Are you looking to do both road and mountain bike riding? If so, yes, you’ll need different light systems for each to ensure a safer and smoother ride. You might also want to install a mounting system that makes for efficient switching without any tools.
With that settled, it’s time to discuss what types of light and light qualities you will need for a road and mountain bike.
It’s vital to get the lighting element correct where adventure biking is concerned, as so much of a rider’s safety depends on it. These lights come in numerous options, including awesome vintage and retro bike lights, to meet your more preferences.More…
Road and Mountain Bike Lighting
If you’re fond of gravel riding and expect to navigate unlit back roads time and again, a mountain bike light should help you traverse these passages more safely. Alternatively, if your interest lies in touring, you might be more concerned about the light’s battery life more than anything else. As such, you’d be more inclined to purchase a lower-lumen-range road bike light.
Shifting from one adventurous bicycle style to another typically requires light that adjusts outputs. There is, for instance, a light option that provides a greater brightness setting atmuch shorter battery life.
In addition, you’ll also find models with a lower-lumen adjustment that allows the battery to last at least 10 times longer. You can shift from one mode to the other, depending on your riding needs. So, what’s the best bike light for you?
Choosing the Best Bike Light
A rider needs different lights for mountain and road biking, but how will you make the right choice? Here are key questions that should guide you towards your decision.
Is It a Good Idea To Go For the Brightest Lights?
Yes, if you’re a night rider. To put things in perspective, bike lights these days are set at 1200 to 1800 lumens. That’s brighter than a car’s headlights, which deliver around 700 to 1300 lumens on average.
If night-riding is your thing, you’ll love that most bike lights get up that high in terms of brightness. Some bike lights can even deliver an astounding 6000 to 8000 lumens of illuminating power. In reality, though, you won’t want to go for these unless you’re cycling in pitch-black conditions.
How Bright Should My Bike Light Be?
Lumens is the unit of measure for light brightness. As such, it’s one of the things to pay attention to when selecting a bike light. So, what will it be?
Generally, anything above 200 lumens should be good for urban usage. A word of caution, though. Anything above 700 lumens can sting the eyes, so make sure to angle your light downward if this is the case. As for rear lights, you should have no problem staying visible with the minimum lumen range of 4 to 20.
Should You Go For Rechargeable or Battery-Powered?
Unless all you’re looking for are blinking rear lights, a rechargeable option should serve you better than a battery-powered one. These lights might have heftier price tags attached to them, but a few charges should be more than enough to balance the cost out.
You want to opt for environment-friendly rechargeable options, which are all the rage among today’s bikers.
Should You Go For the Full Light Set or Just the Rear Light?
The answer to this would depend on how frequently you ride at night. If you ride more at night than you do at day, it would be practical to get the full set. The reason? It’ll help you ride safer amid the challenges of the dark.
Then again, if you night ride in a relatively well-lit location, getting the full set shouldn’t matter as much. If you’re short on budget, a low-lumen rear light option should be enough to make drivers take notice of you.
In a similar scenario, you might also want to install a front light to help vehicles veering off course take notice of your presence. Not to mention, it would also help pedestrians walking opposite the traffic flow spot and avoid you.
Is a Headlight Safe To Use?
Yes, a headlamp is safe to use as a bike light, but only to a certain extent. The fact is, it does not offer the level of brightness of actual bike lights, which could prove inefficient for lighting darker passages.
That said, in case you want to scan the trail ahead of you before biking through it, a headlamp would prove an excellent addition to your cycling kit.
The Right Bike Light Keeps You Safe and Stress-Free
A bike light that fits the area and conditions you’re biking in levels up your safety. That’s because you’ll be able to clearly see what or who is in front of you. At the same time, you’ll be visible to those around you. That means either party is afforded enough time to avoid or stay out of the way of the other.
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