Lighting

Before choosing your lighting system think about the type of riding you need them for, occasional rides back from the pub, serious commuting or all out off-road night riding.

Lights range dramatically in price from your basic LED to powerful rechargeable lights. At the very top end they can rival car headlights for visibility. LED's are the best choice for rear lights; they last a long time, offer clear visibility and are light, easy to fit and cheap. Even if you opt for a more expensive front lighting system a couple of LED's at the rear - used with reflective clothing -will offer you maximum visibility to car drivers.

The basic LED with replaceable battery offers limited riding time as a headlight but if you are only riding short distances in well light urban areas they are plenty strong enough to allow cars to see you. If you are using your bike daily for commuting then the cost of replacing batteries makes LED's prohibitive and you are better off spending a little more cash initially and buying a rechargeable light. These are generally a little bit more powerful as well as being heavier than an LED but the visibility and cost effectiveness improves.

The next step up is when you don't just want to be seen by other road users but you want to see yourself. Re- chargeable battery systems can provide you with several hours of riding time and a powerful beam.

If you are riding on dark lanes, training in the dark or doing a long commute then it is worth investing some serious money in your lights for your own comfort and safety.

Points to consider

How heavy is the battery and where on your bike does it need to go? How easy are the lights to remove and how frequently will you need to do it? How many hours of lighting will you get from one battery? Will you require a spare battery and are they available separately? Does your light system have energy saving modes? How long does the battery take to charge? Is there a helmet mount option for off- road?

Battery types

Four main battery types are used for bicycle lights: sealed lead acid, NiCad (Nickel Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride and Li-Ion (Lithium Ion)

Each different type has different properties and requires slightly different care techniques. Lead acid and Nicad are widely available and cheapest however they are also low-tech and heavier than the more sophisticated NiMH and Li-Ion.

NiCad batteries need to be fully discharged before recharging to prevent damage to the battery and allow full re-charge. This prevents 'top-up' charging. If you are riding a lot in very cold weather it is worth noting that Lead acid and NiCad are sensitive to cold.

NiMH are popular as they are easier to care for than NiCad - they don't require a full discharge -and have twice the capacity of a NiCad.

Li-Ion are the most sophisticated - they are used in mobile phones and cameras - they weight significantly less and hold their charge for longer but they are also more expensive, however if you are using lights on a daily basis their ease of use and longevity justifies the cost.

Off-road lights

If you plan to use your lights for mountain biking there are a few more points to consider than if you were just using them for road work. The beam provided by your light needs to give you sufficient visibility to enable you to adjust your riding to the obstacles of the terrain you are approaching. It's no good having a pool of light just in front of your wheel. The beam needs to be wide enough to take in the whole of the track and provide some peripheral visibility, an even beam with no dark spots and fade to the edges provides best visibility and least distractions. Many mountain bikers favour a headlamp as well as a bar mounted light, this is particularly valuable in twisting single track as you will be lighting where you are looking and where you want to go. Off-road riding will subject your lamp to a large amount of vibration so it needs to be robust with a secure mounting, and in winter it needs to be weather resistant.