Should your bike lights be flashing?

In general, your best bet for maximum visibility is to have two rear bike lights (one steady and one flashing) at night, and at least one flashing rear light in the daytime.

Are flashing lights more visible?

Blink makes you visible quicker, steady lets motorists figure out what you are (and how far away you are) quicker. When it’s dark, I have one blinky and one steady in the back. If it’s rainy or dim I’ll set both to blinking.

Should I use bike lights during the day?

Although the law only requires that bicycle lights be used during the defined hours of darkness, “being seen” is just as important during the day as it is at night. The most common accident involves a left-turning car driver who simply does not see the oncoming cyclist.

How bright should cycling lights be?

Rear lights are usually between 5 and 100 lumens, whereas a front light can be anything from 10 up to thousands of lumens. If you’re riding on unlit roads, you’re probably going to want a front light that’s around 600 lumens as a minimum, but you also want to make sure that you’re not going to be dazzling any oncomers.

Do bicycles need lights at night?

Although California law does not require any additional lighting or precautions for bicyclists riding at night, you should avoid wearing dark clothing, which makes it more difficult for drivers to see you at night.

Can you have too many bike lights?

If you know that you will always be riding in the city with good street lighting, then a 100 lumen ‘to be seen’ light is sufficient; buying a 1600 lumen light is an overkill. If there is a 1 mile pitch dark descent on your commute, then 100 lumens will not be sufficient.

How bright should my bike light be?

There is no fixed agreement on how many Lumens you need for a bike light as it depends on the type of cycling you are doing. Daytime running lights to be seen in daylight = 100+ Lumens. Urban commuting lights to be seen in town = 50 to 200 Lumens. Rural riding lights to see where you are going = 400 to 600 Lumens.