Shortlist · Lights
Bike lights with published runtime by mode
Two front lights and a radar tail light whose makers publish runtime for each mode, so you can plan by the mode you will use. Maker ratings, labeled as theirs.
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Short answer
For the front, the Knog Blinder 1400: Knog rates it at 1.5 hours in High Steady and 8 hours in Low Steady.[1] If you mount under the bar, the Magicshine EVO 1300: Magicshine rates it at 2 hours in Turbo and 15 hours on its lowest low beam.[2] For the rear, the Garmin Varia RTL515: Garmin rates it at up to 16 hours in day flash and up to 6 hours solid.[3] Both are maker ratings, so plan around the mode you will actually use.
How we chose
A light is on this list only if:
- Its maker publishes runtime for each mode, not just one headline figure. The spread is wide. Magicshine rates its EVO 1700 at 2 hours on high beam and 11 hours on its lowest low beam,[4] and CatEye rates the AMPP200 at about 1.5 hours on high and about 13 hours on low.[5]
- We can match the exact model to the maker's figures. Neighboring models differ: Garmin's RTL516 has different ratings from the RTL515. Of the lights approved for this site on 2026-10-14, only these three match verified maker figures. The Ravemen PR1400 and Magicshine SEEMEE 200 V3.0 wait for that check.
- The mount is stated. Knog lists a 22.2-35 mm bar mount for the Blinder 1400.[1] Magicshine says the EVO 1300 hangs underneath the bar on an out-front mount, but names no bar diameter.[2]
How to read the numbers: under ANSI/PLATO FL 1, runtime runs until output falls to 10 percent of its 30-second value, so it is not time at full brightness.[6] Following FL 1 is voluntary, and each company runs its own tests.[6] Other makers state runtime with conditions too: Ravemen says the CR1000's runtime can be extended with an external power source,[7] and Fenix says the BC25R's IP66 rating applies only with the port cover in place.[8]
Front light with runtime by steady mode
Knog Blinder 1400 front light (2nd gen, USB-C)
Pick it if: Commuters who ride in the dark on bars from 22.2 to 35 mm
- Why it's here
- Knog rates the Blinder 1400 at 1,350 lumens for 1.5 hours in High Steady and 230 lumens for 8 hours in Low Steady, from a 5,000 mAh battery, and lists a 22.2-35 mm bar mount.
- Watch out
- These are Knog's ratings, not measurements, and this list does not judge its beam shape. Knog's USB-C charging cable is not included. Its water claims are Knog's own. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Knog.
- Valve compatibility
- Not stated
- Mount diameter
- 22.2-35
- Inflation time (measured)
- Not stated
- Runtime (measured)
- Not stated
Values are the manufacturer's specs unless marked.
Under-bar front light with runtime by beam mode
Magicshine EVO 1300 under-mount front light (cut-off low beam, USB-C)
Pick it if: Commuters who want a front light under an out-front mount, with a low-beam mode for long rides
- Why it's here
- Magicshine rates the EVO 1300 at 1,300 lumens for 2 hours in Turbo high beam, and on low beam at 650 lumens for 3 hours, 300 lumens for 6 hours and 100 lumens for 15 hours, from a 3,200 mAh battery charged over USB-C.
- Watch out
- These are Magicshine's ratings, not measurements. It hangs underneath an out-front mount, and Magicshine states no bar diameter, so check your mount. Choose the EVO 1300, not the EVO 1700. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Magicshine.
- Valve compatibility
- Not stated
- Mount diameter
- Not stated
- Inflation time (measured)
- Not stated
- Runtime (measured)
- 120 min
Values are from independent sources unless marked.
Rear radar tail light with runtime by mode
Garmin Varia RTL515 rearview radar with tail light
Pick it if: Riders who want a rear light with a stated day-flash and solid runtime
- Why it's here
- Garmin rates the Varia RTL515 at 65 lumens for up to 16 hours in day flash and 20 lumens for up to 6 hours solid, and specifies charging between 0 and 45 °C.
- Watch out
- Ratings are Garmin's, for the RTL515 only; the RTL516 differs. Radar is not a safety guarantee, and its fit on aero or D-shaped seatposts is not confirmed. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Garmin.
- Valve compatibility
- Not stated
- Mount diameter
- Not stated
- Inflation time (measured)
- Not stated
- Runtime (measured)
- Not stated
What these lights do not settle
- The rules where you ride. California requires a white front lamp visible from 300 feet in darkness,[9] Oregon 500 feet.[10] Check your own state or province.
- Safety outcomes. A Cochrane review found that trials of visibility aids measured driver detection and recognition, and none measured collisions or injuries.[11]
- Beam shape. This list is about runtime, not beam shape. If you want a cutoff beam, read cutoff beams and StVZO.
Next
Questions
Why runtime by mode rather than lumens?
Because you ride in one mode at a time, and the headline runtime usually belongs to the dimmest. Knog rates the Blinder 1400 at 1.5 hours in High Steady but 8 hours in Low Steady.[1]
Does a radar tail light make me safer?
We cannot say. A Cochrane review of visibility aids found trials measured driver detection, and none measured collisions or injuries. Garmin's ratings describe the light, not an outcome.[11]