The Best Bike Lights to Illuminate Your Ride

best bike lights
The Best Bike Lights to Illuminate Your RidePopular Mechanics; Courtesy NITERIDER


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Just like helmets, bike lights are critical safety gear for every cyclist. A good set of headlights and taillights lets you see what’s ahead and alerts drivers and others of your presence. According to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 52 percent of fatal cycling accidents involving cars and trucks occurred in low-light or dark conditions. Today’s bike lights come with many safety features, and there are plenty of models that don’t cost a fortune. So whether your bike has become your go-to source of transportation or you’re simply squeezing in a ride after hours, let these lights be your guide.

Best Bike Lights

The Experts: Helping riders choose the right bike light is a process that’s sometimes as involved as picking the right bike. I’ve spent six years as a salesperson at The Bicycle Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, so I have an understanding of what works best, but the shop’s manager, Grant Corman, knows this even better, which is why I enlisted his help to back up several of these picks.

Choosing the Best Lights for Your Bike

For the safest ride, we recommend using a headlight and taillight, but if you can only afford one, opt for a taillight (or look for a combination set, which is often cheaper than buying the same lights independently). Just be mindful of state and local laws when foregoing one light or the other. Certain areas, like where I live in Pennsylvania, only require a headlight after dark, but laws (and the enforcement of them) vary widely in different parts of the world.

Typically mounted to your seat post, taillights can help approaching vehicles and others spot you, and they’re generally colored red like the taillights on a car. Headlights are often installed on handlebars, but many can also be mounted to your helmet or a GoPro. Helmet mounts are also a smart addition to your handlebar-mounted light if you’re mountain biking; trails generally include lots of switchbacks, and the way forward isn’t always the direction your bike will be facing.

Nearly every model available today has LED lights with multiple brightness settings and a rechargeable lithium battery. As you evaluate your options, pay attention to how many lumens a light has, as well as its promised battery life and waterproof rating. It’s hard to test these factors yourself on the well-lit sales floor of your local bike shop or department store (and it’s impossible over the internet), so familiarize yourself with what the for your vision and visibility before making a purchase.

Lumens

Lumens are a measure of how much light streams through an area per second. Generally, the more lumens a bike light has, the brighter it will be, but brightness is also impacted by the light’s beam pattern. Some lights are designed to help you see; others are made to be seen. If you’re riding on well-lit streets or paths, a headlight of 100 to 200 lumens with a flash mode or two is usually enough, whereas mountain bikers who need to spot trail obstacles quickly should aim for at least 1,000. Most taillights are less than 100 lumens and have flash modes or other settings that make them brighter as vehicles approach.

Battery Life

Bike light batteries typically last, at a minimum, for a few hours. They drain faster on lights with more lumens or when you’re using a light on its brightest setting. To conserve power, use those bright settings only when you really need them. Observe your light’s low battery indicator (if it has one) so you know when it’s time to recharge to avoid being left in the dark.

Waterproofing

Most bike lights are water-resistant, and some are even waterproof. Brands rate their products on the Ingress Protection scale, which assesses particle- and water-resistance. If you regularly cycle in the rain, make sure your lights have an IPX rating of five or higher (where X is a placeholder, sometimes filled by a number, for the product’s particle resistance). Lower ratings indicate water-resistant, not fully waterproof, products.

How We Tested

Every light recommended here has been thoroughly evaluated and vetted by me, our team of test editors, and the crew at The Bicycle Shop, be it through hands-on testing or intensive research into a light’s posted specifications. After researching the market and surveying feedback from customers and gear review sites, we spent time using several of the most promising options. These lights have traveled many miles on our bikes as we pushed pedals morning, noon, and night: We used them on trail rides in the rocky Pennsylvania woods and during commutes in all kinds of traffic. One editor even tested the water resistance of a light with an unintentional trip through the washing machine. We’ve tested the absolute limits of their functionality so you can ride easy.

Niterider Lumina Oled 1200 Boost Light

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 1,200

  • Battery Life: 1–18 hours

  • IPX Rating: 4

Commuting, mountain biking, and gravel riding—the rechargeable Lumina is good for them all. At full power, it blasts out 1,200 lumens in a widespread beam that illuminates the road or trail up to 20 yards ahead. The digital display shows the remaining battery life for whichever of the five light levels and four flash modes you’re using. When the battery gets close to empty, the Lumina automatically shifts down to the lowest setting to preserve juice. In testing, the battery indicator proved to be pretty accurate, and in twilight and post-sunset riding conditions, our test editors were able to get almost two hours of life by making good use of the various settings to save power. After 15 months of consistent use, albeit less in the summer, this light is still one of our favorites.

<p><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1596630&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jensonusa.com%2FNiterider-Lumina-Oled-1200-Boost-Light&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularmechanics.com%2Fadventure%2Foutdoor-gear%2Fg3046%2Fbest-bike-lights%2F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Niterider Lumina Oled 1200 Boost Light</p><p>$149.99</p><p>jensonusa.com</p>

Light & Motion Urban 500

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 500

  • Battery Life: 1.5–12 hours

  • IPX Rating: 7

I’ve used the Urban 500 as my main commuting headlight since I was a teenager riding to school, and I haven’t needed to replace it even once. This light has fewer lumens and brightness settings than our top pick, but there’s still plenty to like. For a headlight this powerful, the Urban 500 is affordable with many key features. Amber sidelights increase your visibility to vehicles approaching you at awkward angles while its, four modes include a pulsing option that’s somewhat noticeable without being obnoxious. The multi-color battery indicator lets you know when it’s time to plug in, emitting a red strobe when time is truly of the essence. The light comes with a handlebar mount, but you can also buy mounts for your helmet or GoPro.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F0FCAKW?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Light & Motion Urban 500</p><p>$49.99</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Light & Motion Urban 500

$49.99

amazon.com

Cygolite Hotshot 50

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 50

  • Battery Life: 4.5–500 hours

  • IPX Rating: 4

A lot of great features are packed into Cygolite’s Hotshot. Toggle between customizable blinking and strobe modes, as well as six light modes. The internal memory automatically returns to your last setting after being shut off, and when it comes to mounting, you have options. Attach the taillight to your seat post (you’ll need a Philips head screwdriver for installation), or clip it directly to your clothing—just don’t forget to remove it before throwing them in the wash like one of our editors did. Luckily, the Hotshot was no worse for wear.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DVA57Y?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Cygolite Hotshot 50</p><p>$37.55</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Cygolite Hotshot 50

$37.55

amazon.com

Bontrager Ion 200 RT/Flare RT Light Set

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 200 (Ion) and 90 (Flare)

  • Battery Life: 1.5–30 hours (Ion) and 4.5–15 hours (Flare)

  • IPX Rating: 7 (both)

Don’t mistake the Bontrager Ion 200 RT (front) and Flare RT (rear) for puny bike lights. Bontrager says they’re visible from 1.25 miles away, and we like how user-friendly and durable they are. Our test team’s sample, originally reviewed in 2018, still holds up well. Between the pair, there are 10 light modes, including flashing options, and both have sensors that auto-adjust the brightness based on your surroundings. If you have a Garmin or Bontrager cycling computer, you can control the settings and check battery levels from the device.

<p><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1596630&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F152981&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularmechanics.com%2Fadventure%2Foutdoor-gear%2Fg3046%2Fbest-bike-lights%2F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Bontrager Ion 200 RT/Flare RT Light Set</p><p>$130.00</p><p>rei.com</p>

Ascher USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 80 (front only; not provided for rear light)

  • Battery Life: 3.5–10 hours (front) and 2.5–9.5 hours (rear)

  • IPX Rating: 4

These lights aren’t as small and sleek as the Bontrager set, but they’re about 100 bucks cheaper, so the extra size and less refined shape is a reasonable tradeoff. Still, you have a choice between two steady and two flash modes, and the advantage of long runtime. Our test team consistently got more than 10 hours of battery life on fast flashing mode, which allowed them to safely do multiple rides on a single charge, and I’ve gone entire winters of commuting home in the dark only charging this taillight once or twice. Even better, these batteries don’t deteriorate quickly—we’ve been using our sets for years. Plus, as a final touch, the micro USB charging port has a rubber cover, so there is no need to fret if you get caught in the rain.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EUQ7ZQG?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Ascher USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set</p><p>$15.99</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Ascher USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set

$15.99

amazon.com

Blackburn Countdown 1600 Headlight

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 1600

  • Battery Life: 1.3–12 hours

  • IPX Rating: 7

On high, steady mode, this handlebar-mounted headlight emits 1,200 lumens and lasts a claimed two hours, long enough to fit in a respectable after-hours trail ride. (You can double the battery life and cut the lumens in half if you run it on medium.) There’s also a Blitz mode, which takes the light up to 1,600 lumens for 1.3 hours. The backlit digital display is easy to read and lets you know how much power is left. Charge time via USB is a claimed four hours, but the battery will reach 80 percent after being plugged in for just 10 minutes, according to Blackburn. And the Countdown’s mount allows you to adjust the angle of the beam, so you can point it wherever it’s needed most—handy if you’re simultaneously running a helmet-mounted light.

<p><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1596630&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backcountry.com%2Fblackburn-countdown-1600-headlight&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularmechanics.com%2Fadventure%2Foutdoor-gear%2Fg3046%2Fbest-bike-lights%2F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Blackburn Countdown 1600 Headlight</p><p>$169.95</p><p>backcountry.com</p>

Gyhuego USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 3000 (front only; not provided for rear light)

  • Battery Life: 10 hours

  • IPX Rating: 5

This budget light found on Amazon makes bold claims: 10 hours of run time at 3,000 lumens. We were unable to verify the lumens claim but, from using this light, we can attest that it’s incredibly bright and long-lasting. Just after the 10-hour mark, when the battery life got low, the light switched to a lower setting to save power but kept running for nearly four more hours. We haven’t used it long enough to know how the battery stands up to repeated charging cycles, so check back for updates. The set includes a taillight that leaves something to be desired in terms of visibility, but for $24, it’s hard to be upset about that.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VG7Z2JS?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Gyhuego USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set</p><p>$20.99</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Gyhuego USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set

$20.99

amazon.com

Light & Motion VIS Pro 1000 Trail

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 1000

  • Battery Life: 1.5–9 hours

  • IPX Rating: 7

You would be justified in doing a double-take after looking at this light, wondering if I mistakenly picked the Urban 500 twice—they’re seemingly identical. When I first bought the Vis Pro 1000 Trail, it cost me my vision for several seconds after I haphazardly turned it on in my backyard one night. For its size and weight (only 4 inches long and weighing 4.3 ounces!), this bike light is incredibly potent; for that reason, I often have one stashed in my last drop bag for long-distance offroad races. With three mounting options, the Vis Pro 1000 can stand alone on your helmet or provide some much-appreciated extra coverage as a secondary handlebar or GoPro light. It sports a set of amber sidelights for road-riding commuters, just like the Urban 500, and it rocks the same colored battery indicator and USB charging as well. Just be sure to point it away from yourself!

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K9CC89R?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Light & Motion VIS Pro 1000 Trail</p><p>$134.99</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Light & Motion VIS Pro 1000 Trail

$134.99

amazon.com

Fabric Lumasense V2

Key Specs:

  • Max Lumens: 100

  • Battery Life: 8–20 hours

  • IPX Rating: 5

Fabric is best known for making saddles that are both functional and stylish, and their recent work with other cycling accessories has been promising. With an agreeable price and solid performance, Fabric’s Lumasense V2 is a perfect beginner’s foray into the world of smart lights. What makes it unique from other taillights is that it contains a small accelerometer that recognizes when the bike is slowing down; when it senses a deceleration, it correspondingly increases the intensity of the light’s beam to notify onlookers that you’re stopping. It only fits on round seatposts, but it does so in an incredibly clean manner that’s sure to keep even the fanciest machines looking streamlined.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z2984MQ?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Fabric Lumasense V2</p><p>$34.42</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Fabric Lumasense V2

$34.42

amazon.com

Lezyne Femto Drive Taillight

Key Specs

  • Max Lumens: 7

  • Battery Life: 30-60 hours

  • IPX Rating: 7

If you’re looking for a light that is only detectable when you want it to be, the Femto Drive is a perfect option. It’s the smallest light I recommend by a considerable margin, and it is the epitome of minimalism. The three different light settings all put out 7 lumens, and its compact clip system allows it to hide on the surface of your bike, backpack, or clothes. It’s the only light on this list that doesn’t use rechargeable batteries, but it will take a considerable amount of time to wear through their juice anyway, especially if you use it as an emergency backup like most people I know who own one.

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008R5ONU8?tag=syn-yahoo-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.3046%5Bsrc%7Cyahoo-us" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Shop Now</a></p><p>Lezyne Femto Drive Taillight</p><p>$14.99</p><p>amazon.com</p>

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Lezyne Femto Drive Taillight

$14.99

amazon.com

Shopping, Smart Lights, and More With Our Expert, Grant Corman

PM: What are your must-have features and criteria when shopping for bike lights?

G.C.: More than anything, I like rechargeability and ease of removal, and I definitely like a wide range of beam patterns.

PM: What are your thoughts on smart lights and other lights with automatic features?

G.C.: I like them, but they’re a tough sell. Even though all the integration provides some really cool automation and other features, I’ve learned that most people just like to be in control.

PM: How many lights are on your bike, and when do you use them?

G.C.: I always run a daytime headlight on my handlebars and a taillight on my seatpost. Even when it isn’t dark, they can make people think you’re a motorcycle; they’ll figure out that you’re a bike eventually, but it tricks them long enough to make your presence known.

best bike lights
Photo by Adam Schram

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