In low-light or dark settings, bikers who use bike lights enjoy not one but two distinct benefits. This may appear to be stating the obvious. They are worn not simply to make the rider more visible to others but also to assist others in seeing the rider in the first place. There is a statistically significant increase in the risk of being involved in a collision with a motor vehicle while riding a bicycle at night compared to when the ride is being undertaken during the day.
The fact that these crashes are usually caused by inadequate equipment worn by cyclists, which can be easily rectified, is even more shocking. When cyclists are equipped with the appropriate gear, they are more visible to drivers and passengers on the road, which can make nighttime cycling significantly safer than the statistics would indicate. White lights are placed in the front of the bike, red lights are placed in the back, and orange reflectors are placed on the sides of the bike.
Legal Requirements
While the rules for reflectors are fairly easy to understand, the regulation for lighting is a little bit more complicated. It is required that reflectors adhere to each state or an equivalent of the country’s standard. This mandates that bicycles have a red rear reflector as well as amber/yellow pedal reflectors on the front and back of both pedals. For example, in the UK, bicycle lights must comply with either the BS 6102/3 or another European standard that is similar. However, it is important to note that a steady light can be used if it flashes at a consistent rate of between 60 and 240 flashes per minute and has a luminous intensity of at least 4 candela. This is the only circumstance in which a steady light can be utilized.
LED Bike Lights
The majority of LED bike lights have a more luminous effectiveness, a lifetime of around 40,000 to 50,000 hours of operation, and the ability to dim as well as turn on or off the blinkering feature. It is important to keep in mind that power can come in a variety of forms. Those cyclists who frequently ride in low-light or dark situations should equip themselves with LED lights that have a higher maximum output.
For those cyclists who only ride their bikes at night on rare occasions, a front LED light with a lower power output and a rear LED flasher would be sufficient. This is especially true while riding on well-lit streets, which do not require as powerful of a beam. There are a wide variety of different types of bike lights available on the market today to cater to the requirements of various cyclists. You can buy bicycle lights online here.
