When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
Best bike lights: everything you need to know
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
The Cyclingnews tech team are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available.
We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar capability.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
When road cyclists think about the best bike lights on the market, they are often looking for the best rear bike light. While we’ve certainly got options in that category, the best bike lights span a huge range of options. There are options for front bike lights, and rear bike lights, with some of them meant to make you more visible and some of them meant to help you see. There are options to pair with the best commuter bikes but also models that pair with the best road bikes. Some of us here at Cyclingnews are even big fans of pairing the best bike lights with the best gravel bikes and getting seriously adventurous.
With so many options available, we understand doing all the research is a daunting process. That’s why we’ve taken the time and done it for you. We cover both the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and there are options mixed in for whatever style of riding you prefer.
If you are looking for options for riding a bike after the sun goes down, or before it comes up, keep reading to see what we think are the best bike lights.
Jump to the lights you need:
Best front bike lights
Riding fast in the country you need more power but if you want an inexpensive light to commute home, this is a great option. The Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL packs in a very compact unit. As is often the case, the magic is the lens. Lezyne uses what it calls a MOR (Maximum Optical Reflection) lens to focus every lumen into the best possible beam pattern. You can decide how to put those lumens to use with seven available light modes and the choice will stick even after a power cycle. For mounting Lezyne keeps it simple with a silicone strap. Another unique feature is the ease of charging for this unit. Instead of a charging cable, the Mini Drive 400 XL has a built-in USB stick. It plugs directly into your computer or wall plug and a charge indicator lets you know how much battery the light has.
For the full rundown, check out our review of the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL.
If you like what the Blackburn Dayblazer offers but want a different power rating, they have options. For this list though, we’ve included the Blackburn Dayblazer 800. 800 lumens is right at the sweet spot where you can use it for whatever you want. On well lit city streets you could power down and avoid charging after every ride. If you decide to head out of the city then bump up to max power and while the runtime will be short, you won’t outrun the light provided. If you ever find yourself ending a long day on the bike just a little after dark this would do the trick perfectly. The other good reason to take a look at the Dayblazer 800 as one of the best bike lights is because it’s ‘AK47 tough’, as our reviewer Guy Kesteven described it. The smaller battery means less runtime but it also means less weight. That makes for a convenient light that comes with a low price and should last for a long time. We included this option because it’s an excellent urban light with the power to do brief duty on rides that are a bit more fun than the commute.
Read our full review of the Blackburn Dayblazer 800 for more.
The Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 is where this list starts to seriously change from options for commuting to options for adventuring. For fast road riding, on dark roads, a front bike light around 800 lumens is where things feel safe and easy. You can certainly go more but going less will cause you to start slowing down. With the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 you get a light that will cover 3 hours of runtime at a comfortable brightness. There are brighter lights with longer runtimes but the Bontrager is less expensive and the smaller size is easier to mount. The lights around the power button change colours to let you know available battery life and you can connect it to one of the best cycling computers for a more exact battery readout. Although the double press to turn on control scheme does a good job keeping it off when in a bag, when tired it can be difficult to remember. This light would also benefit from an update to USB-C fast charging as the charge time is quite long.
Read our Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 review to find out why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
At this point in the list we are firmly passed what you need for riding through the city. With 2,400 lumens, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an extremely bright front light, ideal for night riding in unlit country lanes. In terms of design, it’s a stripped-down light that prioritises high power output, long battery life and low cost, at the expense of extra features. What it offers is plenty of illumination to see where you’re headed. The one more advanced feature it does have onboard is a Motion Control mode. In this setting, a gyroscope senses when you stop and halves the power output. Depending on your riding it’s unlikely to save a ton of battery but it’s the kind of thing that makes using a light more convenient. In terms of battery life, you’ll get around 1h 50mins at 2,000 lumens, and more than 16 hours on flashing mode. What’s likely to be most useful though is the 1000 lumen setting that will get you a full 3:30 minutes with more light than the Bontrager Ion Pro RT 1300 can manage for three hours. This light can also be topped up on the go using a power bank which makes it an option for ultra-distance riders soldiering through the night.
For more in-depth information, be sure to check out our Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 front light review.
The Exposure Strada MK10 SB isn’t the most powerful light on our list and it’s expensive. The reason it makes an appearance is that it’s got a bomb-proof casing, highquality button, and giant battery. The max lumens is only 1,500-lumen output but our reviewer likes the way it puts those lumens to use and the 8700 mAh Li ion battery is big for the light output. At max power that’s two hours of light but power it down to a comfortable 750 lumens and you can get four hours without needing an external charge. Typically, for road bikes, the reason you’d want an ultra-bright light is because that’s the only way to get a bigger battery. Most of the time you’ll power down the light, same in this case as well, and take advantage of greater runtime. Exposure puts together the best pairing for long-distance riding and they also add an LCD to make it easy to understand how much life is left and what mode you are in. Speaking of the modes, that’s another big plus when it comes to Exposure lights. There are tons of programs available but each one only contains three modes. Since the program is sticky through power cycling, you get lots of options but when riding you’ll never have to switch between more than three. The biggest thing we’d like to see them change is that they use an AC/DC connection for charging. That’s not proprietary but it’s unusual enough that it almost acts like it is. USB-C charging would make for a better experience.
Check out our review of the Exposure Strada MK10 SB for more details.
With this light we step away from front lights designed for seeing where you are going. Trek, and Bontrager, are at the forefront of the science behind what it takes to make cyclists visible both day and night. The Ion 200 RT is the front half of a system they’ve designed to make sure cars see you. The trick to how it works is a combination of a clever lens design that focuses a minimal 200 lumens and makes it visible from up to 2km away and a very specific flash pattern. Keeping the lumens low means Bontrager is able to keep the light ultra-small while still providing up to 30-hours of nighttime flashing (12 hours for daytime flash mode). That tiny packaging also makes it comfortable if you want to utilise the Blendr mounting system to put the light on a helmet such as the Bontrager Circuit Wavecel Helmet. Even if you decide not to go that route though, the silicone strap allows for tons of mounting options. There is a continuous light mode that would get you home, in the city, in a pinch but really the best use is for making yourself visible.
This is another light that steps out and does something a little different. The max lumens is 600 and if you want to see where you are going you’ll want that turned all the way up and you’ll have a max of 2 hours of light. What this light is really about though is the camera. If you like the idea of keeping a camera running in case of an accident, that’s what the Cycliq Fly12 brings to the table. Day, or night, you get a full 1080p looping video recording with 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation. If a car hits you, the licence plate will be recognizable and you will know what happened even if the other party leaves the scene. The light helps keep the video usable even at night and as a bonus it will allow you to see where you are going.
Best rear bike lights
The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the light you want to grab if you just want to get the job done. The feature set doesn’t include any kind of trick detail that really helps it stand out from the crowd. Instead, it’s a quality light that doesn’t cost a whole lot. That’s not to say it’s lacking in features though. The KTV Pro Drive 75 boasts a 75-lumen maximum output, a near-universal rubber strap mount, immense waterproofing, and an integrated USB charging tongue that means you’ll never need to remember your charge cable again. The light it outputs is spread through a wide 270-degree angle, so side-angle visibility is improved, and the four-hour run time is ample for most riders’ evening rides, however, bear in mind that result was achieved in a lower (20-lumen) steady setting in our testing.
Find out more with our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75.
Like the matching front light, the Ion 200 RT, the Bontrager Flare RT rear light is all about visibility day or night. Bontrager partnered up with Clemson university to figure out what actually helped drivers to see cyclists. Instead of creating an ultra-bright light Bontrager created a highly efficient lens and an innovative pattern of irregular flashes. The result is a tiny light that’s super easy to mount anyway, with a full 12 hours of usable runtime, that will get you seen. It works as well during the day as it does at night so that no matter what the situation you will be visible up to 2km away. If Bontrager only updated the charging port this would be perfect.
See.Sense is known for its smart lights and the Ace rear light does more than just put out 125 lumens of red lights. It automatically turns on when you start moving, thanks to in-built sensors, and pairs with the See.Sense app to give you an array of smart features. You can control and customise the brightness and flash pattern, receive battery life alerts, report road issues and share ride insights for road planners to make necessary upgrades, all in an eye-catching, compact, waterproof and easy-to-use package.
In addition to this, the Ace will detect an impact and notify your designated emergency contact, and it also collects ride stats for you, including how far you’ve travelled, the number of calories burned, the fuel you’ve saved by riding your bike, and other interesting facts about your rides.
For a full breakdown of what we like about this light, read our See.Sense Ace rear light review.
As the company’s flagship rear bike light, the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro boasts some impressive features including a 300-lumen daytime flashing mode. You don’t have to run the 300-lumen option, there are a total of 11-modes, but that’s what makes this unit from Lezyne unique in this lineup.
We took a look at the Lezyne Strip Drive previously but unlike the non-pro version, this one does away with the integrated USB adapter and instead charges with a micro USB cable. It’s that charging feature that we’d love to see improved with a USB-C port and a way to remove the light without removing the mounting but if you want the absolute brightest light in the rear, this is the one.
This is a light that will change the way you ride. It’s actually so good that it will change the way everyone near you rides also. What it does is use radar to let you know when cars are approaching from behind you. It never misses a car and when it senses it you can see not only how far away but also how fast cars are approaching. It’s so good that friends riding along with you will start to understand what the beeping means and everyone will understand when it’s time to get into a single file. If you are riding primarily in the city, it does work just as well but if there’s a lot of cars around there’s less value. Where it really shines is with a small group on country roads. Go ahead and spread out so you can chat, when a car comes you can move to the side. If the charging port moved to USB-C this would be perfect.
We covered the RLT515 as part of our coverage of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review.
The story for the Cyliq Fly6 is almost exactly the same as for the Fly12 front light. The included flashing rear light is the secondary feature. Although the four-hour battery life, and 50 lumens, is respectable, the real trick is that there’s an integrated camera. As vehicles approach from the rear, they are being recorded at up to 1080p at 30fps. The recording loops and if anything ever happens, you’ll have video evidence. While we are happy to see USB-C charging, the video quality for the rear camera isn’t as good as the front. Most notably, there’s no image stabilisation.
Bontrager claims the Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are visible from up to 2km away in daylight. With only 200 lumens of power up front and 90 at the rear, the lens focuses the light into a retina-burning flash that makes it one of the best bike lights for drawing attention.
Both use a silicone mount or Trek’s Blendr mounting system, and also have a built-in ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness for maximum ‘be-seen’ visibility. The beam pattern isn’t ideal for lighting up the road, so if you’re riding without streetlights after dark, we suggest looking at something with a higher lumen count and a more focussed beam pattern.
The Ion 200 RT and Flare RT are ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can be paired with your Garmin head unit to show battery status, change the light setting or toggle on/off.
Finally there’s a neat battery-saver mode that provides an additional 30 minutes of power when the charge drops to five percent.
How to choose the best bike lights
As a rule, the brighter the light, the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for bike lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. To help you make a decision, here are some frequently asked questions answered.
Do I need a light to ride my bike at night?
While legal requirements differ from country to country, it’s at the very least common sense to equip your bike with lights for night riding.
There are two distinct types of lights for cycling on the road: those that help you see, and those that help you be seen. The best bike lights which are designed to help you see also aid with visibility, but not all lights designed for visibility are bright enough to light up the road in front of you.
Lights to help you see will often have larger lumen counts, reflectors and a lens that throws a wide beam of light down the road, while lights for visibility will put out an unfocused beam in every direction.
If you’re commuting down a well-lit road or bike path, a simple flasher will probably suffice, but if you’re heading out for a night time training ride or your route is lit like the beginning of a horror movie, look for something brighter with a more road-specific beam pattern.
How many Lumens do I need for a bike light?
Just how bright is bright enough?
With advancements in LEDs and batteries, it’s possible to buy bike lights that are several times more powerful than car headlights.
However the brightness needed depends on where you’re riding, and can impact the cost of your lights as well as their battery life. The higher the lumen-count, the harder they’ll need to work, and the more they’re going to set you back financially.
For riding on poorly lit roads you don’t need a 5,000-lumen light on your bars, as it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Instead you could opt for something between 500 and 1,500 lumens to do the trick up front, and something over 200 lumens at the rear.
Of course, if you’re riding in well-lit areas and don’t need to illuminate the path ahead of you, you can get away with fewer lumens, which would bring the price down. A 100-200 lumen front light and 60-100 lumen rear light can still do a great job of keeping you visible.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
Pretty much every light will use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some lights will be completely self-contained, while others will use a separate battery pack.
On the road, we tend to go more for self-contained lights which eliminate the awkward cables and cumbersome battery packs, the latter of which are usually bigger and considerably more substantial.
For lights that consist of the head and separate battery joined by a cable, you’ll need to find somewhere to put the powerpack. As batteries degrade over time, external packs can be replaced or upgraded, and some brands even offer options with different capacities.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Lights that won’t last the entire duration of the ride are about as useful as mesh cycling shoes in the Arctic Circle. Take into account how long you’re planning to ride for and budget a bit extra when looking at run time.
Did you know that many batteries are affected by temperature, and therefore the cold can have a severe effect on run time? If you live in an area where night time temperatures go below freezing, consider buying a bigger battery.
Knowing how much juice your lights have left is also vitally important. Some bike lights have rudimentary green, orange and red battery indicator lights, while others will show you time or percentage remaining.
How do I mount a light to my bike?
For riding on the road, a single light mounted to your handlebars and seat post would be more than enough – mountain bikers often use a helmet-mounted light to illuminate where they are looking, but for road riding these aren’t necessary.
Many lights will come with a plastic/silicone mount, however, some of the more heavy-duty bike lights will have a dedicated mounting bracket, often made from aluminium for extra security.
With the advent of out-in-front computer mounts, there are plenty of options which see an action camera-style or brand-specific bracket on the underside; we like these as it cleans up your cockpit but still allows you to ride with a light.
If you’re commuting and you need to secure your bike outside with a bike lock, look for lights that can be quickly removed without a multitool.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
There are a lot of cheap, poorly constructed and unreliable options out there, and the truth of the matter is, you get what you pay for.
The last thing you want is a light that fails mid-ride, especially a rear one that you’re unlikely to notice right away. Therefore, it’s imperative that you invest in a set of bike lights from a reputable brand.
While this might cost you a little more initially you can rest assured knowing they will last a good few years and often be covered by a warranty.
Should my bike light be still or flashing?
It’s important that your bike lights have at least two lighting modes: flashing and constant.
The RVLR (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations) states flashing modes should pulse between 60 and 240 times per minute (1–4Hz) but there’s no clear indication as to which mode is most effective.
As a result, many cyclists run both flashing and constant lights just to be safe, and some lights feature a pulse setting which consists of a constant beam with a pulsing brightness.
How do we test bike lights?
Those of here at Cyclingnews are a group of dedicated cyclists who cover thousands of kilometers, and miles, every year. We ride road, and gravel, bikes and just like you we do it after the sun goes down, or before it comes up. Some of us commute on bikes and some of us only head out on our bikes for fun. With all the miles covered, we need lighting and that means using the best bike lights available. We’ve pulled from our experience to put together a list of what we think are the best bike lights on the market for a variety of different situations. We’ve got the best front bike lights and the best rear bike lights and some of them are bike commuting lights while others will work best for adventures. We even pulled a few in that have special tricks like cameras and radar.
