Buying task · Lights
Bike lights
Choose bike lights by the rules where you ride, the maker's runtime for the mode you use, beam shape, bar fit and charging. Lumens and IP codes are the maker's ratings.
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Picks that fit
- Magicshine EVO 1300 under-mount front light (cut-off low beam, USB-C)Check price on Amazon
- Garmin Varia RTL515 rearview radar with tail lightCheck price on Amazon
- Ravemen PR1400 dual-beam front light (anti-glare road mode)Check price on Amazon
Short answer
Start with the lighting rules where you ride, then choose a front and a rear light by the maker's runtime for the mode you will actually use, not the brightest one. Check the beam shape, the bar diameter the mount lists and how the light charges. Lumens, runtime and IP codes are the maker's ratings, not measurements.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Magicshine EVO 1300 under-mount front light (cut-off low beam, USB-C)Check price on Amazon
- Garmin Varia RTL515 rearview radar with tail lightCheck price on Amazon
- Ravemen PR1400 dual-beam front light (anti-glare road mode)Check price on Amazon
What this topic covers
Bike lights are sold on brightness. The figures that decide whether a light suits your ride sit lower on the box: runtime per mode, beam shape, how it mounts and how it charges. We report the makers' figures as theirs, add a named reviewer's observation where one exists, and never call a light legal everywhere.
The decisions, in order
1. The rules where you ride. Rules differ by place. California requires a white front lamp visible from 300 feet in darkness,[1] while Oregon sets 500 feet for its front light.[2] Separately, the federal bicycle rule at 16 CFR 1512.16 requires bicycles sold in the US to carry reflectors; it is a product rule for bicycles, not a riding law.[3] Germany's StVZO requires low-beam headlights aimed so they do not dazzle others,[4] and that German approval says nothing about the US or Canada. Our light and reflector rules guide works through examples.
2. Front and rear, steady or flashing. Rear lights are judged by the same rule book. California accepts a solid or flashing red rear light with a built-in reflector.[1] Garmin rates the Varia RTL515 radar tail light at 65 lumens for up to 16 hours in day flash and 20 lumens for up to 6 hours solid.[5]
3. Runtime for the mode you will use. A headline runtime usually belongs to the dimmest mode. Magicshine rates the EVO 1700 at 1,700 lumens for 2 hours on high beam and 200 lumens for 11 hours on its lowest low beam.[6] CatEye rates the AMPP200 at 200 lumens for about 1.5 hours on high and 40 lumens for about 13 hours on low.[7] Under ANSI/PLATO FL 1, runtime runs from the output 30 seconds after switch-on until it falls to 10 percent of that value, so it is not time at full brightness.[8] See bike light runtime claims explained.
4. Beam shape, and who observed it. The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity, and the lumen is derived from it.[9] A lux figure falls with the square of the distance, so it means little without the distance it was taken at.[10] FL 1 defines beam distance as the point where the beam falls to 0.25 lux.[8] A cutoff beam is a maker's description until a reviewer reports one: Magicshine describes the EVO 1700 as an under-mounted light with a cut-off low beam.[6] Fenix rates the BC25R at 600 lumens with a cut-off line at the top of the beam.[11] road.cc photographs each front light's beam on the same dark lane with fixed camera settings, so shapes can be compared within a year's test.[12] More in cutoff beams and StVZO.
5. Mount and bar size. A light clamps where its maker says it does. Knog lists a 22.2-35 mm bar mount for the Blinder 1400.[13] Measure your handlebar where the clamp will sit.
6. Charging or coin cells. Most front lights are rechargeable; some small rear lights use coin cells. Follow the device maker's charging instructions; our charging and recycling guide covers what regulators say.
What an IP code means
IEC 60529 is the international standard that classifies the degree of protection an enclosure gives, known as the IP Code.[14] A light's IP figure is its maker's rating, under the maker's condition. Fenix says the BC25R's IP66 rating applies only with the port cover in place.[11] Garmin rates the Varia RTL515 IPX7 under IEC 60529, which it describes as incidental exposure to water up to 1 m for up to 30 minutes.[5] Magicshine rates the EVO 1700 IPX6.[6] None of these is a test we ran, and none means a light can go under water without limits.
What lights do and do not prove
A Cochrane review found 42 randomized trials of visibility aids; all measured driver detection and recognition, and none measured collisions or injuries.[15] In Odense, Denmark, cyclists given permanently mounted running lights had a 19 percent lower rate of injury accidents over 12 months than a control group, with accidents self-reported.[16] That result covers those lights in that setting, not any product here. See do daytime bike lights help?
How to choose
Pick a front light whose maker states runtime for each mode and a mount for your bar diameter, then a rear light for the mode you will run. On Amazon, check that "Ships from / Sold by" shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Picks that fit3 products
For the front, choose the Knog Blinder 1400 (light only; Knog lists a 22.2-35 mm bar mount and a USB-C cable is not included), or the Magicshine EVO 1300 (not the EVO 1700) if you hang a light under an out-front mount; Magicshine rates 2 h in Turbo and 15 h on its lowest low beam.
More on choosing
For the rear, choose the Garmin Varia RTL515 (010-02376-00), not the RTL516, which Garmin rates differently. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Front light with runtime by steady mode
Under-bar front light with runtime by beam mode
Magicshine EVO 1300 under-mount front light (cut-off low beam, USB-C)
Rear radar tail light with runtime by mode
Other approved lights, whose maker figures we have not yet verified: the Ravemen PR1400 front light and the Magicshine SEEMEE 200 V3.0 rear light.
Picks that fit2 products
Choose the Ravemen PR1400 with its wired remote and bar mount (not the CR1000), or the Magicshine SEEMEE 200 V3.0 USB-C rear light.
More on choosing
Check the maker's page for the mount and bar size before you order. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Ravemen PR1400 dual-beam front light (anti-glare road mode)
Magicshine SEEMEE 200 V3.0 rear light (brake sensing, USB-C)
Every page on lights
Guides
- Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
- Bike light runtime: maker claims, ANSI FL 1 and what reviewers recorded
- Lumens, lux and candela: what a bike light's numbers measure
- Cutoff beams and StVZO: what an anti-glare bike light is
- Do daytime bike lights help? What the research measured
- Charging and recycling bike light and pump batteries
- Bike accessory recalls and safety rules
- Maker claims vs measured results
- How to measure your handlebar diameter
Shortlist
Tool
Bike and bar pages
- Commuter bikes and e-bikes
- Bar sizes: 22.2 mm, 25.4 mm, 31.8 mm, 35 mm and flat stems and non-round bars
Key terms
Beam pattern, low beam, ANSI FL 1, time to shutoff, daytime running light, StVZO, radar tail light and coin cell.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a listShows how lighting rules differ from place to place so you check your own state or province before choosing lights.
- Lumens, lux and candela: what a bike light's numbers measureHelps you read a bike light's lumen, lux or candela figure for what it is, and avoid comparing numbers that were never comparable.
- Bike light runtime: maker claims, ANSI FL 1 and what reviewers recordedHelps you match a light's rated runtime, mode by mode, to the length of your ride.
- Cutoff beams and StVZO: what an anti-glare bike light isHelps you tell a maker's cutoff description from a reviewer's observation and from German StVZO approval before you choose a front light.
- Do daytime bike lights help? What the research measuredTells you what the research on bike lights and visibility actually measured, so you can decide on daytime lights without relying on safety promises.
Shortlists
- Bike lights with published runtime by modeHelps you choose commuting lights by the maker's runtime for the mode you will actually ride in, rather than by a headline lumen figure.
Common questions
Are bike lights required by law?
In the places we cite, yes, at night, but each state or province sets its own rule. California requires a white front lamp visible from 300 feet when riding in darkness, while Oregon sets 500 feet in limited visibility. More in Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
Is a flashing rear light legal?
It depends where you ride. California's code accepts a solid or flashing red rear light with a built-in reflector, while Germany prohibits flashing bicycle lights. Check your own state or province. More in Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
Does a helmet light count as a front light?
California's code lets a white lamp "attached to the operator" be used instead of a bicycle-mounted front lamp. It does not name helmets, and other places may differ. More in Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
Do I need reflectors if I have lights?
New bicycles sold in the US must carry reflectors under 16 CFR 1512.16, and some riding rules ask for reflectors too. California, for example, also requires pedal, shoe or ankle reflectors in darkness. Keep the reflectors and check your local rule. More in Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
Is there one lighting law for all of Canada?
We cite Ontario only. Ontario's government lists a white front light, a red rear light or reflector, and reflective tape on the front and rear forks as required equipment. Other provinces set their own rules. More in Bike light and reflector rules in the US and Canada: examples, not a list
Is lux or lumens better for comparing bike lights?
Neither is better; they measure different things. Lumens describe the light's total output, while lux describes how much light lands on a surface at one distance, so a lux figure is only useful with its distance. More in Lumens, lux and candela: what a bike light's numbers measure
How many lumens do I need for commuting?
We found no source that sets a lumen number for commuting. Your route, street lighting and the beam's shape matter as much as the total, so compare beam photos and the modes you will actually use. More in Lumens, lux and candela: what a bike light's numbers measure
Why do German bike lights list lux instead of lumens?
Busch + Müller, for example, rates its StVZO-approved IQ-X dynamo light at 100 lux low beam rather than in lumens. Lux describes light landing on the road ahead, but we found no source that states why German makers prefer it. More in Lumens, lux and candela: what a bike light's numbers measure
Questions
How many lumens do I need?
No source we use sets a lumen number for cycling. California sets its front-lamp rule as a visibility distance (300 feet), not lumens, and a lumen rating is the maker's own figure. Choose by the runtime of the mode you will use and the beam shape. See lumens, lux and candela.[1]
Are flashing bike lights legal?
It depends where you ride. California allows a solid or flashing red rear light with a built-in reflector, while Germany's StVZO prohibits flashing bicycle headlights and tail lights. Check the rules of your own state or province; see bike light and reflector rules.[1][4]
What does IPX6 mean on a bike light?
It is an IP code under IEC 60529, the standard that classifies the protection an enclosure gives. An IP figure on a light is the maker's rating, with whatever condition the maker attaches: Fenix, for example, says the BC25R's IP66 applies only with the port cover in place.[14][11]
How long should a bike light battery last?
Look at the maker's runtime for the mode you will use, not the headline. Knog rates the Blinder 1400 at 1.5 hours in High Steady and 8 hours in Low Steady. Under ANSI FL 1, runtime runs until output falls to 10 percent, so it is not time at full brightness.[13][8]