Luca_cycling

Brighten Up Your Ride For Safety: Let's Talk Bike Lights

Visibility is one of the most important aspects of cycling safety. In large part, this means lighting. A well-lit bike can drastically reduce your chances of suffering an accident, especially in low-light conditions. Whether you’re riding during the day or night, equipping your bike with front and rear lights is essential for ensuring that you’re seen by drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists.

LUCA_Blog

Why Bike Lights Are a Must

Visibility can even be an issue during the day (especially in the UK!) as overcast weather, shaded streets, or busy traffic can all make it harder for drivers to spot you. Adding lights to your bike helps to make sure that you’re visible from a distance, which will give other road users enough time to see you and react safely to you being there.

You'll want both front and rear lights to make sure that you’re visible every which way. Bike lights become even more important at night or in poor weather conditions, of course. A bright front light illuminates your path ahead, which helps you to see potential obstacles – potholes, debris, sharp turns, road works, passing children, animals… the list goes on. Meanwhile, rear lights make sure that drivers and other cyclists can see you.

LUCA_Blog

Consider Flashing

You should seriously consider using flashing lights for added safety, irritating as they may be to passing pedestrians. Flashing lights catch attention more effectively than constant beams (hence the irritation – they can be very hard on the retinas!). This can be particularly the case in traffic or on city streets where movement can easily blend into the background. A flashing rear light is especially useful for making sure drivers notice you from behind, while a flashing front light can help you stand out to oncoming traffic.

A combination of steady and flashing lights might be a good bet. You can use a steady beam to light the road and a flashing mode to make themselves more visible to others. This combination ensures that you can see and be seen, offering the best of both worlds. Safety is key.

LUCA_Blog

Choosing the Right Lights

Brightness matters when selecting lights for your bike. Make sure that both your front and rear lights are bright enough to be seen from a distance no matter the conditions. Most bike lights are measured in lumens – in short, the higher the lumen count, the brighter the light. A front light with 200-500 lumens is usually enough for city riding, while rural or unlit areas may require a stronger light. Rear lights typically range from 20 to 100 lumens.

Rechargeable LED lights are a great option as they’re long-lasting and eco-friendly. Be sure to keep your lights charged and check them regularly to avoid dimming or even cutting out entirely during your ride.

Black

Other things to consider...

Of course, there are other things to consider, when it comes to staying safe as you ride: including planning your route, cycling in a group, avoiding night rides alone, and so on. We will cover these in more detail in another blog soon (keep your eyes peeled!). As you will all know, it's also extremely important to wear the right clothing. Go for bright colours and/or reflective elements - wear kit that enables you to be seen. Do check out the latest LUCA collection, with reflective details for added visibility. ⭐

Pictured: the LUCA Momentum Jacket with reflective logos. See also our signature Red Road All-In-One

To conclude...

Equipping your bike with bright, functional front and rear lights is a simple yet essential safety step that can make all the difference on the road. Having the right lights ensures that you can see and be seen, which will do a tremendous amount to keep you safe and well. And don't forget your clothing too!

Please do share your tips for safe cycling - it's our aim at LUCA for all women to feel safe and confident on every ride. If you are new to cycling, make sure you also read our blog: 19 Top Tips for New Female Cyclists.

You can also sign up to our LUCA newsletter here along with our Cliq Cycling Community and WhatsApp group for cycling community updates, including events and LUCA Ride Outs.

Luca X

Blog