Lights for Road Bike

[MontyVeda]

I have See.sense which are probably overkill but what is the test for ‘unsuitable’ or suitable lights. Is there official guidelines out there?

there's a british standard which some lights mightn't meet, mostly due to beam pattern i guess.

 

[presta]

I have See.sense which are probably overkill but what is the test for ‘unsuitable’ or suitable lights. Is there official guidelines out there?

If you want to cycle on UK roads in the dark, the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 dictate that by law you must use front and rear lights that meet either BS6102/3, or SI2559, or an equivalent EU specification. There are very few of them on the market, so most people use ones that don't comply with the law.

 

[Emanresu]

If you want to cycle on UK roads in the dark, the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 dictate that by law you must use front and rear lights that meet either BS6102/3, or SI2559, or an equivalent EU specification. There are very few of them on the market, so most people use ones that don't comply with the law.

There are no lumen equivalents though the STVZO says 250 lumens

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/stvzo-bike-lights/

 

[tinywheels]

never skimp on lights!
Your life depends on being visable.

 

[fossyant]

There are many STVSO 'style' lights coming out of 'China' these days. The led is placed in the top of the lamp, and uses a reflector. These do have a good cut off. I have a couple of them. They can still kick out 1000 lumen, but the beam is 'on the road' and below waist height. For really pitch black sections I have a brighter light, which has a partial cut off.

 

[Alex321]

I have See.sense which are probably overkill but what is the test for ‘unsuitable’ or suitable lights. Is there official guidelines out there?

Not really.

The law says that you must have lights meeting the appropriate British Standard, but there are very few of those on sale, so most people don't comply with the law. And there is no law preventing you having ones which do plus additional lights which would not conform.

You can't have a red light showing to the front or a white light showing to the rear, and if they flash they are supposed to flash at a constant rate (though again many don't comply with this).

In the UK there are no official guidelines beyond the legal requirements. Provided you have some visible lighting (after dark), red to the rear and white to the front, no policeman is likely to stop you.

 

[GrimUpNorth]

There are many STVSO 'style' lights coming out of 'China' these days. The led is placed in the top of the lamp, and uses a reflector. These do have a good cut off. I have a couple of them. They can still kick out 1000 lumen, but the beam is 'on the road' and below waist height. For really pitch black sections I have a brighter light, which has a partial cut off.

Just had a quick look for STVSO lights and saw these. Not a lot of review info outside of Amazon but reviews on there are ok (I know...if they are to be trusted!)

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everbeam-E3-Bike-Light/dp/B09DXD2N5C?th=1

 

[Alex321]

Just had a quick look for STVSO lights and saw these. Not a lot of review info outside of Amazon but reviews on there are ok (I know...if they are to be trusted!)

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everbeam-E3-Bike-Light/dp/B09DXD2N5C?th=1

After reading the first two paragraphs of their description, I'm not sure anybody makes a bargepole long enough for me to not touch them with.

They might JUST be acceptable as lights to be seen by if you are only ever riding on roads with good streetlighting.

And the first part of their last paragraph is the opposite of the actual case. "It’s no secret that a StVZO certified bike headlamp must not exceed 10 lumens / m2". That is actually the minimum, not the maximum. They MUST provide an illumination of the space 10 metres in front of the bike with a minimum of 10 lumens per sq M.

So these lights are not going to meet that requirement, with only 50 lumens being produced at the lamp.

 

[fossyant]

Just had a quick look for STVSO lights and saw these. Not a lot of review info outside of Amazon but reviews on there are ok (I know...if they are to be trusted!)

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everbeam-E3-Bike-Light/dp/B09DXD2N5C?th=1

There are loads of 'this type' being sold for not much money. I have a bar mount ones. Not 'certified', but a definite cut off - useful for commuting. Bright enough for unlit paths.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26570456...=5338956840&toolid=10049&customid=777_777_777

 

[Emanresu]

I've just picked one of these for my eMTB. Down from £18 to £6. Saves me putting on the expensive one and forgetting to take it off the bike

https://custombuilt-ebikes.co.uk/pr...connects-directly-to-bafang-tongsheng-motors/

 

[lazybloke]

The Lidl front light has "K 1819" stamped or moulded on the lens. I believe that's the StVZO ref.
A very bright torch - has the shaped beam , ie a cut-off, but if angled incorrectly will have drivers flashing their headlamps at you.
My pet hate being dazzled, so I try not to do that to others.

£10 for a set of USB-C rechargeable lights. Bargain.
Would be good to get some Aldi equivalents for comparison.

 

[andrew_s]

There are no lumen equivalents though the STVZO says 250 lumens

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/stvzo-bike-lights/

No, Paddy Maddinson of Bike Radar says 250 lumens, which isn't the same thing as STVZO saying 250 lumens.
As far as I've seen, the regulations are written entirely in terms of lux, so I suspect that he's got his lumens and his lux mixed up.

I've got a front light that's 450 lumens/150 lux STVZO.


Legal requirements are "BS6102/3 or equivalent European standard"*, and noboby's going to get far trying to claim that STVZO isn't equivalent.
The STVZO K-number is different for each model of light, so lazybloke's K1819 is specific to the lights Lidl are/were selling (which may also be available under another name from someone else). There's also a small wiggly line symbol next to the number.

* there's also a rule saying a 4 candela blinky (flashing at 1-4Hz) is OK, but if a light is capable of not flashing, it's got to meet BS6102/3 or equivalent.

 

[gcogger]

There are loads of 'this type' being sold for not much money. I have a bar mount ones. Not 'certified', but a definite cut off - useful for commuting. Bright enough for unlit paths.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26570456...=5338956840&toolid=10049&customid=777_777_777

Thanks for that link. I just received the slightly brighter version (mostly for better battery life at 400 lumens):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266428416346?var=566239828826

I'm seriously impressed so far.

• It has a very good cutoff, to avoid dazzling oncoming people/traffic
• It gives fair illumination to the sides (unlike my StVZO one, which is the main reason I don't use it)
• It seems very well made
• It has flexible mounting options, including a Garmin mount (which is my preference)
• It's cheap!

 

[kingrollo]

never skimp on lights!
Your life depends on being visable.

Thank you - can't believe what I've been reading ...£5 from Lidl for cycling at night FFS

Get something like a lezyne strip drive for the the rear and equivalent for front.

 

[lazybloke]

Thank you - can't believe what I've been reading ...£5 from Lidl for cycling at night FFS

Don't know about the £5 one, but I recommended the £10 one which has been great for winter commuting at night; also used for FNRttCs, rides home from pub, etc (see pic). I'm upgrading one bike to dynamo and that will be better, but I'll will still use the Lidl lights on other bikes.

Get something like a lezyne strip drive for the the rear and equivalent for front.

Sure, plenty of choice at different price points. Read the reviews and buy to your budget.


I expect there are still people who won't buy supermarket petrol because they see it as cheap & nasty.