Bike lights keep getting smaller and lighter while providing brighter illumination for riding safety. If you like cycling, you should have a good bike light. Both need to see and be seen on the road. The main concern of cyclists is that it can be sometimes tricky to choose the best when they buy bicycle lights online. With many available bicycle lights on the market, it can be overwhelming.
When selecting the best bike lights, your visibility on the road is essential, yet size, durability, ease of removing and fitting, and battery replacement are also necessary. When buying bicycle lights, you have to ask yourself, whether you like to see or be seen, or both. Below is a helpful guide when choosing the appropriate lighting for your cycling needs.
Types of Bike Lights
A well-lit bike is issued with side, front, and rear lighting to ensure your visibility to pedestrians and motorists. Your light must be a high-output lighting system when you’re riding or commuting after dark, especially on trail rides. That is way too far from environmental light sources.
High-output lighting systems
- Mostly these are rechargeable light systems that provide maximum illumination. They are costly, yet much safety and brighter lights.
Front, side, and rear safety lights
- These aid motorists notice you in dim light conditions. The brightest also enhance your visibility in the daytime.
Factors to consider when choosing the best bike light
Look for the suitable bike light brightness
- A perfect bike light must be as bright as to let you see while you cycle and let others see you as well. Yet, you have to remember that it should not blind others. Your bike headlight usually must be around 300 to 500 lumens. Choosing higher lumens settings is beneficial when you will go biking in pitch darkness, particularly in off-road settings.
You have to ensure the lights are certified
- Manufacturers of bike lights can claim what they light when referring to lumens numbers. This means you might result to buying LED bike wheel lights you think are powerful yet end up without what you need. Regardless of what you like to buy, from rear bike lights to rechargeable bike lights, certification is what you should look for.
Availability of different modes
- The ideal bike lights mostly have different modes you can use, like flashing, high, steady, and low. Flashing is beneficial if you are looking for extended battery life. The steady mode aids you to see better on the road and blinking lets others see you.
Recharging the bike light
- Some bike lights are not easy to recharge, some require you to use tools like a screwdriver to take out the batteries. Nowadays, most bike lights can be recharged using a USB charger cable.