Bike Light Recommendations

[JohnV]

I don't ride much at night outside of the neighborhood with my wife when she gets home from work. Both of us have Cateye front and rear lights that are OK for what we do, but I wouldn't really recommend them for night riding on your own. Being seen by others isn't the problem, they just don't have a string enough beam for you to see the road safely. I know the roads in my neighborhood, so that isn't a big thing.

The only other times that I ride at night is with groups doing benefit rides but most of that is in the city and you really don't need a bike light to see, only to be seen. In the group rides that I have been on, I have not seen any of the lights that are really a standout as far as you being able to see the road well. Cateye does make some very powerful lights that will not only make you seen by others, but make you see the road very well. However, be prepared to pay for that.

I'm not sure about others, but I have had several rear lights that I have clipped on to my under-seat bag (as an extra light) that always manage to fall off over rough roads. After breaking three of them from falling off, I now just clip my extra rear light on my riding shorts and that seems to hold them a lot better than the bag does.