Bike safety: Lights and reflectors

In our 3rd article on bike safety we will discuss the importance of lights and reflectors.

Firstly, in contrast to the absence of the helmet requirement (but not its importance), the Highway Code requires the use of lights half an hour before sunset and half an hour after sunrise. However, I switch them on in a flashing manner as early as 6 p.m. in summer and 3.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in winter.

Good visibility on the roads is an important part of our cycling safety, or rather the opposite, without these you cannot feel safe!

Let's start with the lights, there are front lights and rear lights, both of which should give you good visibility on the road, but the front lights, in addition to this, should illuminate the road to give you a better view of the route.

This is precisely why the front light must be powerful enough with a white light, preferably LED, while the rear light is red, must not illuminate the road and has the sole purpose of making the bike more visible. For maximum visibility it is best to choose the flashing mode, this also saves battery power, not bad, right?

It is therefore good practice to always put the rear light in flashing mode. While the front light in flashing mode gives you better visibility and saves battery power, it offers less lighting performance. In this case you have to assess the situation and the degree of visibility of the road (the time of day and the presence of lights) to choose the mode between steady and flashing. As I told you, I personally turn on the lights long before it starts getting dark and choose the flashing mode, the same even on well-lit roads. Whereas when the road is poorly lit or dark, it is good to switch to steady mode.

LED lights, then, have made a big step forward in visibility and safety when cycling on the road. Compared to a few years ago, when even the largest spotlights, which were not easy to fix, did not provide sufficient illumination, and the battery did not last long enough, always putting you at risk of running out of light at the least opportune moment!

Today, there are the highly efficient, compact and rechargeable lights that last a long time and have a battery level indicator so that you can charge them in good time and never run out!

As for reflectors or reflectors, their function is to reflect light, sending it back to the source. It is precisely in this way that your bike becomes more visible and thus safer, making it visible even to those coming from the side.

A good light + reflector kit is an important step for your cycling safety! Together with a helmet, it protects you on the roads during your commute, Strictly by bike!