How to Choose Bike Lights | Quick Guide for Cyclists
How to choose the right bike light
The best bike light for you will depend on where and when you ride. There are lights designed for city, road, and mountain bike riding, and lights designed for lighting conditions ranging from total darkness to broad daylight. If you ride mostly riding during daylight hours, you will want a daytime running light that is visible during the day. We recommend the Flare RT as the best rear bike light for daytime riding.
The best lights for mountain biking
The best mountain bike lights should be powerful enough to light up the entire trail, which means they have 1000 Lumen or greater brightness ratings. If you plan on mounting your bike helmet with lights, make sure that the light is compatible with your helmet mount and look for a lightweight yet powerful option. We recommend the Ion Elite R or Ion Pro RT as the best night riding bike light options for MTB. Pro tip: one light on your bars and one light on your helmet can really help illuminate a trail.
The best bike lights for commuting
Many lights are rated with a bike light visible distance, typically measured in meters, which is super useful when comparing models. Lights visible from a long distance can help give other road users more time to notice and react to your presence. They can also help you see farther down a dark path or trail.
The best bike lights for road riding
You should use daytime running lights on every ride — no matter how bright the sun is shining. For open road riding, we recommend the Flare RT / Ion 200 RT light set. Both are visible from over 2km away during the day, they’re compact and powerful, and they easily mount to your road bike without added bulk for a clean, bright look.
Best for urban commuting
Trek Commuter Pro RT Flare RT Bike Light Set
- Kindbeam tech to keep lights out of other riders’ eyes
– Best for city riding at dusk, dawn, and everything in-between
– Daytime visible from 2km
– Run time up to 12 hours
– Wirelessly pair Commuter Pro with Flare RT for single-button power up on both front and rear light
Best for daytime city riding
Trek Ion 100 R Flare R Bike Light Set
- Fast charging and long running lights to help you stand out in the city during the day
– Best for commuting, errands, or joy rides around town
– Visible from 900m
– Run time up to 24 hours front and rear
– Fuel gauges let you know how much charge you have left
Best rear light with radar
CarBack Radar
- Know what's coming with Trek CarBack Radar Rear Light. CarBack's radar helps detect rear-approaching vehicles from up to 240m.
– Best for being aware and being seen on the open road
– Visible from 2km
– CarBack run time up to 7+ hours
– USB-C rechargeable bike lights
Best light set for road riding
Trek Ion 200 RT Flare RT Light Set
- A powerful and compact bike light set with multiple flash patterns for daytime visibility
– Best for discreet mounting and visibility on open roads
– Visible from up to 2km away
– Run time up to 30 hours front,15 hours rear
– Easily mounts to your bike with Blendr capabilities
Best for on or off bike
Trek Ion 50 R Flare R Metro Bike Light Set
- Designed to help you stand out after dark
– Best for visibility after sunset on a ride, walk, or run
– Run time up to 6 hours
– A built-in clip securely attaches to a belt, pocket, or bag
What is a daytime running light?
Daytime running lights (DRLs) are designed with specific flash, focus, and range to help you be seen from far enough away to help give drivers more time to react and pass by you. Select Trek DRLs are visible from up 2km away on the road!
What is visible distance?
Most bike lights are rated with a bike light visible distance, typically measured in meters, which is super useful when comparing models. Lights visible from a long distance can help give other road users more time to notice and react to your presence. They can also help you see farther down a dark path or trail.
What are lumens?
There are many types of bike lights out there, and they come in many different brightness levels. Thankfully, bike light Lumen ratings make it easy to compare brightness. The more Lumens a light has, the higher the output and the brighter the light will be. But Lumens aren’t everything — well-designed lenses and optics also play a large role in determining a light’s brightness.
What’s the benefit of a front light?
Bike headlights can make it easier for you to see where you’re riding after dark, and they can also help make it easier for drivers to spot you. They usually attach to your bike’s handlebars or to your helmet using a bike light helmet mount.
What’s the benefit of a rear light?
Bicycle tail lights can help make it easier for other road users to see you, and some rear lights are designed for better daytime visibility. They typically attach to a bike’s seatpost.
Where do bike lights go and how do I install them?
t’s generally recommended that you mount a bike light directly to your bike. If you mount a light to your body, its beam will follow your body’s movement and might not be optimally visible at times. When you mount your bike lights, you should also make sure they’re not obstructed by your bike or any accessories.
Mounting rear bike lights
We recommend attaching rear bike lights to your seatpost. Check that the bike light mount is secure, tight, and level to the horizon. It should shine straight backward. If you’re using a bike rack, you may want to mount your bike light directly to your rack so it’s not blocked.
Shop rear bike lightsMounting front bike lights
We recommend mounting front bike lights directly to your handlebar. Just like your rear light, make sure the mount is secure, tight, and level to the horizon. It should shine straight forward. You can also mount your front light to your helmet, which is a popular choice for mountain bikers who want their light to follow their line of sight.
Shop front bike lightsOther types of mounting options
Many bike stems and saddles also feature integrated mounting capabilities. Trek Blendr mounts make it easy to mount front and rear Trek lights and provides a clean, integrated look. You can also use clip-on mounts or belt clip mounts can to easily affix a light to your clothes, bike bag, or backpack.
How do I know which brand to buy?
Not all lights are created equal. Lenses, flash patterns, visible distances, run times, modes, and charge times can vary greatly across the bike light industry. This is especially important when it comes to daytime running lights. Trek Daytime Running Lights are designed with a specific flash, focus, and range to help you stand out from a meaningful distance on every ride, day and night.