Having a set of the best bike lights can be truly transformative, and while I am often a proponent of finding good value items that punch above their weight, when it comes to lights, there is a good case to be made for it being the time to really maximise your budget.
Unlike the best budget bike lights, which often just take care of making sure you are seen by cars, the lights in this guide can expand your horizons and, in some cases, make riding at night comparable to riding in the day in terms of safety and enjoyment.
Last updated 19th February 2026 I have been out riding in the dark and trying out a load of new lights. Based on this testing, I have updated the guide with a fresh product mix, some brand new products and some old favourites that still merit inclusion. Notable is the addition of the SEEMEE 400 (best overall rear), Exposure Toro 16 (brightest), the SEEMEE 300 is now our ideal commuter rear light, and the Magicshine Evo1700 replaces the Outbound Detour as our pick if you want a sharp beam cutoff.
Best front bike lights
Best front bike light overall
✅ You want the ultimate road light: This has all the bells and whistles you could ask for. The beam is flat, shaped for road riding, and auto-dims when it senses oncoming car headlights.
✅ You want bombproof quality: I used a plastic mount to sling mine beneath my computer, which snapped at 65kmh. The light barrelled down the road, and was still working fine when I found it. This thing is unkillable.
❌ You're a weight weenie: At 258g it's a bit of a tank, mostly because of its large internal battery. The Exposure Race light (number 5) is a slightly lighter alternative if you can stomach the price.
❌ You want to charge everything with USB-C: Exposure lights all use a brand-specific charging setup, with a big included charger. It's clunky and feels a little out of step with modern trends. If this is an issue, go for the Exposure Race.
Exposure lights have a borderline mythical reputation, such is the quality of its products. The Exposure Strada Mk12 SB (super bright) is the pinnacle of its road range, and it's utterly sublime, and is a permanent fixture on my long-term, year-round, mile munching Fairlight Strael.
While it has a weight penalty compared to more streamlined options, it packs so much in that I really think it's worth it. Firstly, you get an enormous battery life – 36 hours at its most photon-frugal – which means you can ride through the night and into the morning if you so wish. No battery life anxiety, or having to time your rides to coincide with at least some daylight.
The beam is super bright, as you'd gather from the name, packing a maximum 1,700 lumens with a lovely wide flood light. It gives great contextual information, as well as making the road visible enough that you barely have to back off, even on fast descents.
The controls take a bit of dialling in, but the single raised button makes on-the-fly changes easy, and these can be made even easier by the addition of an included remote switch that can be mounted to your bars if you opt to sling it under your computer, as I do.
The real party piece is the auto-dim, which dips the beam when the light senses an oncoming car (or bike) headlight, freeing you up from having to think about doing so manually, or worrying if you're dazzling a driver and posing a danger to yourself.
If you can't face the full asking price, Exposure makes an 'RS' version of the Strada, which has a slightly smaller battery and is a little lighter as a result. It's not quite as bright at full whack, but it has basically the same feature set and battery life, so it's still a formidable option in its own right.
If you want more details, then head to our Exposure Strada Mk11 SB AkTIV review. It is the previous model, but the changes to the Mk12 are very minor, so the majority of it is still relevant.
Best budget front bike light
✅ You want a do-it-all solution: 900 lumens is about the sweet spot for lighting, meaning you can commute happily and still use it on unlit roads to see by. This is its maximum output though, so it can't hold it for long.
✅ You don't want to spend a fortune: It's not the cheapest, and if you are just needing a light in order to be seen while commuting, then you can go cheaper, but this is the best budget option that'll do most things well enough.
❌ You want added features: There aren't a ton of modes like you get with Exposure lights, or any tech to dim the beam. Three brightness and two flashing modes only.
❌ You want to quickly swap it between bikes: If you're commuting and want to remove the whole bracket, you have to unscrew the dial all the way to remove it. It's fiddly and more time-consuming than a silicone strap, but the mount is universal and can pivot. Look to the Knog Blinder if this is a dealbreaker for you.
Do the simple things right and the rest will follow. The AMPP900 is quite a no-frills light, with one button and five cycleable modes. There are no smart features to complicate things, and that, to me, is the strength of it.
With the near-universal mounting bracket, you can clip it with ease to any bar you like, or even a fork leg in a pinch. It will clip under a computer with readily available adapters without putting too much stress on the mount, and I tend to leave mine on whatever race bike I'm testing as a daylight running option outside of high summer riding.
The beam is plenty bright enough for night riding as long as you aren't planning on being out for hours and hours, and as it's a simple flood pattern, it works just as well upside down under a computer without having to put it at a strange angle.
One thing I did fall foul of is that, when running it at full power, it won't automatically swap to a lower intensity beam when the battery level drops; it'll just cut out, so remember to keep it charged. To find out all the other key details from my time with this light, then have a read of my Cateye AMPP900 review.
The AMPP range is broad, with options from 200 lumens up to 2,200, but it's the mid-power options where they shine best. If you want a little more oomph, then the AMPP 1,00 is basically the same, but brighter, and if you're sticking to semi-lit urban environments, then the AMPP 500 will most likely be sufficient.
Best front bike light for commuters
✅ You ride only in the city: 600 lumens is perfectly adequate for being seen if you've got all the ambient light of a metropolis lighting your way too.
✅ You want to mount it under a computer: It includes a quick-release mount for under a computer, so you could have it on your commuter Mon-Fri, and pop it on your road bike under a computer for the weekend, quick as a flash.
❌ You're doing long road rides at night: 600 lumens is just about enough to see by at night on unlit roads, but as this is the max output, you're going to burn through the battery really quickly. The Exposure Strada's big battery life is your saviour if this is an issue.
❌ You want to mount it under a computer: While the more powerful Blinder 900 comes with a GoPro mount, the 600 only comes with a rubber strap, so it's on the bars only here.
If you want a light that is going to cause the least hassle on your ride to and from work, then you should opt for the Knog Blinder Pro 600.
A 600 lumen output is right on the money for urban use, as long as you're not venturing down any totally unlit lanes for any great duration, and the battery life is sufficient to not let you down.
As well as being reasonably simple, on a par with the Cateye AMPP900, the Blinder Pro 600 has a much better battery status indicator, reminding you when to give it a charge at your desk as you deliver shareholder value.*
What sets this apart from the suite of other similarly priced, similarly bright, and similarly simple lights? Mostly it comes down to the mount. Clip the bracket on, and you simply press the light in to click it into place, and pull it off just as easily. It's secure, but very simple, meaning no panicked fumbling to find the catch when you're already 10 minutes late for that key deliverables meeting*.
For more info about why I think it's so good for kicking about around the city, head to our Knog Blinder Pro 600 review and pore over the details.
*I assume this is what people with normal jobs do. Sadly, I can't relate as I test bike lights for a living.
Best front bike light for gravel
✅ You want a light that'll survive the apocalypse: Exposure's build quality is legendary. This is about as close to a buy-it-for-life product as lighting gets.
✅ You're riding technical terrain at night: If you need more than 2,800 lumens, you're probably far beyond riding gravel.
❌ You want a quick setup out of the box: The mounts can be fiddly to set up, and working out how to program exactly which range of brightnesses you want as available options on the go takes a bit of time.
❌ You want a cheap option: The Race has a higher RRP than many on this list, but if you're serious about off-road riding after hours, then it's an investment worth making.
The latest Exposure Race, now in its 19th iteration, builds on the fantastic foundations of the previous model that I loved so much in my Exposure Race review, with some brilliant updates, including a much-improved status screen and the ability to function as a power bank.
It's easy to get spec creep when it comes to off-road lighting, but the Race really is the sweet spot if you want the best option for gravel riding. It's bright enough to still hammer your trails, with a maximum brightness of 1000 lumens at steady state, and 2,800 in 'Reflex' mode, where the light will automatically increase the brightness as your velocity increases, freeing your brain up to just focus on hitting the right line.
It's also extremely well made, like all Exposure lights, with a 36-hour battery life when used sparingly. It's big, but not so big you can't tuck it beneath a computer with a suitably robust mount, meaning you can keep a nice, neat front end if that's your cup of tea.
If you do mount it on the bars, you'll get to look at the brilliant new status screen. The old one was good, but this new setup is far clearer at showing you what mode you're in and how much time you have left at the current brightness, allowing you to utilise more lumens more often without having battery anxiety.
Finally, the beam itself is a simple but very effective flood, with a smooth drop off to the edges, meaning it works just as well upside down as it does the right way up.
If you ride road and gravel, then this would be a marvellous dual-purpose light, but if you ride gravel and MTB, then I'd say you'd be better off going for the Toro, or the Maxx-D below. If you do all three... well, you'll have to weigh that up yourself.
Brightest front bike light
✅ You want to see EVERYTHING: Even without the Reflex mode on, 2,900 lumens is more than enough for off-road riding.
✅ You want total control over your burn times: With 10 different program modes, you can tailor things exactly to your preferences.
❌ You want to sling it under a computer: The beam shape of the MK16 version is also designed to be run the right way up, so keep this one on the bars. The Strada is your friend if beam shape and under-computer mounting are what you want.
❌ You are a weight weenie: At 323.3g, it's the heaviest light I've tested besides the gargantuan Magicshine Monteer 12,000. The Exposure Race isn't quite as bright, but it's a close second if weight matters to you.
Ok, so the 'brightest' title isn't strictly true as there are brighter lights out there. The Magicshine Monteer 12,000 is substantially brighter, but you have to carry around something akin to a car battery, and that's just not feasible for most people.
For gravel, the MAXX-D is the brightest you'd ever need before graduating into giant MTB lights with external power packs. I'd actually probably say it's brighter than you'd need, and point you in the direction of the Exposure Race instead, but if your riding is MTB and gravel rather than road and gravel, the MAXX-D makes more sense. It is akin to a cheat code for nighttime gravel riding, allowing you to hit descents and technical sections at speeds you would in full daylight most of the time.
You get the legendary Exposure build quality, beautifully machined aluminium housing, rear display readout, and really solid (if a little fiddly) mounting brackets that you get with the Race and Strada, but here you have 4x big LED bulbs to produce a very bright, spread beam.
As with the other Exposure models, you select from a menu of program options (10 in this case), which then loads in the brightness settings that you can change on the fly. It takes a bit of time to get your head around, but generally speaking, if you invest the time, it means you can get the maximum amount of light for any duration ride.
Like the Race, you also get Reflex mode, where the light will automatically increase the brightness (to 4,600 in this case) when your speed increases, which is there both to save battery on the climbs and help you go faster on descents.
Given its size, it does dominate the handlebar real estate if mounted on top of the bars, and is a little too long to be mounted beneath those computer mounts that bolt directly to your stem. For under-bar mounting, use a K-Edge computer mount, or just stick your computer on your stem instead.
Like the Race, and the Toro, which I also think is ace and a brilliant midground between the two, the Maxx-D has been given the same update to USB-C charging, power bank capabilities, and the status screen update, which is so big in this case, I could probably watch vintage Tour of Utah highlights on it.
Best front bike light for a cutoff beam
✅ You want a shaped beam: The light is cutoff at the top, meaning everything above the level of the light doesn't get blinded. This helps pedestrians on shared paths, but more importantly, it means drivers aren't blinded by you.
✅ You want remote control: Included is a remote to strap to your bars, enabling easy switching of power and flash modes without taking your hands off the bars.
❌ You want a sleek setup: While it does sling under a computer easily, it isn't the sleekest light out there, with an unusual cuboid form.
❌ You're doing technical off-road riding: Whatever marketing departments may have you believe, shaped cutoff beams like this aren't good for off-road use, as you lose key contextual information about your surroundings.
Magicshine's Evo 1700 is quite an unusual light, both visually and in how it performs. It's a little cube with one massive lens on the front and a bank of internal LEDs that produce a shaped beam with a hard cutoff at its edges.
They're an acquired taste, and I really only recommend them for road use only, but they make far more efficient use of the light's power, with no 'wasted' brightness spilling out at the edges; just illumination on the road ahead, where you need it most.
The remote control that's included is handy, as you can only mount the Evo 1700 under a bike computer via a standard GoPro 3-prong mount. It means you can control things from your handlebars without having to reach to the single button.
While I really liked the shape of the beam, what I liked most about it was that it has a high beam function like a car. Double tap the remote to activate – which I tended to do for descents – and double tap again to drop the beam back down to its usual cutoff position, useful for oncoming vehicles or other cyclists.
If you're running Shimano Ultegra or Dura-Ace, you can opt for the Magicshine Evo 1700SD, which I tested. It's exactly the same light, but dispenses with the remote and integrates directly with your groupset and allows you to control your lights using the bonus buttons on the top of your shifters, which is extremely satisfying.
Best front bike light for daytime running
✅ You want to make sure you're seen, even in daylight: This is the epitome of a 'be seen' light. Its whole reason for existence is to increase your visibility.
✅ You want a small form factor: It's dead small, so it clips onto bars without being obtrusive.
❌ You want to see in the dark: Allowing you to see where you're going is not what this light is for, so if you want to actually see in the dark, then look to the Cateye AMPP900 above for a budget-friendly solution.
❌ You want USB-C: This light still uses micro-USB, which feels rather outdated by current standards.
This light was previously under the Bontrager logo, but as with many things, it's been brought under the Trek umbrella. You'll still see some labelled as Bontrager, but they're identical. The Ion 200 RT is perfect for those who want a small, unobtrusive, but powerful daytime running light to make sure oblivious motorists notice you.
Tiny, but mighty. The lumen count is low, but the light is claimed to be visible 2km away. I haven't tested this, mostly because the roads near me are all too wiggly and hilly, but this long-range visibility is down to a combination of an attention-grabbing flash pattern and a front lens that focuses more of the beam forward.
The small form factor means you can slip it onto your bars and forget it's there, or even mount it to your helmet without really noticing it's attached. Some helmets, like the Bontrager Circuit WaveCel have built-in mounts for the front and rear versions of the light, if daylight visibility is your thing.
There is a continuous light mode that can just about allow you to get home in the city, but that's really not what this light is about. It's an auxiliary add-on, and that's where it works best.
For more details, check out our Trek Ion 200 RT / Flare RT light set review.
Best rear bike lights
Best rear bike light overall
✅ You want to control your lights from your computer: Added ANT+ integration on the SEEMEE 400 means you can sync it with your bike computer.
✅ You want added side visibility: The downward-facing LED adds a 360º halo of red light around you to keep things visible from all angles.
❌ You want a clean look: A big battery takes up space, and it's significantly less sleek than the Exposure option.
❌ You're a weight weenie: At 80g, it's about as heavy as rear lights get. Not one for the hill climbers, but is winter the time to be counting the grams?
The old Magicshine SEEMEE 300 was truly an amazing rear light. It had a whopping battery life, an innovative downward-facing LED to add side visibility, and packed enough lumens to keep you visible. So good was it that I still rate it as the best rear bike light for commuting, but the newly released SEEMEE 400 takes that brilliant suite of features, adds an extra 100 lumens to the brightness, and also adds ANT+ capability to allow you to integrate it with your bike computer.
Before I go into the added features, the key part of why I love the SEEMEE 400, like its predecessor, is the lighting it provides. It's a big light, with a powerful output (400 lumens is very much at the upper range of rear light brightness), but it's the downward-facing LED that's the real winner. It illuminates a great red circle beneath you, adding much-needed side visibility to your setup, and can be set to flash or remain solid depending on the mode you're in.
In order to power this added brightness and ANT+ capability, the battery life has reduced from the comically large 200hrs to a still-very-long 107hrs on eco mode, so even if you're woefully forgetful about charging, you'll still remain illuminated.
The SEEMEE 400 will also connect to your Garmin, Wahoo, Hammerhead, or any other ANT+ enabled head unit to allow you to integrate it into the suite of other sensors. This is useful, especially if you set it up to show you the battery level, and allows you to see exactly which mode you're in. It can also pair with some Magicshine front lights, allowing you to control both from the same remote.
Finally, like all my favourite rear bike lights, it has brake light functionality, flaring up to alert users behind you that you've thrown the anchors on; handy for both drivers and your riding buddies.
However, if you aren't into total system integration on your bikes, then my tip is just to go for the cheaper SEEMEE 300 and pocket the change, as its got nearly the same feature set.
Best budget rear bike light
✅ You want a really simple light: One button, a handful of modes. No bells and whistles, no learning curve, just slap it on your seatpost and away you go.
✅ You want to take it off/on with ease: While the bracket has a few moving parts, it is among the fastest and easiest lights to install and swap between bikes.
❌ You don't have easy access to a USB socket: With everything going to USB-C, finding an actual old school USB socket to plug it into to charge isn't as easy as it used to be.
❌ You're riding on gravel: It is waterproof-rated, but the exposed charging contacts built into the mount are asking for trouble when exposed to the muck that comes with riding off-road.
You can think of the Knog Blinder Rear as just a really good version of those cheap clip-on lights you see the world over on bikes in the city. Those, in my experience, aren't made well, aren't overly bright, and don't last long either physically or in terms of battery life.
If you're after a relatively inexpensive but visible light you can just clip onto your seatpost in seconds, then this is a great place to start. The giant square face is an array of 144 small LEDs, meaning in constant mode, you get a large light area. What's really neat though is that the flashing modes aren't simple on/off variants. In my version, the central portion varies from the outer rim in a bullseye pattern, and is much more dynamic.
You can opt, if it's your thing, for various patterns - skull, peace symbol, etc - but I'd just stick with the standard option. I don't think a taxi is necessarily going to be more aware of a skull than a square in the heat of rush hour.
The bracket is a little over-engineered, and it is possible to lose the hinge part, but it is very quick to use. I don't actually think having a direct-USB charging system is that useful, given USB-C is now proliferating as the standard, and not having the body designed so the light sits vertically when mounted to a seatpost is a bit annoying from an aesthetic standpoint, but does little if anything to actually affect the visibility of the light.
Basically, it's a great option for commuters and price-savvy riders, but I wouldn't necessarily opt for it for gravel or group riding. Read more in our full Knog Blinder rear light review.
Best rear bike light for group riding
✅ You're riding in a group regularly: The Peloton and ReAKT modes will keep your companions happy by letting them know when you're braking, and not blinding them when they're behind you.
✅ You value durability: Exposure lights are incredibly well made, and if it's going to get covered in road spray, you want something that'll stand up to some punishment.
❌ You want super solid mounts: The real Achilles heel of the Boost-R is the seatpost mount, which can twist during a ride pretty easily. The Bontrager Flare RT's mount is a winner if that's a priority for you.
❌ Side visibility is your priority: While it's super bright, there aren't any features built in to improve visibility for anyone approaching you from the side. Look at the Knog Mid Cobber below if you need wraparound visibility.
Another winning light from Exposure, the Boost-R with ReAKT and Peloton is about as complete a rear light as you're likely to find. Small, beautifully engineered in anodised red aluminium, the Boost-R is really very bright indeed. Before I worked out how to change the settings (like with other Exposure lights, it's not as simple as pressing the button to make it dimmer), I had several riders ask me to turn it off if I was in front of them.
You can't cycle through brightnesses, but instead, you select from three power modes and can then only choose between solid and flashing. This doesn't sound ideal on the face of it, but the light has a couple of built-in tricks that offset this lack of choice.
ReAKT is the first, and that means the Boost-R automatically adjusts the brightness depending on the ambient lighting. It'll get brighter under street lights, for example, dimming when you head into darker areas.
The ReAKT mode also comes in handy when riding in a group. Most of my riding is solitary, but when ReAKT is switched on, the light flares up under braking, acting in an identical manner to a car. Good for cars and other riders.
Peloton is the final trick, and when turned on, the Boost-R will dim when it senses a bike light behind it, flaring up again when the light source is removed. Perfect for a paceline where you want to remain visible at the rear of the bunch, but not blind your clubmates when pulling on the front.
My only real gripe with the Boost-R is the included seatpost mount, which does tend to twist around, needing the occasional repositioning. My test unit for my Exposure Boost-R review was micro-USB, but the model has switched to USB-C now.
Best rear bike light for commuting
✅ You want maximum side visibility: The downward-facing LED on the underside projects a red cone around you to make sure you're seen from all angles.
✅ You don't want to worry about charging: A 200hr battery life means you're extremely unlikely to run out of juice.
❌ You want to connect it to your bike computer: The SEEMEE 300 lacks the additional ANT+ connectivity of the new 400.
❌ You want a small form factor: Like the 400, this is about as chunky as rear lights get.
There are two reasons why I think the Magicshine SEEMEE 300 still holds its own as the best rear bike light for commuters, despite being an older model... well, three if you include the fact it's cheaper than the new one, too!
First up is the insane battery life. On eco mode, which it'll default to when the battery eventually runs low, it will last for 200 hours. No, that's not a typo. Yes, it means, even if you're really forgetful about charging, you're unlikely to ever run out of juice and be left unlit on your ride home from the office.
Secondly is the additional side visibility that comes from the downward-facing LED light. It projects a lovely big red cone around your bike on the road, and for commuting, when vehicles are more likely to be coming at you from the side at junctions, this is key and really made me feel a lot safer than with simple backward projecting units.
If you want to connect your light to your bike computer then stump up for the newer, brighter SEEMEE 400, but this one is cheaper, and for commuting duties I think you're probably less likely to want to bother integrating it into a tech ecosystem, as you'll be too busy throwing things in a backpack to worry about whether it's paired properly. Simpler is definitely better as far as I'm concerned for commuting gear.
My Magicshine SEEMEE 300 review goes into all the details as to why I think this was, at one time, the best overall bike light on the market at full price, and you'll see why it's still a bargain despite being replaced at the top of the tree.
Best rear bike light for daytime running
✅ You want to run a rear light in the daytime: If daytime visibility is your concern, then fitting one of these to your seatpost is only going to help.
✅ You want a small package: The Flare RT is small and totally unobtrusive.
❌ You want maximum brightness: It isn't the brightest light of the bunch, but that isn't its aim. It's there to catch your eye during the day, not mimic a solar flare.
❌ You're riding a lot at night: For proper night riding, you're going to want something with a bit more power.
Everything that is the case for the Trek Ion 200 is also true here, but red. The two are also sold as a pair and make a brilliant daytime running combo that you can easily fit and forget about.
You get the same disruptive flash pattern, and the same beam that is more focused rearwards than outwards, intending to catch drivers' attention from a long way out rather than at close range from all angles.
The relatively low power does mean I wouldn't necessarily want to run these as my primary night riding lights, though they'd get you home as an auxiliary in a pinch. The low power, on the flip side, means they can be made to have a very small form factor without ending up with a tiny battery life.
Just like the Ion, you can mount the Flare to a helmet without adding any tangible weight, and the same drawbacks in terms of it using the older Micro-USB exist. I'd treat them like a pair to be honest with you, as if you want daytime visibility up front, you probably want it from the rear too, perhaps even more so.
We've a full review of the Trek Ion 200/Flare RT light set to cover all the details we can't cram into this guide, so read on there if you're keen on being seen in daylight as well as at night.
Most powerful rear bike light
✅ You want the brightest rear light: It's the brightest by the lumen count, and if that's what you're after, it is hard to look past it.
✅ You hate cycling through endless modes: The Vis450 only has four modes, so it is certainly a lot easier to choose the one you want and then roll out.
❌ You've ditched all your old USB cables: If you've made the switch totally to USB-C then I have bad news; the Vis450 still uses Micro-USB.
❌ You ride in a group often: Anything involving the highest output is too bright for group riding. Lower power modes are available, but if you're commuting on busy bike lanes, you're still going to be dazzling other road users.
There isn't anything wrong with wanting to fit the brightest rear bike light you can buy in an attempt to stay visible. If that's what you're after, then the Cateye Vis450 is the place to go. Its maximum 450 lumen output is massive, several times greater than some on this list, but with that added power comes some drawbacks. It's worth noting that this high output is only available in a flash mode, to be used to aid daytime visibility.
On country lanes, the added brightness will make you more visible from further away, but if you are running it at full power with anyone in close proximity behind you for any length of time (traffic, either bike traffic or cars), you may run the risk of dazzling other users. Similarly, it's overkill for group riding, though you can of course select a setting that doesn't use all 400 lumens, which is primarily there for daytime visibility.
The lower power modes use 40 lumens, which leaves quite a gulf in the middle, taken up only by the 'group ride' flashing mode.
There is a lot to like, with the flash pattern at the highest output being especially disrupting to make sure you're noticed, and the ability to mount the light horizontally or vertically coming in handy for smaller frames, but if you don't feel you need the absolute most dazzling beam on the market then there are probably better general use options further up the list.
Best rear bike light for safety
✅ You want to know when cars are coming: The in-built radar pairs with your cycling computer and gives you a warning of when, and crucially how fast cars are approaching from the rear.
✅ You want easy setup: Wahoo's user interface makes things very easy, which isn't always the case when setting up a radar light.
❌ You use a phone as a bike computer: The Tracks Radar will only work with bike computers, not smartphones.
❌ You're after a budget option: As rear lights go it's among the most expensive, but the added safety features are worth it if that's your aim.
For quite some time, the Garmin Varia was the name in radar lights, without much serious competition. This continued from the introduction of its first radar to the still-very-good Garmin Varia RTL515, which added a light.
However, there are now quite a few options on the market, and the Wahoo Trackr Radar is the best of the bunch. Like all decent radar light it does a standup job of alerting you to cars approaching you from behind on your bike computer screen, as well as adapting the light intensity accordingly when it detects a car approaching to ensure you are seen.
There are a few small drawbacks, chief among which is that the Trackr Radar only works with bike computers and not smartphones, but what it misses slightly in this department it more than makes up for in the ease of setup – something Wahoo is famous for across the board it must be said – and in terms of superior battery life of up to a claimed 20 hours.
Yes, there is a premium to pay over basically every non-radar light out there, but the added functionality is worth the outlay if you're looking to slightly reduce the stress of sharing the road with vehicles that can put you in danger with alarming frequency.
If you want a Wahoo Trackr Radar Review review to read in full, I've got you covered, don't worry. There's plenty to consider, so it's worth a deeper dive before investing in a radar.
Also consider
Front lights
Magicshine Ray 2600: This tested very well. Relatively inexpensive for the brightness, a wireless remote, auto-changing brightness, app customisation, mounts included for mounting it under an out-front mount, and you can use it as a power bank too. The control scheme is a bit hard to get used to though, and not hugely intuitive, but it's still well worth considering.
Trek Commuter Pro RT: Another really great option with a well-shaped beam. As the name suggests, it's primarily designed for commuting, and so unlike the Outbound Detour, you can't mount it under the bars, and you can't charge it up while it's in use. If those things don't bother you, then it's a great buy and can be picked up a lot cheaper than the outbound option when it's on sale.
Outbound Detour: An interesting-looking front light that has a great cutoff beam like the Magicshine Evo1700. If you're riding through the night AND you want a cutoff beam, this can be charged from a power bank while still being illuminated, extending the battery life greatly.
Exposure Toro: To me, this was caught somewhere between the brand's Race and Maxx-D models. If you want more light than the Race can offer, then the Toro offers many of the same advantages, in a slightly bigger, slightly heavier package with another bulb.
Knog Blinder 900: Essentially the same as the Blinder 600, but brighter. If you like the sleek look, then brilliant, and it's a decent light, I just found that for a light of this brightness, you are perhaps more likely to sling it under a computer and the Ampp900 mounting system, while it requires an adapter, it felt a little more secure.
Magicshine Hori 900/Hori 1300: A really neat pair of options if you want a clean front end to your bike. The lights have a standard 1/4 turn mount (for Garmin and Wahoo included) and mount directly into your computer mount. They also have a computer mount built into the top, so you can stack yours directly atop the light.
Rear lights
Garmin Varia UT800: A smart headlight with the same name as the popular rear radar, the UT800 can automatically adjust the brightness of the beam depending on your speed. In order to achieve this, it needs to be paired with a Garmin head unit, so Wahoo/Hammerhead users, this is probably one to steer clear of.
Magicshine SEEMEE 100AD: The little brother to the SEEMEE 300. Smaller, and without the downward-facing light, but still packing a lot of features in, including a rear radar to automatically flare up when a car is detected. Another one with the potential to jump into the top list with some testing.
Garmin Varia RCT715: Essentially the same as the Varia in the guide, but with an added camera. It's as good at being a radar and a rear light, but you'll be able to capture any particularly egregious drivers in the act.
Exposure Blaze: Much like the Boost R, with the same features, just in a slightly bigger, slightly more expensive package and a corresponding jump in maximum brightness.
How to choose the best bike lights for you
After all my hard work, you still aren't sure what you need? That's ok, let's work through it. Below, I have outlined the key things to consider when choosing the best bike lights for your riding.
First up, we've pulled together a bike lights jargon buster that you can refer back to in case you need it later.
- What type of riding is the light for? If you're commuting or riding on lit streets, a 'be seen' light will be fine. Look for around 600 lumens of output. If you expect to ride on unlit roads or off-road, you'll need a larger, more powerful 'see' light with around 1000 lumens.
- How long are your rides? If you're only riding for around an hour after dark, you may not need a large battery and long runtime; if you ride longer after dark, look for a more powerful light with a longer runtime.
- Where do you want to mount your front light? A powerful light will usually take up a chunk of bar real estate. If you sling it under the bars on a drop bar bike, the drops and levers can impinge on the beam and you may not be able to work the light buttons easily. An out-front mount can free bar space and will help reduce shadows from drop bar levers, but again, the buttons may be difficult to operate. Make sure your mount can stand the weight - I'd highly recommend a metal one.
- How often do you charge your lights? If you only expect to charge your lights every week or so, it's another reason to buy a larger capacity light. Running it on lower output can eke out huge runtimes. Some more compact lights have comparatively short runtimes.
- What do you want your rear light for? Rear lights all tend to have similar outputs, as they're just to be seen. Some may be too bright for nighttime use, but can be handily bright when used on sunny days. As with front lights, consider runtime and size and weight. Side visibility can be useful.
- Do you want a smart light? A smart light that adapts to the conditions can be useful, extending battery life, dipping or increasing in brightness when it senses traffic or changing intensity as you speed up. A rear radar helps with safety. Any smart light takes a bit of setting up to get the most from it and will be more expensive than a dumb light.
- How much do you want to pay? In general, you get what you pay for with the best bike lights. If you want top functionality, brightness, runtime and build quality, budget for a premium price. On the other hand, 'be seen' lights are inexpensive and will do the job just fine for rides on lit roads.
Everything you need to know about the best bike lights
What kind of bike light do I need?
If you're just commuting then a basic set of clip-on front and rear lights will do, about 50 lumens for the rear and 400-600 for the front. For road riding look to get a more powerful front light, up to about 1,200 lumens, that'll allow you to see on poorly lit or unlit lanes when the need arises.
For gravel, bump the front lumen count up to about 1,500 or more, depending on your speed and the technicality of the terrain.
Do I need a smart light?
Smart lights are just a catch-all term for lights with automated features. Many in this guide have them: Auto-dimming, auto-brightening, radar, brake light functionality, pairing with other lights etc. These features are all good if they're what you want, but they're just added extras. If you just want a light without bells and whistles, then that's fine too if it fits your use case. Most smart lights are also able to operate as 'dumb' lights too, future-proofing you to some degree.
What is a lumen?
In simple terms, a lumen is how bright something is. Technically, it is the measure of 'luminous flux', with one lumen being equal to one candela of luminous intensity, in the visible spectrum, over a solid angle of one steradian.
There's a load of jargon in what a candela is, but all you need to know is that it is basically the brightness of one normal candle. A steradian is a math-y term for a cone projected out from the central point of a sphere.
To bring that all together, a lumen is one candle's worth of visible light projected out on a predetermined cone. It doesn't actually measure 'brightness', as that is determined by distance from the light source too, but in the real world, a light with more lumens is going to be brighter.
How many lumens do I need for a bike light?
Now we know what a lumen is, how many do we need? Generally speaking, a rear bike light should be at least 40-50 for night riding, up to 400 for daytime visibility.
A front light for commuting should be at least 200 lumens, though in my opinion, 600 is the sweet spot for commuting, so you can actually see where you're going for short, darker sections. Up to 900 lumens will stand you in ok stead for general after-dark riding, but if you want to enjoy yourself and not squint, then I advise you to for something over 1,000.
If you're riding off-road, where the environment is naturally darker thanks to tree cover and being away from light pollution, then you'll want at least 1,500. More will make your life easier, but you only really need to get into 3,000 or more when you're riding faster, or on more technical terrain.
Mega-lumen setups like the Magicshine Mounteer 12,000 will basically allow you to forget that it's nighttime for a bit and ride as normal, but there's a significant weight penalty, and I really don't recommend it for most uses.
It may feel correct to think that your lights for being seen should be brighter at night, but if daytime visibility is your aim, then the brighter settings are there for daytime, where the contrast between the bike lights and the ambient light is greater.
What is the law for bike lights?
The law differs from country to country, and from state to state, but as a rule, you should run at least 'be seen' light front and rear during the hours of darkness even if you aren't legally obliged to do so. There isn't much more to it than that - to do otherwise is to make what is already a risky activity even more so.
The only thing to note is that in Germany, there are laws governing the shape of the beam of your lights so that they don't blind pedestrians and other road users. This comes under the StVZO rules, outlined below.
Should my bike lights be flashing?
A flashing light is more eye-catching and so will make you more noticeable to drivers. However, in the dark, a flashing beam can make it harder for other road users to judge your position properly. In unlit areas, a solid front beam is recommended, while the jury is out at the rear. A flashing front lamp is perfect to add daytime visibility.
An ideal solution is to have a high-intensity 'be seen' beam at night, bolstered by a smaller light with a flashing pattern. Some lights have this system built in, with a constant beam that also flashes with a high-intensity blip.
At the rear, the same rings true, though the jury is out on the best way to set lights up. Personally, I prefer the slower flashing patterns from the likes of the Magicshine SEEMEE 300 or the Knog Mid Cobber, which are less dazzling.
What is a StVZO light?
StVZO bike lights are named as such because they meet the requirements of Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung, German Road Traffic Registration Regulations. They're specifically designed to shine a focused beam of light that points to the road ahead, rather than emitting a wide beam that spreads outwards and upwards and puts oncoming road users at risk of being blinded.
Basically StVZO lights have a sharp cutoff at the top of the beam. Plenty of non-StVZO-compliant lights also have a cutoff beam - the Outbound Detour for instance - but they aren't technically legal in Germany even though they fulfil the same function.
What about dynamo lights?
Those eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that there are no dynamo lights here. If you're unfamiliar, a dynamo light derives its power not from a battery, but from the rotation of the front wheel, so as long as you're moving, you have light. They are rather more complicated, and so for ease, they haven't been added here so as to avoid any unnecessary confusion.
I do use dynamo lighting myself on my own general tourer/commuter/do-it-all machine, and am extremely fond of my SON 28 hub and Edelux II lamp setup. It is about as good as dynamo lighting gets, but that's a discussion for another guide entirely.
What is Lux and why aren't StVZO lights measured in Lumens?
In the majority of cases, the output of StVZO lights is measured in Lux rather than Lumens. Lux is used because it’s a measure of how much light is projected onto a surface (called luminance), whereas lumens simply refers to how much light can be produced.
Lumens is all about potential, but Lux is about how much light you can actually use in the real world.
Do I need backup lights?
Legally speaking you don't need one, and if you're meticulous about charging your lights up then you may well never need one, but if you're forgetful it may be a good idea to carry a small spare for at least the rear. Also, sometimes things break. All the lights here are of decent quality, but wear and tear can affect all tech, and having a light that isn't working is legally and from a safety standpoint the same as having no light at all.
A lot of modern lights will have a 'get you home' feature where if the power drops below a certain level then the light will automatically drop to the lowest drain setting so it preserves what little juice is left.
Rather than simply carrying two rear lights for example, I like to integrate an extra set in a neater way. Cateye makes some excellent tiny lights that clip into the ends of your handlebars. They are dirt cheap, and while prone to getting stolen they do make you appear much wider to cars than a single light source.
Likewise, an additional helmet light is always helpful, and unusual lighting like that on offer from the Redshift Arclight pedals helps improve your visibility without messily clipping more things to your bike, and adds failsafes into your system should any single light fail.
How should I mount my bike lights?
The usual way is clipped onto the top of your handlebars. This does remove a bit of real estate and isn't as neat as some other options, but it does give you easy access to the buttons that control the light modes. If you're running an out-front computer mount, though you can find the extremely intense light directly exiting the front of the bike light will obscure your computer screen.
An increasingly common setup is to mount the light underneath one's bike computer. This keeps it out of the way, the light doesn't interfere with reading your stats, and you aren't going to bang your knees on it. It is harder to access the light controls here though. A word of warning, bike lights can be heavy, and if you're going to mount one under your computer, then invest in a quality computer mount. Also, if you're using a light with a cutoff beam, then remember to keep it the right way up.
Avoid plastic entirely, and I really would avoid those cheaper ones you can find on eBay that mount via your stem bolts. I have snapped both. A plastic computer mount sent an Exposure light and my computer flying down the road at 65km/h, and while this is annoying and potentially expensive, it is not nearly so dangerous as having one or two stem bolts suddenly become loose after a pothole. If in doubt, clip it to your bars.
You can also buy adapters that screw into things like fork eyelets, allowing you to bolt lights to your fork legs. Remember to do this on the fork leg closer to oncoming traffic so the front wheel doesn't obscure your light.
Do I need different lights for gravel riding?
As long as your bike light is of sufficient brightness, then there isn't really any reason it can't be suited for road and gravel. Cutoff beams don't work so well off-road though, so stick to a good old-fashioned cone.
If you're riding fast or technical gravel, then look to the world of mountain bike lights. The tech there is geared up for this sort of thing, and lights like the Exposure Race have features like 'Reflex' mode, where the light will automatically increase in brightness the faster you go.
What is an IP waterproof rating? IS IPX-6 good?
IP is the 'Ingress Protection' rating, or how well whatever object you're dealing with is at keeping water out. The ratings are as follows:
- 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 1 meter
- IPX-8 Protected against continual water submersion in underwater conditions
For the purposes of bike lights, IPX-6 is the one to aim for, though you do see IPX-5 and IPX-4. Remember, when riding at speed, rain becomes water hitting your lights at high velocity from various angles, and if you don't have mudguards, then your rear lights, especially, are beset by a near constant torrent of water. I have managed to kill inferior lights in under an hour before, so if you ride in the rain, then pay attention here.
What battery type is best for a bike light?
More or less every bike nowadays has an internal lithium-ion battery, charged by a USB cable. Gone are the days of changing a pair of AAA batteries, thankfully - avoid these, as they are still sold, as they're a pain in the backside.
Mountain bike lights often come with a larger, separate power pack that straps to a top tube or fits in a frame bag for gravel, to save mounting a giant ingot to the bars. It's slightly more clumsy, but they do allow you to see better when it's very dark indeed.
How long should my bike light battery last?
Always overestimate your needs and underestimate the specs. If you are trying to ride through the night on an epic adventure, the last thing you want to start worrying about is an ever-dwindling light supply. Look at how long your ride will last, then make sure you have a light that gives a comfortable buffer. Then bring an extra just in case.
For commuting, things are a little less serious, but you should still overestimate your needs. After a long day at work and a rainy ride home, it's very easy to forget to charge your light. A longer battery is more convenient because you will need to charge it less.
Whatever your need, keep in mind that brighter lights have bigger batteries, and you can turn them down. A 2000-lumen light will require a bigger integrated battery than a 1000-lumen light because some people will need a reasonable burn time at full power. Instead, you can halve the power and double the burn time, plus if you ever need more light, it's there.
Why are bike lights so expensive?
High-quality modern lights have a lot built into them. There are active sensors that detect other light sources and your own motion to adapt to the conditions. Heat management is built into bigger lights, as well as bigger batteries, so you can go further between charges while using less power.
All of this comes at a price, and while you can get some really cheap clip-on lights that, legally speaking, will keep you out of trouble, if you're serious about safety, being seen, and seeing where you're going, you do get what you pay for here.
For a deeper dive into what sets really expensive lights apart from budget options, then have a read of our 'why are bike lights so expensive?' feature.
How do we test bike lights?
Testing the best bike lights means a lot of hours riding in the dark. After an initial inspection and rundown of the specs everything is pitted against the environment it was designed for, and then some. Commuter lights are thrown into rush hour traffic to and from the Cyclingnews office. Year round I go into the office twice a week, which is an hour riding each way in the dark in the winter months. Half of the commute is on inner city streets and main roads, and the other half on an unlit railway path.
Road lights head out onto unlit lanes to hunt for PR's while everyone else is on the turbo, and lights aimed at gravel riding head off into the woods to see if they can pass muster not only as a light source, but in terms of their ability to withstand muck and grime - I have killed a brand new light in under an hour before simply from getting it too wet.
My usual rides are between two and four hours, though occasionally a lot longer even in winter, and daytime running the whole time tests out lights' daytime credentials. I also swap the lights between road, gravel, and commuting/general pub duties to see how they stack up not just in illumination but in useability, which is especially important with things like aero seatposts.
Everything is weighed independently, without mounting hardware, as many lights come with a simple rubber strap, while others come with a range of options that vary in weight.
So far I must have tried at least 20 different options, ranging from those bright enough to land a helicopter in the wilderness through to those barely able to challenge a tealight. Everything I recommend has to pass my own 'pub test', which is that, if my friend asked me in the pub what they should buy for a certain situation, this is what I'd point them to.
Read more about how Cyclingnews tests for our product recommendations.
Having spent the last decade without a turbo trainer, I have lost count of the number of hours I've spent riding only by the light of whatever is clipped to my bars or slung beneath my bike computer, both on and off-road. Bike lights are a necessity for many of us, but in my opinion, they can be as transformative for your winter riding as mudguards and proper winter layering.
