Best bike lights reviewed

The best bike lights tested & rated, including how much to pay, the features you need, and our pick of the best for every eventuality

The best-rated bike lights are there to guide you safely through the dark and cold nights of autumn and winter. They are also essential safety features during daylight hours, and many now feature daytime running modes.

Every year, Cycling Weekly seeks out the best bike lights and puts them to the test. This winter, our team tested more than twenty-five of the latest lights, evaluating more than just their brightness. Our main considerations include build quality, battery life, and, by far, the most important factor: how the light beam is projected on the road or trail.

 Knog Blinder 900 front lightBest overall

Best front bike light overall

Surprisingly bright considering its compact size, it is really only outshone by the Exposure Strada and rightly so, with the Strada being three times the cost. The Kong Blinder 900 is great for commuting, post-work and long weekend base miles. The simple silicone band makes it super easy to mount, and for regular commuting duties, it makes an excellent option.

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Exposure Strada MK12 RS AKTIV front bike lightBest beam pattern

Best front bike light for performance

Exposure has a strong reputation for the build quality of its lights, and the cool aluminium body of the Exposure Strada MK12 RS AKTiv exudes quality. The beam is bright, and the lens provides great side illumination - the light has lumens to play with, after all. It's packed with neat tech and has a rear display, which keeps the battery life down to the minute.

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out best commuter front light with high quality lens and neat side visibility panels for filtering in traffic. Best front light for commuting

Best front bike light for commuting

The use of a high-quality lens in the Trek Commuter Pro RT front light is really what makes it stand out from its competition. While it's not the most powerful light on test the lens makes good use of every single Lumen. Additional orange side view covers are a nice touch for commuters hoping to make themselves as visible as possible.

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 Magicshine SEEMEE300 rear lightBest overall

Best rear light overall

Tech-packed, boasting incredible battery life - and all while being competitively priced, the Magicshine SEEMEE300 is our overall winner. It has an in-built accelerometer and brightens when you brake, it casts a beam onto the floor to deliver 360 degree visibility and the battery life is claimed at an incredible 40 hours when shining at 20 lumens.

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 Knog Mid Cobber Rear Bike LightBest viewing angles

Best rear light for viewing angles

The two big pluses for the Knog Mid Cobber rear bike light are the 330 degree visibility from the main light body, giving exceptional viewing angles with a super bright 170 lumen flash. Cable-less charging is an interesting feature, but we know this isn't to everyone's taste. It’s the most expensive light here but does have those USPs, if that matters to you.

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 Topeak Taillux 100 USB rear lightBest value

Best value rear light

The Topeak Taillux doesn’t pack fancy features such as ambient light detection or an in-built accelerometer. But it does have a good range of light modes, from a 100 lumen flash to an eye-catching combo of a constant beam with a flashing parameter - on that consistent/flashing mode the battery life is a respectable 10 hours. It’s a solid performer and with the lowest price, it’s the best value on test.

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Giant HL 100 front and rear combo set, sat on a white background. A front white light and red rear light, in small square casings and flexible strap to mount with.Best Bike Light Set Overall

Best overall bike light set

Packing a 100 Lumens the small but mighty Giant Recon HL 100 & TL 100 combo really punches above its weight. For lights that are so small and weigh practically nothing, they are surprisingly bright, to the point of being blinding. They're fantastic backup lights, standalone lights in their own right or are great daylight running options for your commute.

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Lezyne Micro Drive 600XL KTV ProBest High Power Bike Light Set

Best light set with a high-power front light

Lezyne is well renowned for its build quality and wide range of applications. The Micro Drive 600XL and KTV Pro are a rarity in the market, with most manufacturers choosing to not offer light sets at higher power outputs. The Micro Drive 600XL will light the way ahead, meaning unlit streets are no issue, and the KTV Pro offers good side visibility and is great for mounting just about anywhere. The bonus is that there is no need for a charging cable for either light, as they both feature built-in USB connections.

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GARMIN VARIA RTL515 RADAR REAR LIGHTBest Rear Radar & Smart Light

Best Rear Radar and Smart Light

Possibly the future of all bicycle lights, the Garmin Varia RTL515 features radar technology, that not only adjusts the light's mode but actually tells you, when paired with a compatible head unit, where cars are on the road. Whenever I use a Varia I am always amazed at how accurate it is – rarely do I hear something before the Garmin has seen it. If you've never ridden with one before you might think it's a bit of a gimmick but, once you have, you'll miss it when you don't have one.

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You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Side and front view of the Knog Blinder 900 front bike light

The Blinder 900 is a sound option for commuters

Our expert review:

Side and front view of the Exposure Strada MK12 RS AKTiv

Exposure Strada MK12 RS AKTiv is both powerful and expensive

Our expert review:

Side and front view of the Trek Commuter Pro RT front light

Trek's Commuter Pro RT front light is well-designed to maximise the lumens available

Our expert review:

Our expert review:

Side and front view of the Magicshine ALLTY1000 front bike light

Magicshine's ALLTY1000 combines a bright beam with impressive battery life

Image shows Lezyne Macro Drive 1300XXL front bike light.

The Lezyne Macro Drive 1300XXL delivers a wide beam

Our expert review:

Image shows Blackburn Dayblazer front bike light.

The Dayblazer offers plenty of power without a high price tag

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Image shows the Specialized Flux 1250 which is one of the best front bike lights

The Flux's lens shape makes for a wide angle beam

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Side and front view of the Magicshine SEEMEE300 rear bike light on a blue background

Magicshine's SEEMEE300 is packed with tech including an inbuilt motion sensor

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Bird's eye and front view of the Knog Mid Cobber Rear Bike Light on a blue background

Thedistinctive looking Knog Mid Cobber rear light

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Side and front view of the Topeak Taillux 100 USB rear bike light on a blue background

Topeak's Taillux 100 is a great value rear light

Our expert review:

Side and front view of the Ravemen TR500 rear bike light on a blue background

Raveman's TR500 excels as a daytime running option

Our expert review:

Birds eye and front view of the Bontrager Flare RT rear bike light on a blue background

Bontrager's Flare RT is compact but still has plenty of features

Our expert review:

CatEye's ViZ300 rear light mounted to a bike.

The ViZ300 is certainly bright but also a little fiddly to mount

Our expert review:

Moon Cerberus rear light mounted on a bike

The Cerberus is designed to fit on any size or shape of seatpost

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Knog Blinder Square rear light mounted to a bike

Our expert review:

Garmin Varia rear light

Garmin Varia RTL515 comes loaded with safety features

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Bryton Gardia R300L Rear Light & Radar mounted on a bike

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Garmin Varia RCT715 bike light mounted on a bike

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Image shows CatEye Sync bike lights

CatEye Sync; Core and Kinetic light set uses wireless connection to pair lights together

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Image shows Giant HL 100 and TL 100 Combo bike lights.

The Giant HL 100 and TL 100 Combo lightset is simple and easy to use

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Image shows Lezyne Micro Drive 600XL and KTV Pro bike light set.

The Lezyne Micro Drive 600XL and KTV Pro light set is solid and secure

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Image shows Exposure Trace and TraceR lightset.

Exposure Trace lights are a long term favourite in the Cycling Weekly office

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We’ll look at specialist lighting options in a moment, but for now, let’s assume you’re a road rider or commuter who wants to see and be seen when the sun sets. What do you need to consider when buying your lights?

Almost all modern cycle lights use LEDs rather than old-school bulbs, and due to technological advancements, these can be blindingly bright.

Of course, light power is an important part of your buying criteria, but don’t let that be the be-all and end-all. Beam shape and the effect of the light lens can make a huge difference — we’ve seen lights of supposedly lesser power trounce rivals when it comes to real-world performance.

Even if you plan on using a light to see, it will still help other road users see you.

If you’re riding on lit roads, an ultra-bright constant beam may be unnecessary, and a flash function at the front may be perfectly adequate.

Though the amount of power you'll need for your front light will vary depending upon where you're riding, no cyclist should be without an adequate rear bike light. Rear bike lights will usually emit around 30 lumens or more, and generally have several modes: steady light, flashing, or a combination between the two. All options are safe and legal, but a flashing mode will usually help to save battery life and attract more attention.

Recently we have been introduced to the idea of using a rear bike light even in the daytime, because it will help drivers pick you out from behind. It's also a sensible idea to double up on rear lights. Though it's unlikely, you won't be quite so aware if your rear bike light fails as you would be in the case of a front beam, so having a back-up fitted can provide extra security and peace of mind.

For your rear light, the flash function is ideal. But if you’re a bike commuter, with both front and rear lights also consider how effective the lamp is in terms of side lighting, as this will make you more visible from more angles and help avoid the "sorry, I didn't see you" excuse from a turning vehicle.

It’s still generally a case of the brighter the better, but you also need to consider other qualities that will make your life easier. Look to see how many flash settings the light has; what the run times will be on a single charge or one set of batteries; and see if it has a rechargeable power source.

In this case, check if it needs its own special charger or if it can be recharged via USB, which aids convenience immensely. Some lights even have a helpful gauge showing how much power they have left.

For most lights above we've quoted a battery life range. All lights will have multiple modes, so the range is from the most intense to the most economical option.

Most lights will burn through the battery quickly in their highest mode. For fast riding on tricky off-road trails you might need this, but it's worth dialling down the light intensity if you're on easier terrain or tarmac. Your eyes will quickly acclimatise to the lower light level, while on their top output many bike lights can be as intense as a car headlight and dazzle oncoming traffic.

Some lights will dial down their intensity if they start to get too hot or as the battery begins to run down and so extend battery runtime.

Flashing modes give you the longest battery life. They're a good option to up your visibility, particularly at the rear and when riding in daylight, but unless there's good street lighting you'll probably want to run a constant mode at the front at night, which will reduce runtime. It's why front lights usually have larger capacity batteries than rear ones.

It's worth looking at the quotes runtimes in different modes when selecting a light.

New bikes are sold with reflectors (and you can read in detail about the legal requirements relating to reflectors here) but regardless - if you're riding at night, using a proper set of bike lights is really an essential.

In the UK, law regarding bike lights is governed by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, first published in 1989 but amended six times since, which say that as well as your pedal reflectors and rear reflectors (the side and front reflectors aren’t actually a legal necessity) night-riders will also need lights front and back.

The lights have to be mounted on the bike centrally or to the offside, positioned up to 1.5m from the ground, and conform to British Safety or EC standards.

Both front or rear lights can be flashers, but if so they must emit at least four candela. “But bike lights tend to be rated in lumens or Watts, what’s a candela?” we hear you cry.

It’s not a particularly easy subject to explain, and they’re not directly convertible units. But simply put: as long as you buy decent quality bike lights, fit them properly, and remember to switch them on, the law shouldn’t be a problem.

In the US, the law requires riders to have both active and passive lighting — active lighting is well...lights, while passive lighting is things like reflectors and reflective clothing.

The exact wording of the laws varies from state to state, but the summation of it all is that between sunset and sunrise or in conditions of 'limited visibility' you must have a white light pointing forwards, and a red light pointing backwards.

Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung, or stVZO for short, is the road traffic licensing regulation for German road users. These regulations include specific rulings on how bicycle lights must perform. This requirement is designed to prevent unnecessary glare or distractions to other road users when in use.

This is done by having strict specifications for the beam pattern. The beam patterns of stVZO lights will have a flat top and be focused towards the ground, slightly ahead of you on the road. Overall, the pattern looks a bit like an upside-down flat-topped pyramid. There are also regulations regarding the minimum output, colour, and warmth of lights.

an stVZO approved light lighting a bridge to show the beam pattern of a light that meets this standard

A depiction of the typical stVZO approved beam pattern

Introduced over the last few years to bicycle lights, smart or radar lights include sensors that can spot cars and trucks approaching—generally from behind, but some also offer this feature for front lights. This is done in a couple of ways, using either light sensors or radar signals.

Once movement is detected, the light automatically adjusts its mode or setting to make you more visible. Depending on the manufacturer,, this is done in different ways, but generally, it is done by increasing the light's brightness or changing or adding a flashing pattern.

The standout performer in this market is the Garmin Varia, once linked with a Garmin computer, which visually represents how close and fast vehicles are approaching and adjusts the light to make you see.

Lux and Lumen, frequently confused, provide distinct metrics for assessing light performance. Lux quantifies the amount of light illuminating a surface, while Lumens assess the total light emitted in all directions from a source over a specific distance.

An effective bicycle light should achieve a proper balance between Lux and Lumens. Cyclists need the ability to illuminate specific objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, roadside furniture, or even trees and animals. Additionally, it's essential to have sufficient brightness to clearly see the surrounding area while riding.

Neither option holds greater significance, and lighting should not be chosen based solely on these criteria.

All bike lights will come with a mount to fit them to your bicycle, these will generally be placed around the handlebar and the seat post. It depends very much on the manufacturer, but sometimes this is a separate mount that needs to be fitted before mounting the light. For some, the mount is part of the light body and these typically are the more flexible ones that use a rubberised strap system.

The light should be positioned at handlebar height or approximately halfway up the seatpost. Numerous mounting options are available for attaching lights to fork legs, racks, and frames, all of which are valid placement locations.

Always position the light on the side of the bike closest to the traffic. For UK riders, this means placing it on the right side; for US or European riders, it should be on the left. Doing so provides drivers with a clearer reference for your width and theoretically grants you more space.

A straightforward set of front and rear lights will often do the trick for the everyday bike commuter in urban environments. However, investing in the best lights you can afford is definitely a smart choice, and it’s a good idea to add an extra pair of inexpensive emergency flashers for extra safety. If you plan to venture off-road or ride on dark back roads, it’s essential to choose stronger, more powerful lamps with wider beams to keep you safe and seen.

Many riders also love to enhance their setup with helmet-mounted lights, which can be really effective! These lights can shine in the direction you’re looking, providing added visibility. However, remember that they should complement the lights on your bike and not replace them as your sole light source.

a set of small backup lights that can be wrapped around any tube on a bicycle frame to be seen and safe

Dynamo lights are regaining popularity, especially among ultra-endurance and gravel racers. These racers choose them for their reliability and to minimize unnecessary charging stops.

Some dynamo light setups even allow you to charge other devices, such as top bicycle computers or phones. However, finding the right hub and light combination to meet your needs might require some trial and error, and installation can be somewhat tricky.

IPX is the internationally recognised standard used to determine the amount of protection a device has against the ingress of typically water or dust. The standard also helps to understand whether something is just is 'weather-resistant' or 'waterproof.

The higher the IPX rating number, the greater the protection against ingress. The list below lays out what each IPX rating means and guides you on what level to look for in your next bicycle light.

• IPX-0 No protection

• IPX-1 Protected against condensation or water falling vertically

• IPX-2 Protected against spraying water when tilted up to 15 degrees vertically

• IPX-3 Protected against spraying water when tilted up to 60 degrees vertically

• IPX-4 Protected against splashing water from any angle

• IPX-5 Protected against low-pressure water stream from any angle

• IPX-6 Protected against high-pressure water stream from any angle

• IPX-7 Protected against water immersion for 30 minutes to a depth of one metre

• IPX-8 Protected against continual water submersion in underwater conditions

For good quality bicycle lights, we would expect to see a minimum of IPX-5. However ideally you should aim for IPX-6 as this will be a decent guarantee that water will not cause any issues with your device.

Bicycle lights almost always include several modes where some kind of flashing pattern is emitted, be it with constant light or flashing on its own.

The legalities around flashing lights differ depending on where you live. For example, in Germany, flashing bike lights are not permitted at all. As mentioned above the stVZO guidance on bicycle lights is strict.

The research behind stVZO helps us understand what works well for riders' safety. Personally, I find front flashing lights very distracting, and the intensity of the cars' highlights doesn't change, so a constant front light is recommended.

There is much research on daytime running lights for rear lights, which tend to offer a very bright, slow, consistent flash. This suggests that, in theory, combining a constant bright light with a flash somewhat replicates a car's taillights when the brake is applied. Hopefully, this means cars see you first but also approach more cautiously.

If in doubt, place your lights on a constant mode in the brightest setting you have.