Staying visible is the key to staying alive on a bicycle when you’re sharing the road with cars. Luckily, bike light prices have dropped dramatically in the last several years, so you can get quality illumination for cheap.
To find the best affordable lights, we consulted our bike commuter friends and scoured online reviews. Here are five options that will have your bike covered from handlebars to tail.
Niterider Mako 250 ($30)
pumps out 250 lumens, which is enough to completely light up the bike path and make sure cars know you're coming. We also like the “gills” on the side that emit light horizontally, increasing your visibility to cross traffic.
Cygolite Hotrod Front ($30)
The looks funny because it's designed to throw a wide, road-covering beam. It also has a pulse setting designed to increase your daytime visibility. You get 110 lumens for 1.5 hours on the highest setting, and it’s USB rechargeable.
Nite Ize Griplit ($20)
The more points of light you have on your bike, the more likely you'll be seen, which is why we like these flatbar that stretch over the ends of your grips and make you visible to cross traffic. Because cars don’t just come at you head on.
Light and Motion Vibe ($30)
A sensor in this turns the light on when there's motion and turns the light off when the bike is parked so you never waste your battery by forgetting to hit the off button.
Blackburn Click Combo ($20)
For less than you spend on coffee each week, you can get the combo with lights that are easy to mount, easy to use, and run on inexpensive coin cell batteries.