The 10 Best Bike Lights of 2024

Most brands have undergone a tremendous change in their appearance, design, and how they work. The same case is true with the bike lights. A lot of improvement has been seen on these bike accessories in terms of output and weight reduction.

Much of the progress is promoted by advances in technologies. These include an improvement in the switch system to produce more light and batteries that are packed with more power.

This great improvement has led to the production of brighter lights with longer run times packed in smaller, lighter systems. And this where the best bike lights of 2020 come into play.

These powerful lights are usually essential in a number of situations. In winter you can use them to see through poor visibility. During the night you can fix them on your bike to help you ride safely. This is because they have a good quality light output that increases visibility.

Below is a review of the top-ten best bike lights that you can rely on.

Related:The 15 Best Bike Racks For Cars

Cygolite Metro 360 USB Headlight

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Cygolite Metro 360 USB Headlight comes with all the features you need in a bike light. The headlight boasts super-bright 4-watt complete with 360 lumens, enough to light your way when biking. This 2nd generation CRE lamp consists of custom TIR optics designed for cycling. Side illumination ports are included to give you more advantages when it comes to visibility.

The headlight provides you with a steady pulse mode when biking in the darkness. This mode helps you to alert other motorists of your presence by constantly pulsing while lighting your path ahead during the night. The daylight mode plays a similar role only that it makes lightning-like flashes to demand the attention of other road users in the day.

It is water-resistant, allowing you to go biking in the rain or humid conditions. You can recharge it using a USB port on your laptop, desktop or USB charger plugged into a socket outlet. This should tell you that the headlight comes with a built-in Li-Ion battery to save you the cost of battery replacement. All you have to do is to mount it on the bike using a lock-tight handlebar mount and you are good to go.

Bright Eyes 1,600 Rechargeable Bike Lite

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If you are looking for a bike light that comes with versatility, brightness, or great features, look no more. Bright Eyes 1600 Rechargeable Bike Lite is here for you.

This bike accessory is designed to provide you with a maximum setting of 1,200 lumens on its brightest side. The feature makes it a perfect headlight for riding in urban areas or biking offroad.

For urban riding, you can comfortably tone down its brightness to a better and more reasonable brightness for the sake of other commuters. Alternatively, you can set to flash or pulse mode to achieve maximum visibility.

With its high-quality CREE LED lights and powerful 6,400 mAh rechargeable Li- Ion battery, Bright Yes 1600 can give you 2 ? hours of uninterrupted power while riding. Sometimes you can get up to 3 hours of maximum brightness setting.

You can mount this light on the handlebars and secure it using a rubber strap. The rubber strap releases easily when taking it off the bike to recharge or keep. The light stays secure despite riding the bike offroad.

On the other hand, you can mount on your helmet thanks to the headband mount that it comes with. This gives you ultimate flexibility in all situations. It also comes complete with a tail light to help you alert riders or road users behind you.

Te-Rich Super Bright Bike Light USB Rechargeable

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With 1,200 lumens and CREE XM-L2 LED Technology, the Te-Rich Super Bright Bike Lite gives you a reason not to fear the darkness. This waterproof headlight provides you with enough brightness to light up a wide section of the tail for you.

It also allows you to easily see obstacles on the road while biking at night. This high-quality bike front light will make your presence known by other road users during evening or night rides.

The light is easy to install on your bike. Its setup is straight-forward and timeless. It doesn’t need tools to mount it on your bike.

What you need to do is to hand turn the hardware in order to secure it on the bike handlebar at a desirable location. You can also screw off the bike light from the mount to take it with you when not biking to prevent it from being stolen.

Powered with a 5-volt, 400mhA rechargeable battery, this light can provide you with night riding light of approximately 4 hours at 100% brightness, 8 hours at 50%, and 12 hours at 25 brightness. On top of that, it gives you 100 % brightness when you set it on a strobe.

Versatile in use, you can mount this light on a head strap to act as a headlamp for outdoor use. You can rotate it at an angle 360 degrees while on your bicycle to help you view the trail from any direction of your choice.

The bike is designed for universal fitment. This means that it can easily fit in tubes or most handlebars of up to 28 millimeters (mm) in diameter. It is also compatible with handlebars belonging to brands such as SALSA, JAMIS, TREK, SPECIALIZED, GIANT, SCHWINN, SCOTT, DIAMONDBACK, GT, MONGOOSE among others.

TeamObsidian LED Bike Lights

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TeamObsidian LED Bike Lights are built to assure your safety when riding your bike. This set of lights enables you to be seen by other commuters, especially when riding in the dark or any weather conditions.

This high-quality bike light is made of durable solid aluminum material. Its reflector is crafted from rugged ABS plastic to make the light brighter and powerful.

This model of cycling light will definitely illuminate the path to help you avoid obstacles. That’s why it is considered a perfect fit for both urban and mountain biking as it combines a powerful headlight and red tail light.

Its strong LED cannot fail you in any way. It provides you with 200 lumens all the time. The light is battery-operated, making it ideal for use in remote places without electricity. This is because it uses a combination of five AAA disposable batteries; three in the front light and two in the rear flashlight.

The entire set is water-resistant, meaning that it can withstand extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, and even dust.

When it comes to mounting it to the bike, both the headlight and taillight are fully equipped with screws for attachment. No tools needed when mounting these lights. A pair of rubber brackets come in handy to help you adjust the front light on the handlebar.

Cycle Torch Shark-500 USB Rechargeable Bike Light

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Let yourself be seen easily and commute in confidence with the help of Cycle Torch Shark-500 USB Rechargeable bike light. This super-bright bike light is made to make your ride safely.

It is powered by a high output CREE light-emitting diodes (LED) with 500 lumens. This brightness is enough to light up the road or trail ahead to help you spot obstacles and other commuters. On top of that, it comes with a bonus USB LED rear light to ensure that you are fully covered both in front and at the back.

The entire set uses a rechargeable battery which has an amazingly long run time. This USB rechargeable light helps you save your money while keeping you safe.

The Cycle Shark-500 bike light boasts 2 plus hours of maximum brightness including 30 hours on flash mode. These features make it a must-have bicycle light if you care about your safety and saving some money.

The light is designed to fit nicely on all bikes such as the oversized road bikes, mountain bikes, commuter city bikes, and kids bikes. Most importantly, you don’t need any special tool to attach it to your bike.

With its ability to emit a flat beam shape, you can comfortably and confidently ride in an urban setup. The beam allows the oncoming motorists, traffic, or pedestrians to clearly see you. In the rain, this bike light has you covered as well.

Vont Scope Bike Light

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Vont Scope Bike Light brings you super bright CREE LED technology to make your biking a breeze. This bike accessory is equipped with different brightness modes to suit your lighting needs. You can adjust the beam size depending on the time of the day.

Its compact size makes it one of the most versatile and brightest LED bicycle lights that you can rely on. This bike light can light a wider section of the road and enable you to be seen by other commuters 100 feet away.

Vont Scope Bike Light comes with a free bonus in the form of a free rear light to make yourself visible from the back. This feature ensures that you remain secure when biking at night.

The light is waterproof and indestructible. This means that it is built to last you a lifetime, thanks to the military-grade material it is made of.

BLITZU Gator-320 USB Rechargeable Bike Light

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Here comes the Gator 320 Rechargeable Bike Light with only the best features. This headlight delivers everyday reliable performance that every rider needs. Gator 320 is a great option for biking at night. It also provides you with extra precaution when riding your bike during the day.

With its smart charging capability, this headlight takes just two hours to fully charge. At the same time, the smart charge feature automatically cuts off the power when the built-in battery is fully charged. This ensures a longer battery life.

The simple control button on this headlight makes it easy for you to adjust certain functions to achieve the desired brightness. The button is located right at the top of the light to give you easy access and convenience.

Generally, this is all in one design bike light that provides you the best riding experience during the day and night. There is a one-touch dismount button that requires you to press gently and slide the light out. Other features include the 320 lumens super bright output from the front bike light, water-resistance, and versatility.

BrightRoad Rechargeable 800 Lumens Bike Light

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BrightRoad Rechargeable 800 Lumens Bike Light gives you a chance to ride in the dark. This great accessory lights up the entire road or trail, allowing you to see your way ahead to avoid obstacles. The whole set includes front and rear bike lights to ensure that you stay safe throughout your ride.

With its 800 lumens, the front light provides you with enough light to see the oncoming traffic clearly. Also, it enables you to see other road users, making you safe throughout your biking adventure. This headlight helps you to see in all directions thanks to its 650 feet visibility, 85 degrees light angle, and 360- degree rotation capabilities.

The tail light keeps you visible to other commuters, especially in the dark. This little bright light is included to enhance your safety while enjoying your biking.

This BR-10 rear light can light up to 650 feet away and rotate at an angle of 220 degrees. It is fully paired with three safety modes to alert other road users of your presence. Both lights are weather-proof, meaning that you can use them anywhere and at any time.

NiteRider Pro 1800 Race Bike Headlight

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The NiteRider is designed for off-road rides. The bike light headlight features a powerful 1800 lumens light that lights up the entire trail. This makes it brighter than the most average motorcycle and car headlights. And the quality of its beam is wider and brighter.

This bike light is suitable for your mountain bike and you can rest assured that it will provide you with enough brightness to enable you to see obstacles ahead. You will see every ditch, trench, tree root, turns, and the terrain ahead. Your trail biking will turn out safer and more adventurous.

In full mode, the light will remain bright for 1 ? hour. But you can set it back to 400 lumens to last you 6 hours when riding. It also comes with a walking mode that can provide you with more than 24 hours of light.

Cycle Torch Night Owl USB Rechargeable Bike Light

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The Cycle Torch Night Owl is a must-have bike light if you value your safety and that of other commuters. The light is equipped with high-quality features that make your day or night biking enjoyable and safe.

One of the greatest features that identify this bike light is the smart charging technology. This technology allows you to save money and time when it comes to charging this efficient headlight.

For daytime biking, this bike light makes it possible to stay safe all the time. This is due to the fact that it has a specially engineered lens complete with 100 real lumens to give you high-quality beams.

The free USB rechargeable LED rear light is another feature to note down. It is included in this set to help you stay safe from all directions. Both lights attach easily and you will not require any tools to mount them on your bike. Above all, they are super light and water-resistant to assure you of better performance when biking.

What to Look For When Choosing the Best Bike Lights

Different Types of Bike Lights

The first thing you need to consider when shopping for the best bike light is the type. Two different types of these accessories exist today. But the choice of each light may depend on the type of riding you do. The nature of your bike ride will certainly determine the choice of your bike lights.

Headlights

When you hear about the term bike light, what should cross your mind is the headlight or simply the light that normally faces forward. Such lights are designed to be mounted on the bike’s handlebars. But they can also be mounted on the rider’s helmet. Mostly, helmet mount is applicable among offroad riders.

There are different types of headlights. Some are several hundred lumens while others are a few thousand lumens. So it is important to note these differences every time you are shopping for your bike’s headlight. Keep in mind that the light you need will depend largely on where you are going to use it.

Off-road, biking will definitely need more light compared to riding on a well- lit highway. When riding your bike away from the road, you will require enough light to light narrow paths, rugged terrain, and any obstacles that you may come across. But most urban riders need headlights just to be seen by other road users.

Rear Lights

The rear lights are usually the red lights that make riders visible to motorists, especially in the dark. These lights are always mounted on the seat post to enhance visibility. They come with a few modes to help increase visibility. You may also mount them on your helmet or possibly place them on the backpack while riding at night where visibility is poor. Whichever way you find appropriate for you, make sure that they are on to inform other road users of your presence.

A Combination of Headlights and Rear Lights

If you are lucky enough, you might get free rear lights when you purchase headlights. This is because some manufacturers give them to their buyers for free after purchasing headlights. Real lights are cheaper compared to headlights for bikes. A good example of a brand of bike lights that comes in this combination is the Bright Eyes which are ideal for all types of road biking.

Brightness

The intensity of light in bike lights is measured in lumens just like all other light bulbs. That said, you will need a bike light with 300 or 500 lumens in order to light up a pathway or sidewalk. This amount of light is powerful enough to ride along in the darkness and be able to see objects ahead of you.

Even though many brands offer bike lights that have less than 500 lumens, you can rest assured that they will work best for you. Most of these lights are made from light-emitting diodes (LED). As LED technology improves so does the quality of bike lights. This technology provides a better and powerful light just for less money.

If you are planning to use headlights for off-road rides, then you will have to find more powerful bike lights. Such headlights are designed to emit light that will provide you with enough brightness to see ahead. In this case, you must go for at least 1000 lumens. With this amount of light, you will find it easy and safe to ride during the night when there’s poor visibility.

Unlike headlights, rear lights are less bright. They are usually found in the range of 50 to 100 lumens. However, you should not underestimate their low light intensity as they can provide you with good visibility. This is true when they are working in a flashing mode.

The fact that you should consider the brightness of headlight, it is also important to consider beam quality. There is a good reason as to why the quality of the beam should be a matter of concern. This is because when it is narrow, you will not achieve the best visibility, especially in the dark. At the same time, other road users may not see you well.

A narrow beam will most likely give you a narrow field of view which will limit visibility. If this happens while riding at night you may fail to spot danger on your right or left. You may also not be able to see what lies ahead while taking a sharp turn or riding on a narrow trail. And this can be dangerous not only to you but also to other road or trail users.

Features and Modes

You will find out that a number of LED bike lights have several beam patterns. These beam patterns are included in their design to give you different brightness. You can choose to ride the streets using pulsing or flashing beams. Either choice will provide you with maximum visibility so you may see what lies ahead of you.

Changing the brightness of your bike lights is an important step towards enhancing your safety and that of other road users. It may also help you change the size of the beam to suit your needs.

Mounting Style

Another thing to look at when purchasing the best bike lights is the mounting style. Most headlights are designed to be mounted on the handlebars. Only a few offer dual mounts. You can place them on the bike or mount them on the helmet.

Handlebar Mount

So far, the handlebar mount is the most common style you will ever come across. The style uses a strap to wrap the headlight around the bike’s handlebar. The handlebar mount is suitable for both trail and urban riding. Besides, it’s simple to use.

Helmet Mount

You may consider the helmet mount a better option because it will enable you to look farther ahead. When mounted on your helmet, the headlight will cover a longer distance than when mounted on the handlebar. At least you will be in a better position to easily spot obstacles and turns when riding offroad.

A helmet mount is also able to provide you with ultimate flexibility while on your bike. You can easily maneuver corners and bends while training the beam in the direction of your choice. Better yet, you can combine the helmet light and handlebar mount for better coverage of the terrain ahead of you.

Portability

Portability goes hand-in-hand with mounting. This factor should be your primary concern especially if you are an urban rider. It will help you to prevent your bike light from being stolen.

That being said, the light should comfortably fit in your pocket or small bag whenever you are not using it. Most of these bike lights are powered using AA or AAA batteries. Also, they are handlebar-mounted for your convenience.

When it comes to offroad lights, the situation is somehow different. These lights are not portable and are powered by external batteries. This limits their portability in addition to not fitting in your pockets. So they are not suitable for your bike if you are riding around town.

Beam Angle

The quality of your bike light is an important factor to consider. This is where the beam comes in to determine how far or wide you can see. A wide beam will be a good choice for you if you are riding on the streets. The beam will provide you with the best visibility for approaching vehicles or anything in front of you.

For off-road riders, you will require narrow beams. Such beams will provide you with more distance to view. A narrow beam will clearly illuminate obstacles so you can react in time.

Battery Type

There are different brands of batteries that you can use to power your bike lights. Some are rechargeable while others are disposable. Out of these, you will find a few that are internal and a handful of them that are external.

Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries

A number of USB-rechargeable lights have a single 18650-battery. This type of battery allows you to charge it through a USB port. Such batteries are convenient and economical because you will not have to buy new batteries to replace them. Instead, you will only recharge them for a while and use them again.

Taillights used on most bikes use lithium polymer batteries packs that are similar to those used in cellphones. These battery packs are smaller and flatter to make them less bulky. This means that you can comfortably keep them in your pockets or purse when not in use.

USB rechargeable batteries are by far the cheapest to operate let alone being the most convenient. Just take them to your house and hook them up to their chargers. These batteries will help you save a lot of money on batteries while saving the environment around you. Most importantly, they are long-lasting.

Disposable Alkaline Batteries

Most AA and AAA batteries are disposable, meaning that you only have to use them once and get rid of them after exhausting their energy. These batteries feature a lower energy density compared to lithium batteries. Therefore, it is not wise to buy a new light that uses them unless you are ready to spend some cash replacing already used up batteries.

Regardless of their limitations, the AA and AAA batteries have one advantage that you need to know. They are the most reliable when using them on an extended trip or in places with no electricity to recharge the lights.

Internal Batteries

Most of the bike lights reviewed above have a built-in or integrated battery. This option provides you with convenience as well as a more compact design. Besides, it gives you peace of mind instead of worrying about where to mount your external battery.

External Batteries

The external batteries come with extra power much to your delight. They also have a longer run time than the internal batteries. If you are going to make longer rides, then you should consider looking for an external battery. Their downside is their bulkiness, which is likely to add more weight to your bike. With this option, you can easily swap out the batteries when necessary.

Battery Life

Every bike light reviewed above is likely to give you more than one hour of light in terms of brightness. This is where choosing brightness when purchasing these lights comes into play. So you should be in a better position to select the best brightness setting.

The settings will help to choose the amount of brightness you may need at specific periods of the day or night. This feature is usually included to help you save the battery.

Good quality rechargeable bikes are designed to provide you with consistent beam brightness throughout. But cheaper bike lights are more likely to give you a shorter time of full brightness. This type of light will rapidly fade and become dimmer the more the battery discharges.

A good example of a reliable bike light with strong and consistent brightness is the NiteRider Pro. This model has more battery discharge including more brightness that will last you a little bit longer.

Water Resistance

Sometimes you may find yourself faced with the most extreme weather conditions while riding your bike. Rain is one of the weather conditions that you should be prepared to encounter when on your riding adventures. Mud and dirty water are other things you might encounter occasionally.

Luckily for you, most of the best bike lights in the review above are water- resistant. You can ride them in the rain and still find your way easily. These lights are made to offer high levels of water resistance in all types of weather conditions you may come across.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is there a way I can prevent thieves from stealing my bike lights?
A: Yes, there is a way you can deter thieves from making away with your bike lights. You can use stainless steel straps to reinforce the mounting on the bike’s handlebar. Stainless steel is sturdy, tough, and rust-resistant. Thieves will not be able to cut this material and take away your lights. Another solution is to dismount the light and take it with you. These accessories are usually small and compact. They can easily fit in your pockets.

Q: Is it possible for me to use bike lights during the day?
A: You may use it if you want to. But make sure to set it to the brightest mode. Most bike lights come with a strobe mode which makes them easily noticed in daylight.

Q: How do I set up my bike lights for nighttime rides?
A: One thing you need to know is that the high-intensity, forward-facing bike lights should not be flashed at night. That is if they are more than 200 lumens. This is to avoid the risk of blinding or confusing oncoming traffic. It is recommended that you have only one flashing light with one steady light. The work of a steady light is to help you estimate the distance between you and other road users. Avoid extreme strobing patterns while riding but use only the pulsing pattern.

Q: What is the meaning of the terms, lumens, lux, and candlepower?
A: Brightness is measured in three major units. They include the lumens, lux, and candela. Lux refers to the luminous flux per area, lumens are the luminous flux, and candela is the luminous intensity.

Lux

The term is used to refer to lumens per area. It is the sum of the amount of light hitting a surface divided by the same surface area. The brightness is usually determined by the distance between the source of light and the surface it is being shone.

Lumens

This is a measure of the total output of a given light source in all directions. This measurement is obtained using an integrated sphere fitted with a reflective sphere for the purpose of normalizing the light beam. In other words, lumens are a measure of light intensity.

Candela

It is used to measure the absolute brightness in a particular direction. Candela is used to rank the maximum brightness of a source of light. Its value will remain the same regardless of the source of light.

Out of the three values, lumens are widely used to measure the brightness of bike lights. That is why most manufacturers use terms such as “estimated” or “specified brightness”depending on the LED’s Specificationss of particular power output. But the actual brightness may vary greatly depending on the nature of circuitry used, optics efficiency, LED quality, and operating temperature.

Q: What is the most preferred bike light for night use?
A: It depends on your preference and what brand you are looking for. For urban riding, the Bright Eyes is just perfect for you. This brand of bike light emits enough brightness to light your way and it is affordable. For off-road biking, you need to try out the NiteRider Pro 1,800 lumens. This model will light up the entire trail and cover more distance to help you avoid obstacles.

Q: How many lumens are recommended for a bike light?
A: The lumens you need on your bike light depends on where you are going to ride your bike. If it is in the urban areas, you will need at least 200 lumens. Away from the urban setup, you may opt for 1,000 lumens or even more.

Q: What are the brightest lights for bikes?
A: Both the NiteRider Pro and Nitecore BR35 have 1,800 lumens ( brightness) and are considered the brightest bike lights you can trust.

Below is a comparison chart of lumens and bulbs of different watts:

Watts	Light Bulb Lumens
25	230-270
35	350-400
40	440-460
50	330-400
60	800-850
75	1,000-1,100
100	1,500-1,600

Best Tips For Using Your Best Bike Lights

Make use of reflective materials if possible bike lights alone are not enough to guarantee your safety while biking. You need to use reflective materials to enhance your safety, especially when riding your bike in the urban setup. Such materials will increase your visibility and give other road users your exact position even in the dark. Reflective materials on your moving body parts are essential to keep you out of harm’s way.

Look out ahead of you to identify the kind of visibility around you

If you are biking in places that don’t have street lights, then you will need to look out for something strong enough to light your road or trail ahead of you.

In this case, you will have to use a bike light with at least 50 lumens to help you find your way in the dark. That kind of light will provide you with a strong beam pattern to let you see a wide section of the road without affecting the oncoming riders/drivers. This creates a perfect balance between you and other road users.

Make sure that the batteries you are using have a longer life before you can go out

It is wise to check your battery life to know how long it can provide you with power before it dies. A long-lasting battery is necessary when going out to ride because it will keep the lights on for a longer duration. You definitely don’t want to find yourself riding in the darkness when the battery runs out. Alternatively, you may carry with you some small lights or spare batteries just in case of an emergency. This is a preventive measure that you shouldn’t ignore every time you go out on your bike.

Conclusion

Bike lights are not there to add beauty to your bike. These accessories are there to enhance safety when riding in the darkness or where there is poor visibility. They will help you to avoid collision with vehicles on the road or hitting obstacles while riding along the trail. While this is the main reason why you should have bike lights on your bike, finding the best lights is yet another hurdle. From the review above, you can compare different brands in terms of features and come up with the one that will meet your needs.

In general, the rechargeable bike lights with a bright beam is a plus. The same lights should also have a handlebar to make the mounting easy while going for urban riding. But for offroad riding, you may settle for those lights that you can mount on the handlebar or helmet. Make sure that they have a powerful rechargeable battery to help you enjoy your riding longer when the lights are on. Use this guide to find the best and most reliable bike lights so you may enjoy your biking anywhere, anytime.