Bike Lights
From mid August through to the end of April it will be dark for part or all of the evening rides we do.
If you ride with us at night, you must have a rechargeable off road front light of at least 500 Lumens of brightness. A basic commuter light for road use will not be suitable, and for your own safety, you will be asked not to ride with us.
The club has some lights which can be borrowed for the evening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday night rides. Please contact the ride leader on the number given in the ride calendar, or call/ text to 07957 168277 for further information.
Finding the right light is never easy, and like most things, you get what you pay for. They come in three categories:
From about £20 there is a bewildering choice of Chinese lights from dozens of Amazon and Ebay sellers (not bike shops). Search ‘Solarstorm X2’ as a starting point, and see what is available. Caution needs to be applied here – most products come direct from China, the light output quoted is nowhere near reality, the batteries may be recycled, and the charger is unlikely to meet UK safety standards.
At the other end of the scale, from £200 to £400, super bright UK made lights from manufacturers such as Lumicycle, Exposure and Hope.
At around the £100 mark it is possible to get a UK sourced range of budget lights such as Magicshine. Also the Trailscorcher range is available at favourable prices directly to members. Go to the Partner Shops page for the link.
We recommend a bar mounted light to begin with and rear light. An extra helmet mounted light is also a good idea for extra visibility as well as a backup.
When riding with us, do not have your lights flashing and dip your lights so as not to blind on coming vehicles, when riding on/by the road.