NiteRider Stinger Rear Blinkie

From urbanvelo.org
The low-profile Niterider Stinger has quickly become my go-to rear blinkie since it showed up for review a couple of months back. The silicone body and stretchy quick release strap make it easy to switch bike to bike, or remove when parked for anything more than a few minutes. It fits just about any size post including aero profile versions, though sits at a fixed angle so isn’t well suited for seatstay, helmet or other creative placements. The 1/2 watt LED is as bright as it gets, with a sturdy lens that functions as the on/off switch too. Click it to cycle through the simple three modes – off, steady and an eye catching blink.

I prefer lights like the Stinger that I can easily turn on/off while riding for those times I take off without thinking, but many times this comes at the expense of a blinkie that switches on in pockets and bags when off the bike and the Stinger suffer the same fate. While I’ve had stretchy light mounting o-rings just fall apart on me in the past, the band with the Stinger seems solid enough after some abuse and overstretching, and is easy replaceable (and potentially easily lost) as it isn’t attached to the light body on either side. Niterider has a history of supporting their products, so I’d expect such replacement to be available with a simple email. Expect about 80 hours of flashing out of the CR2032 battery, a bit less in the cold. Overall, I like it and keep moving it bike to bike as I run errands or ride home from polo. For $20 I’d say this is a solid choice for an easy-on, easy-off rear blinkie.