{"id":7582,"date":"2015-09-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpmigr.edinburghbicycle.com\/blog\/bike-lights"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:33:41","slug":"bike-lights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/ebco\/blog\/bike-lights","title":{"rendered":"Light up your life \u2013 and be seen by other road users"},"content":{"rendered":"

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While summer came late to Scotland this year, the first signs of autumn are already on show. This is especially evident if you are a cyclist \u2013 and twice in the last week I\u2019ve had to switch on my bicycle lights <\/a> for an evening ride home.<\/p>\n

The change in seasons means you\u2019ll need to be seen on your bike. It makes sense for your own safety \u2013 and also shows consideration for other road users \u2013 to fix bright and modern lights to your bike.<\/p>\n

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Morning and evenings in autumn and winter will require bike lights (by law \u2013 see below) <\/em>and even during the daytime on dull and overcast days. We experience a few of these at this time of year!<\/p>\n

The first task is to discover where you stashed your front and rear bike lights after a winter of use last year. If you\u2019re a cyclist who meticulously stores their bike kit, you\u2019ll know exactly where all your lights can be found in your home.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to change bike light batteries or re-charge batteries and to make sure the lights have made it through a summer of not being used. Check that the lights do as they once promised on the packet and that they are bright and long-lasting. They should also comply with UK legal requirements ( see below <\/em> ).<\/p>\n

Then again, if you\u2019re a cyclist, like me, who keeps bike gear in a dozen different places and you\u2019re struggling to find last year\u2019s lights, now is the perfect time to buy a few new and well-chosen items.<\/p>\n

THE WONDERS OF MODERN BIKE LIGHTS<\/h2>\n

Bike lights have improved in so many ways in recent years. Without being excessively more expensive \u2013 and sometimes they are now cheaper than before \u2013 you\u2019ll find that lights are generally lighter, brighter, longer-lasting and more compact.<\/p>\n

\"lezyne-hecto-drive-300-xl-front-light.jpg\" For example, a new\u00a0300 lumen Lezyne USB rechargeable light\u00a0has a price tag of \u00a330. A few years ago it would have cost more than \u00a3100 for this kind of light output.<\/p>\n

There is a dizzying array of lights for the front and back of your bike, from a wide range of brands, with CatEye, Lezyne and Moon Lights in particular offering exceptional \u2018bang for your buck\u2019. Additional lights can be attached to rucksacks, helmets, bike spokes, arms and legs.<\/p>\n

Choosing your lights will depend on how much you want to spend, how keen you are to be seen by other road users and where you are cycling, for example on or off-road and according to different levels of ambient light.<\/p>\n

BIKE LIGHTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS<\/h2>\n

Easy to recharge:\u00a0 <\/strong> Some bike lights have batteries that are rechargeable but the biggest advance in easy-to-recharge bike lights comes in the form of a direct USB cable connected directly into the internal bike light battery.<\/p>\n

USB recharging makes it very simply to keep lights fully charged and doesn\u2019t require a separate battery charger or plugged cable.<\/p>\n

See Moon Led Rear Light Crescent Cob and CatEye Led Rear Light Rapid X TL-700.<\/p>\n

The Lezyne Hecto Front LED Light goes a step further and boasts a rechargeable USB stick that means you never have to carry a cable or wonder where you mislaid it.<\/p>\n

Bright and bold: <\/strong> \u00a0If street lights are limited or you want to ride off-road in the dark, a powerful front light is an essential item of kit. These lights were once huge and pricey but they are now far more compact and affordable.<\/p>\n

Bright front lights make it possible to extend your mountain biking throughout the winter.<\/p>\n

The CatEye Volt 800 Front USB RC Light and Lezyne Power Drive 900 XL Front Light are bright enough to light up the road or path ahead like a dipped car headlight.<\/p>\n

\"cateye-volt-800-front-usb-rc-light.jpg\" Safer safety: <\/strong> \u00a0Add an extra dimension to your bike lighting with a Blaze Laserlight. This innovative UK design combines a 300-lumen light with a laser beam projection that gives fellow road users advance warning of your approach by projecting a green direct-diode bike symbol six metres in front of you.<\/p>\n

Back to the future: <\/strong> \u00a0Back lights should be red and bright. See, for example, CatEye LED Rear Light Rapid 3, Moon Led Rear Light Lunar and Cat Eye Rapid Mini Rear RC Light.<\/p>\n

Something new:\u00a0 <\/strong> Moon Pulsar Rear Light is a next generation COB LED rear bicycle light with an impressive 25 lumen for a price tag of just \u00a314.99.<\/p>\n

The Niterider Sentinel 40 Rear Light offers 40 lumen of light and creates \u201claser lanes\u201d to encourage traffic to pass with care. Road.cc gave this innovative light a rating of 4\/5.<\/p>\n

KNOW THE LAW ON BIKE LIGHTS<\/h2>\n

In the UK, it\u2019s illegal to cycle on a public road after dark without lights and reflectors. Exactly which lights and reflectors, where to fit them and when to light up, is defined by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that easy to work out from the various regulations and amendments exactly what you are required by law to use for bike lights and the chances are that if you have a bright white light at the front and a bright red light at the rear you will not fall foul of the police.<\/p>\n

This is also presumably the case with pedal reflectors. While the law requires front and rear reflectors on pedals most clipless pedals do not have these. Some bike shoes have reflectors in-built but not many.<\/p>\n

However, if you are involved in an accident at night, any slight illegality with respect to your lights or reflectors may be regarded as contributory negligence so it\u2019s worth knowing what the law requires.<\/p>\n

RVLR: NINE SALIENT POINTS<\/h2>\n