subject: Bike Lights And Helmet Lights [print this page] Bike Lights- Meaning, Purpose and Benefits
Bike lights have many benefits for the cyclist in the dim or dark conditions. This not only enhances the visibility of the rider but also helps the others identify the cycle and its rider. It is evident that car-bike collision rate is higher at night compared to the day time; this makes the use of bike lights very important as this equipment can reduce the chance of collision greatly for the rider. Statistic suggests that using bike equipment like marker lights, headlights and helmet bike lights, the accidents have reduced greatly.
The most common lighting system used on the bikes is white lights for the bike front, red back lights and orange colour reflectors on the sides. There are various legal requirements also regarding the bike lights which have to be complied with. This is the foremost task that the buyer of bike lights has to undertake. The laws have to be complied with in regard to the choice of bike lights.
There are many standards set by the authorities with regard to the different forms of bike lights. Before buying any bike light, the purchaser has to make sure that the manufacturer has complied with the standards and the bike light has the desired standard.
LED bike lights
LED Bike Lights have become really popular due to its high effectiveness, efficiency and reliability. These are available with varying power degrees, the higher suitable for constant riders in dim or dark conditions and vice versa. The lesser the degree of LED lights, the cheaper it will be.
Helmet lights
The helmet lights are also known as a helmet mounted lights and as the name suggests, these lights are affixed on the helmets of the bike riders. Helmet lights light wherever the bike rider is looking, this is very helpful in spot landings, viewing terrain and side trails, around corners, while climbing the hill or while moving downhill.These lights make the bike ride safe and fun for the rider. For racers, these can be greatly helpful to maintain concentration and focus during the night.
The helmet lights are relatively stable compared to the other bike lights because the head of a person remains relatively stable in a bike ride. The simple reason behind this is that the knees and the body of the person take up all the shock. A stable light source enhances more confidence in the rider as he can move faster without much light issues.
The helmet lights should not be heavily mounted or hard mounted on the bikers helmet. It should easily come out on crashes, etc., so that the device is saved and the injury caused to the rider is the minimum. Some of the manufacturers prefer top mount while some go to side mount helmet lights.