Who says you can’t bike at night? Even if you live in a neighborhood with minimal street lighting and exterior lighting, you can go on leisurely evening bikes with the safety, security, and visibility of LED bike lights.
LED bike lights attach to your handlebars, frame, or wheels and provide long-distance lighting with additional options for strobe and emergency lighting. They’re a handy way to dramatically improve your nighttime visibility, while also allowing others to know you’re there. LED bike lights are also more than a safety feature—they can add degrees of personal customizability to your favorite bike and make your bike stand out from all the rest. But how do you decide on an LED bike light when there are so many options available? We’ve put together this awesome little list of our favorite LED bike lights, the ones that are simultaneously stylish and safe.
Read on to see why our experts love these LED bike lights!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Lumens Should Your LED Bike Light Be?
Depending on where you live, you’re going to want a different amount of lumens for your headlight, bike light, or tail light. If you travel in a relatively well-lit area, or a neighborhood with plenty of street lighting, you’ll want a bike light in the range of 100-200 lumens for ideal visibility. If you’re biking in a more rural area or off the beaten path, aim for a higher lumen count—anything above 300 lumens. In any area that’s pitch-dark, such as a trail or relatively unused road, something nearing 600 lumens is a good idea.
What Style Of LED Bike Light Should I Get?
Wheel lights, frame lights, handlebar lights, tail lights—there are many options out there and they all fulfill specific needs. Mountable lights can be taken on dog walks, while jogging, or on hiking excursions, while static lights can be left on your back to use over and over again. Some lights are USB rechargeable, and other lights attach to your wheels to create colorful unique displays that are attractive and highly visible. If you do a lot of commuting, you should consider both front facing lights and tail lights for improved visibility.
Buying Guide
We’ve put together this useful little Buying Guide so that you can rest assured you’ve made the right choice. Bike lights are awesome, and we want you to love yours! Check it out:
- Style: Frame light, handlebar light, exterior light, wheel light—the type and style of the light you get is important, so make sure you’re satisfied with your choice.
- Power Source: Is this LED bike light rechargeable via USB? Does it need batteries? How long does it last?
- Distance: Is this light specifically designed to be seen from a large distance away, or is it more of a neighborhood visibility light? Ensure that the purpose of the light fulfills your needs.
Activ Life LED Bike Lights
Best Overall
Brighter from All Angles
These lights fit all sizes of tires and provide better visibility than you may expect from other lights. Each one includes batteries that can last up to 40 hours, and are easy to mount to your wheels. You can make each wheel its own color, or you can mix and match wheels with multiple colors by using different-colored lights.
Why We Love It:
- Sold in 10 different colors
- Made with silicone
- Installation requires no extra tools, and is easy to do after watching included installation video
Something to Consider:
- Each purchase only includes enough lights for one tire
- If you have larger hands, you might need someone to help you install
Arespark LED Bike Lights
Best Battery
Super Bright Handlebar Lights
Each light features a power switch and mounting strap, along with three LED lights that work together to provide better illumination for increased visibility. Each LED light is waterproof and ready to offer up to 10,000 hours of lighting power. You’ll easily switch between different lighting modes at the click of a button.
Why We Love It:
- Includes an IPX4 international protection rating
- Offers four different lighting settings (high power, low power, strobe, and SOS)
- Made with ABS acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
- Only takes two hours to charge from a USB charging box or power source, and works for approximately two hours on the highest settings
Something to Consider:
- Tail light does not have charging indicator
- Lights can easily turn on by accident because of where the power button is located
BV LED Bike Lights
Best Running Time
Up to 80 Hours on One Charge
Each piece has a quick release clip, allowing you to easily take them off your bike when you need to bring them inside to charge. However, with the increased run time provided by each light, you won’t have to do this very often. These lights are also weather-resistant, and can be removed to use as a torch in case of emergency.
Why We Love It:
- Lights are weather-resistant
- Offers three different visibility modes from five LED lights
- Provides 30-40 feet of viewing range, and can be seen by motorists up to 1,500 feet away
- Features quick-release mount for times when you want to remove your lights
Something to Consider:
- Requires four AAA and two AA batteries
- Line of sight is not the best for anybody riding at faster speeds
Malker LED Bike Lights
Best Colors
Includes Two Red and Two White Lights
Each light features three different settings. You can choose between fast flash, slow flash, or constant light depending upon your preferences and where you’re riding. When your battery dies, you’ll easily replace them by removing the housing from the silicone case – this hardly takes any time at all.
Why We Love It:
- Easy installation – all you have to do is place the light around the bike frame and hook the silicone case around the bar (no tools required)
- Offers visibility up to half a mile away
- Made with premium silicone alloy to withstand inclement weather and low-impact drops
- Provides up to a half mile of visibility
Something to Consider:
- Requires two lithium ion batteries
Ebuyfire LED Bike Lights
Brightest Lights
Offers Five Lighting Modes
The 360-degree rotating bracket allows you to position your light however you like, based on how your light is installed and where you need the light the most. Each light includes a rechargeable battery that can be quickly charged from your computer or any other USB power source.
Why We Love It:
- Easily mounts on your handlebars
- Designed to fit most mountain and road bikes with ease
- IPX5 waterproof and anti-corrosive
- Made with aluminum alloy
Something to Consider:
- Light may sometimes move around while your bike is in motion
