The essential guide to choosing a bike light

If you’re a passionate cyclist, you’ll know the calming, refreshing feeling of a long ride through the hills on a dark, cool night. As we progress through winter, the nights get darker, the temperature gets colder, and visibility gets lower. You’ll want to make sure you have the right lighting equipment to make your journey a safe one. LED torches and bike lights, such as those distributed by Fenix Light Australia, are the perfect choice for high visibility in dark conditions.

In this article, we will outline the different types of bike lights, and explain the best choices for different cycling scenarios.

Defining bike light terminology

 

Lumen

When choosing bike lights, you’ll need to understand the lumen measurement. Simply put, lumens are a measurement of the brightness of light as seen by the human eye.

The typical modern rear light will range from about 5 to 100 lumens, while the typical front light will range from 10 to potentially hundreds or thousands of lumens.

Lux

The lux measurement defines the intensity of light against a surface. Most commonly, lux is measured at a distance of 1 to 10 metres. Put simply, lux measures the total amount of light that falls on a defined area, while lumens measure the total amount of light emitted by a particular light source.

Generally, if a light’s lumen measurement remains the same, a bigger surface area means less lux. Similarly, under the same light, a smaller surface area means more lux.

Beam angle

Beam angle measures how much light spreads out from the source. Some bike lights, for example, usually will have a narrow beam angle that focuses straight ahead (leading to a higher lux measurement), while others will feature a broader angle for a wider field of view (decreasing the lux measurement). The beam angle is sometimes called “bundle”—a wider bundle means a broader beam, while a smaller bundle means a narrower beam.

Beam type

Beam types include high, super, full, regular, standard, low, pulse and flash. You may come across other terms to describe the same settings. When choosing a bike light, make sure to research the type of beam to ensure your expectations are met.

Burn time

Burn time refers to how long a light takes to drain its battery depending on the beam type used. Lights will generally last much longer on flash or pulse mode than on full or high beam mode.

Read on to learn more about how to use your knowledge about lumens, lux and beam angles to select the correct bike light.

Choose a bicycle to see and be seen

Adequate lighting isn’t just essential for your safety while cycling - it keeps others safe, too. Riding without ample lighting is also illegal.

Generally, lights to help you see will need to have a high lumen rating, a large battery, and a narrowly angled beam. This will increase your ability to see far into the distance. For optimal vision improvement, you’ll need to choose a light with a high lumen measurement. 300-500 lumens is an adequate rating for a front bike light. For riding in especially dark areas, such as along long stretches of country highways, a lumen measurement of 700 or more may be necessary. Keep in mind—the higher the lumen rating, the further you’ll be able to see.

A front bike light with a high lumen rating, such as the Fenix 1800 Rechargeable Bike Light, is the perfect choice for night-riding along long stretches of highway without dazzling or blinding oncoming traffic.

Many bicycle flashlights and LED torches Australia-wide are now rechargeable. Choosing a rechargeable battery means you won’t have to worry about running out of light while on a long trip.

Lights to help others see you will feature wide beams and side illumination, to ensure you’re seen from all angles. These lights won’t need such a high lumen rating, as their purpose is only to indicate your presence and position to nearby pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The USB rechargeable LED lights are a great choice for city night cycling.

Interested in learning more about bike lights?

The friendly team from Fenix Australia can help you choose the correct bike light for your next cycling trip. Start a conversation with them today. They’ll happily answer any questions you may have.