Bike Lights Review

Whether you use your bike for pleasure riding, commuting or racing, you will most likely need bike lights and mirrors to help you navigate. Bike lights, like Knog lights or Planet Bike lights, will enhance your bike safety and protection while riding in the dark. Commuters, for example, need rather powerful lighting systems that include headlights and taillights. A driver of a vehicle needs to be able to see a cyclist from a fair distance to insure that the cyclist remains safe while riding on the road in the early mornings. Additionally, triathletes or those who ride competitively will most likely need to train early in the mornings, year round, including early winter mornings when it’s dark outside. You can carry a Nite Ize holster with you to carry all your essential gear.  These lighting systems will need long riding times to account for long training rides. In some instances, the cyclist may need a back-up system in case the primary lighting system fails, perhaps reflective wear. For these types of rides, rechargeable light systems are usually a good choice, such as those offered by Sigma light and BLT lights.

Recreational cyclists, however, require simpler systems. They usually need a bike-mounted light that is bright enough to light up the ground in front of them, but will have a shorter battery life. Those cyclists who choose to ride recumbent bikes have special challenges that they need to overcome. For instance, the low height of the bike can further obscure the cyclist while riding on the road so they need lighting systems that utilize different color lights for different riding conditions. Some safety headlights use amber lights for front lights for daytime riding and red taillights for rear visibility. For maximum protection in the night, you can pair Cannondale lights and Cycleaware mirror. Sprintech mirrors are also very reliable.

LED lights are usually the preferred lights for most lighting systems. They now much more affordable then they were a few years ago, when they were used mainly in safety taillights. Newer LED systems, such as the MityCross LED uses a dual beam LED system made of durable aluminum alloy and a high capacity Li-lon battery. Cygolite also manufacturers LED systems suitable for commuters. The MiliOn USB LED is small, lightweight, and uses a rechargeable headlight. The Reelight bike light is battery-free, making it an eco-friendly choice.  For the more casual cyclist, buying a simple safety headlight and taillight set is probably the best bet. These are affordable, and, as its name implies, includes both a headlight and taillight in the package. CatEye lights is one of the best known brands. They also make lighting accessories, such as the SL-LD120 Orbit Spoke Light Kit, which is a lightweight spoke-mounted LED that you mount to a spoke on your wheel. This helps insure the rider’s safety, since it catches motorists’ attention when riding. Blackburn lights and Cygo lights are reliable brands.