For the convenience and safety of cycling at night, you need to equip your steel pet with a high-quality bicycle lamp. Indeed, on the streets of many settlements, outdoor lighting is often absent. What then to say about village or forest roads? Given that the bike rides quickly and quietly, it is almost inaudible on the streets of a noisy city, and when you hear it, it may be too late. The cyclist and his vehicle must be clearly visible from a distance. Ideally, when moving along a highway at night, a cyclist should look like a Christmas tree that has escaped from a children's party.
I told about my flashlight with Aliexpress here:
A bicycle light must have a rigid mount with which it is fixed to the handlebars or other parts of the bicycle. A high-quality flashlight gives a strong illumination of the required shape and a good spectrum of the light spot. Not the last factor of work is its profitability.
Bicycle lights have come a long way since the middle of the 19th century. At the beginning of their procession, they were oil and candle. And having reached the end of the 20th century, they began to be equipped with krypton, halogen and xenon lamps. There were compact and energy-intensive batteries for them. But, despite the achievement of success and the emergence of new technologies, some problems remained unresolved. The incandescent lamps used in bicycle lamps, emitting more light, began to consume significantly more energy. And even the use of halogen incandescent lamps does not make it possible to use a bicycle lamp for more than 3-4 hours.
To date, the most widely used bicycle lights with an internal arrangement of batteries. An incandescent lamp in an expensive and high-quality flashlight is most often halogen, with a power of 2-3 watts. Cheaper flashlights use argon or krypton incandescent bulbs. Their lighting characteristics, of course, are worse than halogen ones, but they give quite acceptable lighting. The disadvantage of using such lamps is high energy consumption. The highest illumination of the road and a longer duration of work are provided by bicycle lights with remote batteries of increased capacity. Due to their relatively large weight, they have to be placed in special devices called bottle cages. It is also possible to use a special bag on the bicycle frame. The most high-tech are bicycle lights with metal-halogen lamps. Such lamps are more economical and give a greater luminous flux. But the cost of such bicycle lights reaches several hundred dollars.
Also, bright LEDs are used in the device of bicycle lights. Such bicycle lights have better efficiency indicators than halogen lamps. The duration of the glow of flashlights with LEDs reaches several tens of hours when using one set of batteries. A bicycle light with a single one watt LED is equivalent in light performance to a two and a half watt halogen lamp. Currently, there are bicycle lights with several LEDs with a power of up to 5 W each, which are superior in lighting power to halogen lamps with a power of 20 W. The power supply of bicycle lights with such LEDs is provided by external batteries. A distinctive feature of LED lamps is a bluish light, while most types of bicycle lamps have a white-yellow light.
The design of the front and rear marker bicycle lights uses low-power LEDs that work constantly or, if necessary, in a flashing mode. They are powered by batteries that last up to 100 hours. LED position lights are brighter than conventional reflectors and provide a more effective way to ensure the cyclist's safe movement on highways. And yet, the choice is yours. Here are a few questions that may arise when choosing a rear light and, in principle, a front bicycle light.
LED vs. incandescent lamp?
Advantages of an LED over an incandescent lamp:
- it is not as easy to break as a lamp. In a lamp, light is emitted by a fragile spiral, which is enclosed in an equally fragile glass bulb. The LED, on the other hand, shines with a small area of \u200b\u200bthe semiconductor on which the phosphor is applied - light-emitting paint. All this is protected by a glass or silicone lens.
— it is more efficient than a lamp. The efficiency of modern high-power LEDs reaches 130 or more lumens per 1 watt of power consumption. For comparison, the efficiency of incandescent lamps does not reach 30 Lm / W. Due to this advantage, the LED flashlight will shine longer than the lamp one from the same batteries.
- life time. For LEDs, it is usually at least 50,000 hours of continuous operation. For a lamp, 5000 hours is a very good indicator. In addition, the life of the LED is not reduced even with very frequent on-off. LED lights can have strobe, SOS, and similar flashing signals that tube lights don't.
- sizes. LED flashlights can be very small.
- ease of focusing. LED light is distributed much more evenly than lamp light. The stain is more even.
- allow you to adjust the brightness in a wide range. The brightness of the LED is controlled by the supply current. The higher the current, the higher the brightness. Each diode model has its own maximum allowable supply current. If this current is exceeded, the LED overheats, the service life is sharply reduced, and the efficiency decreases.
Lumen is it?
Lumen is a unit of measurement of luminous flux. If you do not go into the essence of physical definitions, one lumen can be characterized as light emitted by one wax candle, but not spreading in all directions, but collected in a beam of a certain shape.
In the flashlight world, there are two well-established concepts associated with lumens.
Bulb lumen or lamp/diode lumens. This is the light flux coming out directly from the lamp or diode, without taking into account losses in the optics.
Torch lumen or lamp lumens. The luminous flux at the output of the lantern already includes losses on the reflector, glass or lens.
Different manufacturers may use different ways of specifying the luminous flux of their lamps. Some indicate bulb lumens, others indicate torch, manufacturers of cheap Chinese lanterns of brands such as Ultrafire, Aurora, etc. in general, they indicate the maximum luminous flux values available for a particular LED model, while overestimating the actual luminous flux of the lamp by two or more times.
On August 18, 2009, the ANSI / NEMA FL-1 standard was adopted, which makes it possible to more reliably compare the parameters of flashlights. The following parameters appear in the standard: emitted luminous flux, operating time, peak light intensity, light range, shock resistance and water resistance.
The standard is currently used by manufacturers such as Maglite, Princeton Tec, Surefire, Petzl, Energizer, Streamlight, Black Diamond, Duracell, FenixLight and others.
Anodizing? What? For what?
Anodizing is a protective and/or decorative coating of metal. Protects the body of the flashlight from oxidation, does not conduct electricity, improves the appearance.
The anodized body of the flashlight is resistant to abrasion, but is afraid of hitting hard surfaces. Upon impact, the inner, relatively soft part of the case is crushed and a chip is formed.
There are two types of lanterns: grades II and III. The higher the degree, the thicker and stronger the anodizing.
Anodizing is applied electrochemically. The part is immersed in an acid solution and an electric current is passed through it. The thickness, hardness and color of anodizing depend on the temperature of the solution, the density of the transmitted current and additionally used dyes.
It is applied both to aluminum lamps, and to titanic.
Why do some lanterns have smooth glass, while others have lenses?
Lanterns can be reflex or lens.
Reflector - a reflective bowl, in the center of which there is an LED or lamp. It collects light from a source into a beam of a certain shape. Usually, the beam formed by the reflector looks like a bright central spot and a less bright area of side illumination. Such an optical system is protected from water and dust by flat glass with a rubber ring-gasket.
A lens or an entire lens system also collects light into a beam. When using lenses, the beam can have a variety of shapes. From a uniform circle without a central bright spot to a narrow, almost laser beam with no side illumination at all.
The focusing of a flashlight with a lens can be variable, that is, the same flashlight in different positions of the lens can shine well into the distance and evenly and conveniently illuminate near.
The disadvantage of some variable focus flashlights is poor sealing. When immersed in water, the liquid seeps inside, disrupting the operation of the electronics.
Reflector. Smooth or wrinkled to choose?
A smooth reflector (in English terminology - smooth) is used in long-range lanterns. The spot of light has a bright central spot and a sharp transition to the region of weak side illumination. At the same time, for a real long-range flashlight, the diameter of the reflector is no less important. The larger it is, the better the focus. From a flashlight with a smooth reflector with a diameter of 1 cm, you should not expect miracles of range ...
Crumpled (Orange Peel) reflector has a rough structure, which smooths out a sharp transition from the central spot to the side illumination area. It is convenient to use such a flashlight at short distances. The light spot is obtained with a less bright center, but large. It is such a reflector that is needed for a bicycle lamp. Because it is more convenient to see a large, but not far light spot
What does warm or cold LED mean?
LEDs can have different color temperatures. That is, the light of the LED can have shades from warm yellowish, like an incandescent bulb familiar to everyone, to cold, giving off to blue.
Which diode to choose depends on the tasks that you set for yourself and individual perception. For outdoor use, in summer, a warm LED is preferred.
LEDs and only them
Until a few years ago, we had a selection of different lamps for bicycle lights. However, now LED technology has developed to such an extent, and the price of such products has become so affordable that the buyer in the bicycle lamp market chooses almost only LED lamps. Radiated power has also increased a lot in the last couple of years, and the brightest bicycle lights have a claimed luminous flux of several thousand lumens, which is more than that of car headlights. Flashlights of more general use give a luminous flux of 50 to 500 lumens. At the same time, of course, marker or emergency lights have a lower intensity and are suitable for seeing you on the road, and not you on the road.
Questions to ask yourself when choosing a bike light
First question: why do I need a bike light? Do you need it to just drive slowly to the store in the evening, or are you returning from work driving through a forested area? You need to determine how much light you need, and what properties it should have. Usually the brighter the better, but if you do a lot of city driving, you'd better choose lights with good side visibility. This is especially important when you are leaving an intersection.
If you ride primarily on the highway, you need a bike light that won't dazzle oncoming drivers. Then you can choose a lamp with a narrow light beam or the so-called "German" beam. If your trips combine highways, trails, and single bike lanes, then you can get a light with a wide beam, but with the ability to switch to a weaker mode when needed. If you have multiple bikes and want to get by with just one front light, it's important to choose a light with easy-to-remove mounts.
The second question is: how often and for how long during the day will I use the flashlight? If your daily commute takes one hour, and the flashlight is designed for 50 minutes of operation, problems may already arise. Whether the flashlight runs on batteries or is recharged via a USB port, you need to consider where and when you will recharge it and how long it will take.
Many bike lights have an energy-saving mode, so you can conserve battery power for the least lit sections of the path. There are lights that display battery charge data, they are well suited for those who regularly drive at night and at the same time forget to recharge the battery.
The third question is: under what weather conditions will I use the flashlight? On your daily commute in any season, you will sometime drive in bad weather and your headlight will be exposed to rain and spray from the road. Here the rule is simple - more expensive versions have more protection and tightness, so you need to buy what you can afford as much as possible.
Types of bicycle lights
Hazard/marker lights usually small in size, so they can easily be placed in a bike bag until they are needed. They are easily attached to the frame or handlebars with an elastic strap and operate on coin cell batteries. They have low radiation power, but with them you can drive home, and it's better than nothing if you were caught in the dark on the road and the main lamp broke.
For example: Knog , Electron .
Knog Boomer Twinpack
Small flashing lights flashers, can also give a constant beam. They are larger and stronger than emergency lights and usually run on long-lasting batteries. They are cheap, and therefore, in terms of price-quality ratio, they look preferable than emergency lights.
For example: Cateye , Blackburn .
Cateye Nima 2
Torch type lights presented on the market most diversely. They run on AA/AAA batteries or a rechargeable battery. Their radiation is quite powerful and this is the kind of flashlight you need if you need to be not only noticeable on the road, but also see for yourself. Manufacturers often offer a set of a rear flasher and a torch front light. Chargers often come with AC adapters, and devices with a USB port have become more and more popular recently. You can charge such a flashlight during the day at your desk in the office.
For example: BBB , Raleigh .
BBB BLS-71 - Strike 300lm
Chargeable systems They are the connection of the battery pack to a light that is much more powerful than a standard torch. Such devices start from £50, but they are already high-tech gadgets. If you like training runs in the dark and off-road, this is probably the best option.
For example: Niterider , Exposure.
Exposure Strada MK5
Flashlights with dynamo generator suitable for those who want to have a rigidly attached lamp and not worry about batteries. This flashlight comes with a hub dynamo that is easy to operate and does not require much maintenance. The power of such a generator is 2.4-3 watts, which is quite enough for front and rear lighting. It is better to choose a system with the ability to store the received energy so that you do not plunge into darkness when you stop at a traffic light. Some prefer to keep such lights on even during the day, as they use very little energy.
For example: Supernova.
Bike helmet lights convenient in that you can direct the beam of light where you need it. Basically, such lamps are attached to the helmet with special tapes. But the presence of a light on the helmet does not relieve the rider of the obligation to have a front and rear light on the bike itself.
For example: light motion
Head or helmet light LightMotion Vis 360 Run
The choice of bicycle lights is so great that most cyclists prefer not to think about their requirements for such a device, but to buy the first lamp that comes across, just not to mess with hours of video reviews, conflicting recommendations from friends and mechanics in workshops.
However, the basic information about bicycle lights is not so comprehensive and it is worth researching before buying lighting equipment for your bike.
Use of flashlights
First of all, there are several types of lights to use on a bicycle. The most popular are:
- The main light source - performs the function of illuminating the space in front of the cyclist. Usually, when it comes to a flashlight, this is exactly the scenario of use.
- Road Marking - Small lights on the back, on the backpack, on the spokes and on the frame make the bike more visible on the road.
Most often, bicycle flashlights are not installed on a permanent basis, since night riding is not so popular, and leaving fragile devices unattended is far from being in all cities and places, but some models require a rather complicated fastening, especially if equipped with a separate battery.
Main characteristics
What characteristics distinguish bicycle lights from each other? Mainly:
- form,
- indicators of light (brightness, spectrum, angle, etc.),
- attachment method,
- way of eating.
Let's consider these characteristics in more detail.
Light parameters
The type of source primarily affects the parameters of light. After a short struggle on the market, there is no alternative to the situation when you have to choose exclusively from diode lights. Diodes, having become quite affordable and overtaking all competitors in terms of energy consumption, are recognized as the standard for bicycle equipment.
Such a monopoly is not terrible, because diodes are currently the best light source:
- light output (efficiency) comparable to halogen lamps;
- mechanical reliability - diodes have neither flasks nor filaments;
- moderate cost;
- the possibility of combining light sources (several diodes), low requirements;
- safety in case of damage (no splinters or fumes).
Actually, let's move on to the parameters of bicycle lights. What should I pay attention to when studying a particular product.
Light flow
Luminous flux is measured in lumens - a universal unit of measure. The number of lumens indicates how much light a bicycle lamp produces in total, without scattering. It is in lumens that it is indicated how powerful the source is used in the product.
Diffusion
The entire luminous flux has a certain divergence angle at which the light leaves the source. Depending on the tasks, it is worth choosing the angle that will be comfortable - from 120-180 degrees for an open source to special directional flashlights with a dispersion angle of 15-20 degrees, which are designed to illuminate distant objects.
illumination
This parameter is defined in lux, which is often confused with lumens. This characteristic indicates the illumination of a particular point (at a certain distance from the source). It is this characteristic that can be measured using a tool or even a regular phone.
Illumination varies depending on the flux and dispersion, forming several illumination zones:
- A hotspot is a well-lit area.
- Crown (crown) - a transitional zone with partial illumination.
- Scattered light (spill) - a zone where a certain luminous flux goes, but there is no longer high-quality lighting there.
Actually, according to the zones and their illumination, it is worth choosing a bicycle lamp. Some people need wide lateral coverage, even with diffused light, and someone needs a bright light area at a great distance far in front of the bike.
Mount types
You can attach a flashlight to a bike in different ways, depending on the purpose. Some lanterns need to be rigidly fixed in order to obtain stable lighting, and some need to be easily assembled and dismantled. Some mounts allow you to find a compromise between these basic tasks.
Body fastening with Velcro
Elastic mount
On marker and auxiliary lights, an elastic mount is often used - a rubber or silicone strap, which can be easily stretched and fixed to the steering wheel, frame or even a spoke, spending a few seconds on installation. In some models, the body of the product is made entirely of silicone, and, coupled with a small battery, such lights are extremely convenient for quickly identifying a bike.
The disadvantages of elastic fastening include weak fixation, fragility and the inability to use such fasteners in the cold.
Mounting fixture
Serious bike lights come with a mounting bracket - when a particular bracket only fits models from one manufacturer or is part of the light.
By installing such a mount on the steering wheel or frame, you can be sure that the fixation will be almost absolute, but there are a number of risks:
- the mount is unique and difficult to replace in case of damage;
- installation requires time and effort;
- a noticeable non-standard mount will attract intruders.
In any case, no matter how difficult the installation is, it is really possible to do it yourself, without involving specialists. Fortunately, no tools other than a screwdriver are required.
Removable mount
A compromise between elastic and mount is the now standard half-cylinder bike racks, which help to use a standard bike flashlight. Such a mount is installed once, but you can easily remove the light source at any time without any effort. Losing in stability to the previous type, such a holder is the most convenient and recommended for use.
There are also removable mounts supplied by the manufacturer. These are special contact pads suitable for a certain range of models. Having the advantages of a removable mount, the platforms can be inconvenient in case of replacement or criminal actions.
Body mounts
A separate view is represented by fastenings on clothes and other equipment. Usually these are Velcro and tightening kits that help to fix the flashlight on your shoulder, backpack or.
Food types
Most modern flashlights are powered by one or more batteries placed in the body of the product. The standard is 1-3 finger batteries. For position and temporary lights - powered by a coin cell battery.
Velofara with external power supply
There are, however, some models with external power, such as a separately mounted replaceable battery. It is important to pay attention to the power consumption of the lamp and the volume of the battery or accumulator. Often you can find the perfect option that will work for only half an hour - an hour.
Dynamo machines have not disappeared either. Of course, now they are not a heavy roller pressed against a rim or tire, but a full-fledged front hub with a generator and, optionally, with a battery or capacitor to store charge in case of a stop.
Lantern types
Now let's look at what kind of lights shops offer us and what type is best suited for a particular mode of use.
bicycle headlight
The obsolete front bicycle headlamp is permanently installed and very often supplied with a separate replaceable battery. Such solutions are suitable for long-term cycling tourism and for heavy Soviet bicycles, where neither weight nor inconvenience matters anymore.
On a modern bike, bicycle lights are unlikely to find application, both due to low efficiency and dubious ease of use.
non-removable
Fixed bicycle lights are cheap and durable, often for a small price they give an excellent margin in terms of glow time and light intensity. The only negative is the complexity of installation, but if you do not plan to leave the bike in public parking lots, but ride for fun, this type is for you. Although it is now easy to find a fixed lamp on a bicycle only in the class of auxiliary or parking lights. A removable light source is now the de facto standard.
A set of flashlights with various power and charging sources
Removable multifunctional
The multifunctional lamp can be used both as a regular flashlight and as a bicycle lamp. You can use universal mounts or buy a branded product with a pad. This will not affect usability, it will only affect the cost of maintenance, since it is much more difficult to find a replacement for the contact pad.
Currently, 80% of bicycle light sources sold are removable LED lights, as they are versatile, convenient and fairly inexpensive. It remains only to choose the model that suits you in terms of parameters.
Wearable
Wearable light sources are still a rarity in Russia, but in the west, many enthusiastic cyclists are already switching from attaching a lamp to a bicycle to comfortable headlamps and additional dimensions on backpacks. The usual kit for night skiing consists of four lights:
- main on the steering wheel;
- body size on a backpack;
- helmet lamp;
- auxiliary dimension on the bicycle frame.
By turning our head, we get illumination in those places where it is rather difficult to direct the flashlights permanently fixed to the steering wheel, for example, towards the side of the road or onto a crossed path.
Dimension
A separate class is the rear light for a bicycle, called a size or flasher. With a small battery, several diodes, these lights are not designed to illuminate any area, but to indicate a cyclist on the road.
Very often, these flashlights support several flashing programs. Many studies have confirmed that the most noticeable will be a participant in the movement, whose parking lights do not just glow, but flash, attracting attention to themselves.
Modern kits that combine dimensions and body lights offer the cyclist even closer to cars and motorcycles by adding a laser marker (“conducting” a light line parallel to the bike) to the equipment or by supplementing the backpack with parking lights with turn signals controlled by the cyclist.
Manufacturers
The market is filled with various noname manufacturers, often not inferior to well-known brands, but buying such products is always a high risk, so if you are limited in funds, it is best to stay with trusted companies. Here are some of them:
- MagicShine is a good and inexpensive Hong Kong brand;
- CatEye is a high-end Japanese manufacturer, distinguished by the quality of the diodes;
- Sigma is a German brand with good and inexpensive models;
- BBB is a Dutch VIP manufacturer;
- Fenix Lights is a Chinese manufacturer that has established itself as high-quality flashlights for the American market (using diodes from the American company Cree).
Conclusion
Choosing a bike light is not only a matter of practice and experience, but also an accurate understanding of what characteristics are needed specifically for your style of riding. Theoretical preparation is also very important, because many do not have a basic understanding of the parameters of the emitted light, and a seemingly ideal light source will be completely useless after purchase, if you do not take into account, for example, the scattering angle.
You can buy it on the website of our partners.
Insufficient designation of yourself on the roadway is the worst mistake of cyclists. This is especially true for evening trips, when the visibility of the outside world and your own is significantly reduced. In order not to endanger yourself and other road users, it is imperative to acquire lighting devices on your bike. You will be surprised, but the mandatory operation of lighting devices during daylight hours (for cars, dipped headlights or daytime running lights) also applies to cyclists. Light fixtures are front and rear. Let's start with the front.
Differences in front lighting fixtures in terms of brightness
They serve to identify themselves on the roadway in the daytime. They will not be superfluous in the dark as an addition to the main light source. As a rule, they are enough to get noticed. But they will not be able to provide even in complete darkness at least some visibility of surrounding objects.
Lighting devices with greater brightness, a directed beam of light, as well as the ability to see something in complete darkness at low speed. As a rule, they are used in the city on dimly lit sections of roads.
They have high brightness, directional light beam with separation (main light in the middle, auxiliary light at the edges), allow you to use yourself as a full-fledged light source in any conditions. Even in complete darkness, properly focused light gives a very good view of tens of meters ahead.
Differences in batteries
A fading mechanism, supported only by rare manufacturers, installed mainly on city bikes. Yes, that warm lamp light and the sound of a dynamo warms the soul, but, unfortunately, it takes much more strength from you to move forward. The brightness, on the other hand, depends on your speed, so you will have to fly through a dark area with huge holes in extreme style in order to see at least something.
Upgraded version of the dynamo. It can not only power the headlight on the go, but also charge the phone.
Battery
The most common option. Used in beacons, flashlights. It can be flat (CR2032) for beacons, "finger" (AA), "little finger" (AAA). It is very convenient to simply change the batteries and use the flashlight further, especially since they are sold in every store. True, if there are a lot of batteries (maybe 6 pieces), then buying them significantly hits the pocket. The way out is Ni-batteries, the same shape as the batteries in your flashlight. They sell rechargeable devices.
Li-ion battery
Especially effective when they are on the leg. You can see them from afar, together with your foot they are in constant motion and attract attention well.
Reflectors on the wheel
Mostly orange because they provide side visibility.
They are reflectors. Well-known plastic products that refract the light falling on them, creating a rather bright reflection.
For the most part decorations, but they also have a useful function of reflection. Very relevant for children.
Similar to those used on road barriers at corners. Can be glued to a frame or seatpost, there are versions for gluing rims, but in this case they should be.
Sold in clothing stores, you can sew on a handbag, backpack or T-shirt.
Reflective elements on clothing, helmet
As a rule, cycling equipment is completed with organically built-in reflectors that do not stand out from the design of clothing, but when light hits them, they reflect very well.
It is applied to clothes or on a bicycle. After washing, as well as after some time, it “weathers”, so that it does not harm clothes.
Remember that on your own you can ensure maximum safety when traveling on public roads.
To relaxing music, an uncle in a hat with toys talks about the choice of bicycle lights