Types of bicycle lighting - what to choose?

Content

Any rules, for example, what kind of lighting should the bike be equipped with?
Bicycle lighting and power supply
Driving in the city or in the forest?

Spring has arrived, both calendar and astronomical, so it's time to think about preparing motorcycles for the next season. When to start? For example, from lighting. It is currently available on the market in many variations, both in terms of functionality and in terms of lighting and design. Bicycle lights can be classified according to several different criteria. However, it's always worth it choose lighting mainly due to driving and terrain typein which we move so that other users can see us and so that we can see the obstacles ourselves.

Any rules, for example, what kind of lighting should the bike be equipped with?

In accordance with the current regulations, the cyclist must use suitable lighting after dark and in poor visibility conditions. This means that During the day, in good weather, the bike does not need to be lit.... The user of the two-track can carry them with him, for example, in a backpack, and use them only after dark. If he does not, he will pay a fine if checked by the police. We distinguish 4 types of mandatory lightingwith which the bike should be equipped at night and in case of insufficient visibility:

white or yellow front light lights up continuously or in pulsating mode (1 pc.)
reflective taillight red (1 pc.) - important note: this is the only bike light permanently installed in the vehicle
red taillight continuous or pulsating (1 pc.)
turn signals - they must be installed if the design of the bicycle makes manual turn signaling impossible.

Where is the bike light installed? The front lights are usually located on the steering wheel. Back - on the seatpost, on the seatpost, we can also attach them to the straps of the backpack. In the case of specialized mountain bikes used for night walks in the forest, lighting is also installed. on a cyclist's helmet.

Bicycle lighting and power supply

The type of power supply is one of the main criteria for dividing bicycle lighting. Therefore we distinguish battery and dynamo lighting... The first type of bicycle lights, rechargeable lights, are:

so called fleas - These are small, light, practical and easy-to-use lamps, which have recently become very popular thanks to their original design. Powered by CR2032 batteries, they can be used for both front and rear lighting. Due to the fact that they do not give too much light and are found mainly signal functionThey work well when driving around town. Fleas are often made of silicone material with waterproof properties... They are distinguished by convenient, quick and easy attachment – attached to the bike with an elastic band or a practical Velcro fastener. Thanks to this, they can also be attached to a helmet and used as additional lighting during cycling trips through the forest. They are also well suited for other sports - tied to the arm, they increase the safety of the runner when jogging.
more than fleas and gives more light backlit lamps, powered by AAA or AA batteries. They perform well on poorly lit roads, including urban ones, and even when cycling through the forest.

With regard to the lighting of a dynamo driven bike, we can highlight:

dynamo-driven lamps in the classical way - the undoubted advantage of this solution is the low price, the disadvantages include the wheel resistance provided by the dynamo
dynamo lamps located in the bicycle hub – in this case, we are dealing with the generation of a large amount of electricity with very low resistance and therefore no noise, the only disadvantage is the weight load.

W bicycle lighting we can also meet a newer type generator supply... Often these lamps also have a useful automatic function with dusk sensor... However, in the case of backlighting, a light support option. Such lamps are equipped with an internal capacitor - due to the fact that it is charged while driving, it after stopping the bike, the light may remain on for a few minutes... This is important when the bike is parked in poorly lit areas or at intersections with traffic lights.

Driving in the city or in the forest?

The nature of cycling and the terrain in which we most often travel on dual track are the factors that most determine the type of lighting chosen. Cycling in the city has different requirements for bike lights, mountain biking and extreme night skiing in the forest are different. In the first case, it is mainly about us. visible to others, in the second - so that we can easy to find all obstacles on the way.

City driving – with this type of driving, the headlights will be the best wide beam of lightthe user can easily see other cyclists, drivers and pedestrians. The practical solution is to stock up too small head lamp, it will be useful in case of small and unexpected repairs after dark. Cycling lighting designed for city bikes is usually a valuable lamp. 30-40 lumens... This amount of light is enough to be seen safely on the road.
Extreme driving – lovers of mountain biking or night skiing in the forest must have specialized lighting resistant to mechanical damagewhich will provide them with maximum safety. Such lamps should be splash-proof, that is, to be high resistance to dirt, dust and moisture... A sturdy headlight on the handlebars should provide wide angle of illumination of the track and the same wide beam of lightso that the cyclist can easily and quickly notice all obstacles on the road and provide him with better visibility. Lighting for discerning cyclists should also be equipped with useful features such as: the ability to quickly change the direction of lighting or adjusting the light beam to a narrower or wider zoom option... Bicycle lighting designed for experienced cyclists, in addition to the main lights, often includes additional lamps, most often this headlight on helmet... This not only increases the rider's vision, but also gives him more freedom to observe the route. These types of headlights are often equipped with colored filters - ideal for reading maps at night or lighting up a place intended for recreation. Lighting designed for night walks over rough terrain - lamps with a power of up to 170 lumens. It is also important to have such lighting. it was installed stably – when descending on bumpy routes, small lighting elements are easily loosened.