do both and does neither well. Reflective tape reflects MUCH more light than this taillight.
Why does this light use tiny N type batteries? AAA batteries have higher capacity (about 1150 vs 800 mAh) and are cheaper.
As a second taillight the LD550 is better than nothing, but frankly I think that Cateye should withdraw this product from the market.
What does the driver always say after turning the cyclist into a paraplegic? "I never saw him!"
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