Light up the Night!
With daylight savings time here, it is time to get or upgrade your bicycle lights. It is both a necessity and the law for night riding, to have a functioning front bicycle light. Depending on the type and duration of your nighttime riding excursions, there are a number of different lighting options that you may consider.
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Bar mounted lights: A basic handlebar-mounted light is a good choice for people who commute or run errands by bike and want a simple, straight-forward front light. These lights mount to any bicycle handlebar and use basic AA batteries. These little units are great at making you more visible to drivers and, depending on the model, provide adequate road visibility. LED technology make these lights shine bright and last long, roughly 30 hours on solid beam mode. Prices range from $25 to $60. For dedicated commuters and riders who want to shed a bit more light on the road, the next step up in lighting is a rechargeable Halogen system that will provide more light output and the ability to recharge with an integrated battery pack. A Light and Motion Solo is one of the best in this range at $130. |
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Rechargeable Lighting systems: Rechargeable lighting systems provide the next level in brightness as compared with the basic bar mounted lights and offer the ease and environmental friendliness of rechargeable battery pack. This battery will either be a separate unit that plugs into a separate head or, as with the Light and Motion Vega LED (pictured), the lamp and battery are integrated into one clean little package. These lights are a great option for commuters who want to be seen as well as see the road. High-powered LED bulb technology allows these lights to have longer burn times and be very light and compact. The new Light and Motion Stella LED lighting system provides 180 lumens at just 300g total system weight! Price range for these lights is $175-$300. |
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High Power Rechargeable Systems: For those who demand the brightest headlights available, there is a class of lights available in high-powered Halogen, LED, and HID lamp options that provide some serious wattage. These lighting systems are primarily for those looking to mountain bike at night or compete in 24-hour race events where a high-powered lighting system is a necessity not a luxury. The Light and Motion Arc Li-ion HID Lighting system (pictured) puts out a whopping 675 Lumens of confidence inspiring light. It's similar to bolting a motorcycle headlight to your bike at a mere fraction of the weight. While these systems put out the most light and have a variety of battery options, they are not so easy on the pocketbook. Price range for these lights is $300-$650. |