There are a plethora of rear cycling lights available which can be used 24/7 to improve visibility in conditions such as fog, low light and rain. In fact, many brands recommend using rear lights to promote safer cycling as well as improve awareness among motorists.
Considering the fact the most cycling collisions occur during the day it’s probably worth investing in a daytime running light (DRL) with multiple modes that can also double up as a night light. Most contemporary cycling lights offer varying degrees of brightness, battery life and flash patterns, and have a built-in DRL function — the output of which is measured in lumens.
Scroll down to see Cyclingnews’ roundup of the best rear lights available to buy for 2019.
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What to look for in a rear cycling light
As a rule, the brighter the light the better your chances are of being seen by other road users. It’s also worth looking for rear cycling lights that are durable, waterproof and capable of emitting a strong beam regardless of the time of day. Before making a decision, it's worth considering the following five factors as each one has a direct bearing on quality and price.
1. Lumens
Lumens have become the gold standard to measure light output — the more lumens produced by a light bulb, the brighter the light. 20 to 30 lumens is considered a reasonable rating but many rear lights have outputs upwards of 300. Another fact to bear in mind is that the advertised maximum lumen output is calculated in flashing mode, steady or constant mode tends to be slightly lower.
2. Fit/attachment
Most rear cycling lights feature universal silicon or rubber straps that wrap around and fasten onto your seat post. Some also come with special mounting brackets to attach to the back of your helmet, clothing or backpacks. Where you place it is up to you but the seat post has become the standard mounting position for rear lights.
3. Lighting modes
4. Battery
5. Price versus quality
Best rear cycling lights you can buy today
See.Sense Icon2 Smart
- Price: Starting at $98 / £79 / AU$138
- Weight: 50g
- Lumens: 300
- Battery: Li-Ion USB, 16 hours
- Flash modes: 2 (flash and constant)
Bontrager Flare RT
- Price: Starting at US$59 / £44 / AU$79
- Weight: 40g
- Lumens: 90
- Battery: 420Li-Poly USB, 15 hours
- Flash modes: 5 (three flashing, two constant)
Garmin Varia RTL510 Radar
- Price: Starting at $199 / £169 / AU$299
- Weight: 71g
- Lumens: 65
- Battery: Li-ion USB, 15 hours
- Flash modes: 3 (two flashing, one constant)
Moon Nebula
- Price: Starting at $46 / £35 / AU$81
- Weight: 44g
- Lumens: 180
- Battery: 800Li-Poly USB, 20 hours
- Flash modes: 8 (four flashing, four constant)
Lezyne Strip Drive Pro
- Price: Starting at $49 / £39 / AU$67
- Weight: 53g
- Lumens: 300
- Battery: Li-Ion USB, 53 hours
- Flash modes: 11 (eight flashing, three constant)
Blackburn Dayblazer 65
- Price: Starting at $30 / £28 / AU$42
- Weight: 48g
- Lumens: 65
- Battery: Li-Poly USB, 6 hours
- Flash modes: 3 (two flashing, one constant)
Lezyne Zecto Drive Max
- Price: Starting at $49 / £47/ AU$50
- Weight: 69g
- Lumens: 250
- Battery: Li-Ion USB, 24 hours
- Flash modes: 8 (five flashing, three constant)
Cateye Rapid X3
- Price: Starting at $60 / £49 / AU$90
- Weight: 46g
- Lumens: 150
- Battery: Li-Ion USB, 30 hours
- Flash modes: 6 (two flashing, four constant)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-rear-lights-for-cycling-2019
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