Should I Use Bike Lights During The Day?

At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and supply a massive range of bike lights suitable for mountain bikes and road bikes. Supplying a lot of these lights to our customers lead us to conversations around when and where they are used, and one topic seems to divide opinion within the cycling community, and that’s whether or not to ride during the day with your bike lights fitted, and turned on. 

Whilst most customers are happy to enjoy the extra safety that comes with running daytime running lights on a bike, other riders feel that it is not their responsibility to light up their bike with lights during the hours of daylight. 

At Westbrook, we believe that as cyclists on the road - we should do everything we can to make each ride as safe as possible, including using bike lights. Below, we run through some of the main reasons we think bike lights should be used during the day:

Be Seen

Studies have shown that bikes which run with daytime running lights are almost 20% less likely to be in an incident on the road. Daytime bike lights work much in the same way as cars running with daytime running lights. 

Bike Lights are also brighter than ever - with some bike lights emitting an incredible 300 lumens which makes a real impact on visibility in daylight conditions. Bike light batteries are also better than ever, meaning that commuters especially can use bike lights during light and dark conditions without having to worry about the bike light running out of juice. 

Bike Lights give you Flexibility

Having Bike Lights fitted to your bike during daylight hours means that you do not have to return home in the hours of daylight, so if your plans change - or you need to stay at work for extra time, you can safely cycle home, without having to leave your bike at work and make other plans to get home. 

Bike Lights also give you the flexibility to ride during periods of dark weather and low light - such as a winter storm where visibility can be negatively affected. 

Daylight Settings

Many bike lights now have daytime running settings, with daylight flash modes which have been specifically designed to draw the attention of motorists to your bike thanks to bright LED tech. Lezyne has even developed a new technology in it’s bike lights, called Laser Drive. Laser Drive can be found in some of the brands collection of rear lights and it projects two lines onto the road - allowing road users to be alerted to your presences, whilst also being instructed on how far away to keep from your bike to provide a safe distance. 

Low Cost

For a relatively low cost, you are adding an extra insurance policy onto your and your bike - providing an extra way that you can help keep yourself safe on the roads. 

Year Round Use

As well as providing light during the darker months, bike lights also make a big difference during the summer months - where extra light can provide an extra element of visibility for motorists struggling to see your bike in low and bright sun. 

Bike Lights Online

At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and supply an excellent range of bike lights to suit all budgets, from leading brands such as Lezyne and Exposure. Available to buy online, our range of lights provide excellent and reliable use for road cyclists and mountain bikers. 

You can view the full range across our site, and please do get in touch if you have any questions about which bike light is best for your requirements.