After dark, yes. A thousand times yes.
In the UK, bike lights after dark are not only extremely sensible, they’re a legal requirement according to the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations.
Meanwhile, Rule 60 of the Highway Code states:
“At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. […]Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.”
The lights also need to be fixed to the bike . That means that lights that fit onto your helmet on the back of a rucksack, while helping you be more visible, do not meet the legal requirements for bike lights. You can of course use these bike lights as additional lights for added visibility.
In this article, we will cover all questions involving bicycle lighting and hopefully inform your decision making on which are the best bike lights and reflectors for you.
Quick Navigation
Bicycle Light FAQ’s section
- Are bike lights necessary during the day?
- Street Lamps are not enough
- Bright front lights also help you see
- Whats the minimum light output I need?
- Can a bike light be too bright?
Our Top Brands section
Cyclists with additional CatEye helmet and rucksack rear bike lights alongside the lights fixed to their bikes.
Another thing to note is that you also need rear and pedal reflectors if cycling at between sunset and sunrise. Bikes will come with reflectors fitted but it’s definitely something to bear in mind if you’ve upgraded our pedals.
ARE BIKE LIGHTS NECESSARY DURING THE DAY?
Legally speaking, no. Light manufacturers increasingly have ‘day time modes’ involving a bright strobe effect, but whether or not a cyclist uses them is a matter of personal preference. Some people feel safer, and others feel it is unnecessary. We find that they do make you more visible to other road users.
STREET LAMPS ARE NOT ENOUGH
We find it incredible that some cyclists assume that if they’re cycling without bike lights but under street lamps, drivers will be able to see them anyway. That just isn’t the case. In fact it can be extremely difficult to spot a slow moving dark shape on the road, and cycling without front and rear lights at night can result in you being very hard to see. We feel that the more visible the better as other road users will see you from further away and have more time to plan how they pass you (this actually goes the same for daytime riding)
Can you spot the cyclists without lights?
BRIGHT FRONT LIGHTS ALSO HELP YOU SEE
It’s great to be able to see exactly where you’re going. It may seem obvious, but a bright front light – say, of 200 lumens in the city or 600 off road – will allow you to spot pot holes, broken glass, and maybe even an abandoned £20 note. Ask any mountain bikers to tell you how good a powerful front light is on night rides.
WHAT’S THE MINIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT I NEED ON MY BIKE?
Front Light: A flashing light needs to be at least ‘4 candelas’, which equals roughly 50 lumens, which is fairly modest and all of the best bike light brands will ensure this. A bike light that can put out a steady light should be marked as conforming to BS6102/3 or an equivalent EC standard. Lights from reputable brands such as Cateye, Lezyne, Exposure, and Moon meet this standard.
Rear Bike Light: Rear lights in general emit fewer lumens than front lights, but if they are flashing then they must also emit at least 4 candelas. Again, lights from reputable brands such as Cateye, Lezyne, Exposure, and Moon meet this standard.
CAN A BIKE LIGHT BE TOO BRIGHT?
Legally speaking, it’s somewhat open to interpretation. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations say it is an offence for vehicles (any vehicles) to cause “undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road”.
Morally speaking, it’s nice to be nice, and it’s also nice to not cause other people to have accidents as a lot of modern bicycle lights are incredibly bright. Nobody likes to be blinded by someone else’s lights. When riding on shared paths in particular, dip your lights down instead of pointing 1,000 lumens straight at people’s faces (including other cyclists.)
CatEye bike lights
CatEye started producing bike lights in 1964 and are one of the biggest producers of bicycle lights in the world. We have picked out one light set and one front light for when you need to light up dark roads and paths.
CATEYE AMPP 200/VIZ100 LIGHT SET (£44.99)
An excellent value front and rear light set with enough light intensity to be visible to other road users. The Cateye AMPP 22/VI100 light set offers up to 200 lumens front and 100 lumens rear. With 30 hours run time for the front light and up to 70 hours rear light run time in certain flash modes these are excellent lights for the money. USB rechargeable with a charge time of 2.5 hours from flat to full power.
CATEYE AMPP 800 FRONT LIGHT (£64.99)
The CatEye AMPP 900 is an extremely robust and compact 900 lumen front light that is perfect for lighting up country roads and tracks. All this for an excellent price.
Lezyne bike lights
Lezyne are the second of our most popular bike light manufacturers who are famous for bright, robust and reliable bicycle lights. Here are a couple of our favourites.
LEZYNE MACRO DRIVE 1400 FRONT LIGHT (£99.99)
Offering a whopping 1400 lumens for incredible illumination of roads, tracks and MTB trails. The Lezyne Macro Drive 1400 can be run on lower power modes for run times of up to 300 hours. Features Tri-Focus optics, which creates a brighter centre spot in a large wide-angle pattern.
Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL/KTV Drive+ Usb Light Set (£60)
The Mini Drive 400XL is a compact, durable bike light constructed from CNC-machined aluminium. It is equipped with a high-output LED emitter capable of providing up to 400 lumens as well as a Daytime Flash mode. It features eight output modes and cutouts for side visibility as well as an impressive max runtime of 20 hours. Charging is made simple with an integrated, cable-free USB stick, and it securely straps to a variety of handlebar shapes and sizes. See more info on the Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL/KTV Drive + Light Set
Moon Bike Lights
Moon Rigel Pro Front Light (£59.99)
The Moon Rigel Pro front light has has an impressive max output of 1000 lumens, is water resistant and uses a USB-C cable for charging. A light for all seasons!
Moon Helix Pro 150 Rear Light (£34.99)
The Helix Pro rear LED is a versatile bike light designed to enhance your safety and visibility on the road. Whether commuting in the city or exploring further afield, the Helix Pro ensures you stay seen and safe in all lighting conditions.
Exposure Bike Lights
Exposure Boost DB & Boost-R Reakt Light Set (£135)
The definitive, lightweight front and rear light set for urban commuting or daytime visibility. Utilising the form of the Trace and Trace R lights the BOOST and BOOST-R RA offer more Lumens out front, 325 or twice the run time, up to 48 hours, to safe guard the rear; USB charging for convenience, a choice of 6 burn times, DayBright pulse pattern and a specific lens design to ensure that the one LED has the power to penetrate through the urban traffic and side illumination for 360 visibility from over 1 kilometre away, with the BOOST-R RA packed with ReAKT and Peloton technology to make sure this front and rear pack is ready for any activity day or night.
Knog Bicycle Lights
KNOG BLINDER PRO 600 FRONT LIGHT (£59.99)
The Blinder Pro range are precise, powerful, long-lasting and the perfect choice for urban, road and gravel cyclists who demand the very best performance from their equipment. Combining robust CNC construction, compact design, perfect beam angles, an incredible weight-to-power ratio and multiple mounting options, Blinder Pro front bike lights raise the bar by which front bike lights are measured. Also available in a Knog Blinder 900 Lumen Front Light (£79.99) and Knog Blinder 1300 Lumen Front Light(£99.99)