Compare Bike Lights

When you're thinking about bicycle safety, the first items to come across your mind might include a helmet, good shoes and reflective clothing. But if you are riding in dim or dark conditions, a bicycle light is absolutely essential for your safety. A comparison of bike lights can help you choose among several different types of lights and mounting locations.

Incandescent Lights

Incandescent light bulbs feature a tiny filament strung between two towers. As electricity passes across the filament, the heat reacts with gas in the bulb and produces light. There are a variety of incandescent bulbs, including xenon and halogen bulbs. These types of bike lights tend to provide a good amount of illumination without consuming too much power. They are also relatively inexpensive and easy to repair.

LED Lights

Unlike other traditional bike lights, LED lights are not bulbs. They are tiny semiconductors that are extremely efficient at converting electricity to light. Since one LED light does not provide much light, LED bike lights have several LEDs clustered together to produce adequate light. They use very little power and have an extremely long life, so you'll rarely need to replace the batteries or the light itself.

HID Lights

High-intensity discharge lights are the latest addition to the bicycle light industry, according to the Planet Bike website in April 2011. A special gas inside these bulbs replaces the traditional light-bulb filament. When electricity passes through the gas, bright light is produced. Since the technology is relatively new, HID bike lights tend to be more expensive than other lighting options. Additionally, the lights are somewhat delicate and difficult to repair.

Reflectors

Reflectors are easy to attach, lightweight, require no power source and shine brightly in the dark. On the surface, they seem to be a perfect lighting option for your bicycle. However, reflectors only function properly under perfect conditions, according to the Harris Cyclery website. Reflectors are only effective when another source of light falls on them at a specific angle.

If the surface of a reflector is damaged or covered with dirt, grime, moisture or dust, its performance plummets. Additionally, fog can completely block a reflector's light. Although reflectors might be a good addition to your bicycle pedals or wheels, or your cycling jacket or helmet, they should never be used as your sole source of lighting when riding in dim or dark conditions.

Light Locations

Bicycle lights mounted on the front of your bike should be white. These lights will help brighten the path ahead of you and notify oncoming traffic of your presence. Bicycle lights mounted on the back of your bike should be red. This light notifies oncoming cars and other cyclists of your location. Your rear light can either blink or remain steadily lit.

Some cyclists also choose helmet-mounted lights while riding in dark conditions. Similar to a front-mounted bike light, these lights help brighten the path in front of you. They also move with your head, allowing you to alert more people of your presence, particularly at intersections.