All You Need To Know About Bike Lights
All You Need To Know About Bike Lights
Jon is on hand to run you through all things bike lights. He explains the different types available, what they’re each for and the key features you should look out for. Armed with this info you’ll be able to decide which lights suit your needs the best.
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One main questions when choosing a set of lights is if they are for you to see when it’s dark or if they’re for you to be seen by other road users. Lights to see with are more powerful and are designed to illuminate your way on unlit roads and trails. Lights to be seen with, are generally less powerful and less expensive. They are designed for use on lit roads and are intended to help other road users to see you.
Bike lights are massively important to ensure the safety of the bike rider but is there a huge difference between sets that are available out there? Should we be using certain lights for certain types of riding? The simple answer is yes and Jon talks you through what might be a good option for a range of cycling. A good set of lights are really important to increase your visibility or to even illuminate the dark road ahead.
We hope you managed to learn something new about bike lights from this video. Do you use lights when you ride? Let us know in the comments. 👇
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Leave us a comment below!
Don’t buy the 20 dollar set sold in bike shops with 2 3 volt batteries each they are not bright
"from our pals at cateye". Okay, so it’s not a real review
i wish to watch the options on bike lights for daylight, in all brands, not only one like this video.
I’ve had hard time finding a light that doesn’t cost many hundreds of euros but still give enough light for 10 hours while it’s cold outside (battery life plummets at -20 °C), been seriously considering buying ebike lights and small cheap ebike battery to power them.
Yet ANOTHER app on our phones.. Thus encouraging cyclists to use whilst on the move is just plain dangerous and idiotic. There’s enough deaths on our roads due to the use of mobile phones. So how’s about just a plain good old bike ride WITHOUT the need for tech getting in the way. You know just like the good old days. Cycling is become far too expensive and daft with all this hype around fancy bikes and the tech to go with them. Go back to basics and it will be a lot more pleasant 😊
Ricer
Use a lezyne duo helmet light as an extra light and it works really well as a moving wearable
Oh, and cameras are handy for insurance claims because drivers tend to lie to the police. Here is a high quality video at a very low price for you other poor folks. Get two, on for the rear. It will show that you had your lights on.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Mini-Cam-WIFI-Camera-SQ13-SQ11-SQ12-FULL-HD-1080P-Night-Vision-Waterproof-shell-CMOS/32848168390.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.16584c4daFyo56
Great timing with this vid! Thanks
Any lights which I can leave on my bike which are theft proof?
Do you use the brightest, most obnoxious bike light setting or something that won’t piss off drivers?It blinds drivers completely and seems like its a bit counterintuitive since there’s a good chance someone blinded might swerve into the bike head-on.
Biker will be very dangerous！！！
I like my Nkomax bike light. Auto on/off and waterproof.
http://amzla.com/1h84se62vbzoj
I have some bike lights,if you are from the UK. I can give it to you for free, but I can only send a few people.
What combo of lights do you use out there on the road?
Can’t believe you left out dynamo lights! Bicycle touring is on the rise almost everywhere having a dynamo hub for lights & your devices is a must, even a humble bottle dynamo helps & it’s all battery free 🙂
Way ahead of you, just done the lot, batteries at this time but rechargeables and 3 at front 3 at back , relectors anywhere and everywhere plus hi viz – from an old I had they gave them away – so check batteries once a week, fortnight and month, so you know how long they last. Once you know the life of your batteries at full power set reminders on your phone to rechsrge them. Dib, dib indeed! Get an extension bar, you can mount several devices on …computer, lights, go pro, it’s all good.
I use a 40 year old bottle dynamo lighting set with battery backup system , so never left in the dark whether moving or not still working fine and the battery’s in the backup system last a very long time.
I have a 6000 lumen with 5 cree xml-T6 bulbs and a very good reflector and a metal shell, and I use a 12.6 volt Li-po battery. You can get them with the 18650 battery back, charger and a head strap although it may be a little heavy for that. But the price is amazing compared to these brand name lights and I’ve had it for over 2 years now with no issues other than "you trying to blind someone?" It has high low and strobe modes, and with the battery etc. costs less than 34 dollars Canadian! Here’s a link, I got this because I got sick of morons on the phone whacking their mirror on my left arm. One got a $480 fine since the police saw what he did but he didn’t even notice.
I have a nice tail light too, A Cmeilan X5 I got on sale for $24 that is quite bright as well and then a spoke light that has 32 patterns, but is good for not getting t-boned. AliExpress has some amazing lights but I like mine the best. It’s a long link, but worth it. Let cell phone drivers know you’re there, because they are a real danger on the road.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bicycle-Light-Lamp-Rechargeable-Aluminum-Light-LED-Front-Bike-Light-7000-Lumen-LED-Bike-Lamp-Charger/32666293220.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.17.66557a95lLwuEf&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10065_10130_10068_318_10547_319_5727220_10548_10696_10084_10083_10618_452_10139_10307_532_10882_204_10059_10884_10887_100031_320_10103_5727320,searchweb201603_1,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=c8d3eabc-71e3-4364-87a1-d652d1bc6f2d-2&algo_pvid=c8d3eabc-71e3-4364-87a1-d652d1bc6f2d&priceBeautifyAB=0
Jon in kit 🙀🙀
I have found you need at least 5000 lumens . I travel on bush bike paths at night you need a light that shines far enough ahead so if any wildlife runs out in front of you there is enough time to stop.
flashing and direct LED light is prohibited on German roads ! only reflected LED light is alowed and for a very good reason.
I use the Volt 800 as a helmet light and the 1,700 mounted on the fork.
You look like a skinny ronnie o sullivan
Here in France you must have either white or yellow lights on the front and red lights on the back. Definitely NO flashing lights allowed by the law, only constant lights ("Theorically" a 11€ fine could apply)
Cant quite beat those bath hills 🙂
When riders ride on bike trails at night, they need to angle their lights down. When I’ve ridden at night, I’ve often been blinded by the lights of approaching riders.
I am an avid cyclist (30+ years) and when I see someone riding a bicycle with a bunch of flashing lights all over it it makes me want to run them over, I can’t stand the blinking lights and I find them very distracting to drivers and I find that you tend to stare at them which makes you drive towards them they seem dangerous and distracting imagine if every car driving down the road had several different color blinking lights all over it, but i do find that solid normal brightness lights on a bicycle to be perfect because drivers can see you and it is not annoying or distracting. Keep safe out that people buy try not to put so many blinking bright lights all over your bike that you actually become annoying and distracting to drivers.
MISSING """Turn Signal""" Lights AND bettter,,, TURN
Signal lights that are visable ""DAY” & Night .. Just a recommendation
Try auto on/off tail light, it is brilliant:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DF8RTM4
我的自行车灯来自中国卖家。它具有智能传感功能。当我的自行车灯和驾驶员之间的距离越来越近时，我的自行车灯会根据相对驾驶员头灯的亮度自动减弱，直到自行车灯没有光线。当司机的汽车经过时，我的灯会再次点亮，这将解决驾驶员的愤怒和我的安全，而且这款自行车灯便宜且易于使用，我会推荐它。
I have the 2018 Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 with the integrated cockpit. Which light do you recommend? I can’t find too many articles about lights that will fit my handlebars.
Would a rear light be better on the bike or on a helmet?
Si pero en español gracias
I just wanna say; Get LED…Its fantastic. I only changed battery after 2½ year.
Wow that CatEye 6000 – unbelievable! Not the light output…the price; RRP £699!
I had the 800 and in rain and darkness it was just rubbish. yeah..other people saw me, but I couldnt see s**t. Now i use the 1200 and it covers my needs regardless of weather conditions.
You know you’re rich when your light is carbon fiber 😛
I usually put my white front light on my handlebars next the the stem. In the video I saw one low on the fork. Seems like front and center would be more visible.
Highly recommend Cygolite Hotrod. Inexpensive, have a white on front and red on back. USB rechargeable and it simple straps on anywhere with a thick rubber band. Various flashing patterns and makes you super visible.
I also usually ride with bright jerseys and jackets.
Thanks for the info. What about lights that can be seen from the side as well?
I have about 1050 lumens a 450 and 650 on my bars
Sort odd lights. I have dutch Gaezelle tour popular. I use the dynamo lights and 2 flashing rear lights on my panner bags. I have a Trek 7.2.; that i use a 800 l front light and rear flashing light. I carry a spare 200 l. Light as back up in case the battey quits. Batteries are better. But, you still have watch battery drain. When they quit. You can be in a little bit of a situation.
Not good. How can you not mention the Garmin varia radar an awesome active light I’ve been using for years and wouldn’t ride without it now. Come on.
I use waterproof solar powered lights
https://amzn.to/2RA7EEN
These are the newest best lights the battery on these are rechargeable and they last for 10 hours super bright too and very decent price too. You can buy them here —->. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P2C6G9P/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_cBBWCb611J7Y4
The cat eye volt 6000 costs around £600. WTF!!
I have a Volt 700….older model….it is one of the loves of my life…I wear it on top of my helmet and can not say enough about its reliability and sturdy build quality……easy to use and USB charging is great. No I am not paid to say this stuff…just an enthusiast.
I do a lot of bike trips so lights are a must have
Jon, you mentioned the benefit of flashing lights to be seen as being better than pulse mode ( 1:26) however I recently bought a Light & Motion TAZ1200 for the commute and all the paperwork said there were 5 modes (1200, 600, 300, flash, pulse) but it appeared the flash mode wasn’t there. I contacted Light & Motion to see what gives, and they told me "The pulse is our new and recommended daytime feature. The pulsing is meant to alert drivers that you are there without causing them to "fixate" on the light. By creating a consistent source of light that pulses it is easier for you, the rider, to see and at the same time alerts others around you that you are on your bike. In addition, the pulse mode is well established for daytime motorcycle lights." So that’s what I am using!
Supernova E3. Best purchase I’ve ever made.