Bike Lights – A “Must Have” to Be Safe & Be Seen
Do yourself, your family, your friends & drivers a favor and ride with a front and rear light on your bicycle. It’s amazing the difference you notice when driving, and come across riders with and without lights on their bikes. You can see the riders with lights significantly sooner than those without. Most lights are straight-line visible for as much as a mile away. The purpose of this write-up is to focus on daylight riding from a be-seen perspective and not a seeing perspective. Here are some key things to note when purchasing lights.
- Front lights are white & best if they have the ability to flash…help drivers see you when you are approaching them so they don’t pull out in front of you or across your path
- Rear lights are red & best if they have the ability to flash…help drivers see you when they are coming up on you from behind
- Flashing lights catch driver’s attention better than solid lights
- Important to mount so they are visible…no matter what mode your lights are in, they are useless if placed where drivers can’t see them
- Lumens (brightness), 70 lumens is a good starting point
- Lights aren’t too expensive, starting as low as $10, but you can get brighter and more “smart” technology ones for $100-$200
As roads have gotten busier and drivers more distracted, lights, although not fool-proof, are a very important step towards your safety when on the road. If you have questions about you best light options please talk to our experienced staff, they will help you find the best solution