All You Need To Know About Bike Lights

[@gcn]

What combo of lights do you use out there on the road?

[@AndrewTSq]

I bought 2 Magicshine 808 5 years ago, and I still use them side by side. One lits up just ahead of the frontwheel and the other one lits up the road ahead.

[@redwinedrummer]

A Volt300 in front and two red rear lights in blink mode. :) I've noticed that drivers a lot less edgy with two rear lights rather than one. Also have to consider the beam pattern. A wide, rectangular beam is good for mountain biking, but I find a long projecting beam better for road riding and commuting (darn those potholes!).

[@abussade2004]

Cataye and Bontrager

[@gcn]

Yep, definitely good to get a good eye on those potholes before you're in them!

[@FixedClassified]

Antusi A6. Bright rear light, chargeable with USB, and motion detection bike alarm for when undesirables are touching your bike, ALL-IN-ONE. Still looking for a good front light which is bright for the entirety of the ride.

[@ZOB4]

I use front and rear lights on every ride. I've gotten a lot of positive comments from other road users (including police officers) about how visible I am, especially my rear light (Bontrager Flare R). I feel a lot safer riding with my lights on and knowing that other road users can see me. My helmet is also neon yellow and that helps too. Safety first, always.

[@gcn]

It's good to know and be appreciated for being visible! Nice one z.

[@stuartdryer4089]

Yep. I wouldn't ride 100 meters without my lights.

[@hippyswift]

indeed safety first dude ;)

[@waynosfotos]

Same here, but you need really bright lights in Australia for daytime running.

[@hippyswift]

yepp ;) I use PROVIZ gillet, overshoes, gloves & a few reflective leg straps on my tail bag to wiggle about a bit which attracts peoples attention fairly good. safe travels my friend

[@garybc]

Wow! Jon on an actual bike!!! On a different note, can we have an episode featuring Jon’s 500 bikes? :)

[@michaeljbrennan3728]

Gary Coronado you beat me to it. LOL

[@gcn]

Great idea!

[@meizhi632]

Would you like to test the our 2400lumens bike light ? If you like, we will offer you to test it again. or contact us: [e-mail]. Looking forward to your reply. Thank you very much.

[@TheDominator2004]

mei zhi why are you using gmail? At least get an actual domain name if you want to look somewhat professional

[@bridex1]

I think this is the first time I saw Jon on a bike since I started following this channel.

[@markshriver6538]

Don't forget the high tech reflective tape. I put it on the edges of cranks and everywhere else. Really works. Thanks Jon.

[@pe3117]

🤮🤮🤮

[@mitchrapp9727]

My wish came true! Seeing Jon on a bike!!

[@gcn]

A rare glimpse

[@hippyswift]

I'm personally an avid light horder! I use 1 on seatpost, 2 each side of rear triangle, 2 on front forks & a main beam on handlebars. Not forgetting a helmet light with front & rear lighting to make sure drivers see you over cars in the city or through overgrown verges in the countryside :) ride safe people, winter is coming!

[@bravoalley228]

I like your style. I would like to use more if I wasn't concerned on when I could recharge with enough time for another ride.

[@hippyswift]

I dont usually have my lights on the brightest settings so battery times last around 20-45 hours on some of them mainly flashing. For my Bikepacking & touring I always have a battery pack handy which I charge up at pubs mabe once per week. to be honest, I'm just glad to have usb chargable waterproof lights these days, it was so much hard work with battery's ;)

[@hippyswift]

the best power banks on the market are from AUKEY, there smart banks which detect device output/input etc.

[@gcn]

Nice work - sounds like you have your lights sorted!

[@hippyswift]

well there's none left for my xmas tree ;) I have made lots of videos on cycling lights saying about the side angles for cars pulling out of junctions etc, so I am very glad to see you guys touch on the idea as not many youtube videos tell people their options on possitioning. ride safe

[@bhumiriady]

Amazing and helpful video as always! Bike lights are one of the most essential safety equipment in cycling. Chapeau to Jon.

[@gcn]

Thanks Omaris!

[@bhumiriady]

You're welcome! (^~^)v

[@beeble2003]

If you want a light that's moving (e.g., on your leg), then it should be constant, not flashing. A moving flashing light will just seem to flash in different places, which doesn't sound like it would be nearly as effective.

[@robinseibel7540]

Having only a flashing light at night is a problem, so at night it's best to combine flashing and constant lights. During the day, however, having only flashing lights is not an issue since light from the local M-Class star provides sufficient additional illumination to achieve a distance fix.

[@888johnmac]

never thought of that.. but makes perfect sense

[@beeble2003]

Robin Seibel I agree but what does that have to do with my comment that you’re replying to?

[@robinseibel7540]

Distance judgement is going to be based on your leg. The benefit of lights or reflective materials on legs is that it's, well, moving. It's an attention grabber, not something designed to yield distance information. Head lights and taillights do that, especially as they almost certainly output more light than any lights attached to legs. Flashing lights on legs are even better. My original comments were just with respect to flashing vs solid lights at night and during the day.

[@beeble2003]

Robin Seibel The point of lights on your leg is that they move, and that movement attracts attention. If you have a flashing light on your leg, the movement aspect is lost because you just see flashes in different places, which is probably no better than a flashing light on a static mount. So if you are going to buy lights for the specific purpose of putting them on your legs, you should use those lights in constant mode and put any flashing lights somewhere else.

[@aliali4747]

Not dazzling other road users is really important. The number of cyclists I see - behind the blinding light of their high lumen lights pointing at my face - who do not consider this is worrying. It makes the road more dangerous, and a driver more likely to make a mistake. Point the lights DOWN towards the road, not up into drivers' and cyclists' eyes!

[@mcjcg1372]

I have had problems in the past braking lights when I get a flat or otherwise need to flip my bike upside down so I started mounting the light on the underside of my handlebars to protect the light and gives the clean look I love

[@tommccafferty5591]

It's great to see Jon in a kit.

[@abussade2004]

Cateye is great to me, my broke in a fall and I bought Bontrager was for sale; I'm very satisfied too.

[@Rosiebro-r2h]

I've just bought a new front light from Halfords today, and then this video pops up on KZbin. The light I got was a Bikehut 500 lumen, for £25. It' comes with a standard handle bar mount as well as another mount which combines a garmin mount. The light sits directly underneath it ,out in front of the bars. It looks really neat ,and was very impressed with the light output and long battery run time. My back light is a Moon nebula which has been running great for the last few year's. Keep up the good work GCN. It's always a pleasure to watch your shows :-) :-)

[@gcn]

Gad to hear you have found a good light! Cheers John, really appreciate the support.

[@markp353]

I am a strong advocate of lights having them on always. Can not underestimate your need to be seen. I run Bontrager Flare on the rear and a Serfas E-850 up front. Flashing modes during the day always and constant on the front in low and no light times. To help my visibility have come across FLECTR 360 - these are a reflective sticker that goes on your rims. They work really well. The other benefit to making sure I am seen, helps my wife relax when I am out riding anytime of the day or night. Lastly I run the front light on a GoPro mount under my Bolt making everything look neat and leaving my handlebar uncluttered.

[@gcn]

Nice, sounds like you have a pretty good light set-up!

[@sebakker5955]

I do a lot of bike trips so lights are a must have

[@indiebikes]

Jon, you mentioned the benefit of flashing lights to be seen as being better than pulse mode ( 1:26) however I recently bought a Light & Motion TAZ1200 for the commute and all the paperwork said there were 5 modes (1200, 600, 300, flash, pulse) but it appeared the flash mode wasn't there. I contacted Light & Motion to see what gives, and they told me "The pulse is our new and recommended daytime feature. The pulsing is meant to alert drivers that you are there without causing them to "fixate" on the light. By creating a consistent source of light that pulses it is easier for you, the rider, to see and at the same time alerts others around you that you are on your bike. In addition, the pulse mode is well established for daytime motorcycle lights." So that's what I am using!

[@bikeanddogtripsvirtualcycling]

Bike lights dont suddenly make you safer when other road users such as drivers are too busy texting on their phones and rear end you at 60mph. i had 9 rear lights on my bike and body 2 years ago, all bright, all good quality and was still hit. witness in the car behind the one that hit me said that he could see me from about 2km away

[@MrBJPitt]

Yep, the danger of going full high vis is that if it leads to complacency in the riders behalf, then it's does more harm than good. Road craft is still the number 1 safety device by a monumental margin.

[@simedinson984]

thats where laws come in if i dont remeber incorrectly you are not even allowed to look at the phone in when driving in sweden

[@MrBJPitt]

@@simedinson984 laws against mobile phone use has little effect, atleast in my experience in Australia.

[@stuartdryer1352]

No guarantees For sure. But lights improve your chances.

[@drampadreg1386]

ANd cameras are handy too, for those who can't afford a go pro check these out, the video quality is amazing and it's cheap. Can't change the battery but you can afford two. I'll get one foe the back soon, they are roughly 1" square and come with the water proof housing etc. Only one model has wifi. www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Mini-Cam-WIFI-Camera-SQ13-SQ11-SQ12-FULL-HD-1080P-Night-Vision-Waterproof-shell-CMOS/32848168390.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.16584c4daFyo56

[@lolyeet3443]

Finally man's outta the workshop. Lotsa love mate. Wanna see ya out on the bike more cos its litttt 💖💗💓💞💕❣️💔❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤

[@gcn]

Thanks Niz!

[@reinders86]

Great video, but just as important as seeing where you're going is not to blind the people coming your way, that could lead to even more dangerous situations. Also keep in mind that because of this not all lights are permitted in every country. Just to be safe, look for lights which have the StVZO quality mark, which is obligated to have on your lights when riding in Germany (and other countries).

[@MrBJPitt]

Yep, nothing more stupid than blinding all the oncoming cyclists on the dedicated bike paths. Nothing annoys me more than selfish riders using strobing with oncoming cyclists.

[@gcn]

Agreed Gert! 👍

[@Ed.R]

Yes it's time us cyclists learnt about beam patterns. Why can't bike lights have a dipped and main beam function like cars. Just changing the brightness isn't the same thing.

[@MrBJPitt]

@@Ed.R good idea, but given how many cyclists don't even change from flashing lights to solid in pitch black conditions on a bike path. I doubt they will even think about pressing the dipped beam setting.

[@Ed.R]

@@MrBJPitt I recon these days it would be easy enough to make it happen automatically. At the very least the light could come with a remote button to switch setting without removing a hand from the handlebars. Otherwise sadly what you say is true.

[@janwillemkuilenburg7561]

Jon, it’s good to see you on a bike!

[@gcn]

Ha! Thanks Jan

[@jorstvondoom684]

Also worth keeping good old head torches in mind as part of your 'see and be seen' arsenal.

[@benstanden8784]

For commuting, it's the Cateye Volt 800 for me! Fine for riding even when it is literally pitch black. Bontrager Flare on the rear. For riding in day when the sun is low, I just have a Bontrager Flare on the rear.

[@spencerlemon2679]

Just bought a volt 800. Good to know it lives up to the marketing hype

[@benstanden8784]

@@spencerlemon2679 just be a be careful with the charging point the light, they are prone to coming dislodged. Mine did but it was replaced on warranty with no issues at all. But even so, still a great light!

[@stevek8829]

My front light is fed by a separate battery I place behind the seat tube. It allows the light itself to be powerful but small. Mine doesn't include a rear light ability, but some do. It would be nicer charging only one. I don't use them in bright sun, maybe I should start. They're mighty handy for those early summer rides, or late day in winter. Lights are nice if your summer day turns to a dark rainstorm with limited visibility.

[@runnerthatbikes7227]

I am a cyclist and a runner and a car driver , so my point here is , it's all well and good having lights on your bike , front , rear and helmet but what about reflective clothing i always wear an orange or yellow jacket when out running or cycling , so why do so many cyclists still wear black ? Just a thought .

[@chrisb_rc]

Hi-viz colours are only hiviz due to natural light. At night what matters is reflectives as you say, regardless of the base garment colour

[@simedinson984]

well having a colour on your cloths acctualy allways help as it is a contrast to the background which is usualy black

[@KimonFrousios]

At least cyclists have lights. Pedestrians have neither lights nor reflectives and there are more of them and they still jaywalk at night, completely invisible to oncoming cyclists that do not benefit from the light power of cars, and still hard to spot even for cars in situations where high beams can't be used. So if pedestrians are not mandated to wear highviz reflectives, why should cyclists? Why not have all cars mandated to be reflective bright yellow too? There are idiot drivers with busted lamps or who forget to turn them on, and a brightly coloured car would certainly help spotting them.

[@runnerthatbikes7227]

@@KimonFrousios I understand that this is a topic that can go on and on . There will always be a senario for every situation . The only solution is if everybody , wether you are a pedestrian , cyclist , driver or runner is to be aware of your surroundings and be as visible as possible . But we all know this will never happen . I am guilty myself of wearing a black jacket in the middle of winter , making myself very hard to be seen .

[@chrisb_rc]

People treat "hi-viz" like some sort of magic garment. At night it is inarguable that the standard orange/yellow colours that appear bright during the day are actually rather dull at night where no natural light is present (the reason these colours work!) Contrasting colours aren't that great when they appear dull if at all, at night. Lights and reflectives are king

[@ollieoxley7382]

They’ve finally let jon leave the shed/workshop!!!

[@Eurobunneh]

Ollie Oxley he escaped, they’re out there looking for him now.

[@meizhi632]

Would you like to test the our 2400lumens bike light / 18650 charger/ flashlight? If you like, we will offer you to test it again. or contact us: [e-mail]. Looking forward to your reply. Thank you very much.

[@th_js]

Wow Jon on a bike outside the studio! (Must be a green screen)

[@Kyujin666]

Can't believe you left out dynamo lights! Bicycle touring is on the rise almost everywhere having a dynamo hub for lights & your devices is a must, even a humble bottle dynamo helps & it's all battery free :)

I think it's their focus/ignorance of the gravel/road area of cycling.

[@waynosfotos]

Some fantastic tech in LED lights, my only compliant is with these rechargeable lights, many don’t give enough run time, 2 hrs just doesn’t cut it if doing a long ride. I like the replaceable battery ones for touring, but they are getting scarce these days.

[@gethind-j2390]

Crikey JonnyTech, I didn't think your vids good get any better but this was adding another drawer to the cabinet! Great work.

[@JonCannings]

Cheers

[@Kadiontherock]

You’ve finally let Jon out of the workshop! Great informative vid, I use front and rear lights, plus hi vis jacket and LED flashing leg bands. Can’t stand fellow cyclists who use powerful beams on flashing mode...

[@gcn]

Thanks Khadi, glad you found this one useful

[@captainkanji1]

Supernova E3. Best purchase I’ve ever made.

[@juliewalls5804]

I have a Volt 700....older model....it is one of the loves of my life...I wear it on top of my helmet and can not say enough about its reliability and sturdy build quality......easy to use and USB charging is great. No I am not paid to say this stuff...just an enthusiast.

[@weldonyoung1013]

Great advice, Jon. You've covered all the options by using a single brand. Maybe the only thing missing is light or battery duration. And by sticking to a single brand, the advantages or problem of different mounting types.

[@MrTandtrollet]

Still have my Cateye NanoShot+ which was probably one of the first USB Rechargable headlight, got it for that reason back in 2013. Battery life is pretty short now though.

[@Vii_DT]

I especially like that hydration-pack-sized battery strapped to your top tube to power that 6000lm light

[@vanreliant5584]

I use a 40 year old bottle dynamo lighting set with battery backup system , so never left in the dark whether moving or not still working fine and the battery's in the backup system last a very long time.

[@Jimmy_Mate]

Cycliq fly6 and fly12 light/cam combos - hometown heroes represent!!! :)

[@downhiller010]

Very informative, as usual. Thanks!

[@jerrygundecker743]

very helpful thank you once again, GCN.

[@douglasm3386]

Really interesting video but you entirely missed a whole class of bike lights - dynamo powered lights. They would have been great to mention - they are more reliable, eco and never run out of charge. Maybe this could be brought into a future video on lights. Thanks for your work, GCN guys!

[@jochenkraus7016]

You're right, and you can use a dynamo hub to charge your devices while traveling. But this channel is mainly about road bikes and you'd need a different front wheel, put all the cables on your bike and make it heavier and less efficient. It also depends on how often you'll need the lights.

[@davidbell6001]

At the start it was said that they were going to do 'a full rundown of all things bike lights' and then no mention of dynamo power, very disappointing to watch.

[@rokupixruiqi368]

David Bell clearly this video is sponsored by cateye, thats why the lineup. dynamo is till niche and not widely available

[@gcn]

That is a great idea for another video! Glad you enjoyed this one.

[@christill]

So nice to have an ebike with really bright lights integrated into the Bosch system, so I don’t need to charge them separately. On my commuter bike I have some basic CatEye ones that use regular AAA batteries. I may get some wearable ones to add to those since they look like they should be affordable and are so effective as we’ve heard recently. I would consider upgrading to the app controlled ones in future as long as they’re not too expensive. Mainly because you can’t forget to turn one on, because I’ve done that before as well. And also because I believe they can use the phone’s GPS to allow a braking light type function, which I really like the idea of.

[@gcn]

The wearable ones are pretty useful, especially for commuting. Let us know if you go for the upgrade, would love to know how you get on!

[@stuartdryer4089]

I have tried a bunch of lights. My favorite in the front is the Cygolite Dash Pro 600. The daytime flashing mode is better than other lights I've tried and I feel a lot safer.

[@jimmythefish]

Light & Motion - Urban 550 front, Vis 180 Pro back. Mine are a few years old, and the battery life isn't great. I'd be keen on having a set like that which could last all week, hour-ish per day. I prefer to ride with the front light on steady if I'm on a path, flashing if I'm in a heavy traffic area. I do keep a cheap set in my bag just in case.

[@markusmencke8059]

I use the Garmin RTL510 (with radar) at the back. And some BBB light at the front, 600 lumens iirc. I also have the SeeSense ICON lights, for my commute bike. And I have some small emergency lights for front and back “to be seen”. Don’t know the brand, but they are about the size of those for the handlebar ends. Keep them in my saddlebag.

[@Sporting1210]

ixon core combo with some extra leds on my gorgeous showers pass backpack (BEST bike backpacks ever-period!). Adding a headlamp for offroad since i like illumination were i actual am looking instead of were my bike heads (very nice in turns).

[@DigitalCowboy000]

I use a Light and Motion Stella 150L on my helmet. A Blackburn Dayblazer 800 on my handlebars and a Blackburn 2'fer on my Cannondale. On my Diamondback I use a Cateye and a Serfas taillight. And a Planet Bike Superflash on my helmet. And lastly I wear a reflective vest.

[@ianstewart8301]

Great timing with this vid! Thanks

[@k1dicarus]

Suggestions to add to next light video. Dynamos and reflectors. And beam shape. The 1000+ lumen lights that blind others should not be illegal.

[@jarikinnunen1718]

My opinion: Powerful. Small size, good narrow light spot. Easy mount and take with. Easy to turn up/down when needed. USB charging.

[@KimonFrousios]

I love my Cateye Volt1600 front light. Plenty bright for seeing, but in low power pulse mode on short commutes the battery lasts for several weeks. On the rear I use a discontinued CatEye with two arrays of 5 leds, of which 4 point sideways, so good visibility. Usually only use 5 in flashing mode for city, add the other 5 in steady mode in complete darkness or bad weather. I also have a tiny front and rear light on my helmet, to be seen over parked cars or as emergency backups to get me home should a main light fail.

[@gcn]

That's great news!

[@scorpionleader1967]

I'm getting the Cateye Sync lights because of this video. Thanks for the information. Should be a nice addition to my Meilan X5 tail light. Any more lights, and I think I will qualify as a Christmas tree on wheels.

[@okantichrist]

Scorpionleader the advertising works 🙈

[@gcn]

That's great news, let us know how you get on

[@C0deH0wler]

For commuting, dynamos plus lights with built-in capacitors are more convient than batteries. Also, all this stuff you have to attach to your body is really inconvenient for day-to-day commutes.

[@shlomoshaw2723]

First time I've seen Jon in an actual cycling kit.

[@sudduthjonathan]

I usually put my white front light on my handlebars next the the stem. In the video I saw one low on the fork. Seems like front and center would be more visible. Highly recommend Cygolite Hotrod. Inexpensive, have a white on front and red on back. USB rechargeable and it simple straps on anywhere with a thick rubber band. Various flashing patterns and makes you super visible. I also usually ride with bright jerseys and jackets.

[@hawkeye5035]

One extra point to consider... the relative speed the rider moves for headlights. As my fitness improved I found that on those super dark winter commutes I was outrunning my headlight. Upgraded to a higher lumen and I’m good to go...

[@jc5146]

Scott Booth your faster than the speed of light ?

[@moosefactory133]

The light I have now only last about 1 1/2 hours after being fully charged. Not sure what to get. In the area I live in, we are blessed by rail to trail bike trail system that connects Cincinnati to Columbus and other cities. I am planning this summer to go on long rides which will basically take all night long. I just want both a front light and back red light that can last around 8 hours. That's all the time I need during the shorter nights during the summer season. I would like to keep it under $120

[@jamiedenny1735]

Cant quite beat those bath hills :)

[@singlespeedchronicles7640]

Good intro to bike lights, well done... How about a 2.0 video dealing with "how to be seen" on a dark ride? An actual night test, from a car's perspective, approaching a cyclist in dark kit with a lite or two vs. a cyclist wearing a bright vest, with wearables and multiple flashing lights?

[@chrisb_rc]

Ehh a cyclist wearing loads reflectives regardless of base garment colour wins

[@drampadreg1386]

I have a 6000 lumen with 5 cree xml-T6 bulbs and a very good reflector and a metal shell, and I use a 12.6 volt Li-po battery. You can get them with the 18650 battery back, charger and a head strap although it may be a little heavy for that. But the price is amazing compared to these brand name lights and I've had it for over 2 years now with no issues other than "you trying to blind someone?" It has high low and strobe modes, and with the battery etc. costs less than 34 dollars Canadian! Here's a link, I got this because I got sick of morons on the phone whacking their mirror on my left arm. One got a $480 fine since the police saw what he did but he didn't even notice. I have a nice tail light too, A Cmeilan X5 I got on sale for $24 that is quite bright as well and then a spoke light that has 32 patterns, but is good for not getting t-boned. AliExpress has some amazing lights but I like mine the best. It's a long link, but worth it. Let cell phone drivers know you're there, because they are a real danger on the road. www.aliexpress.com/item/Bicycle-Light-Lamp-Rechargeable-Aluminum-Light-LED-Front-Bike-Light-7000-Lumen-LED-Bike-Lamp-Charger/32666293220.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.17.66557a95lLwuEf&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10065_10130_10068_318_10547_319_5727220_10548_10696_10084_10083_10618_452_10139_10307_532_10882_204_10059_10884_10887_100031_320_10103_5727320,searchweb201603_1,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=c8d3eabc-71e3-4364-87a1-d652d1bc6f2d-2&algo_pvid=c8d3eabc-71e3-4364-87a1-d652d1bc6f2d&priceBeautifyAB=0

[@AIRMotovlogs]

Hello Team GCN.. I am from India. I have a Hybrid bike..and have invested in a couple of lights and the best of that being an 800 lumen one..however, there's one major issue that's constantly bothering me while riding...a little trail or a pothole or something...and the lights tend to come of their rubber mounting mechanism..in fact there has been instances where they came off the clamp and fell on the road.... So my question is...is there any Universal mount that I can get shipped to India ? If yes, please do lemme know... Thanks in Advance..love n respect from India.

[@kenrik2105]

As a retired bike commuter, I don’t need to ride in the dark anymore. Still, I use a Light & Motion headlight in flashing mode during daytime solo rides. I know cars, pedestrians and other cyclists can see me a distance away.

[@jpnw3272]

I was wondering if you would do a challenge between battery operated lights and generator lights. I would be interested to see your opinions on both. Great video! Thanks.

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed this one Joshua. Thanks for the idea.

[@krpajda]

Still torn on rating lights in lux versus lumens Lumens may be slightly more useful because they tell you how much area you actually illuminate but you almost never use all of it as you arent shining on a circular surface perpendicular to you, but on a road. The units are also named similar enough for people to get them confused and just go for the much higher number, which will be lumens, and maybe get a weaker light. Lux, on the other hand, give you an objective measurement of the light source, but good luck figuring out what that actually means, especially with how it says nothing about the reflector around it. All things considered i would not buy a light without seeing it in action in the dark, regardless of ratings. Not anymore, anyway, as one huge waste of money was about enough.

[@jasexavier]

Wow, I can get a light from CatEye with Bluetooth, but I still can't get one from them with a properly shaped beam except through their German distributor. At least they actually make them now. I'm shocked that bike light makers are still sticking symmetric beam flashlights on handlebar mounts and calling them a headlight.

[@KarlenBell]

I like rear lights that come with lasers on the side. Especially when riding alongside the cars at night, it gives them a good idea of the safe distance they should keep from me.

[@IanLoughead]

I've always found that when a car headlight hits those laser lines, they are overwhelmed and not viewable at all.

[@KimonFrousios]

Good point about headlights. And considering how much more power lasers use compared to leds, seems gimmicky and wasteful.

[@edmarkey4057]

What brand?

[@johncombs4105]

Sort odd lights. I have dutch Gaezelle tour popular. I use the dynamo lights and 2 flashing rear lights on my panner bags. I have a Trek 7.2.; that i use a 800 l front light and rear flashing light. I carry a spare 200 l. Light as back up in case the battey quits. Batteries are better. But, you still have watch battery drain. When they quit. You can be in a little bit of a situation.

[@Ag3nt0fCha0s]

I once came out of a shop at night wearing all black to find that some kind soul had stolen the light from my black bike. Cycling home in black on a black bike was so much fun that I painted orange panels on my bike (orange is the colour the human eye is the most receptive to) and fit front and rear lights on my helmet.

[@williamsharrett1283]

I run two Bontrager Ion700 R front lights and a single Bontrager Flare 65 on the rear of all my bikes, day and night....

[@JamieEnglish]

I have the 2018 Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 with the integrated cockpit. Which light do you recommend? I can't find too many articles about lights that will fit my handlebars.

[@itsallac0nspiracy]

Cat Eye Volt 6000 is the best light I have ever owned.

[@gcn]

That's great news, glad you like it

[@ahmedbenhariz8694]

Isn't it too strong ?

[@stevemansfield9582]

Just one thing to be aware of, use brighter settings at the rear during the day and turn down at night. A too brighter light at rear can be dangerous as motorists eyes are drawn to them and we tend to go where we are looking which could get you hit from the rear. P.s. long live the Ever Ready lights we used years ago, about 1.5 lumens!!! www.gumtree.com/p/bicycle-accessories/pair-of-vintage-70-80s-rear-ever-ready-bike-lights-excellent-internally./1175382016

[@KR-nm6wm]

You are a funny man Steve... 1.5 lumens... HA!

[@gurugamer8632]

Have you heard about the Garmin Varia RTL515? It has a radar that shows indication on your Garmin bike computer or Wahoo element of car's approaching you from behind.

[@SergioCristancho]

nice vid Jon, did we forgot the paid promotion label in the edition? well am as fan as you of cateye ligths but there is other brands loke knog blackburn bontrager... just saying... paid promotion or know about bike ligths, why some are better than others and why use them. keep up the good work GCN.

[@jeroenimus7528]

I've got a front and back light wired into a hub dynamo. While it does add some weight and (minimal) drag to my setup I'd rather be safe than squeeze out the last percentage of speed. The advantage is I'll never run out of batteries and never forget to turn my lights on, plus they've got a great lumens output. Then I've got a flashing rear light to add to that for real dark and rural roads.

[@gcn]

Nice! Dynamos certainly do make it easy!

[@jeroenimus7528]

Just checked, you can see the lights clearly even in bright daylight: www.jeroenimus.nl/i-conquered-the-ventoux/

[@timdodd3897]

I love my Light & Motion brand. Pulses so it doesn't upset motorists by flashing. 800 lumens is my fav.

[@richardmcwhirter9396]

I have see.sence icon+front and rear,alot of people have commented on how bright and noticeable they are(although I still got knocked off with a car)I certainly think you can't beat them,great back up from the firm also

[@marcelscheffler8494]

Last winter I used a Lupine SL A headlight. And it is a great light. Mounting is a bit flimsy. During the summer I switched back to an old lezyne micro drive because of my Aero mounted garmin edge. I would like to know how others combine their head units with their headlight?

[@fredhubbard7210]

Lights with replaceable batteries are important not only infrequent users, but also for ultra distances in the winter. Also, I always use two at least two lights on the front, and two on the back. Anything so essential for safety requires redundancy. There is so much that can go wrong with lights.

[@jodnn]

i wish to watch the options on bike lights for daylight, in all brands, not only one like this video.

[@michaeljbrennan3728]

John does ride a bike. Well done mate. 🙃

[@marksadventures3889]

Way ahead of you, just done the lot, batteries at this time but rechargeables and 3 at front 3 at back , relectors anywhere and everywhere plus hi viz - from an old I had they gave them away - so check batteries once a week, fortnight and month, so you know how long they last. Once you know the life of your batteries at full power set reminders on your phone to rechsrge them. Dib, dib indeed! Get an extension bar, you can mount several devices on ...computer, lights, go pro, it's all good.

[@larshelmin]

This video has enlightend me!

[@gcn]

That's great news. What type of lights do you use, ones to see or ones to be seen?

[@Horseinacorset]

I was really hoping you’d include Dynamo set-ups (for touring etc.) in this.

[@caffeinator]

Would be great to see a video about lighting with dynamo hubs for bikepacking crowd :)

[@gcn]

Great idea Peter! Thanks for the suggestion

[@JP05CPSN]

Can we have a gcn does science "most areo lights/positions"

[@vpflug1957]

It's also good to wear reflecting or bright clothes if you want be seen.

[@gcn]

Sure is!

[@randomescu]

nice video! i wonder how much time Cateye light at 6k lumens... i own a few Flashlights with turbo mode. one of it is my favorite on bicycle, Olight Seeker2 Pro. the 3k lumens is only for 1-2 minutes. i never use it more the 15-20 seconds, and only for fun. my favorite mode is 300 lumens for 9h30minutes. i ordered a cheap bike flashlight to leave it on bicycle at work. problem being smoke and dust, not thieves. tail lights: xlite100, a noname as backup and a helmet with rear red light. again, i wish to find out the runtime at 6k lumens of Cateye. my guess is 30 seconds to 1 minute before step down or burn. edit: i went on their site, the AMPP1100 looks alot more practical. i love that frosted glass with side 'wings'.

[@waynejones3428]

Good job mate!! 🚨 👍 😁 🍻

[@jacc88888]

Thanks for the info. What about lights that can be seen from the side as well?

[@bobbyhempel1513]

I use a high Lumen headlamp on my head a slightly lower lumen light on my handlebars with two orange flashing lights on my handlebars for left and right turn signals I keep a medium lumen red tail light and to lower lumen rear turn signals I keep my turn signals off until I'm about to make a turn and then I activate the appropriate signal front and rear people in my area do not recognize hand signals they think I'm waving at them so I use light turn signals as you would on a car or a motorcycle.

[@philiphumphrey1548]

One drawback of USB rechargeable lights is that the battery life is generally much shorter than ones using AA/AAA batteries - Cateye's own AA battery powered EL135 front light has a battery life of 300 hours flashing and 80 hours constant - the equivalent USB rechargeable Cateye Volt lights are barely more than an hour or two full power and about 5 - 20 hours flashing. Plus they're completely useless when battery goes flat for a couple of hours at least while you recharge, you can't just change the battery and get going again.

[@Vii_DT]

the exact reason I'm sticking with the Rapid 5 as my rear light instead of going to Rapid X/X2/X3.

[@vivaparenzo]

flashing and direct LED light is prohibited on German roads ! only reflected LED light is alowed and for a very good reason.

[@treavy1]

Why not bike lights that generate energy to make power on your bike aka generator lights that attach to the wheel and just pop an led in and you will never need a battery or recharge it ever again

[@khaelthegreat9321]

Hello Sir, good morning.. Anyway, I have something to ask, like @ 0:40, "will that work on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro"??

[@joeinglesfield7446]

To be seen you could always just keep the reflectors on your bike, they're not heavy and never need charging with the added bonus that you're well on your way to being road legal with them. 400 to 800 lumens works for me as a front light on the road, and I have occasionally had a less powerful light in a jersey pocket for mechanicals - I've never used a helmet-mounted light on the road but I guess it would be an even better solution during a mechanical. I have a low output rear light permanently on my seat post -purely so I never forget it- and on days of low visibility (fog) I use a brighter rear light in flash mode

[@beeble2003]

No, you need lights. Reflectors alone are categorically not enough, not least because you're invisible to most other cyclists if you don't have lights on. If the police are checking people's lights (they do here at the start of each academic year when all the new students turn up), they're not going to give you any credit whatsoever for your idea of "well on teh way to being road legal." No lights is a ticket. There was one time I rode home in the dark wondering why every car on the road was treating me like I was f***ing invisible. Then I got home and realised I'd forgotten to turn my back light on. Of course the reflector was there: I never remove reflectors.

[@joeinglesfield7446]

beeble2003 Have lights on all day all night for me. My comment was from my point of view from the British Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations. As there was no mention of reflectors I thought I’d mention it to help people not to argue

[@aminbazdeep6417]

Nice post but the legalities were not mentioned. My understanding is that a flashing light is not enough to satisfy legal requirements (in dark conditions) The rear light must be solid (non flashing) although a flashing light can be included. Thoughts?

[@jeffreywilliams3646]

Jon, could you do a report on lights in the cold (by cold, I mean below -20C)? Last winter I found that on cold mornings, my fully charged lights died before I got to work (20 minute ride). I'd love to know of lights that can cope with that type of cold. Winnipeg is well lit, so I'm really looking to be seen.

[@mucklark6943]

Use a lezyne duo helmet light as an extra light and it works really well as a moving wearable

[@joeyslats31]

Cannings is back!

[@gcn]

And on a bike!