As human beings, there are a lot of activities we engage ourselves in, ranging from work, playing, travels, cooking, entertaining and there are several other physical things which others do that require energy. We all know physical activities are important and a great way to keep yourself healthy and active.
There are several outdoor activities which one can do such as playing football/soccer, cricket, hockey, basketball, rugby, and biking just to name a few. Either of these sports/fun activities, all indulge you into a physical activity where your body and organs are constantly at work and which keeps you engaged and active.
However the major challenge with any of the outdoor physical activities is finding the time and right gear to be safe and comfortable while engaging in the activity.
In this article, we will look at one of the most important gears for a popular outdoor activity – biking. We will specifically look at the best bike lights and headlamps that would allow you to engage in road biking or mountain biking even during the night time. You can get these bike lights and other useful cycling and biking gear from a specialized seller like the KNOG Bicycle equipment & gear.
What is biking?
Before we delve into the best headlamps and wearable night lights for biking, let us quickly look at what biking or cycling actually is and what are its key benefits.
Biking, also known as cycling, is a great cardiovascular activity that helps to keep the body and mind focused and in good shape. It is also a fun form of outdoor activity which people use as a means of transport, exercise or sports, relaxation and even for competition in some cases. People who bike are often called cyclists. Several people enjoy cycling and it has become quite popular in recent times. Biking as an outdoor sport has a good number of benefits on our healthand wellbeing which include:
Benefits of biking
Some of the key benefits of biking are summarized below:
- It is a form of exercise and a great workout that keeps your mind and body healthy
- It helps in building a strong immunity system.
- Biking also helps in toning your muscles and strengthening your bones.
- It is a great way to improve the blood circulation in your body
- Biking as an outdoor sport can help you manage your weight and even lose some weight as well.
- It helps in the proper functioning of your heart.
- It can help in controlling diabetes while balancing your cholesterol levels.
- You can get rid of hypertension, stress, and fatigue when you go biking.
- Biking also aids you to play as a team sport and appreciate the potentiality of teamwork.
- Biking helps you to keep yourself active throughout the day.
If you are a biking lover, there is a probability that you will get injured at some point which is, of course, avoidable if you get the best bicycle equipment & gear.
One such necessary gear is a bike safety light, especially if your are biking night be it at the road or mountain to enable you to see clearly as to where you are heading and identify any roadblocks or obstacles in your path.
What are bike safety lights?
Bike safety lights are usually attached to bicycles with the primary aim of improving the brightness of the bike itself and the rider especially at night when there is insufficient light for the rider to see and to be seen.
All the bike lights are for safety and usually aid the rider to easily view reflective materials like the traffic lights and the eyes of some animals like cats and dogs that may cause accidents if not properly seen.
Apart from being seen, the lighting system also aids riders to have a better view of the road while heading for their destination. It is obligatory to use more than one light at night in some countries and white led lights are often the most recommendable. For night road bikers and mountain bikers, here are some of the types of bike lights can you buy.
Bright Eyes
Features at a glance
- High-quality Cree LED
- High power – which can last for like 5 hours at 1600 Lumens
- Medium power – lasts for about 10 hours at 800 Lumens
- Low power – can last for like 26 hours at 350 Lumens
- Strope/Flash mode with taillight included
The Bright Eyes bike light produces 1200 lumens of light which is as bright as the headlights of a car. The bright eyes have quality CREE LED and it also comes with a 6400 mAh rechargeable battery that lasts for about 2 and a half hours in full power mode and even goes up to 3 hours when it is brand new and at the maximum brightness setting.
The light can be secured on your handlebars using a rubber strap and it is to take off when it is time for you to recharge. The rubber strap is quite tight and helps the light to stay secured even when it is been used.
The light also comes with a helmet and headband mount and quite flexible to use. And it is good for the community and off-road riding.
Cycle Torch 500
Features at a glance
- High power – The power can last for 2.9 hours at 500 Lumens
- The medium power lasts 3 hours at 250 Lumens
- With the low power, it can last for about 15 hours at 50 Lumens
- With a USB LED taillight
The maximum light of the Cycle Torch stands at 500 lumens of light with several brightness settings and even a flash mode. It is good for urban riding and it is one of the best for night riding as well. Cycle torches make use of internal rechargeable and a non-replaceable lithium-ion battery.
The torch can easily be mounted to the handlebars of the bike and can also be used as a flashlight. It is also designed to stay secured at any size diameter handlebar plus its lightweight and waterproof nature protects it from the rain and mud.
Te-rich Super Bright Bike Light (USB Rechargeable)
Features at a Glance:
- The high 1200 lumens – lasts 4 hours
- Medium 800 lumens – has the capability of lasting for 8 hours
- For the low 400 lumens – they last 12.8 hours
- The torchlight also has an external 5v 4400mhA Rechargeable Battery Pack
- Taillight included
- The light is made from aircraft-grade aluminum
This 1200 lumens bike light has 4 Cree XM-L2 LEDs features a bright and wide white light that gives riders the ability to have a clear vision. The lighting can always be regulated so that the battery stays constantly bright till the battery runs down.
Overheating is always been protected but the light can become overheated when used for a long period. When overheating takes place, the circuitry automatically shuts down till the intensity cools off.
The light is quite easy to install, all that is required of the user is to have it securely attached to the handlebar of the bike which is sized 10 to 35mn in diameter. The torchlight even comes with a helmet strap.
The light also works well as a commuter headlight which could be mounted on the helmet and handlebar for a better view and easier use.
Team Obsidian LED Bike Lights
Features at a Glance:
- Has a high Power 200 lumens that for the last 10 hours
- 3 Power modes
- Comes with a rear bike light
- Quite easy to mount as no tools are required
- Taillight included
- Made from aircraft-grade aluminum
The Team Obsidian LED Bike Light is the perfect choice for urban riders and probably a country road. The light comes with a free rear tail right and uses a 2 AAA battery that can last for about 40 hours. The bike light has three modes which are; fast flash, slow flash and steady on mode. When using on high power mode, it can last for just 10 hours with the headlight using a 3 AAA battery.
The light is quite easy to mount; all that is needed is to wrap the straps around the handlebars of the bike securing them tight until it is firmly secured. But do not over tighten it else it can get stripped. Once the torch is on the bars, it already slides into the mount and locks securely in place.
Nite Rider Pro 1800 MTB Bike Light
Features at a glance
- The light has high-quality Cree LEDs
- Its high power – lasts for 1.5 hours at 1800 Lumens
- The medium power – lasts for like 3 hours at 700 Lumens
- Low power – lasts for about 6 hours at 400 Lumens
- Walking/S.O.S. cam lasts – for 25 hours at 80 Lumens
- Has strope/Flash mode
- Helmet and handlebar mounting
- Easy to read “fuel gauge” and storage pouch
The Nite Rider has 1800 lumens of light and is primarily made for off-road use which makes it way brighter than an average car or a typical motorcycle headlight. The mountain bike light shines so bright that you can see every hurdle on the road like tree roots and ditches.
The light has quality CREE LEDs which are light weighted and durable. It is easy to install and when mounted it fits perfectly well on the handlebars of the bike irrespective of its diameter.
The light equally comes with a helmet and an external battery that is installed on the crossbar or seat bar with modifiable straps which demonstrates its flexibility.
If used in the full power mode which is at 1800 lumens, the light can last for just like an hour and a half but can be changed to 400 lumens which can make it last for 400 lumens. The light also has a walking mode feature which can last for more than a day.
With a boro-float lens, the torchlight has a nearly unbreakable glass that can withstand cooling when immersed in cold water that can normally destroy any other glass. The fuel gauge is quite easy to read and you can easily determine how many percent of battery is left which can help you make brightness modified.
Cygoite Centauri 1700 OSP bicycle headlight
Features at a glance
- Has a high Power of 1700 lumens – that can last for 3.5 hours
- It also has 8 Power modes
- Programmable beam spread
- It is very easy to mount, no tools required
- Helmet mount compatible
- Made from aircraft-grade aluminum
This bike headlight has 1300 lumens and 3 CREE XM-L LEDs that help to give you a perfect vision. It also has 8 lighting modes which range from full power output, medium and low plus several pulsing modes for walking the bike to using it while riding during the day. The headlight is made from an aluminum alloy that is water-resistant thus good for wet mountain biking.
The light also has a battery indicator which lets you know when it is low and needs to be recharged. Its battery is a high-capacitated lithium-ion rechargeable battery and comes with a helmet mount and also a 36-inch extension cable which gives you the chance to easily mount your external battery irrespective of your location.
The light can also be customized giving you the capability of programming exactly how you want the light to work and to be accessed with courtesy to the OSP technology. The larger battery of 390g can be used for like three and a half hours when on full power and for like 76 hours when on low power pulse mode and for the smaller Tridenx 1300 (260g) it can last for about 1 1/2 hours on high to 36 hours on the pulse.
Nitecore BR35 dual-beam MTB Headlight
Features at a glance
- Has a high Power 1800 lumens – lasts 3.5 hours
- 8 Power modes with a programmable dual-beam spread
- Easy to mount, no tools required
- IPX7 Waterproof rating and
- OLED display panel
Nitecore BR35 dual-beam MTB Headlight uses CREE XM-L2 U2 ultra-bright LEDs that put out a steady 1800 lumens of light on high power. The light has 1800 lumens with a one year warranty and with its helmets as well.
Nitecore headlight is built-in 6800mAh Lithium-Ion battery which is one of the reasons why the battery is good and it is also very easy to mount.
It is amongst one of the best headlights. Though it was not originally built for night purposes, it works quite well for it and shines quite well; it is not good to ride with the headlight on full mode at night as it can blind other drivers.
Final thoughts on the best bike lights for night time road biking or mountain biking
If you are someone who loves biking, then you definitely need to invest in a good quality bike light or headlamp. It can not only help in better navigation during night time biking but also help in keeping you safe.
In this article, we looked at some of the best bike lights for night time road biking or mountain biking. You can get these bike lights and headlamps from a reliable bike equipment seller like the knog bicycle equipment & gear. Knog offers a wide range of high-quality equipments and gears for all your cycling and biking needs.
We hope you found this article useful and it will help you in picking the best bike lights for your next overnight biking adventure.
