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The bike light is essential for cycling. It serves the dual purpose of assisting you to see and be seen. Every biker has faced a situation where bad visibility contributed to a poor ride day. You can improve such situations with the aid of suitable lighting solutions. When you choose small and compact bicycle lights that are easy to use and mountable anywhere on your seat post and handlebar, you save yourself getting lost in the dark. Currently, there are innumerable bike light options in the market. But here are a few factors to assess before shopping for lights for your bike. Read on to know what you should focus on.
Assess If The Light Is Bright Enough
A suitable light is obviously bright, but it is not excessively bright. If it shines too much, then it can easily blind the passers-by. Lights for bicycles get rated in lumens. 300 lumen is the least for a cyclist travelling in the dark. An appropriate range to explore is between 300 to 500 lumens. You can use such lights if you usually cycle in your city in the evenings. There are also some lights, which give you the option of using them on low and then engaging high (1000 lumens) if you ride in pitch darkness. So, assess the brightness of the lights you purchase.
Assess The Mounting Option
Rear and front bike lights have numerous mounting options. Many rear lights have band mounts that extend around the seat post of your bicycle and hook onto the light. It provides much convenience and thus is often the choice of many riders.
Many headlamps are secured with bands or straps. Some high-powered headlights have clamp mounts. These mounts are secure, and you can use them multiple times. Moreover, with clamp mounts, you still get the convenience of a strap. It is because of the quick-release mechanism of these mounts. You can remove the light quickly and easily when you park the bicycle.
Find How The Light Beam Is
Never consider lights that are priced cheaply, as the manufacturer typically uses a cheap lens in them. Such a lens concentrates the light in a very narrow beam. But for cycling long distances at night, you require a light that disseminates the beam with a good width without lowering the brightness. You can also recognise the pattern of the beam by shining the light at a surface like a wall. Lights that are very bright (1000 lumens) have a beam pattern that is round. They are best for riding off the road or for gaining more visibility during the daytime.
Find If You Can Easily Install & Remove The Bike Light
No cyclist desires to spend hours installing their bike lights. Moreover, when you park your cycle in public places, like a park, you want to remove the lights quickly. So, ensure that the light you purchase is easy to install and remove. Quality lights usually last for years. It also means that you may require to move the lights to another bicycle in the future. Lights that you can install and take away easily makes it effortless for you to install and use them on any bike.
Good bicycle lights provide you with 500 lumens of power, are lightweight, and pocket-sized. Moreover, they come with a USB rechargeable battery that lasts you for the entire day. Such lights facilitate superior light visibility. Buy lights after taking into account all the key factors described above. Do not simply trust online ads without conducting any research on your part.
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