We typically only start thinking about the importance of bike lights for night rides in the summer or wanting to extend our riding ability on those short daylight hours in the winter.
We typically only start thinking about the importance of bike lights for night rides in the summer or wanting to extend our riding ability on those short daylight hours in the winter. But, the truth is, having lights on your bicycle can have more benefits than you realize. Here are 4 benefits of bike lights.
Safety – having lights on your bicycle increases the ability to be seen. When you’re talking about a bike vs. car situation, you absolutely want to be seen! The car industry has moved towards daytime running lights, so why shouldn’t bikers change their mindset?
Reflection – lights allow you to see reflective items on the road. This includes traffic signs, road lines, and even animals eyes. Seeing a reflection could save you from getting in an accident.
Visibility – bike lights help the rider be able to see further in front of them. Having more visibility allows you to have more time to react to obstacles in the road. A rider traveling at 25 miles per hour requires 79 feet to stop ahead of an obstacle spotted in the road. So, make sure you can see as far in front of you as possible!
Requirements – in some states bike lights are becoming a requirement for riding gear. In Colorado, “every bicycle must be equipped with a white front-facing headlight, and a red rear reflector or light, visible from at least 500 feet when used at nighttime.” There are no requirements during the day, but if you want to ride through the Colorado National Monument, they will require lights that are visible from the front and rear of your bike, for safe passage through tunnels, no matter what time of day. 
Extending your riding window is an awesome benefit of having bike lights, but safety is a much more important reason to invest in some lights. If you’re looking for great light options, stop into CBB! We’ve got a few to choose from at different price points. If you’re looking for something specific, just let us know. We’d be happy to see if we can order it for you.
