The (rear) Bike Light.

It was almost five years ago that I co-reviewed what two rear blinky lights on CandlePowerForums, creating one of the most popular threads ever on rear bike lights. In my eyes, the Planet Bike Super Flash was the ultimate rear bike light... and in four years of all-season riding in Chicago's less-than-perfect streets, it performed like a freaking champ.

That was 2007. It's 2012, and things have changed. LED's are smaller, brighter, more efficient, and easily accessible. So I decided to venture out and look for a new rear blinky to replace retire my Super Flash as a backup ("two is one, one is none", after all). Someone at CPF linked to a new rear light called the Red Zone 4, made in Australia by NiteFlux, and after seeing what this light was capable of, I knew I found my new rear bike light.

This light is nothing short of amazing. It's got a ton of flashing and constant-on modes, which are all easily disabled, so you can have it simply be ON>(your favorite mode)>OFF, instead of normal bike lights where you have to scroll through ON>(mode you never use)>(mode you never use)>(your favorite mode)>OFF... or worse. But the Red Zone 4 was clearly designed, engineered, and built with the user in mind. It's self-contained battery is charged with a common USB cord, which I'm fully converted to after realizing the convenience, with a charge indicator light. It's fully encased in a proprietary super tough polymer that doesn't crack or leak, and the entire thing glows red when it's on, which makes side visibility (a must for commuters) awesome. It's got a really strong clip on it which makes attaching it to your bike bag or rear pocket quick, easy, and secure. It's an awesome size and weight, and can should always be in (or on) your bike bag.

My only wishlist item for the Red Zone 4 would be a quick-release clamp for seatpost, as the velcro straps make it a bit cumbersome to remove. Lucky for me, I take my seat with me wherever I go, so the light stays on it, but I'd prefer a nice custom post clamp that the light could clip into and out of easily.

I've used the light for long enough to feel comfortable commenting on its performance. First and foremost, it's more noticeable than any other rear bike light I've ever seen, and programmable so you're not selecting a brightness that's blinding your fellow cyclists. I have mine programmed with just two strobe levels: 1.2 Wat & 4 Watt. I use the 1.2 Watt for normal nighttime riding, as it's the perfect balance of bright-but-not-too-bright. The 4 Watt strobe is great for daytime riding or really bad condition nighttime riding (like last night's snowstorm), where you want to be visible to everything and everyone. The battery lasts a long time between charges - to the point that I plug it in maybe once a month just because I feel like it, and not because it needs it.

NiteFlux also has amazing customer service - despite being on the other side of the world, they always promptly answered my questions, and give their products one year warranties with the ability to add on two more years for only a few more bucks.

I literally could go on and on about why I love this light, but suffice to say that if you're in the need of a rear bike light upgrade, the Red Zone 4 is your light - a hundred bucks is a tiny price to pay to keep yourself from getting hit by a car.