Bicycle Light Buyer's Guide
Light to see and Light to be seen
Ask a basic question when buying a lamp. Should I "to see" or "to be seen”?
Commonly used lights usually have higher brightness, larger batteries power brighter lights, and the beam angle is narrower, so you can see a long distance. With features such as wide beam and side lighting, you can see the lights you used to see from more angles. The number of lumens is usually small because the priorities are not far apart. As a result, lamps are usually smaller than batteries, have fewer lumens, have larger angles, and are cheaper than lighting.
You might think that lighting is needed only in the dark, but 8 of the 10 bicycle accidents reported during the day have occurred. According to Denmark, using lighting during the day is the most important thing a cyclist can do. basic research. According to this tracker white paper on this issue, focusing optics of 400 meters or more are required to block flash patterns and viewing distances to classify light as suitable for daytime use.
The number of lumens represents the total amount of bike light emitted from a given light source.
Lux is a measure of the light intensity of an area or surface, and it is usually measured at a distance between 1 and 10 meters. If "lumen" is considered to represent the total amount of light emitted by a bicycle light, Lux measures the amount of light transmitted to the distant surface. Therefore, assuming a constant number of lumens of light, the larger the surface area, the smaller the lux. vice versa. If the surface area is smaller, light with the same amount of lumens will have a larger lux value. This aspect is particularly important later in this article when discussing beam angles and beams and discussing the best rays for different cycling applications.
The beam angle represents the amount of light emitted from its original light source. Some lights have sharp beam angles, they focus at right angles (increased illumination), while others have wider beam angles, and they diffuse (decreased brightness). Sometimes called "bundling." The wider the beam, the larger the beam angle and light emission. The smaller the beam, the narrower the beam angle and luminescence.
Super, High, Full, Standard, Normal, Low, Flash and Pulse are various beam types or settings that may appear. The brand describes the type of light that emits light, so you will delve deeper into these descriptive terms to understand what each name represents and how it affects run time. For example, light can be extended for five hours of run time (sometimes called the burn time), but it can be in "flash" mode, which emits a small amount of light intermittently, but the same light is constantly "full" or "full" "High" release can only last 30 minutes.
For some beam types or settings, the time it takes to fully charge to a flat light.
Difference between road, mountain bike and commute
Factors to Consider When Buying a Lamp
Lumens are your most common descriptors in lighting. They don't tell the whole story of brightness, but they are a good starting point. The more lumens, the more light is emitted.
Is it too bright? For ordinary commuters, it is necessary to have bright lights during the day and night to avoid obstructing oncoming traffic. Therefore, if you choose a lamp with a large number of lumens, tilt it slightly downwards to avoid touching the eyes of the upcoming driver. Another idea is to run two sets of lights: one bright light can be turned off or on when traffic enters, and the other less powerful light is always in flashing mode. Using the lights in "blink" mode allows the driver to easily distinguish them from street lights and has the advantage of lasting energy savings between charges.
Most bicycle-specific lights are easy to install on most handlebars and seat posts, but for lamps with air or air seat posts, installing the lamp is much more difficult.
Most bicycle headlights are held in place with a Velcro, which can be used to tighten the handlebars or brackets around the seat post, or to secure the screws with elastic rubber bands. As mentioned earlier, there is no problem installing standard round rods, but non-circular surfaces can cause problems with larger diameters than conventional circles, such as double spread handles. Therefore, it is important to verify that each light and base is compatible with the bicycle.
Many people install the rear seat lights on the seat support to increase visibility. In this case, the fixture must be firmly fixed to avoid touching the wheels. Look for a stand that can easily adjust its tightness to keep it firm. Also look for lamps with interchangeable mounting straps to accommodate different rod and handle diameters.
You should also consider mounting it on aluminum or carbon. Over-tightening the carbon fiber frame can cause cracking (so torque wrenches should always be used when working on carbon fiber bicycles). Unlike screws and brackets, mounts with elastic rubber bands or Velcro are safer options.
Most lights can be charged via USB or require batteries. Most modern lights can be charged via USB with a lithium-ion or similar battery, so you don't need to buy a battery and you can save money by charging easily and conveniently. For battery-powered lighting, it should be easily available at supermarkets or gas stations.
Some high-power lamps require a battery pack to be connected to the lamp in order to work (see picture above). If such lighting is needed, these two items must be able to be mounted on a bicycle, or one can be mounted and the other can be carried. After installing the lights, GPS computer and bell on the handlebars, you may not have enough room for other people. Tom suggested that this option might be beneficial for mountain bike riders.
In short, the larger the battery's capacity requirements (in terms of overall brightness and run time), the larger the size and weight.
