4 New Bike Lights

Published December 28, 2015 04:34PM

Light & Motion Urban 800 Fast Charge

Best for: Commutes After Sunset
Designed specifically for keeping commuters safe but also bright enough for singletrack riding, the Urban 800 is compact, considering it puts out an impressive 800 lumens. The new iteration is equipped with rapid recharging technology to juice up in 2.5 hours (as compared to 4.5 hours without), and small amber lights on each side give you extra visibility. A handlebar mount, helmet mount and GoPro mount are included.
$150, Lightandmotion.com

Garmin Varia Rearview Radar

Best for: Peace Of Mind
This smart two-piece tail light and radar system not only alerts approaching cars to your presence by brightening and flashing as cars approach, but it also warns the cyclist—either through a head unit or when paired with an Edge 1000 cycling computer—of approaching vehicles (up to 140 meters away), their relative speed and their threat level. The light gives off 16 lumens of light and a battery charge lasts five hours, but the brilliance is in giving cyclists the chance to avoid danger they typically can’t see coming.
$200 for tail light only, $300 for head unit and tail light, Garmin.com

Bontrager Flare R Tail Light

Best for: Daytime Riding
Bontrager designed this lightweight tail light specifically for daytime riding to allow cyclists to be seen from more than 1.2 miles away, day or night, with its 65 lumens and 270 degrees of visibility. It has optimized flash patterns to draw attention in the daylight, and the battery lasts anywhere from four to 23 hours, depending on which of the four modes you choose. A smartly designed bracket allows for easy angle adjustment, mounting and removal.
$60, Bontrager.com

Lezyne Strip Drive Front

Best for: Tri Bike Training
The strip drive is a powerful compact light, with five LED’s, which put out as much as 120 lumens and can be set to one of nine lumen or flash modes, which help draw the attention of approaching vehicles. The headlight is compatible with both round and aero bars, and its reflective design promotes rider visibility from the sides as well. The cable-free design makes recharging a cinch, and one charge lasts two to 13 hours, depending on the mode. Also sold in a tail light.
$35, Lezyne.com

Day and Night

While cyclists legally need to have lights on only from sunset to sunrise, it’s a smart idea to utilize lights on your bike whenever you share the road with cars. A study by the League of American Bicyclists found that getting hit from behind is the leading cause of cycling fatalities in the U.S. Some argue that cyclists are even less visible during the day than cyclists with lights at night, so why not keep your bike lights flashing during daylight hours to cut through the distractions and draw the attention of motorists around you?