The subtleties of choosing a front bike light

In the dark and in fog, a bicycle flashlight in front is an indispensable tool for identifying yourself on the road. It is important to strike a balance between under-bright and over-bright bike lights to avoid getting into a highway crash.

There are a number of parameters by which the front white lights for a bicycle are selected.

Whether you are building your own LED flashlight or buying a ready-made one, be guided by the latest versions of super-bright and super-bright LEDs. Their glow should be neither bluish nor overly yellow. Avoid fakes that do not claim the origin or quality of the flashlight. So, on expensive branded products, the brand and model of the LED is indicated.

The city has enough good side lighting. It is required where the cyclist does not move as fast as on city roads. Outside the city, you will need a distinct, concentrated high beam tens of meters ahead. It is easily detected several kilometers away by oncoming cyclists and car drivers.

The experience of many cyclists shows that the best and most durable body for a bicycle light is metal with rubberized or silicone pads. Even with daily and active use, a high-quality flashlight with an aluminum or steel body will last you up to several years - until the battery (s) is exhausted and the LEDs burn out (degrade in brightness).

Such lamps are willingly repaired by their zealous owners.... You just need to order similar LEDs and batteries from China - instead of those that were used before. The base itself (metal, rubber, silicone) can be used for at least one more of the same service life declared by the manufacturer. Cheap flashlights with a rubberized or silicone coating are more difficult to repair - they are often non-separable.

The most versatile option is 18650 lithium batteries. They are sold in almost any online store. As a last resort, use flashlights on conventional AA ("finger") or AAA ("pinky") batteries, replacing the latter with the same batteries. In addition, a suitable charger is required - with protection against overcharging the batteries.

The lantern can be sold complete with generator. The device that generates current for its power supply is a clamping "dynamo". It rotates from the contact of the rubber roller on its axle with the tire of the rotating front or rear wheel of the bicycle. There are also kits for which the generator is installed on the rear lower tubes of the frame and rotates from an additional sprocket, wound on the chain.

In addition to the universal round bike handlebar holder, a helmet holder may also come in handy. It attaches to any of its "ribs".

One-stop solution: one lamp for the high beam, the other for the low beam. Where you attach both (on the steering wheel, on the helmet) is up to you.

Among the pure silicone marker lights, there is a frog design. It is a backlight with a holder that does not have a buckle or Velcro. The silicone loop clings to the plastic "tongue" - a mount is formed that will not peel off the steering tube even with intense vibration. The flashlight weighs only 30-40 g (including battery). The battery is a 3 V lithium battery. The glow is white, from one or two LEDs, there are 2-3 beacon modes. The main advantages of silicone flashlights are increased moisture protection and shock resistance. They are appreciated by extreme sports fans who prefer stunt bikes and ride in rain and fog.

Manufacturers of well-known luxury brands and resellers charge up to 5 times more money than the headlight actually costs. The opinion that it is better to overpay for an expensive brand every 10 years than to take cheap consumer goods from AliExpress is unfounded. Regardless of the warranties a reputable supplier makes, and no matter how high-tech a bicycle headlight is, the LEDs and battery have a limited lifespan. In terms of luminosity (the number of lumens), it will not lose to the brand one. The progress in the world of LEDs also works against the headlights purchased at an exorbitant price on the bicycle wheel: they are produced more and more brightly. The specific cost of each lumen is depreciated: what 10 years ago cost $ 500, now it will cost only $ 110.

Bottom line: rather than paying $ 500-1000 for a beautiful lettering and "slick shape", it is better to choose an equally bright flashlight or headlamp for $ 50-100 from a lesser-known supplier. If money is still not enough, use super-cheap flashlights for a few dollars. The main thing is not to drop them, not to fall off the bike.

An example is the Chinese company Cyclotech. The rating of flashlights from this manufacturer in this list in terms of the number of lumens of light emitted.

1. Front bike light Cyclotech ECYFL003SB. Contains a powerful 180 lumen LED, powered by a built-in 18650 battery. Rechargeable from USB charging, waterproof metal rubberized case, 4 operating modes (2 - flashing).
2. Front bicycle light Cyclotech ECYFL002BB - 3 LEDs with a total luminous flux of 40 lm, powered by 3 AAA batteries. Adjustment of light flux, there are 3 modes of operation: bright, medium and flashing.
3. Silicone flashlight Cyclotech ECYFL012BB - USB charging, lithium battery, moisture protection, 3 light modes, 1 LED 25 lm.
4. Set of bicycle lights Cyclotech ECYFL013BB - consists of a front (white light for 5 LEDs) and red (also 5 LEDs) light. Sold as a set. Power supply - rechargeable batteries of AAA size. The total luminous flux of each of the lamps is 15 lm. Suitable as a signal light and light illumination in dark places where there is no street lighting.
5. Dimensional silicone flashlight Cyclotech CFL-4OR - 2 red or orange LEDs, plastic case, 6 lumens, powered by 3 V lithium battery.

Whatever company manufactures flashlights, whatever their rating is, there is one rule for all buyers: it is better not to skimp on the quality of performance and light output. Sometimes the life and health of a particular cyclist can depend on the quality of the flashlight.

For information on the subtleties of choosing a front bicycle light, see the next video.